SM Global Audition 2015

Yes, you heard right!  SM is hosting a Global Audition in 2015!!!  I want to thank CremeChoco for point this out to me ahead of time!  Thanks!  I will be trying out in Korea on the first date since it's during winter break.  ^^~

Interestingly, no Western countries were included this year and Japan was also excluded (maybe a hint at their difficulty in finding Japanese trainees?).  Only Korea, China, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand are included.

Most of my readers aren't currently in these areas, so I'll only provide general details.  If you are going to be in the area and need more information, just comment below or send me an email at:  angelsunfoldedwings@gmail.com

You are allowed to audition for only one category:  dancer, singer, actor, model, and lyricist/composer.

Korea
Jan. 9th, 2015, Friday - 서울
Jan. 11th, 2015, Sunday - 서울
Jan. 11th, 2015, Sunday - 대전
Jan. 17th, 2015, Saturday - 전주
Jan. 17th, 2015, Saturday - 대구
Jan. 18th, 2015, Sunday - 광주
Jan. 18th, 2015, Sunday - 부산

China
Jan. 23rd, 2015, Friday - Shenyang
Jan. 23rd, 2015, Friday - Canton
Jan. 25th, 2015, Sunday - Zhengzhou
Jan. 25th, 2015, Sunday - Chengdu
Jan. 28th, 2015, Wednesday - Wuhan
Jan. 28th, 2015, Wednesday - Xi'an
Feb. 28th, 2015, Wednesday - Beijing
Mar. 1st, 2015, Sunday - Beijing
Mar. 6th, 2015, Friday - Nanjing
Mar. 6th, 2015, Friday - Hefei
Mar. 8th, 2015, Sunday - Shanghai
Mar. 8th, 2015, Sunday - Chongqing

Thailand
Bangkok - Date Not Decided
Chiang Mai - Date Not Decided

Indonesia
Jakarta - Date Not Decided
Surabaya - Date Not Decided

Singapore
Singapore - Date Not Decided

Korean SM Weekly Auditions Change Location

Once again, SM has changed the location of their Weekly Auditions in Korea on us!  They are now located at the COEX Artium.

Yesterday they updated their Facebook page with this message:
[Please credit SM The SMART STYLE, Rachel Devlin, or angelsunfoldedwings if you use the translation]

[S.M. ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY AUDITION] 
- 토요공개 오디션 장소 변경 안내 
[S.M. Entertainment Weekly Audition]

- Information about the change in location for the Saturday Open Auditions.
안녕하세요, S.M. ENTERTAINMENT AUDITION 담당자입니다.
2014년 3월 8일부터 토요 공개 오디션의 장소가 기존 에브리싱 압구정점 지하 1층에서 'SMTOWN@COEX ARTIUM'으로 변경됩니다.
오디션 참가자 분들은 착오 없으시길 바랍니다~!

Hello, I am in charge of the SM Entertainment Audition.

The Saturday Open Audition previously held in the basement of everysing in Apgujeong will now be changed to the SMTOWN@COEX ARTIUM" starting March 8th, 2014.

I hope there will be no confusion for audition participants~!

[lit. All audition participants, please do not make the error (of trying to audition at everysing)]

According to the map provided, the address is 511 COEX ARTIUM, 5th floor, Yeongdong daero, Gangnam, Seoul, South Korea

(서을시 강남구 영동대로 511 COEX ARTIUM 5층)

Congratulations! So Now You're A Trainee...: A Speculative Look At Your Future

[DISCLAIMER:  Like the title says, this is speculative.  I have made educated guesses based on what I believe are mostly reliable sources.]

For More Information:

•  "Basic Audition Q&A" - the answers to the big general questions.
• "Tell Me Your Wish...Er, Questions" - the answers to the commonly questions I receive via comments and email.
• "Congratulations!  Now You're A Trainee...:  A Speculative Look At Your Future"

All Your Answers, Conveniently Located

To All That Read This Blog,

First and foremost, thank you so much for reading!  Never would I have imagined that a simple blog about my passion for SM Entertainment would turn out like this!

I love hearing from each and everyone, but I do get a lot of comments and emails to answer.  I have compiled all the useful information I can think of into four easy places:

• "A Useful Guide to SM Entertainment" - a step-by-step guide to auditioning for SM Entertainment whether it be by email, online, everysing, or live.
•  "Basic Audition Q&A" - the answers to the big general questions.
• "Tell Me Your Wish...Er, Questions" - the answers to the commonly questions I receive via comments and email.
• "Congratulations!  Now You're A Trainee...:  A Speculative Look At Your Future" - my thoughts on your trainee life.

Please check these sections before commenting or asking a question.  Most likely, I have already answered your question!   I spent a lot of time on these, so please put them to good use!
However, if you cannot find your answer there, don't hesitate to comment or email me!

Here are some other places to look!

• E-mail Answers
• Connect the Dots:  How Do I Get Into SM (Or Any Company In General) the Fastest?
• So What Happens If I'm Not Korean (Or East Asian)?
• When Only Korean Is Available:  Auditioning
• Tips On Auditioning For SM Entertainment
• The Audition Process - the Job Interview Analogy
• My Thoughts On Auditioning - My Experience

Tell Me Your Wish...Er...Questions. (소원을 말해봐...아...대답): Commonly Asked Questions

For more answers:

• "A Useful Guide to SM Entertainment" - a step-by-step guide to auditioning for SM Entertainment whether it be by email, online, everysing, or live.
•  "Basic Audition Q&A" - the answers to the big general questions.
• "Congratulations!  Now You're A Trainee...:  A Speculative Look At Your Future"

The Audition Process - the Job Interview Analogy

So the awesome Hara had an excellent question for me about auditions.  How many rounds are there?  There actually aren't any!  The audition process is more like a job interview.

In this senario, SM is the company, you are the candidate, and the job is that of being a trainee.

For those of you too young to have a job, a job interview usually consists of these stages:  the application, correspondence, a face-to-face interview, (sometimes) consideration [on the part of the company], and the job offer.  Some stages can be skipped, repeated, or prolonged at the company's discretion.  Also, the company sometimes alerts you when you get rejected in the early stages, but sometimes forgets completely and you never hear from them...

At any point the company offering the job can offer the candidate the job or reject them.
Also, like a regular job, the applicant must apply for only one position.  The employer has no obligation to actually select any applicant and can pick as few or as many candidates as they want/need.  Most importantly, there is no "winner."  You either get the job or you don't.  Whether your first place, second place, eighth place or whatnot, you won't know and maybe your employer doesn't even know.

Tips on Auditioning for SM Entertainment

NOTE:  A lot of my observations come from things I've seen off of "Survival Audition K-Pop Star".  I know it's a reality program and all, but the judges comments still are very useful and very very true.

What SM looks for:
BoA mentioned that she was looking for someone who was a "blank canvas."  This means SM is looking for someone that doesn't necessarily have a musical direction they want to go in and someone who they can "mold" or "paint" into what they want.

What YG looks for:
YG really focuses on personality or a unique characteristic.  G-Dragon's funky personality and style. Lee HI's lazy soulfulness, etc.

What JYP looks for:
JYP looks for someone who is hardworking and diligent and who has a solid foundation for their singing.  He also likes someone who will have staying power for the long run.

Now for the tips and advice:

Audition Notification 2013

2013 Global Auditions dates have started to come out!

Korea:
Friday, January 25th, 2013:  Incheon (Samsan World Gymnasium)
Sunday, January 27th, 2013:  Daejeon (Pyeongsong Youth Cultural Center)
Saturday, February 2nd, 2013:  Jeonju (Jeonju University - JJ Art Hall)
Sunday, February 3rd, 2013:  Busan (MBC Art Hall)
Saturday, February 16th, 2013:  Anyang (Anyang University - Ari Vision Center)
Sunday, February 17th, 2013:  Seoul (COEX Mall - Conference Room 4th floor)
Friday, February 22nd, 2013:  Bundang (Korea Design Center)
Saturday, February 23rd, 2013:  Gwangju (U Square Cultural Center)
Saturday, March 2nd, 2013:  Daegu (Bukkuch'eong Youth Cultural Center)
Sunday, March 3rd, 2013:  Chungju (Jungjushi Cultural Center)

When Only Korean is Available: (Auditioning)

If the company you want to audition for only has a Korean application form and you don't speak/read/write/understand Korean, I strongly encourage you NOT to audition for that particular company.

Why?

a.)  They will ignore it because they can't understand it.

If it's smaller company (like anything smaller than CUBE), they might not have staff on hand all the time who can read applications in English (especially since some of the people who apply in English have atrocious spelling and grammar).

If I were the a judge who only knew Korean, I would ignore applications written in English.  I could easily just pick someone who was just as talented who wrote in Korean, rather then expanding energy and time on getting a translator.

b.)  They'll think you're a stuck up snob who think's they're better than everyone else - traits they don't want in a future K-Pop idol.

Even if you get someone else to translate for you, the judge isn't going to know that.  They're going to assume you can read, write, and understand Korean and wonder why the hell you aren't replying in Korean.

c.)  You'll be false advertising

Say you go the extra mile and have someone else translate your English into Korean.  Then the company assumes you are fluent in Korean while in reality you're in desperate need of some basic Korean lessons.  If they do pass you farther into the audition, they WILL ask you questions.  And if they ask you in Korean (because it looks like you know it) and you can't reply, you'll be checked off the list.

Now don't think you're out of luck if you don't speak Korean.  There are still a lot of agencies who offer auditions in English!

Connect the Dots: How Do I Get Into SM (Or Any Company In General) the Fastest?

I recently had a conversation with someone who wanted to know what was the easiest way to get into the Korean music industry.  As this conversation was by e-mail, I have no idea what this person looks like or sounds like which actually helped my thought process.
So what is the easiest way to get into SM or any entertainment company?

1.)  Have a connection to an industry insider who can recommend you
Seriously, this is the fastest way in.  In Korea, getting a good job is all about having the right connections.  Even if your connection is that it's your best friend's cousin's fiancee, if you get that connection to recommend you, you're already a few steps ahead of the pack.
For example, let's say A has an industry connection and average talent and B is pretty good, had professional lessons, was a back-up dancer for a semi-well-known singer, and doesn't have a connection.  They both decide to audition for Company C.  B is definitely more experienced and more talented than A, but more likely than not A will be chosen over B.

However, this does have a flip-side.  You need to be good for the insider to seriously consider recommending you.  Too many recommendation duds and their credibility to recommend potential trainees is shot.  Also, the pressure on YOU would skyrocket.  If someone recommended you, suddenly you're obligated to uphold their reputation.  Even if you are talented, if you do something stupid and earn a bad reputation, it's going to reflect poorly on the person who recommended you.

Example:  Girls' Generation's Sunny
[I'm not saying she isn't talented, but there are definitely others who are more talented than she is.  It didn't hurt that Lee Sooman was her uncle!]

3.)  Win a contest sponsored by SM

E-mail Answers

Some of the questions in others' e-mails might be the same questions you have!

Update:  Nov. 10, 2012
I heard that other SM trainees bully you if you aren't Korean, and since I'm not Korean, is that something that I should worry about?
Yes and no.
No, because times are changing and I really believe that you won't be bullied just because you aren't Korean.  They might get carried away with their national pride sometimes, but it don't think it will be too harsh.
Yes, especially if your skin is darker (even if it's as light as EXO's Kai).  In this video, Taemin states that he sees Kai's dark skin as his weakness.  Really?  It's a really assy thing to say, but as you can see Taemin doesn't say it to be mean!  There is also some evidence that Tao and Kris were thought of as "lesser" by fellow trainees and trainers because they were Chinese.
Overall, I don't think it's something you should worry too much about.  Like school, there will always be the possibility of it but it's not something that should stop you from trying your hardest.

-Hara Jun

Update:  Oct. 4, 2012

Hello!

1)Is there a specific time when you can apply or is it all year round? I asked that question on Yahoo! Answers and they said that anytime not during the brakes is good, because apparantly that is when everyone is like "I'm bored let's audition".

Breaks actually aren't a good time.  While you have free time, so does everyone else.  Winter is a great time because more people are occupied with school.  Also, avoid times during and the month after a Global or Youth Star Audition.  SM will put more energy and attention into those auditions and your audition might be pushed back indefinitely. 

2) I live in the US, so do I send my mail audition to LA or Seoul? I am not fluent in Korean but I do know some basic phrases. Would they evaluate my mail in LA or would they send it to Seoul?

LA.  :)  Their English-speaking staff at their LA office will evaluate your audition there.

Just a note of caution to everyone, always avoid using Korean unless you are fluent.  Either they will look at you poorly because of the state of your grammar and spelling (much like employers look down on text speech in applications) or they will assume you are fluent, especially if you use a Korean-speaker to double-check your writing.  Of the four languages SM deals in (Korean, Chinese, English, and Japanese), pick the language you are the most fluent in and use that! 

3) When auditioning by post/mail, I was thinking of singing the climax of the song I was planning on auditioning with (IU-Mia). Is that okay or must I sing the whole song? The climax really compliments my voice while the other parts really won't "WOW!" the judges, in my opinion. 

It's okay!  I actually encourage singing only the climax of the song.  While on their website they don't  give a data limit for the files, the limit for the everysing.com audition file is only 25 MB.  That's not a lot of room!  It's enough room for either just audio and video or only about 30-60 seconds of video and audio, depending on quality.  Also, that's about the length of time you get for a live audition.  

-Hara Jun

A Useful Guide to the SM Entertainment Auditions

Here's a quick guide that I've compiled based on my own experience and other sources.  This is a guide for the SM Entertainment online audition, e-mail audition, and post audition.

For more answers:

•  "Basic Audition Q&A" - the answers to the big general questions.
• "Tell Me Your Wish...Er, Questions" - the answers to the commonly questions I receive via comments and email.
• "Congratulations!  Now You're A Trainee...:  A Speculative Look At Your Future"

Basic Audition Q&A

[UPDATED:  July 3, 2013]

Here are some commonly asked questions that I've seen around the discussions boards regarding SM Entertainment auditions (in person, online, e-mail).
For more answers:

• "A Useful Guide to SM Entertainment" - a step-by-step guide to auditioning for SM Entertainment whether it be by email, online, everysing, or live.
• "Tell Me Your Wish...Er, Questions" - the answers to the commonly questions I receive via comments and email.
• "Congratulations!  Now You're A Trainee...:  A Speculative Look At Your Future"