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Hello everyone!

SM: The Smart Style's Facebook page is now finally open! Please visit our page at www.facebook.com/pages/Sm-The-Smart-Style and don't forget to click the 'Like' button! Also, we will be opening more social network sites, specifically for this blog, so stay tuned.

Winter Weather Update :)

Happy Holiday Season everyone!!!

As you may have noticed, we are making some changes around here!   I keep pinching myself because the new layout Hara designed is just...WOW!!!!!!!!  So a round of applause to her for all of her hard work!

I feel the blog has become a tad cluttered so I will "cleaning" over the Winter! :)  Please keep tuned as I diligently revamp!

SM Pre-Debut Team [UPDATED]

I don't know about you, but I'm excited about SMROOKIES!
SMROOKIES is a pre-debut group that is fluid with the number of members that it holds.  It is a place where SM's top trainees can show themselves to the public and show off their talents (but mostly their looks...?) to the public and cover their sunbaes' songs.
It is interesting to point out that SM seems to only be releasing their top trainees.  From fan photos of the SMTOWN week where a video about the trainees played, there are other trainees (probably from SM Academy) who haven't been shown, and don't have their names released to the public.

My Question To SM:  Can the Rookies flunk out/drop out from SMROOKIES, or is this semi-permanent?
     Seriously, not all of these rookies can debut.  That would mean SM would have to debut 2-3 high number groups in the next few years (before they expire in the industry, age wise) and that's just the BOYS.  With EXO's immense popularity, their under promoting of their other groups in general *cough*Jino, Zhang Liyin, CSJH*cough* and SM C&C's merging with Woolim, they can't really afford to manage 2-3 more groups.  While it is high time SM releases an EXO sister group, their trainees thus far indicate they have three eligible trainees to debut:  Seulgi, Irene, and Wendy.  Lami is definitely too young to debut and we'll have to wait and see about Jeesu.  SM hasn't really showed us any true talent from the girls and a group can't just be faces.  That would be like debuting YoonA, Sunny, and Yuri.  SM trains them well so they can sing and dance, but they would be lost under the deluge of other pretty-faced groups that nobody can tell apart (Nine Muses, Dal Shabet, etc.).
      Also, with the ages of some of the Rookies, I can see some of them burning out or aging out.  The boys will all be early 20s or older when they get around to another boy group and almost running into their military service time.  Irene, if she doesn't debut, will soon age-out since it's unusual for an older girl to debut in K-Pop (though it would be refreshing, especially from SM!).  But the little kids who are 10-14, I could see burning out.  Some of them may be doing this because of their parents or because to them it's fun (right now).  But as they grow up, they may feel like they want to pursue normal lives, like U-KISS's Dongho discovered.

Now on to the stuff you actually care about! :)
I scoured the Internet for everything I can dig up about these guys.  I will update as I find more stuff and as more trainees are introduced.
Each week seems to have a theme so I have included "WILTC - What I Like To Call", or what I think the theme is.

Week 1:  December 2, 2013
WILTC:  SM's Favorites
TaeYong (태용)  --  July 1, 1995 (18)
     *Appeared in "To the Beautiful You"
Jeno (제노)  --  April 23, 2000 (13)
Seulgi (슬기)  --  February 10, 1994 (19)  --  Kang Seulgi (강슬기)  --  SM Casting System 2007
Week 2:  December 9, 2013
WILTC:  The Actors (w/ the exception of Jaehyun...?)
Irene (아이린)  --  March 29, 1991 (22)
     *Appeared in Henry's "1-4-3" MV.
Lami (라미)  --  March 2, 2003 (10)  --  Kim Sungkyung (김성경)
     *Appeared in SNSD's tour video, the drama "Five Fingers", etc.
Jaehyun (재현)  --  18 years old
Week 3:  December 16, 2013
WILTC:  The Heartbreakers
Mark (마크)  --  August 2, 1999 (14)  --  Mark Lee  --  Canada Global Audition (~2010-13)
     *Speaks English
Hansol (한솔)  --  November 21, 1994 (19)
Jisung (지성)  --  February 5, 2002 (11)  --  Park Jisung (박지성)
Week 4:  December 25, 2013
WILTC:  The Global Bunch
Johnny (쟈니)  --  February 9, 1995 (18)  --  서영호 (John Seo)  --  2007 US Global Audition
     *From Chicago;  Korean-American;  Speaks English;  Appeared in ABC's "K-Pop Boot Camp" and "To the Beautiful You"
Ten (텐)  --  February 27, 1996 (19)  --  Ten Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul  --  2013 Thai Global Audition
     *From Thailand;  Chinese-Thai;  Speaks English and Thai;  Appeared on Teen Superstar;  was almost a member of Boyfriend - offered a contract by Starship Entertainment
Yuta (유타)  --  October 26, 1995 (18)  --  2012 Japanese Global Audition
     *From Japan;  Japanese;  Speaks Japanese
Wendy (웬디) -- February 21, 1993 (21) -- Wendy Shon (손승환) -- 2012 Canada Global Auditions
     *From Canada:  Korean-Canadian;  Speaks Korean, English;  plays the guitar, saxaphone, piano

**Rookies unveiled at SMTOWN, but not officially on SMROOKIES
- Jeesu
- Yong ju
     *Appeared in "To the Beautiful You"
- Taeil

Credit:  S.M. Rookies Facebook;  SMROOKIES International;  http://m.news1.kr/view.html?no=1465884;  http://omonatheydidnt.livejournal.com/12362737.html

Original Post(s):

So far, their Facebook page, SMROOKIES, totes this as a way to meet the "team" before debut.  Whether this is gearing up to introduce a mixed-gender group or just introducing us to the trainees they plan on debuting in the future is unknown yet.  [Thank you Konglish...]

So far, they've released photos of "Tae Yong" (male), Jeno (male), and Seulgi (female).  Jeno should not be confused with Jino of SM The Ballad - that poor dude still stuck in the SM dungeon - but Seulgi is the female trainee that was mentioned by Kyuhyun on Radio Star.

Stay tuned to SMROOKIES and this blog for the latest info on this exciting new development!

UPDATE:
SM has released more photos of Taeyong!  So I'm assuming that that's all for now, as far as adding "members."  They also added two clips of Seulgi.  In one she sings a Christmas carol and the other is just showing off her physical charms.  She actually has a decent voice.  I'm excited!

UPDATE:
SM keeps adding more!
We are now up to
Taeyong (male, 18)
Jeno (male, 13)
Seulgi (female, 19)
Lami (female, 10)
Jaehyun (male, 16)
Irene (female, 22)

Once again, SM and its lookalikes...Taeyong bears a strong resemblance to Kris and Jaejoong, Jeno looks a lot like Donghae/Amber or Taemin/Kai, Jaehyun resembles Suho and Siwon (though, while there's only one photo of him, he could also resemble Chanyeol...), Lami looks like Sulli and Tiffany/Stephanie, and Irene looks like Taeyeon and Sunday.  Seulgi is the only fresh face that I see, though she does remind me of BoA when she was new...oh SM...

[credit: S.M.ROOKIES Facebook - fan site, SMROOKIES Facebook

Are the Rumors True? The Life of a Trainee and an Idol

Thanks to Khanh Truong who had this excellent question!

So are the rumors true?  Do you have to sleep with the CEO to get a part in an idol group, song, or movie?  Do they beat trainees?  Are idols overworked?  Are you forced to get surgery?

Like high school bullying, it does happen, but a majority of people don't experience it firsthand and of the people who do experience it, few experience it with such intensity.  Have there been cases where trainees been sexually assaulted or slept with a lowlife CEO to get into the business?  Yes.  Just look at the CEO of Open World Entertainment who was recently arrested for sexual assault on a trainee.  Have trainees been beat?  Yes, especially in the 90s and early 00s when corporal punishment was a common and accepted form of punishment in Korea (much like it was in the 50s in America).  Are idols overworked?  Yes.  Many idols like f(x)'s Krystal and KARA's Hara have both fainted onstage and T-ARA is very obviously overworked.  Are you forced to get surgery?  Yes, in the past it was "have surgery or don't debut".
These things do happen, but some things, such as beating trainees or getting forced to get surgery, are very uncommon nowadays because of the visibility of idols.  It's so easy to dig up pre-debut pictures so it's glaringly obvious when you get work done and corporal punishment is no longer an accepted form of punishment.

While it's impossible to predict whether it will happen to you, just like it's impossible to predict if you'll get hit by a car, there are ways to safeguard yourself to help you avoid these horrible things.

1.)  Don't be desperate.
While drive is integral to becoming a K-Pop idol, desperation is not.  I know how badly you want to be an idol, but there are terrible people out there.  There are ample reports of hopefuls getting scammed or sexually assaulted by people claiming to be able to make them stars.  Do your research.  If you've never heard of the company before, it probably doesn't exist.  Your body is not worth being a star.

2.)  Set your limits.
What are you willing to do?  Make a list of things you absolutely would not do to become a K-pop star.  Then stick to your guns.  Do not be willing to make any compromises on your list.
For example, here's my list:

• No sex.  I will not perform as sort of sexual acts in exchange for fame.  I'm worth so much more than that.
• No major plastic surgery.  Would I consider double-eyelid surgery or Botox?  Actually, I might.  But would I consider rhinoplasty (a nose job)?  No.
• No physical abuse.  You lay a hand on me, I am out of there!  I don't care if I'm a day away from debut.  I refuse to be hit.

So if I ever became a trainee, but SM told me I couldn't debut until I had a nose job, I'd quit.

3.)  Stick with people you know.

A majority of you don't live in Korea, nor do you know anyone living in Korea.  So if you were to become a trainee, you'd be flying over to a completely strange place.

Kids, keep your parents close!  Scum bags prey on the naive and innocent who have no familiar moral compass asking them: "Did you honestly think this through???"

4.)  Know your limits.

Some people just don't know when to say no!  They take on project after project until they drop.  One of my friends in going to school full-time, playing in a marching band, involved in his church and works two jobs.  I keep telling him he's going keel over and die of overwork one day.  And honestly, some people, like him, can do all this and not feel tired.  But me, not so much.

Opportunity for SM Entertainment: SMTOWN Global SNS Marketing Contest

Ever wanted to be employed by SM Entertainment???  Well, here's your chance!  Winners will be award the honor of working for SM Entertainment for 3 months with a monthly salary!!!

Credit:  SM Entertainment