SM Entertainment recently announced their new project group SMRookies and revealed three of their trainees: Taeyong, Seulgi, and Jeno. On December 10, the agency revealed two more trainees, Lami (age 10), Irene (age 22), and Jaehyun (age 16). Lami, real name Kim Sun Kyung, was recently in the SBS drama “Five Fingers” playing the younger version of Jin Se Yeon’s character. Irene was most recently in Henry‘s music video, “1-4-3 (I Love You)” as Henry’s love interest. Not much else has been revealed about Jaehyun. Hopefully more information will be released about Jaehyun and other SMRookies members.
Article: 'SM Rookies' reveals three additional trainees, Rami-Jaehyun, Airin
Source: Sports Chosun via Nate
1. [+291, -29] This is only SM Rookies in name, they're basically a direct rip off of Japan's Johnny's. Johnny's has completely taken over the Japanese entertainment industry to the point where nothing would be possible without their existence. Their actors, even without any acting skills, are given lead roles in dramas and are debuted at young ages while still trainees to foster strong fanbases, which is basically what SM Rookies is doing. Johnny's is Lee Soo Man's role model. It's because Johnny's is known for having hoards of kids sing and dance all at once that Japan doesn't have any talented idols. The talented idols are all buried under Johnny's and anyone who isn't under Johnny's can kiss their chance of getting into a variety, movie, or drama goodbye. SM Rookies is copying this entire concept... seeing as how Lee Yeon Hee, the representative of poor acting, is given lead roles, SM is probably going to stick the SM Rookies kids everywhere they can. It will only get harder for acting and singing trainees...
2. [+103, -11] What is up with their names...
3. [+96, -7] Johnny's turned Japan's music industry into a kiddie talent show by sticking in their talentless idols into dramas, movies, and theater and now SM is copying that ㅋㅋㅋ How long do you think this amazing Hallyu of yours will last? You'll be lucky if you're not pushed aside by China in 10 years.
4. [+29, -9] New products from the SM factory?
5. [+22, -4] I really don't get why SM is copying Johnny's... Do they really only care about money? I was so happy when Psy got worldwide attention... for showing the world that K-Pop isn't all about puppet idols. I assure you, SM will come out with a 50 member idol group one of these days...
Source: Netizenbuzz , Soompi
Mods: I'm posting these particular comments because they actually brings up interesting issues / comparisons between kpop and jpop and isn't just mindless hate like usual.