In an online community, Koeun, a former SM Rookies who almost debuted in aespa, once again captured massive attention for her top-notch visuals in a recent pictorial.

On March 12, Koeun, a former idol trainee who rose to popularity after joining SM Entertainment's SM Rookies became the talk of the town when her photos spread among K-pop enthusiasts.

Netizens particularly commended her beauty, which upgraded even more after receiving the celebrity treatment.

Koeun Starts New Career as Model After Failing to Debut in aespa

As a short background about her, Ko Eun, also known as Koeun established a decent fandom prior to her debut after exposure in SM Rookies, a pre-debut group launched by SM Entertainment, her former agency.

At the age of 11, she started training under the company and was initially introduced as a prospective member of Red Velvet. But as she was so young, she ended up not joining and instead continued her training.

Through the segment, "Mickey Mouse Club," Koeun raised more anticipation of when will be her debut, especially since she has been gaining attention for her excellent singing abilities.

ALSO READ: Former SM Rookies Koeun Shares Anecdote With Red Velvet Irene

While fans are so sure she would make it into aespa, the girl group after Red Velvet, Koeun left SM in 2020, with the rumors that she once again failed to join the lineup.

Since then, she focused on her studies and also turned into a beauty influencer and a model for cosmetic products. Currently, she has over 290k Instagram followers and she has been doing pictorials for various brands, flaunting her stunning appearance.

Koeun Gains Praise for Upgraded Visuals After Celebrity Treatment

Initially, Koeun would only post her selfies on a daily life basis, showcasing her natural look without makeup. In 2023, Koeun then started bagging brand deals where she would post her photos using the products.

In January 2024, Koeun officially opened her new career as a model and started posing for studio-type pictorials.

Seeing her photos, internet users' jaws dropped with how ethereal her beauty is. While she's always been pretty, fans claimed that her beauty and facial features stood out better with a celebrity "hemeko" (hair and makeup coordination).

She was also lauded for her natural expression in the camera which she most likely adopted after training under SM for many years.

• "Oh, she reminds me of certain female idols."
• "She's really pretty."
• "Wow, she's so pretty, I wonder why she didn't debut."
• "She's like a combination of TWICE Tzuyu and Nayeon. I'm just saying that she's really pretty."
• "Wow, she became even prettier."

Fans think that if she debuted in aespa, she would truly suit the group with her beauty, not to mention her high-level skills.

• "She has a really pretty voice, I want to hear her sing."
• "I think she could have debuted if it wasn't for that KWANGYA concept. It's a shame."
• "It would have been so crazy if she debuted in aespa."
• "If she debuted in aespa, her face would have fit it well, so I don't know why it didn't work out."

READ MORE: Where are the Female SM Rookies Now? Current Status of Trainees Who Could Have Been aespa Members

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Written by Eunice Dawson.