Eunmi Kim or Grace is a Korean American rapper who was part of Unpretty Rapstar as of 2016. She uploaded a YouTube video and revealed how much money she made while working in the K-Pop industry as a performer.
She answered the questions of her viewers, including breaking down what the company paid for. She also discussed the cost of living of a performer. This is her honest true to life story that one should not miss.
Grace said that she literally doesn't have money as a trainee. It was hard for her to find a part-time job because training is from morning until night. She can't work because all her time and schedules are busy.
She stayed with her relatives because the company did not provide housing. She eventually asked the company if she can stay in a dorm that is paid by the company. She said that not all companies pay dorms and there were cases where trainees split payments for their dorm as group members.
The members will talk and think about how they can afford a dorm. They will combine their money and look for an affordable place. Lucky are those who have an agency that provides paid housing.
She paid all three meals using the allowance that her parents gave her. She revealed that many trainees liked to eat in a convenience store, so they can buy food for $3.00 to $4.00 (USD). Sometimes they only eat ramen because it costs only $2.00 (USD). She needs a strict budget for her meals. She needed to skip healthy foods and buy cheap meals in order to save money. She didn't want to spend all the money that her parents gave her.
Grace said that some companies will give transportation allowance for taking trains or buses. According to her, she experienced spending $100 (USD) a month for public transportation. She also used money from her pocket for her own airfare. She encountered visa issues which caused her to travel back-and-forth to the US many times, but the agency said it was a personal problem.
She said that there were rare cases when a company paid the trainee transportation fee. She knew a trainee who was recruited from Japan and the company covered all of her transportation costs. She said that not all companies give transportation allowances and she did not experience that in her company.
