Idol life is one of the most potent and sought after careers in South Korea. As such, it is not surprising that many aspirants start their training days super early. Some start when they're children and have to attend school along with training. Even though it has its problems, the pros outweigh the cons. Idols who have started training early or have debuted early often say that they lost out on their childhood and normal experiences of that time. Still, in return, they got to live the life they want, doing what they genuinely like, and that compensates for all the hard work. Here are some idols that debuted super early!
1. SHINee Taemin - 14
Taemin began his idol training at the tender age of 12, after which he debuted at 15 in SHINee, which went on to be one of the most successful and long-standing K-Pop groups ever. Even till date, SHINee's popularity has not faltered even the slightest. Besides his group activities, he has a critically acclaimed solo career as well. In light of his achievements and popularity, it might not be an exaggeration to say that he's the face of K-Pop.
2. f(x) Krystal - 14
Krystal was scouted at five years old on a family trip to Korea. However, her parents refused the offer and only allowed Jessica, her sister, to start training. In 2002, she began appearing in TV commercials, and in 2006, she started training under SM. Finally, she debuted at 14 years old in 2009 with f(x).
3. NCT Dream Jisung - 14
Jisung was a wonder boy from a very young age, appearing on TV even before his debut. In 2013 he performed at the International Children's Day Concert with Psy's 'Gangnam Style' dance. Besides that, he also appeared in Yunho's 'TVXQ' video clip entitled 'Champagne' in 2015. He's the maknae of this group, debuting at 14 and has shown extraordinary growth over time.
4. BTS Jungkook - 15
Jungkook was only 15 years old when he debuted with BTS. His extraordinary talent in singing earned him the lead vocal position. However, he's also incredibly talented in dance and choreography and has even rapped in a couple of their songs. His all-rounder talent has made him known worldwide as the "golden maknae."
5. IU - 15
IU debuted at only 15 years old, establishing a name for herself from the very beginning. She decided against pursuing higher education for her singing career and never looked back. Today she is one of the most successful solo artists in the K-Pop industry.
6. TWICE Tzuyu - 16
Tzuyu was scouted from a video of her dancing uploaded by her dancing school and signed into traineeship by JYP Entertainment. Later on, in SIXTEEN, she stole the hearts of viewers even though she wasn't part of the initial seven chosen to debut. However, JYP saw the potential in her, and she was added to the lineup. Today, she continues to charm fans with her extraordinary talent, and out of this world looks.
