1 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:12,040 Speaker 1: You know, everybody. 2 00:00:12,119 --> 00:00:15,320 Speaker 2: Welcome back to the K Factor Everything k Pop. First 3 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:18,599 Speaker 2: to Buy Bomhan. This is a podcast about everything K pop. 4 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 2: We're going to pull back the curtain and bring you 5 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 2: guys into the world of idols, musicians, songwriters, choreographers, and 6 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:31,200 Speaker 2: this is a deep dive into the making of an idol. 7 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:33,640 Speaker 2: I am your host, Bomhan, and I have been a 8 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:36,479 Speaker 2: trainee for the past six years and I am now 9 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 2: pursuing a solo career here in America, and I kind 10 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:41,159 Speaker 2: of want to give you guys my personal experience, my 11 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:43,800 Speaker 2: personal anecdotes and everything that I experience kind of going 12 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 2: through the system of K pop. 13 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:47,199 Speaker 1: So what a lot of people. 14 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 2: Don't understand is that for every successful group that you 15 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:56,000 Speaker 2: see performing these big stages like Mama, Coachella, Lallapalooza, like, 16 00:00:56,520 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 2: there are thousands of groups that didn't make it. And 17 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 2: I kind of want to pull back the curtain on 18 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 2: what are some of the hardships that would result in 19 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:08,200 Speaker 2: a group not being able to make it? What are 20 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:10,040 Speaker 2: some of the setbacks and the challenges And I'm going 21 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 2: to give you my personal experience. Okay, so about six 22 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 2: years ago, I moved to Korea and as a kid 23 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:22,320 Speaker 2: from New York. I didn't speak a word of Korean. 24 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 2: And there's a bunch of international trainees who go through 25 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:26,679 Speaker 2: this as well. And actually, later we're going to have 26 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 2: a guest who was part of one of the big 27 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 2: three companies and trained for years, moved there when he 28 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 2: was fourteen and kind of had a bad experience and 29 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 2: it came back to America. So we're going to be 30 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 2: talking to him a little bit later in the episode 31 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 2: or making them an idol. But right now, this is 32 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:43,959 Speaker 2: my personal experience. Right I moved to Korea into a 33 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:46,680 Speaker 2: smaller company and I didn't speak. 34 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 1: A word of Korean. 35 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 2: I literally got there and I was like, where are 36 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:54,400 Speaker 2: the subtitles? And I went to the dorm and I 37 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 2: saw a little dog and I was like, oh, hello dog, 38 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 2: And then the dog barked back in and he spoke 39 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 2: more Korean than I did. That the owners would go 40 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:06,320 Speaker 2: to me like son kitado ottadawa, Oh, what is a 41 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:06,840 Speaker 2: dala wa? 42 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:08,920 Speaker 1: What is a sultan? You know? 43 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 2: So that was my experience, and they kind of like 44 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 2: put me through like an intensive language learning program where 45 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:17,960 Speaker 2: I was like learning five hundred words a day and 46 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 2: they would like give me tests like kind of like 47 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:21,400 Speaker 2: a couple of days later, and I have to like 48 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 2: be like okay, like I would get four hundred words 49 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 2: out of five hundred on a good day maybe, and 50 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:31,360 Speaker 2: we would do this every single day. And all this time, 51 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:34,080 Speaker 2: I was like seventeen years old. You know, I'm dealing 52 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:37,359 Speaker 2: with the emotions of leaving home, like first time, kind 53 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 2: of being removed from my family, and just kind of 54 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 2: like like, Okay, I feel lonely. You know, I'm in 55 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 2: this new country and no one speaks English. I can't 56 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 2: be friends with anyone here. And we're just training every 57 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:54,560 Speaker 2: single day. And I actually brought my old training schedule 58 00:02:54,919 --> 00:02:57,200 Speaker 2: for you guys, So I'm we're gonna put it up 59 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 2: on the screen if you guys are watching visually, but 60 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 2: if you're listening, check this out. 61 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 1: Okay, this says Boomhan. 62 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 2: One week plan, all right, ten am, wake up, ten 63 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,520 Speaker 2: am to eleven am. I get a shower, have my 64 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:11,639 Speaker 2: meal clean or whatever. So I asks for an hour, 65 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 2: and then from eleven to eleven thirty we'll go to 66 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 2: the practice room. Like we'll kind of bike there or 67 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:20,240 Speaker 2: like have someone drive. That's thirty minutes, okay, and eleven 68 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 2: thirty to two we have Korean study, so I get 69 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:23,799 Speaker 2: to study these words that they give me like five 70 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:25,920 Speaker 2: hundred words a day, and they're like boom Boomhan. You 71 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 2: learn how to annual haseo and I'm like, oh, I'm 72 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 2: seo right, and then I do that right. And then 73 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:34,679 Speaker 2: from two to three we have vocalization or pronunciation, which 74 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 2: is also like pronouncing Korean words, but we're like covering 75 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 2: rap songs, covering English songs in Korean, so I have 76 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 2: to learn how to pronounce these words right. So we 77 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 2: do that. Then from three to seven thirty we have 78 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 2: rap practice. Okay, cool, I get to rap. Boom, I'm 79 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 2: writing raps, I'm performing. And then we practice and we 80 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 2: have these evaluations where it's it's the it's the company's staff, 81 00:03:57,680 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 2: four of. 82 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:00,120 Speaker 1: Them or however many in front of you. 83 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 2: They have like their little boards, and then they're like, okay, 84 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 2: perform and you gotta go there and you gotta you 85 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 2: gotta perform and whatever they give. 86 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:11,680 Speaker 1: You, you just just do it and they give you a score. 87 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:16,279 Speaker 2: And in these bigger companies, you're kind of competing against 88 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:19,040 Speaker 2: other trainees and like who does better on like the evaluations. 89 00:04:19,080 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 1: However, for me, I was. 90 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:24,920 Speaker 2: The only treaty in my company. So I actually felt 91 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 2: a lot of pressure, but also like no pressure. I 92 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:28,839 Speaker 2: was like, Okay, if I mess up, what are they 93 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 2: gonna do? Like hire someone else? Like I I run. 94 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:32,919 Speaker 2: It's like if I was to like work at a 95 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:34,160 Speaker 2: boboshop and like, what are you gonna do? 96 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 1: Like fire me? 97 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 2: You know, so I'm the only employee, Like I like, okay, 98 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 2: your business is gonna you know. So I felt the 99 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:43,200 Speaker 2: pressure of like I wanted to do well, but I 100 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 2: was like, I'm not competing against anyone here. So we 101 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:50,680 Speaker 2: would do these evaluations and then that was to kind 102 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 2: of practice for it. Right then from seven thirty to 103 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 2: eight thirty, we have photo missions, and I think this 104 00:04:57,120 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 2: is something that I don't know if other companies do this. 105 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:03,920 Speaker 2: But I had to do selfie practice. So I had 106 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:06,440 Speaker 2: to take my phone. I had to take a selfie, 107 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:09,400 Speaker 2: and then I would be like fifty to one hundred 108 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 2: selfies and then I would send it to my manager 109 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:15,479 Speaker 2: and my manager would pick like like five or ten 110 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 2: or however many are like good and show off like 111 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:20,680 Speaker 2: my features and then they're like, uh, okay, now do 112 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 2: this again. 113 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 1: And then and I have to like recreate the seven. 114 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:26,520 Speaker 2: Pictures and then and then at the end of the day, 115 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:28,720 Speaker 2: I would have taken like three hundred selfies and then 116 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 2: like there'll be like two good ones. 117 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:31,279 Speaker 1: And I have to do this every single day. 118 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:33,920 Speaker 2: And then like they also have they combine it with 119 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:35,839 Speaker 2: like this thing they call photo mission, and you just 120 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:38,600 Speaker 2: had to like copy pictures at I don't think any 121 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:40,599 Speaker 2: other pop stars in the world have to do that. 122 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 2: And then we'd write lyrics from eight thirty to one 123 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:46,040 Speaker 2: third until eleven thirty and you're like, Okay, it's been 124 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:47,880 Speaker 2: like twelve hours. You know, when does he get to 125 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:50,599 Speaker 2: go home? Okay, I'm writing lyrics from a thirty to 126 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:54,119 Speaker 2: eleven thirty and then okay, maybe it's time to go home. 127 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:56,960 Speaker 1: Just kidding. Twelve forty to twelve o'clock, you. 128 00:05:56,880 --> 00:06:02,559 Speaker 2: Go to the dance practice room twelve o'clock like twelve am. Yeah, 129 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:07,279 Speaker 2: then from twelve am to six am go to is 130 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 2: dance practice. 131 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:11,599 Speaker 1: Go to the dance practice room and dance. 132 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:17,280 Speaker 2: So we're practicing from kind of ten am to six 133 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:21,400 Speaker 2: am every single day. And this was my schedule seven 134 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:24,000 Speaker 2: days a week except for on Sundays, I get to 135 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 2: go to church and I get three hours of rest 136 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:30,919 Speaker 2: and that's just the training schedule, you know, not to 137 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:34,159 Speaker 2: mention kind of the culture shock of learning a whole 138 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 2: new culture. There's a lot of things in Korea where 139 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:38,919 Speaker 2: you have to respect your elders. You can't eat faster 140 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:41,919 Speaker 2: than the oldest person in the room, your force and 141 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:44,400 Speaker 2: your spoons have to be facing a certain way. And 142 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:46,920 Speaker 2: I was like, I don't know any of this, and 143 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:49,800 Speaker 2: when you mess up, a lot of times people wouldn't 144 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:50,120 Speaker 2: tell you. 145 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 1: I was very blessed to be. 146 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:56,120 Speaker 2: In a welcoming environment where they knew that they were 147 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:58,240 Speaker 2: kind of bringing in an American or someone who was 148 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:00,160 Speaker 2: born and raised in America. 149 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 1: So they gave me a lot of grace with a 150 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:02,880 Speaker 1: lot of the culture stuff. 151 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:04,520 Speaker 2: But I know a lot of stories a lot of people, 152 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 2: like with the guests that we have coming on later, 153 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:10,440 Speaker 2: where these foreign trainees they wouldn't know the culture and 154 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 2: they wouldn't know like the little hidden rules where you 155 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:14,760 Speaker 2: can't say certain things, where you can't like act as 156 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:16,320 Speaker 2: certain we have to sit with like your hands on 157 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 2: your knees, like all this stuff right, and we don't 158 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 2: know this and a lot of us we pissed someone 159 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:25,720 Speaker 2: off because they're like the why is this kid not 160 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:27,960 Speaker 2: having his hands on his knees right now, and they 161 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:30,840 Speaker 2: get blacklisted from the training and then they kind of 162 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 2: have like sit in like like like these kind of 163 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 2: like like like these away areas and they kind of 164 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:40,040 Speaker 2: they're like secluded because they didn't follow the rules and 165 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 2: they just seem like a rude kid. But we're coming 166 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:46,160 Speaker 2: from a different place, you know, like like we're chasing 167 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 2: our dreams and we moved here when we're fourteen, fifteen, 168 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:52,560 Speaker 2: sixteen and all the only thing we're thinking about is dance. 169 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:58,000 Speaker 2: But there's a bunch of different layers and that's one 170 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 2: of the little hardships, you know. And a couple of 171 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:05,640 Speaker 2: years ago during my time, there was COVID, and COVID 172 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:09,800 Speaker 2: had a huge impact on these foreign trainees who were 173 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:14,440 Speaker 2: coming in because a lot of these smaller companies they 174 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:21,840 Speaker 2: had a mass like firing, I guess of their international 175 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 2: trainees because they couldn't tour and a lot of their 176 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 2: sponsors were getting cut and like they were like, Okay, 177 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 2: we can't house you anymore, so you go home. And 178 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:37,800 Speaker 2: a lot of trainees got let go during this time, 179 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:40,800 Speaker 2: and I was one of them. So I auditioned from 180 00:08:40,840 --> 00:08:44,760 Speaker 2: a company and I moved to Korea and then COVID 181 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:47,120 Speaker 2: hits immediately and they're like, oh, like you kind of 182 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:50,960 Speaker 2: have to like go. I was like, what, like, we 183 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:53,680 Speaker 2: can't afford you anymore. They were like oh okay. And 184 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:55,680 Speaker 2: then I just went home and I would call my 185 00:08:55,720 --> 00:08:58,200 Speaker 2: other training friends and they're like, yeah, we actually just 186 00:08:58,320 --> 00:08:59,160 Speaker 2: literally went home too. 187 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:00,440 Speaker 1: And I was like, wait, well and I'll. 188 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:04,320 Speaker 2: Call someone else and they're like, yeah, I'm in Boston 189 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:04,640 Speaker 2: right now. 190 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:06,680 Speaker 1: I'm like, what the heck, what's going on? 191 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:07,120 Speaker 3: You know? 192 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:10,520 Speaker 1: So I was like, Okay, is this how the dream ends? 193 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 1: Just like that? 194 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 2: And sometimes it's just that quick, and then your dreams 195 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:16,680 Speaker 2: are over and now you're back in America, you know, 196 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:19,560 Speaker 2: except you spent you spent like three years in career already, 197 00:09:19,600 --> 00:09:22,000 Speaker 2: and you missed high school, you missed middle school, and 198 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:23,600 Speaker 2: now you just have to go through with your regular life. 199 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:24,760 Speaker 1: You know, Like what is that like? 200 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:30,720 Speaker 2: And actually we have some insight, So please welcome our 201 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:34,440 Speaker 2: guest who's going to talk about all the befoors, all 202 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 2: the durings and all the afters of what it was 203 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:38,079 Speaker 2: like being a training. 204 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:45,400 Speaker 4: Everybody, Please welcome my dear friend Anthony. Hello, what is up? 205 00:09:46,679 --> 00:09:49,160 Speaker 3: It's it's been a minute, bro, it's been a fat. 206 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:51,719 Speaker 4: It's been a fat. I think I think we used 207 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:53,880 Speaker 4: to hang out when you were like sixteen. 208 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 3: Yeah yeah, and when I was like young. Yeah dude, 209 00:09:57,640 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 3: I'm guess my age now, dude. 210 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:02,040 Speaker 4: Oh dude, dude, Oh are you twenty eight. 211 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:06,439 Speaker 3: Twenty one, twenty one? No long? 212 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 4: No way, so long? What the heck? Oh my god, dude, 213 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:14,199 Speaker 4: I remember we used to We used to train together. 214 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:17,319 Speaker 3: Run down college and the little disteelings. 215 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:22,560 Speaker 2: And everything, and then we have the mirror eighty Georgia heat. 216 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 3: Oh my god, it was terrible. 217 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:28,320 Speaker 4: Mrrors from like Facebook marketplace for like ten bucks, no for. 218 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:31,800 Speaker 4: We did a festival too. We were rapping about like 219 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 4: Korean barbecue and like Dan. 220 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:36,000 Speaker 3: Yeah no, no, that almost fun though. I envied that 221 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:37,960 Speaker 3: like a lot. Yeah that was fun. Man. 222 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:40,280 Speaker 2: What's up, man, how are you doing? Thank you for 223 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:42,080 Speaker 2: coming on to my podcast. 224 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:46,400 Speaker 3: No problem, bro, No, it's honestly, it's an honor. It's 225 00:10:46,440 --> 00:10:49,679 Speaker 3: the Bohmont. Bro. I saw you grow man so much 226 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:51,440 Speaker 3: when you went to Korea and everything. I'm just like, wow, 227 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:53,280 Speaker 3: this guy's in no places. I'm so happy that you 228 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:54,160 Speaker 3: grew to this extent. 229 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:56,520 Speaker 2: The whole time I was going to Korea, because you 230 00:10:56,520 --> 00:10:58,559 Speaker 2: went to Korea before I did. Right, the whole time 231 00:10:58,640 --> 00:11:00,520 Speaker 2: I was there, I was thinking about, like, dude, like 232 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:03,079 Speaker 2: whatever I'm going through because I went when I was eighteen. 233 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:06,320 Speaker 2: I was like, right, like like Anthony or or like 234 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:09,679 Speaker 2: you go by June now like yeah, like like he 235 00:11:09,720 --> 00:11:12,360 Speaker 2: went through this when he was fourteen, So everything that 236 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:14,440 Speaker 2: I was experiencing, I was like, no, it could be worse. 237 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:18,840 Speaker 4: You know, you know you a whole time dude, right right, 238 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 4: how was it for you? Like look for me? 239 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:26,640 Speaker 3: Okay, I guess not so far off from what you 240 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:29,080 Speaker 3: went through, Okay, but I know that a lot of 241 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:31,760 Speaker 3: entertainments are different, like the way they run things, right, 242 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:35,240 Speaker 3: and especially from what I heard from my other fellow trainees, 243 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:37,040 Speaker 3: because they were like in and out a lot of 244 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:42,440 Speaker 3: other companies. Right, the way they treat international trainees, I 245 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:44,040 Speaker 3: guess back then. I don't know how it is now, 246 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:47,000 Speaker 3: but back then they would treat it differently with me. 247 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:49,240 Speaker 3: Not in a bad way, right, they just treated differently, 248 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:53,240 Speaker 3: you know what I mean? But with my experience, like 249 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:55,240 Speaker 3: I know some trainees are not allowed to have their 250 00:11:55,280 --> 00:11:57,120 Speaker 3: phones and everything like that, you know what I mean? 251 00:11:57,320 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 3: For me, They're like pretty lenient on me, you know, 252 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:01,120 Speaker 3: because I'm like, I'm like a kid, and I like, 253 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:03,360 Speaker 3: I just moved to Korea and everything I can like 254 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:06,720 Speaker 3: somewhat speak Korean. Right, I wasn't as fluent as I 255 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:08,439 Speaker 3: am now, but back then, you know. 256 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:09,920 Speaker 4: I was like communiate Korean. 257 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:12,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I am pretty yeah, but you were still 258 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:14,880 Speaker 2: considered like an international trainee. 259 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:17,199 Speaker 3: Technically because I was born in America, you know what 260 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:17,560 Speaker 3: I mean? 261 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:21,240 Speaker 2: Okay, Wow, English is like like, hey, let's start from 262 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:21,680 Speaker 2: the beginning. 263 00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:24,839 Speaker 4: Okay, like, how did you even get into this company. 264 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:27,400 Speaker 2: Because you're you're fourteen, You're like thirteen, You're like you're 265 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 2: running around playing for how did you end up in Korea? 266 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:34,920 Speaker 3: So pretty much, my uncle is actually has a lot 267 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:38,720 Speaker 3: of connections in the industry. Okay, takes a lot of music. 268 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:42,120 Speaker 3: He made music for like twice, I made music for 269 00:12:42,280 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 3: like all these big groups, right, and so he was like, hey, Anthony, 270 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:49,679 Speaker 3: you have a lot of talent. Let's work on something, right. 271 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:52,120 Speaker 3: So I started learning producing from him, okay, and I 272 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:54,480 Speaker 3: started to learn like how to sing, and he gave 273 00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:56,280 Speaker 3: me points on how to dance because he used to 274 00:12:56,280 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 3: be an ex K pop idol back then and so 275 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:02,320 Speaker 3: he tried to He technically took me under his wing 276 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:03,760 Speaker 3: because he's like, oh, you have a lot of talent 277 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:06,080 Speaker 3: and everything, like, I feel like you'll be really good 278 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:08,200 Speaker 3: cay right, and I'm like I was interested in it. 279 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:10,959 Speaker 3: So we trained for like I started training under him 280 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:13,440 Speaker 3: when I was twelve, and then for two years we 281 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:18,120 Speaker 3: were just training rigorlously rigorously. And then so and then 282 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:20,160 Speaker 3: my uncle's like, here, I think you're ready to be, like, 283 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:22,200 Speaker 3: I think you're ready to go into like entertayingment. Let 284 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:24,120 Speaker 3: me let me hit on my boys, right, we can 285 00:13:24,120 --> 00:13:26,640 Speaker 3: do an audition and everything. And so I technically got 286 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:30,160 Speaker 3: a private audition, right. And so, don't get me wrong, 287 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:32,080 Speaker 3: I filed a lot of auditions. It took a lot 288 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:36,200 Speaker 3: of time, right, but I've managed to get into CJ Entertainment, right, 289 00:13:36,559 --> 00:13:38,480 Speaker 3: which is why. And then I went to Korea, right, 290 00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:40,120 Speaker 3: and I went to under the company. I did all 291 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:42,320 Speaker 3: this and that, right, and then I was training in 292 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:45,360 Speaker 3: one of their facilities. Luckily for me, I lived with 293 00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:48,960 Speaker 3: my grandma there because she lived in Korea. So they 294 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:50,199 Speaker 3: had a choice there, like do you want us to 295 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 3: move you in a dorm or do you want to 296 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:54,080 Speaker 3: live with you like your family members. I was like, yeah, 297 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:57,280 Speaker 3: all of my family members. But what's so bad is 298 00:13:57,280 --> 00:14:00,000 Speaker 3: that I had to take a two hour train ride 299 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:04,600 Speaker 3: to the training facility while going to school, right, and 300 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:08,320 Speaker 3: so CJ. They wrote like this letter to the school. 301 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:11,200 Speaker 3: They're like, hey, please excuse Anthony for like the half 302 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:13,440 Speaker 3: of the school day because he needs to go train 303 00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:13,839 Speaker 3: and stuff. 304 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:14,839 Speaker 4: You know what I mean, You're going to school. 305 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:18,640 Speaker 3: So they wrote, Yeah, I went to school in career. Yeah, yeah, 306 00:14:18,679 --> 00:14:20,960 Speaker 3: And when I went there, I gave them the note 307 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:25,440 Speaker 3: and everything, right, and so I would My schedule essentially 308 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 3: will be I will wake up at seven am, right, 309 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 3: I'll walk over to school. The school walk is like 310 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:32,080 Speaker 3: fifteen minutes, so it's not that bad. So I'll walk 311 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:35,560 Speaker 3: over to school, right, and then after that, I would 312 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:37,840 Speaker 3: I will mostly just sleep because I'm I'm not gonna lie. 313 00:14:38,040 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 3: Like in career, you can't fail a class. You literally 314 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:42,840 Speaker 3: cannot fail, right, as long as you have like you 315 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 3: don't have a zero, you're not going to fail. So 316 00:14:44,680 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 3: I had like all my classes because I wasn't able 317 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:48,080 Speaker 3: to understand Korean. 318 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:49,280 Speaker 4: Yeah, kids, you're not bro. 319 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:52,200 Speaker 3: I had like a five or ten out of one hundred, 320 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:53,760 Speaker 3: and my all my classes. 321 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:54,600 Speaker 4: Wow. 322 00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:58,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm not even kidding. Even in English, right, in English, 323 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:01,480 Speaker 3: I had a seventy reason reason why. It is because 324 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:04,440 Speaker 3: the use questions are in Korean. Yeah yeah, but I 325 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:07,320 Speaker 3: spoke English. But I looked at the question. I'm like, 326 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:13,600 Speaker 3: it's in creating. I'm like, uh, Ryan calling off. I'm like, 327 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:15,400 Speaker 3: what does that mean? Right? Yeah? So I'm just like 328 00:15:15,560 --> 00:15:17,840 Speaker 3: you screw it? And so I use like I use like, 329 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:20,280 Speaker 3: I just I'm like, there's like a passage right that 330 00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:21,960 Speaker 3: you have to read. So I'm like, Okay, I'm reading it. 331 00:15:22,160 --> 00:15:24,520 Speaker 3: I know what's going on. And they're just like I 332 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 3: just see multiple choice answer. I'm just like, I'm just 333 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:28,680 Speaker 3: guess I think it's Ryan. His name is Ryan, and 334 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:31,360 Speaker 3: so I'm just like I'm just started circling Ryan. Right. 335 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:35,680 Speaker 3: So that's like my only passing passing class technically, right right. 336 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:39,520 Speaker 3: And so yeah, so anyways, back to the thing. So, yeah, 337 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:42,400 Speaker 3: after I would leave school at twelve thirty, around twelve 338 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 3: thirty to one, right after lunch, and I would go 339 00:15:45,640 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 3: to the training training. I would go to the train 340 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:51,960 Speaker 3: switch two trains or three trains two three trains, I 341 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:55,320 Speaker 3: don't remember really, but I would take a two hour 342 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 3: train ride, and I have to have to keep switching 343 00:15:56,960 --> 00:15:58,960 Speaker 3: and everything. And that's a HiT's adjustment too, because I 344 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 3: was like, man, I guess crea, I kind of like 345 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:04,000 Speaker 3: look for all these things. Right. Luckily I never managed, 346 00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:06,320 Speaker 3: like I never missed a single train ride in my life. 347 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:08,160 Speaker 3: I would fall asleep in this train. I would just 348 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:09,880 Speaker 3: wake up when it's my stop, and I'm just I'll 349 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:11,960 Speaker 3: just go right. I don't know how I did that thing. 350 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:14,080 Speaker 3: It's because my like, I think my body was asleep, 351 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:16,160 Speaker 3: but my hearing was still like awake, you know what 352 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:19,400 Speaker 3: I mean, four exactly, and I was at fourteen at 353 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 3: the time. Yeah, and so yeah, two hour chain ride. 354 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:23,840 Speaker 3: Then I'll go to the training facility. I'll practice there 355 00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 3: till like twelve to one, sometimes like later till then, 356 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:29,680 Speaker 3: and I'll go back home with the two hour train ride. 357 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:31,400 Speaker 3: Of one and a half hour train ride, right, and 358 00:16:31,440 --> 00:16:32,680 Speaker 3: then this is one go to sleep. 359 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 4: Yeah I'm around there, Yeah okay. 360 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:37,560 Speaker 3: And then sometimes I'll have to take a taxi because 361 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:39,320 Speaker 3: like a lot of the trains will like stop at 362 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:40,840 Speaker 3: the time, you know what I mean, So I would 363 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:43,320 Speaker 3: take the taxi, right, But I feel like because Korea 364 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:45,400 Speaker 3: is like relatively a lot safer than a lot of country. 365 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:47,160 Speaker 3: My parents were okay with it, you know what I mean. 366 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:50,400 Speaker 3: And so and also obviously it's because like I feel 367 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:52,240 Speaker 3: like less vulnerable since I'm like more of like I'm 368 00:16:52,280 --> 00:16:53,800 Speaker 3: a guy rather than like a girl, you know what 369 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:55,680 Speaker 3: I mean. And so I was like, okay, you know what, 370 00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:57,880 Speaker 3: I'm able to take a taxi later and I think 371 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:00,800 Speaker 3: I'm fine, right, So I would do that and then 372 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:04,240 Speaker 3: I would go home sleep I like two three am, right, 373 00:17:04,320 --> 00:17:07,440 Speaker 3: and then I would just repeat the same process day, okay, 374 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:09,920 Speaker 3: and I would go to school and then I look 375 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:11,679 Speaker 3: just mostly fled in class because I'm just like I'm 376 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 3: so tired for this, you know what I mean. 377 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:15,120 Speaker 2: It was like going on in your head during this 378 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:17,480 Speaker 2: because were you like feeling like lonely or you just 379 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:19,600 Speaker 2: like kind of like focused or like. 380 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:22,359 Speaker 3: Definitely lonely at times just because I wasn't able to 381 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:26,119 Speaker 3: speak like, you know, fluently in Korea, right, And there 382 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:28,679 Speaker 3: was a lot of misunderstandings with trainees on my fellow trainees, 383 00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:31,560 Speaker 3: but after I spoke to them, you know, and like 384 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:33,720 Speaker 3: the thing is, they were amazing though. There's there were 385 00:17:33,760 --> 00:17:36,399 Speaker 3: great people, right, they love foreigners and everything, right, they 386 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:38,520 Speaker 3: were super nice. They were like they always made sure 387 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:40,560 Speaker 3: I ate and everything, and there were some times where 388 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:42,400 Speaker 3: I was like I was like crap, like I forgot 389 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:43,920 Speaker 3: what to bring my wall or they would just pay 390 00:17:43,960 --> 00:17:46,199 Speaker 3: for me, you know what I mean. Like yeah, they 391 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:48,520 Speaker 3: were they were like super nice. I never had issue 392 00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:50,600 Speaker 3: with the trainees or anything like that, other than like 393 00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:53,160 Speaker 3: some instances where it's of miscommunication, I'll have to explain, Oh, 394 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:54,800 Speaker 3: that's not what I meant, you know what I mean. 395 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:58,399 Speaker 2: So like culturally too, like like you like, growing up 396 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:00,480 Speaker 2: in America, you don't have that like nun you know, 397 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:01,680 Speaker 2: like you don't have that sense. 398 00:18:01,520 --> 00:18:04,600 Speaker 3: Exactly, yeah, exactly, yeah, yeah, and you end up like 399 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:06,280 Speaker 3: respending someone accidentally. 400 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:08,600 Speaker 2: Right, Oh, Like I didn't really mean it like this, 401 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:10,920 Speaker 2: but there's like certain people who are like who's gonna 402 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:11,639 Speaker 2: take care of you? 403 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:11,840 Speaker 4: You know? 404 00:18:12,600 --> 00:18:14,399 Speaker 2: Like I also dealt with that a lot, like as 405 00:18:14,440 --> 00:18:18,200 Speaker 2: like an international training's like we're like like all like 406 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:18,959 Speaker 2: like anything. 407 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:20,600 Speaker 4: Culturally, like they were like you have to put your 408 00:18:20,640 --> 00:18:21,760 Speaker 4: spood in a certain. 409 00:18:21,440 --> 00:18:23,320 Speaker 2: Way, you have to like eat at the case of 410 00:18:23,359 --> 00:18:25,159 Speaker 2: the eldest at this table, like all these things were 411 00:18:25,160 --> 00:18:28,320 Speaker 2: such like a big culture shock, like this affects you 412 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:30,320 Speaker 2: in your training too. You know, it's like it affects 413 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:32,480 Speaker 2: how much training time you get, it affects how much 414 00:18:32,560 --> 00:18:34,240 Speaker 2: like attention you get from like the teachers. 415 00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:38,399 Speaker 3: You know, it's pretty a huge thing. Yeah, yeah, I 416 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:43,040 Speaker 3: feel like with my dance teacher, right, I guess my 417 00:18:43,119 --> 00:18:46,360 Speaker 3: personal experience, I don't think she liked me very much, okay, right, 418 00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:50,240 Speaker 3: but my vocal teacher was amazing. She was very nice. 419 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:55,040 Speaker 3: But like I'm gonna be honest, so I have like 420 00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:58,480 Speaker 3: a BTS backup dancer that was actually helping me. Not really, 421 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:00,000 Speaker 3: I want to say the teacher was helping me them 422 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:03,200 Speaker 3: much because she mostly just talked choreo and she catered 423 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:06,960 Speaker 3: to the other trainees. But this one, I'm still I 424 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:09,120 Speaker 3: saw contact with him today. He's like an amazing He's 425 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:12,639 Speaker 3: an amazing home right he I actually learned a lot of 426 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:15,360 Speaker 3: dancing from him, and he taught me like a lot 427 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:18,919 Speaker 3: of things I know today, you know. And yeah, like 428 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 3: he he's just he's like a top g bro. He's amazing. 429 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:23,960 Speaker 3: I love that guy. And I think he's still doing 430 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:27,000 Speaker 3: backup dancing. He's gonna debut in Japan actually, or I 431 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 3: think he's already debuted in Japan. 432 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:31,600 Speaker 4: You you met him uh in the company? 433 00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:33,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, I met him in the company. He got like 434 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:34,960 Speaker 3: switched around and everything. 435 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:37,919 Speaker 2: Yeah, what was what was it like training in the company, 436 00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:40,040 Speaker 2: Like what was your day to day like in the company. 437 00:19:40,640 --> 00:19:42,240 Speaker 3: Day to day? Okay. So I would get into the 438 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:44,679 Speaker 3: facility okay, right, and they have like you know the 439 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:47,520 Speaker 3: young youngsu shiz right, Like they'll have the private training 440 00:19:47,560 --> 00:19:49,920 Speaker 3: rooms right that you can go into. Right. So I 441 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:51,880 Speaker 3: went in there. I would just packice a little bit 442 00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:54,120 Speaker 3: and they have like set schedules for me. They were like, Okay, 443 00:19:54,119 --> 00:19:55,920 Speaker 3: this is the time where the lesson's gonna happen. Everyone 444 00:19:55,960 --> 00:19:57,720 Speaker 3: has to be there and everything like that, or like 445 00:19:57,760 --> 00:19:59,720 Speaker 3: they will split us up into groups. Okay, your group 446 00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:02,040 Speaker 3: A group your scoops or something like that, right, and 447 00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:03,919 Speaker 3: they'll be like, Okay, group A, you're gonna go in 448 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:05,560 Speaker 3: there first, Group B, you're gonna switch out with them, 449 00:20:05,560 --> 00:20:06,879 Speaker 3: blah blah blah x y Z you know you know 450 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:08,800 Speaker 3: what I mean. So that's like I guess how I 451 00:20:08,920 --> 00:20:12,240 Speaker 3: was training, right, because this is like a separate facility. 452 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:14,439 Speaker 3: CJ owns a crap Ton facilities and then they just 453 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:17,119 Speaker 3: put a lot of trainings into certain things, right, okay, 454 00:20:17,160 --> 00:20:19,800 Speaker 3: And so I would be let's just say, one day, 455 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:21,960 Speaker 3: I'll be Goop Egg, one day I'll be Group C, right, 456 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:24,280 Speaker 3: and I just depending on what time it will be, 457 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:26,719 Speaker 3: I will go into the practice room and then they 458 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:28,480 Speaker 3: have like a piano in there, right, and so I 459 00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:30,239 Speaker 3: was start doing my scales like a right, and then 460 00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:33,879 Speaker 3: I'll do the scales and everything right, and then a 461 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:37,320 Speaker 3: lot of the times, the dance room was always so packed. 462 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:40,160 Speaker 3: It was always so packed. 463 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:43,320 Speaker 4: Bro god, yeah yeah. And then the ones who are 464 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:45,640 Speaker 4: oldest always gets to use it first, no. 465 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:47,960 Speaker 3: Exactly, because that's like a respecting and career, you know 466 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:50,560 Speaker 3: what I mean. Yeah, And so like I'm just like, damn, 467 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:53,000 Speaker 3: I can't even practice dance that much, right, And so 468 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:55,639 Speaker 3: I would just wait until it's time. So let's say 469 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:57,480 Speaker 3: it will be five o'clock. That's when you can like 470 00:20:57,640 --> 00:20:58,640 Speaker 3: go into the dance room. 471 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:00,960 Speaker 4: There's a lot of waiting when you're the youngest. 472 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:04,919 Speaker 2: And you're from like when you're in you're a foreigner, 473 00:21:04,960 --> 00:21:07,240 Speaker 2: you're at like the bottom of the food chain exactly. 474 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah, you're literally the least prioritized. And then it's 475 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:12,919 Speaker 3: the other people that has been here the long like 476 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:15,720 Speaker 3: the longest longest, right, right, And I guess people that 477 00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:20,480 Speaker 3: they see has more potential, right. But luckily for me, right, 478 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:22,560 Speaker 3: there was another guy that actually joined in at the 479 00:21:22,560 --> 00:21:26,240 Speaker 3: same time that I did. He got he had worse 480 00:21:26,280 --> 00:21:28,960 Speaker 3: than me, honestly, Yeah, me and him, we're really good friends. 481 00:21:29,560 --> 00:21:31,639 Speaker 3: We're literally the same age too, all right, But he 482 00:21:31,720 --> 00:21:34,439 Speaker 3: had it worse than me. Like, I think they favored 483 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:39,199 Speaker 3: me a lot because when when they were wanted me 484 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:40,680 Speaker 3: to be in the entertainment, right, and they put me 485 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:44,320 Speaker 3: in that group, right, They're like, hey, Anthony, we have 486 00:21:44,359 --> 00:21:46,320 Speaker 3: a plan for you. We want you to be like 487 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:48,199 Speaker 3: getting the produced one and won the new season. I 488 00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:50,760 Speaker 3: forgot which season it is, right, right, They're like, hey, 489 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:52,160 Speaker 3: we want you to be in the new season. You're 490 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:55,000 Speaker 3: not gonna win obviously, because I don't think you're as 491 00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:57,800 Speaker 3: good enough as many people, right, And I don't. I 492 00:21:57,800 --> 00:21:59,200 Speaker 3: didn't think I was good enough either. I was like, 493 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:00,760 Speaker 3: there's nobody I can do like that. But they're like, hey, 494 00:22:00,760 --> 00:22:03,000 Speaker 3: we're gonna get your name out there, right and do 495 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:06,600 Speaker 3: all this stuff, right, but like there's no that just 496 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:08,439 Speaker 3: trained for that, you know, make sure you get like 497 00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:10,520 Speaker 3: improved fast, because this is gonna happen, like in the 498 00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:13,160 Speaker 3: year span. That's like after a year, that's when we're 499 00:22:13,160 --> 00:22:15,960 Speaker 3: gonna start like recording everything, and that's when we start 500 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:18,919 Speaker 3: filming the thing. You have to like like you know, 501 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:22,080 Speaker 3: get ready right, walk in. And I was like, okay, bet, 502 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:24,880 Speaker 3: and so that was my opportunity. And I think that's 503 00:22:24,920 --> 00:22:26,800 Speaker 3: just because I was like a foreigner. I can speak English, 504 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:29,000 Speaker 3: I can speak someone Korean, but they saw me as 505 00:22:29,040 --> 00:22:31,280 Speaker 3: like a cute, funny kid, right, and they're like, oh, 506 00:22:31,320 --> 00:22:33,800 Speaker 3: this is perfect for TV, right, And so that that 507 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:36,720 Speaker 3: was that was my I guess that was like my 508 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 3: my future journey. I've had myself. So I was just 509 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:41,679 Speaker 3: training and doing that. The other guy, I've got nothing bro, 510 00:22:41,920 --> 00:22:44,800 Speaker 3: was just like evaluate and it's like okay, next, you 511 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 3: know what I mean that that's what he was going through. 512 00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:52,080 Speaker 2: They move to Korea and and and they're doing these evaluations. 513 00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:55,040 Speaker 2: They're taking the train two hours, but there's no hope 514 00:22:55,040 --> 00:22:58,320 Speaker 2: for them to debut, you know, and the but then 515 00:22:58,359 --> 00:23:00,199 Speaker 2: like there's kind of like derailing the whole life for 516 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:02,320 Speaker 2: like no reason almost you know. 517 00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:05,159 Speaker 3: Yeah, pretty much. I mean yeah, because a lot of 518 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:07,720 Speaker 3: the trainees, like none of them like yeah, like you said, 519 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:09,840 Speaker 3: they don't debut and I know a lot of my 520 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:14,640 Speaker 3: friends that you never debuted as well, So what what happened? 521 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:17,720 Speaker 2: Like, what what led you back to America after like 522 00:23:17,800 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 2: this whole training thing? 523 00:23:19,760 --> 00:23:24,879 Speaker 3: So pretty much, well, lend me back was so my. 524 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:28,480 Speaker 3: Uh So someone was looking for me because my old 525 00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:31,680 Speaker 3: dance facility they uploaded some videos for something I don't know, 526 00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:34,119 Speaker 3: I don't remember entirely, but someone was looking for me 527 00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:37,919 Speaker 3: who shall not be named, right, okay, but they just 528 00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:42,200 Speaker 3: pretty much said, oh, I'm making American K pop entertainment 529 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:45,240 Speaker 3: label or something like that. So then I got called 530 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:49,240 Speaker 3: to go there, right. I didn't want to, right, but 531 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:52,160 Speaker 3: because I was under age, right and everything like that, 532 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:54,639 Speaker 3: my parents obviously from a parents' point of view, they 533 00:23:54,680 --> 00:23:56,680 Speaker 3: want me to like just come back to America and 534 00:23:56,720 --> 00:23:59,400 Speaker 3: live with them and everything, right, even if it cost 535 00:23:59,440 --> 00:24:02,240 Speaker 3: me my verythe tation but whatever, who cares. It's in 536 00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:07,440 Speaker 3: the past now, right. But I got into that label, right. 537 00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:09,480 Speaker 3: I didn't want to sign with them, but I mean 538 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:10,920 Speaker 3: I had to. I was like, you know what, I'll 539 00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:13,000 Speaker 3: give them my all whatever. There were some things in 540 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:17,080 Speaker 3: the contract and everything that I thought I had a 541 00:24:17,119 --> 00:24:23,359 Speaker 3: safe nut under, but it didn't. And they also I 542 00:24:23,359 --> 00:24:27,040 Speaker 3: guess that was a misunderstanding, right with the with my 543 00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:30,680 Speaker 3: schoolwork as well. The boss told me to do this 544 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:33,880 Speaker 3: school program, which I did. Uh, it was not credited 545 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:38,600 Speaker 3: at all, right, and so I essentially was two years 546 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:41,400 Speaker 3: three two to three years behind school. And so when 547 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:44,880 Speaker 3: I went to an actual school and tried to get 548 00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:47,360 Speaker 3: my credits for the time I did do school during 549 00:24:47,359 --> 00:24:49,960 Speaker 3: that time, I had no credits. Right. 550 00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:53,119 Speaker 2: First of all, First of all, this thinks okay, but 551 00:24:53,320 --> 00:24:55,280 Speaker 2: I want you to know that I don't think you 552 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:57,720 Speaker 2: deserve the credits from Korea anyway. 553 00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:02,280 Speaker 3: You told me that from though it's not from Korea, 554 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 3: it was from an actual American homeschool thing. Oh oh, yeah, 555 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:08,920 Speaker 3: that I differ two to three years. Yeah, that one 556 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:10,680 Speaker 3: I did for two three years, and I tried to 557 00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:14,480 Speaker 3: go to an actual American school, right, and then they 558 00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:17,880 Speaker 3: could accredit me because that program was not credible. Pretty much, 559 00:25:18,280 --> 00:25:23,080 Speaker 3: so I wasted two three years, right, And essentially I 560 00:25:23,119 --> 00:25:26,840 Speaker 3: actually joined school as a senior as a freshman, like 561 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:29,680 Speaker 3: I'm a senior about a freshman pretty much, wow, And 562 00:25:30,119 --> 00:25:32,879 Speaker 3: I would try to do school and everything right. But 563 00:25:32,920 --> 00:25:37,400 Speaker 3: then I mean I had to drop out because I 564 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:41,640 Speaker 3: was turning nineteen, right, and so I had to drop 565 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:44,400 Speaker 3: out and I just took the gd which I actually 566 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:49,040 Speaker 3: got last year. So yeah, I finally got my GV 567 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:51,520 Speaker 3: last year like beginning of last year. So I was 568 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:52,720 Speaker 3: like set on that right. 569 00:25:52,760 --> 00:25:54,280 Speaker 4: But pretty much the. 570 00:25:54,280 --> 00:25:57,320 Speaker 3: Training, I mean you were, I mean we were both 571 00:25:57,359 --> 00:26:00,760 Speaker 3: there right at the American Label. Yeah, it was, it was, 572 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:03,800 Speaker 3: it was, it was it was something right, it was 573 00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:06,600 Speaker 3: where we met. Yeah, exactly, that's where you met. That's 574 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:09,040 Speaker 3: when we got all close and everything. You know, we 575 00:26:09,119 --> 00:26:14,080 Speaker 3: went to Baldino's Yo, like crying like oh my god. Yeah, 576 00:26:14,359 --> 00:26:15,959 Speaker 3: that was that's when all experience happened. 577 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:19,320 Speaker 2: And that's why I like I thought, like to invite 578 00:26:19,359 --> 00:26:21,320 Speaker 2: you onto this podcast because I saw all the stuff 579 00:26:21,320 --> 00:26:23,840 Speaker 2: that you were going through in like school and like 580 00:26:23,880 --> 00:26:26,119 Speaker 2: all this stuff. I was like, damn, like like he 581 00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:29,960 Speaker 2: really got pushed back like four. 582 00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:31,840 Speaker 4: Whole years in school because of the whole thing. 583 00:26:32,359 --> 00:26:34,080 Speaker 3: You know. Yeah, pretty much pretty much. 584 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:38,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, And it's like like, if if you could if 585 00:26:38,359 --> 00:26:42,560 Speaker 2: you could give advice to someone who's listening right now, 586 00:26:42,760 --> 00:26:44,280 Speaker 2: if there was a kid who's like, oh my god, 587 00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:47,120 Speaker 2: like maybe maybe he or she is thirteen years old, 588 00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:51,399 Speaker 2: and like they they they want to pursue a dream 589 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:54,119 Speaker 2: in k pop, and like, what would you say to 590 00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:54,600 Speaker 2: this person? 591 00:26:57,200 --> 00:27:01,080 Speaker 3: Always just have a backup plan, right, I would say 592 00:27:01,119 --> 00:27:05,120 Speaker 3: one thing with our other boss, right or our boss right. 593 00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:07,680 Speaker 3: One thing that didn't make sense to me was that 594 00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:10,240 Speaker 3: whoever tells you you have to put all this in 595 00:27:10,280 --> 00:27:12,359 Speaker 3: there shouldn't be a backup plan. I think that's the 596 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:15,280 Speaker 3: most BS thing that anyone can say. You can still 597 00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:19,280 Speaker 3: give your all into doing k pop, right, like you 598 00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:21,760 Speaker 3: should if you really want to make this into your career, right, 599 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:24,440 Speaker 3: But if someone tells you you should not have a 600 00:27:24,480 --> 00:27:26,800 Speaker 3: backup plan, I'm just like, that makes no sense because 601 00:27:26,840 --> 00:27:28,760 Speaker 3: let's say you don't have control of what you can do. 602 00:27:28,920 --> 00:27:30,400 Speaker 3: You can just try and you know what I mean. 603 00:27:30,680 --> 00:27:34,120 Speaker 3: But let's say, hypothetically, if you're one of those trainees 604 00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:36,120 Speaker 3: that just trained for years and then you just don't 605 00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:38,879 Speaker 3: have anything up for it, right, Like, what are you 606 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:40,640 Speaker 3: gonna do? You know, if you don't have a backup plan, 607 00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:42,320 Speaker 3: if you don't finish school and everything, like, what are 608 00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:45,120 Speaker 3: you gonna do? You know, if you don't pass high school, 609 00:27:45,119 --> 00:27:47,560 Speaker 3: which that almost was me, you know, but luckily I 610 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:49,800 Speaker 3: did the GD I got it, I passed it and everything, 611 00:27:49,840 --> 00:27:52,040 Speaker 3: so I was good and even now, like you know, 612 00:27:52,119 --> 00:27:55,360 Speaker 3: my backup plan right now is I'm actually a teacher 613 00:27:55,640 --> 00:27:59,160 Speaker 3: at a new studio called K Dance Studios, right, an 614 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:03,520 Speaker 3: amazing studio. We're growing so fast in Georgia, Atlanta, right, 615 00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:04,639 Speaker 3: John scrag everything right? 616 00:28:04,920 --> 00:28:05,840 Speaker 4: What's their Instagram handle? 617 00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:08,080 Speaker 3: Instagram? It's let me let me, let me show it 618 00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:10,000 Speaker 3: to you right now. As a matter of fact, it's, uh, 619 00:28:10,080 --> 00:28:14,600 Speaker 3: you're ready for this all right? Act So KAY Dance 620 00:28:14,760 --> 00:28:19,520 Speaker 3: Studio underscore, right, amazing studio. The boss there, he has 621 00:28:19,560 --> 00:28:23,560 Speaker 3: a big background of backup dancing background, danced for Chris Brown, 622 00:28:24,040 --> 00:28:27,239 Speaker 3: like Ussher and all those big people, even all these 623 00:28:27,280 --> 00:28:29,200 Speaker 3: other teachers that have a huge background. We have a dude, 624 00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:31,840 Speaker 3: we have an ex j pop idol too here right, 625 00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:35,080 Speaker 3: Like that was essentially my backup. But what I'm so 626 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:38,200 Speaker 3: happy about is even when I went through that training 627 00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:42,000 Speaker 3: right in the American label, I actually met the boss, 628 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:45,080 Speaker 3: like my dance boss from there, right, So I still 629 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:48,240 Speaker 3: got something good out of everything, right, But I guess 630 00:28:48,280 --> 00:28:51,920 Speaker 3: back to like what the advice is, always have a backup, right, 631 00:28:52,680 --> 00:28:55,040 Speaker 3: and you have to really make sure are you willing 632 00:28:55,040 --> 00:28:57,040 Speaker 3: to put like you're all through it. You're gonna have 633 00:28:57,120 --> 00:28:59,000 Speaker 3: some hatters. You're gonna have some people that are gonna 634 00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:01,160 Speaker 3: like see all these things about you, right, you can't 635 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:03,000 Speaker 3: let it get to your head, right, because even when 636 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:04,680 Speaker 3: I was doing this stuff, right, there was a lot 637 00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:06,960 Speaker 3: of people like that were like fake friends to me 638 00:29:07,120 --> 00:29:08,880 Speaker 3: and said that I wasn't never going to be like 639 00:29:08,920 --> 00:29:10,760 Speaker 3: a good trainee and all that stuff like that. Right, 640 00:29:11,200 --> 00:29:12,960 Speaker 3: you got to keep a good mental you know, you 641 00:29:13,200 --> 00:29:16,480 Speaker 3: just get push through all that stuff, you know, and please, 642 00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:18,480 Speaker 3: I cannot reorate with this stuff. Have a backup plan. 643 00:29:18,760 --> 00:29:21,840 Speaker 3: If you don't, you're gonna just set yourself up for failure. 644 00:29:21,880 --> 00:29:25,080 Speaker 3: You really are, so I guess that's my my my 645 00:29:25,640 --> 00:29:26,960 Speaker 3: advice for everything like that. 646 00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:32,640 Speaker 2: But like basically you're like you're you're saying, like, always 647 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:35,320 Speaker 2: have a backup plan, and things aren't always going to 648 00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:38,440 Speaker 2: go the way that you expect it. And if you're 649 00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:41,200 Speaker 2: coming from a similar position where you're gonna be an 650 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:44,680 Speaker 2: international trainee and you're moving far away, you're gonna be lonely. 651 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:45,880 Speaker 4: You're gonna have. 652 00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:47,600 Speaker 2: To like go through things that a lot of people 653 00:29:47,680 --> 00:29:50,480 Speaker 2: don't around you don't understand. The people at home aren't 654 00:29:50,480 --> 00:29:52,440 Speaker 2: going to understand, and then you have to kind of 655 00:29:52,760 --> 00:29:55,600 Speaker 2: push through and like, remember why you're doing it exactly? 656 00:29:55,640 --> 00:29:58,920 Speaker 2: Ask what was it that motivated you to keep going? 657 00:29:59,600 --> 00:30:04,240 Speaker 3: Oh? One is like not only because I want to perform, right, 658 00:30:04,640 --> 00:30:07,320 Speaker 3: but my parents have done so much for me in 659 00:30:07,360 --> 00:30:09,440 Speaker 3: my like because we were like little they were literally 660 00:30:09,480 --> 00:30:11,640 Speaker 3: like immigrants, right. We start from the motom right. We 661 00:30:11,680 --> 00:30:13,960 Speaker 3: lived in a one bedroom apartment and everything. I see 662 00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:16,600 Speaker 3: how hard they worked right to get us to the 663 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:19,840 Speaker 3: place that we are. Essentially, it's like, sure, I want 664 00:30:19,840 --> 00:30:22,400 Speaker 3: to perform. I love creating music, I love doing all 665 00:30:22,440 --> 00:30:24,720 Speaker 3: this stuff. Right, And also on top of that, it's 666 00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:28,440 Speaker 3: like like I also do want to like retire my family, 667 00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:30,400 Speaker 3: you know, and everything like that. I don't want them 668 00:30:30,440 --> 00:30:33,520 Speaker 3: to worry about like money or anything like that. And 669 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:35,920 Speaker 3: also because I want to make my dad proud because 670 00:30:36,320 --> 00:30:38,400 Speaker 3: he also told me when I was very young, He's like, 671 00:30:38,760 --> 00:30:40,680 Speaker 3: I feel like you're going to go some places, you know, 672 00:30:40,720 --> 00:30:42,240 Speaker 3: because he because when I was a little kid, I 673 00:30:42,280 --> 00:30:46,040 Speaker 3: actually like played piano by myself, right, Like I was like, 674 00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:48,640 Speaker 3: I like, I just watch YouTube videos of people playing 675 00:30:48,680 --> 00:30:50,160 Speaker 3: and I would just mean the prodigy. 676 00:30:50,160 --> 00:30:52,160 Speaker 2: You're being super humble, but you're like a prodigy, Like 677 00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:53,120 Speaker 2: it's pretty incredible. 678 00:30:53,360 --> 00:30:55,200 Speaker 3: I wouldn't say that, no, no, no, because I mean, 679 00:30:55,280 --> 00:30:57,360 Speaker 3: like I mean I stopped producing and everything like that. 680 00:30:57,520 --> 00:30:58,800 Speaker 3: It's it's been a minute. 681 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:00,880 Speaker 4: I was there. I was like, oh my god, guys 682 00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:03,000 Speaker 4: literally sorry, yeah. 683 00:31:02,440 --> 00:31:05,120 Speaker 3: But I mean yeah, I just did like little piano 684 00:31:05,160 --> 00:31:07,719 Speaker 3: and everything. My dad really pushed me to become like 685 00:31:07,720 --> 00:31:11,480 Speaker 3: in the music business, right. He knew there's something in me, right, 686 00:31:11,520 --> 00:31:13,040 Speaker 3: and he's like, I literally feel like you can do 687 00:31:13,080 --> 00:31:15,920 Speaker 3: something out of this, right, And so that's what pushed me, 688 00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:18,640 Speaker 3: you know. It's like all these people like pushed me 689 00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:21,440 Speaker 3: right to become the person that I am during that 690 00:31:21,520 --> 00:31:23,720 Speaker 3: time and as I am today, right, I still have 691 00:31:23,760 --> 00:31:25,920 Speaker 3: that goal of like retiring my parents and everything like that, 692 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:31,080 Speaker 3: you know, and essentially, yeah, that's I just want to 693 00:31:31,120 --> 00:31:33,800 Speaker 3: like care for my family and like make a difference 694 00:31:33,800 --> 00:31:36,240 Speaker 3: in the world. Right. And I was like so close 695 00:31:36,280 --> 00:31:38,959 Speaker 3: because I was going to produce, produce, I was gonna debut, 696 00:31:39,160 --> 00:31:42,640 Speaker 3: debut and see the produce one one thing, right, But 697 00:31:42,720 --> 00:31:45,200 Speaker 3: then it was just really discouraging the fact that I 698 00:31:45,240 --> 00:31:47,880 Speaker 3: got taken away just like that, you know, and then 699 00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:51,680 Speaker 3: I was stuck in the American thing. I was most 700 00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:55,240 Speaker 3: depressed moments of my life one hundred percent I was 701 00:31:55,280 --> 00:31:57,720 Speaker 3: going through. You were literally there, and I was to 702 00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:00,400 Speaker 3: you every day. I'm just like, oh my god, I'm 703 00:32:00,480 --> 00:32:02,680 Speaker 3: I'm gonna crash out, bro, And You're just like, no, no, 704 00:32:02,840 --> 00:32:04,600 Speaker 3: you're good. You're good. Bro, You're good, You're good. No, no, no, no, 705 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:06,760 Speaker 3: Let's go get some fun. Let's get some Baldino's real quick, 706 00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:10,520 Speaker 3: you know. So yeah, no, but I've met a lot 707 00:32:10,520 --> 00:32:12,600 Speaker 3: of good people. I met you, I met Mike Young 708 00:32:12,840 --> 00:32:15,720 Speaker 3: right the beatas backup dancer. I met my boss, right, 709 00:32:15,760 --> 00:32:17,520 Speaker 3: I met a lot of great people from all this. 710 00:32:17,680 --> 00:32:20,680 Speaker 3: So I guess, I guess if let's say some people 711 00:32:20,720 --> 00:32:22,840 Speaker 3: some people out someone out there is that's some thing's 712 00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:25,360 Speaker 3: been in someone my situation. Try to take the dif 713 00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:29,760 Speaker 3: from bed right, trying to make like the bads, you know, 714 00:32:29,800 --> 00:32:31,080 Speaker 3: just sign where that all right, you can move on 715 00:32:31,120 --> 00:32:33,640 Speaker 3: from it, all right, but take the different. 716 00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:39,640 Speaker 2: The situations are gonna happen, and like it's never a 717 00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:42,360 Speaker 2: straight road to the end. And I was actually thinking 718 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:44,960 Speaker 2: about your story when I was in Korea because I 719 00:32:45,120 --> 00:32:49,200 Speaker 2: experienced something super super similar, like uh like they were like, okay, 720 00:32:49,520 --> 00:32:53,520 Speaker 2: uh this kids, he's international, he's born Chinese. And then 721 00:32:53,560 --> 00:32:55,800 Speaker 2: there's a there's a sur bival show program that was 722 00:32:55,800 --> 00:32:56,240 Speaker 2: coming up. 723 00:32:56,560 --> 00:32:57,640 Speaker 3: I remember you talked about that. 724 00:32:57,800 --> 00:33:01,360 Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah. It was a huge show, the biggest one 725 00:33:01,400 --> 00:33:04,280 Speaker 2: in China. And then they casted me directly and they're like, okay, 726 00:33:04,560 --> 00:33:07,920 Speaker 2: uh you Bohan, We're gonna change your name to Bohan. 727 00:33:08,240 --> 00:33:11,280 Speaker 4: You know, I'm gonna debut in China. 728 00:33:11,360 --> 00:33:13,360 Speaker 2: And I'm like, you're gonna start training for all this stuff, right, 729 00:33:13,480 --> 00:33:16,000 Speaker 2: So we went through a special training program for this 730 00:33:16,120 --> 00:33:18,240 Speaker 2: show and they're like, Okay, this training has this opportunity 731 00:33:18,280 --> 00:33:18,640 Speaker 2: to do this. 732 00:33:19,120 --> 00:33:21,280 Speaker 4: And then COVID came and. 733 00:33:21,160 --> 00:33:25,719 Speaker 2: Then like they they denied all visas from America and Korea, 734 00:33:26,520 --> 00:33:29,200 Speaker 2: and then just like that, everything started crumbling down. And 735 00:33:29,280 --> 00:33:31,560 Speaker 2: then now my company didn't have a backup plan, and 736 00:33:31,680 --> 00:33:34,480 Speaker 2: I didn't have a backup plan, you know. And then 737 00:33:34,640 --> 00:33:36,440 Speaker 2: and then a bunch of trainees during that time got 738 00:33:36,480 --> 00:33:39,560 Speaker 2: sent home. And that was also like the most depressing 739 00:33:39,600 --> 00:33:42,040 Speaker 2: time of my life too. I was like walking around, 740 00:33:42,080 --> 00:33:44,320 Speaker 2: I was sitting in shopping carts listening to like Barbin 741 00:33:44,440 --> 00:33:47,280 Speaker 2: Room by Drake and my headphone up to the Rose, 742 00:33:47,800 --> 00:33:51,000 Speaker 2: you know, and it's like, just like that, I would 743 00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:54,040 Speaker 2: have been down too, Like I would have not have 744 00:33:54,120 --> 00:33:56,680 Speaker 2: gone to college you know, and then I would have 745 00:33:56,760 --> 00:33:58,760 Speaker 2: to go home and like find a new thing. But 746 00:33:58,800 --> 00:34:02,360 Speaker 2: then for me, like my backup plan, like like it's 747 00:34:02,360 --> 00:34:04,640 Speaker 2: funny that you episide backup plan so much like my 748 00:34:04,640 --> 00:34:07,560 Speaker 2: backup plan with social media, you know, I was like, Okay, 749 00:34:07,600 --> 00:34:10,840 Speaker 2: I'm gonna start a TikTok. Then watch this like I'm 750 00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:12,160 Speaker 2: not gonna let you take this away from me. I'm 751 00:34:12,160 --> 00:34:14,759 Speaker 2: gonna start people doing this like you're like, Okay, I'm 752 00:34:14,760 --> 00:34:18,680 Speaker 2: gonna dance, you know. And then that my TikTok like exploded, 753 00:34:19,520 --> 00:34:22,319 Speaker 2: and my company like they're like, yo, like we can 754 00:34:22,360 --> 00:34:25,919 Speaker 2: do something out of this. And then from that backup plan, 755 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:29,640 Speaker 2: we we built everything that we have now, right And 756 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:30,880 Speaker 2: you bro. 757 00:34:30,920 --> 00:34:33,160 Speaker 3: Man, I remember like like again, we would go so 758 00:34:33,320 --> 00:34:35,640 Speaker 3: far back from the Meriton label and everything, and I've 759 00:34:35,640 --> 00:34:38,880 Speaker 3: just seen you girl. I'm just like, damn, what a guy. 760 00:34:39,080 --> 00:34:41,279 Speaker 3: What a guy. I'm so proud of him, you know. 761 00:34:42,360 --> 00:34:45,120 Speaker 2: And you you have so much influence in that path too, 762 00:34:45,160 --> 00:34:46,880 Speaker 2: So I'm really grateful that you're able to like kind 763 00:34:46,880 --> 00:34:49,840 Speaker 2: of join me on this podcast. Yeah, And it's like 764 00:34:49,880 --> 00:34:52,680 Speaker 2: I hope that like like the same way that your 765 00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:54,600 Speaker 2: story inspired me, and I hope that my story can 766 00:34:54,640 --> 00:34:56,640 Speaker 2: like kind of push you to keep going to you know, 767 00:34:57,160 --> 00:34:59,040 Speaker 2: I hope that you find some crazy big job or 768 00:34:59,080 --> 00:34:59,600 Speaker 2: something that like. 769 00:34:59,520 --> 00:35:02,799 Speaker 4: Motivating to keep going. This this is what it's about. 770 00:35:02,880 --> 00:35:05,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, dude, I hope so too. Yeah. I guess like 771 00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:09,440 Speaker 3: right now, what I'm doing too is so I'm actually 772 00:35:09,480 --> 00:35:12,440 Speaker 3: currently in the studio right, like the dance studio. I'm 773 00:35:12,560 --> 00:35:17,560 Speaker 3: technically scouting right because I want the kids here that 774 00:35:17,680 --> 00:35:20,080 Speaker 3: want to do capop and everything like that. I'm actually 775 00:35:20,120 --> 00:35:22,880 Speaker 3: trying to give them a chance because I have all 776 00:35:22,880 --> 00:35:25,600 Speaker 3: these connections now with like the capeop industry and stuff 777 00:35:25,640 --> 00:35:27,120 Speaker 3: like that. My uncle, I have like all these other 778 00:35:27,160 --> 00:35:29,200 Speaker 3: people which I'm not a name, but I have all 779 00:35:29,200 --> 00:35:33,160 Speaker 3: these other people, right, And essentially I'm like, because they're 780 00:35:33,320 --> 00:35:35,520 Speaker 3: they're actually asking me, Hey, we actually want some more 781 00:35:35,560 --> 00:35:38,319 Speaker 3: international kids. Do you have any kids that may have 782 00:35:38,400 --> 00:35:40,560 Speaker 3: talent and everything like that right and that wants to 783 00:35:40,560 --> 00:35:42,480 Speaker 3: do kpop? And I have a few, a few, you know, 784 00:35:42,520 --> 00:35:45,400 Speaker 3: So I'm like, I'm actually currently working with the kids 785 00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:47,719 Speaker 3: right now, and I'm like, oh, do you guys want 786 00:35:47,719 --> 00:35:49,279 Speaker 3: to do this? This is like a good opportunity. It's 787 00:35:49,280 --> 00:35:51,640 Speaker 3: not a guarantee that you guys will pass. However, we 788 00:35:51,680 --> 00:35:53,839 Speaker 3: can set up maybe a private audition or something like that, 789 00:35:53,880 --> 00:35:55,920 Speaker 3: so your chances would be a lot easier to get in, 790 00:35:56,040 --> 00:35:58,319 Speaker 3: you know. So I'm just trying to make a difference, right, 791 00:35:58,360 --> 00:36:01,839 Speaker 3: and like I guess, give kid, it's opportunities as well. 792 00:36:01,960 --> 00:36:04,400 Speaker 3: How like how the opportunity was so easy for me, 793 00:36:04,560 --> 00:36:06,080 Speaker 3: you know, because my uncle and everything. I'm like, you 794 00:36:06,080 --> 00:36:08,520 Speaker 3: know what, I want to, like spare my wings, you know. 795 00:36:08,960 --> 00:36:11,160 Speaker 3: Let's let's see if anyone else can get in and everything, 796 00:36:11,200 --> 00:36:13,000 Speaker 3: and hopefully they can pursue their dream. 797 00:36:13,040 --> 00:36:16,120 Speaker 2: Dis Well, Okay, let's say there's someone listening, all right, 798 00:36:16,520 --> 00:36:19,280 Speaker 2: and they're like, man, I busted down on the dance floor. 799 00:36:19,560 --> 00:36:21,840 Speaker 2: You know, I can hit some notes, you know, and 800 00:36:21,960 --> 00:36:23,839 Speaker 2: they want to. They want to, they're interested in this. 801 00:36:23,960 --> 00:36:24,759 Speaker 2: Where can they find you? 802 00:36:25,719 --> 00:36:31,359 Speaker 3: It's so I'm located in John's Creek right in Georgia. Right, 803 00:36:31,440 --> 00:36:34,960 Speaker 3: it's at at KA Dance Studios. Right. The thing is, 804 00:36:35,080 --> 00:36:36,279 Speaker 3: I want to reiterate this, y'all. 805 00:36:36,320 --> 00:36:36,640 Speaker 4: All right. 806 00:36:37,680 --> 00:36:40,200 Speaker 3: The thing is it's do not bug the other instructors, 807 00:36:40,200 --> 00:36:43,239 Speaker 3: all right, it's just me personally, Okay, do not bug them. 808 00:36:43,480 --> 00:36:46,400 Speaker 3: If you guys want to follow our dance studio, please 809 00:36:46,440 --> 00:36:49,440 Speaker 3: do right, We're growing very rapidly. We have an awesome studio. 810 00:36:49,520 --> 00:36:51,279 Speaker 3: Do not just come here just to like talk to 811 00:36:51,320 --> 00:36:53,600 Speaker 3: me or like think you can just get an opportunity 812 00:36:53,600 --> 00:36:56,600 Speaker 3: for me. Okay, please don't do that, all right, Just 813 00:36:56,800 --> 00:36:58,719 Speaker 3: come to the studio, try to dance to all right. 814 00:36:58,920 --> 00:37:01,120 Speaker 3: It's so it's so nice there, all right. We have 815 00:37:01,200 --> 00:37:04,240 Speaker 3: amazing people. All the students there too are very nice. 816 00:37:04,600 --> 00:37:07,680 Speaker 3: We never have issues, all right, Just come on through 817 00:37:08,040 --> 00:37:11,000 Speaker 3: dance and everything like that, all right, don't don't just 818 00:37:11,000 --> 00:37:12,920 Speaker 3: just don't just come to be like Anthony, can I 819 00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:15,759 Speaker 3: get a prime? Please don't do that, please don't. All right, 820 00:37:16,600 --> 00:37:18,920 Speaker 3: it was like six years you haven't changed at all. 821 00:37:19,320 --> 00:37:25,399 Speaker 4: Really, guy, I love you so much. Bro, I love 822 00:37:25,400 --> 00:37:25,640 Speaker 4: you too. 823 00:37:25,680 --> 00:37:28,680 Speaker 3: Bro. Yeah no, I literally like my older brother too 824 00:37:28,680 --> 00:37:31,440 Speaker 3: and everything that really brothers from my whole. 825 00:37:31,320 --> 00:37:34,000 Speaker 2: Literally when I left the company, I was so sad, 826 00:37:34,040 --> 00:37:36,719 Speaker 2: like I felt like I lost like my best friend. 827 00:37:37,239 --> 00:37:39,480 Speaker 2: And then I felt that there's like rules that like 828 00:37:39,520 --> 00:37:42,080 Speaker 2: we can't talk and stuff, and I just had to 829 00:37:42,120 --> 00:37:42,440 Speaker 2: move on. 830 00:37:42,480 --> 00:37:44,839 Speaker 4: And I was just like going to Korea, like you know. 831 00:37:44,800 --> 00:37:48,080 Speaker 3: What's you know what's crazy though, right, dude? That same 832 00:37:48,160 --> 00:37:50,360 Speaker 3: day when that like when you have to leave and 833 00:37:50,400 --> 00:37:54,520 Speaker 3: everything that the boss actually came to my house personally 834 00:37:55,120 --> 00:37:57,080 Speaker 3: and was like telling me to not talk to you 835 00:37:57,120 --> 00:38:00,279 Speaker 3: and stuff like that, right, And she was like like 836 00:38:00,520 --> 00:38:03,040 Speaker 3: check my phone and everything too, right, and it's like, oh, 837 00:38:03,080 --> 00:38:05,000 Speaker 3: you don't talk to them and everything right. And I 838 00:38:05,040 --> 00:38:06,399 Speaker 3: was like trying. I was like what what why? 839 00:38:06,440 --> 00:38:06,640 Speaker 4: Why? 840 00:38:06,760 --> 00:38:09,120 Speaker 3: Why? Why? What the hell? Right? I'm just like what 841 00:38:08,960 --> 00:38:13,080 Speaker 3: what what do you do? Right? And but anyways, that's 842 00:38:13,160 --> 00:38:14,880 Speaker 3: that's like a whole other thing. But yeah, I was 843 00:38:14,960 --> 00:38:17,080 Speaker 3: I was pretty I was pretty upset about it. 844 00:38:17,760 --> 00:38:18,160 Speaker 4: Mm hmm. 845 00:38:19,800 --> 00:38:22,960 Speaker 2: All right, man, thank you, thank you for your time. Yeah, 846 00:38:23,000 --> 00:38:25,480 Speaker 2: of course, anything you want to say to the audience 847 00:38:25,480 --> 00:38:28,280 Speaker 2: with people watching before we go, I just want. 848 00:38:28,080 --> 00:38:30,920 Speaker 3: To say, y'all pull up to the studio. It's super 849 00:38:30,920 --> 00:38:33,000 Speaker 3: fun if you guys want to go into my personal 850 00:38:33,080 --> 00:38:35,520 Speaker 3: lessons or not like like private lessons, but like my 851 00:38:35,600 --> 00:38:39,440 Speaker 3: actual lessons. Right, I'm on, I'm on Saturdays. Right, I'll 852 00:38:39,440 --> 00:38:42,920 Speaker 3: be teaching on Saturdays, right, four forty five, six o'clock. 853 00:38:43,560 --> 00:38:47,480 Speaker 3: And really, just like if you guys want like a 854 00:38:47,600 --> 00:38:51,120 Speaker 3: very good vibe environment of like a dance studio with 855 00:38:51,200 --> 00:38:54,640 Speaker 3: all levels, pull up to the studio, all right. It's 856 00:38:54,680 --> 00:38:57,160 Speaker 3: it's so it's such a vibe, it really is. And 857 00:38:57,200 --> 00:39:00,360 Speaker 3: our instructors are super nice and everything. You have any questionquestions, 858 00:39:00,360 --> 00:39:02,359 Speaker 3: you know, you guys can always talk to them, right, 859 00:39:02,920 --> 00:39:05,200 Speaker 3: And they also have amazing backgrounds too. I feel like 860 00:39:05,200 --> 00:39:06,680 Speaker 3: mine is like nothing compared to them. Like we got 861 00:39:06,719 --> 00:39:09,000 Speaker 3: an XJ pop idol, people that dance. Sure, we have 862 00:39:09,040 --> 00:39:12,239 Speaker 3: a Disney channel. It's personnel, it's some Disney channel. Right. 863 00:39:12,480 --> 00:39:15,920 Speaker 3: In the Descendants movie, she danced in the in the 864 00:39:16,080 --> 00:39:17,840 Speaker 3: in those movies and everything. She's the backup dance and 865 00:39:17,840 --> 00:39:21,120 Speaker 3: everything there too. Yeah, we have these crazy people, right. 866 00:39:21,200 --> 00:39:23,400 Speaker 3: I'm just like, oh my god, these guys are insane, right, 867 00:39:23,440 --> 00:39:24,839 Speaker 3: and I'm just like, I have an x K pop 868 00:39:24,880 --> 00:39:28,120 Speaker 3: training hello everyone, So yeah, you guys should have to 869 00:39:28,160 --> 00:39:30,200 Speaker 3: pull up. And dude, I just want to say thank 870 00:39:30,239 --> 00:39:32,120 Speaker 3: you for putting me on the podcast, Like it's it's 871 00:39:32,200 --> 00:39:34,400 Speaker 3: amazing talking to you again because I know you're so busy, 872 00:39:34,680 --> 00:39:37,000 Speaker 3: you know, and also just meet being here, It's like 873 00:39:37,040 --> 00:39:39,279 Speaker 3: it's truly an honor, dude, Like, I really appreciate that. 874 00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:42,960 Speaker 2: I think what you're doing with the dance studio is amazing. 875 00:39:43,280 --> 00:39:45,600 Speaker 2: And I remember being in Georgia and being like, yo, 876 00:39:45,680 --> 00:39:50,080 Speaker 2: there's nothing to do. Yeah, you know, yeah, like being 877 00:39:50,120 --> 00:39:52,799 Speaker 2: able to bring that to a community and like it's 878 00:39:52,840 --> 00:39:55,279 Speaker 2: a little bit outside of Atlanta, you know, so like 879 00:39:55,320 --> 00:39:58,360 Speaker 2: it's like a little bit more tight. I think what 880 00:39:58,400 --> 00:40:00,680 Speaker 2: you're doing for the community is amazing. So I hope 881 00:40:00,680 --> 00:40:03,200 Speaker 2: that people can come and check out the studio. I 882 00:40:03,239 --> 00:40:06,040 Speaker 2: appreciate it, support you and support all the other amazing talent. 883 00:40:06,320 --> 00:40:07,200 Speaker 4: Thank you, thank you. 884 00:40:07,280 --> 00:40:09,080 Speaker 3: Last thing, last thing, I learned a lot of my 885 00:40:09,200 --> 00:40:11,919 Speaker 3: dances from this guy right here from from from Boom Hunt. 886 00:40:12,040 --> 00:40:16,520 Speaker 3: He's actually insane. It's a great dancer, bro Sudden. When 887 00:40:16,600 --> 00:40:20,400 Speaker 3: I was at that that entertainment, right, I learned a 888 00:40:20,520 --> 00:40:23,280 Speaker 3: lot of my stuff from this guy, all right. He 889 00:40:23,280 --> 00:40:25,600 Speaker 3: he was literally the dance teacher. I'm not even gonna lie, 890 00:40:25,600 --> 00:40:29,080 Speaker 3: he literally was. And then he left and I was like, Fred, now, 891 00:40:29,080 --> 00:40:30,880 Speaker 3: who am I gonna learn dance? And then I have 892 00:40:30,920 --> 00:40:34,239 Speaker 3: to teach myself. But a lot of the stuff I 893 00:40:34,239 --> 00:40:36,440 Speaker 3: gotta give this man Pops from the stuff that he 894 00:40:36,680 --> 00:40:39,319 Speaker 3: taught me. You know, so very thank you for that, 895 00:40:39,440 --> 00:40:42,759 Speaker 3: so very very un. 896 00:40:45,760 --> 00:40:50,200 Speaker 4: Later figure all right, that was Anthony. 897 00:40:50,360 --> 00:40:52,840 Speaker 2: Thank you guys for listening to the K Factor everything 898 00:40:52,920 --> 00:40:55,439 Speaker 2: k top posted by Bompa and I'll see you Guys 899 00:40:55,480 --> 00:40:58,040 Speaker 2: next week,