10 K-Pop Idols Jobs Before Debut 데뷔전 아이돌은 뭘 했을까?

Prior to becoming household names, these top K-idols worked regular jobs just like many other teenagers. Some as a part-time, some to sustain their life before making it big. Do you know what your favourite idol's jobs before they became who they are today?

1. TWICE Jeongyeon 트와이스 정연

Jeongyeon worked at a bakery (빵집), and considered leaving JYP to do it as a career (직업) since 6mix's debut kept getting pushed back (밀렸다).

2. EXID Hyelin 이엑스아이디 혜린

EXID's Hyelin had a part time job (아르바이트) at an ice cream shop while EXID was still struggling in the early days (초창기). She kept it a secret from the other members and used the money to buy food for them since they were all living on instant ramen at the time since they didn't have any money for anything else.

3. Brave Girls Eunji 브레이브걸스 은지

Eunji modeled (모델) for an online shop and was going to start one with her friends right before they blew up, but she ended up not being able to join them since she was suddenly busy promoting.

4. Stray Kids Lee Know 스트레이 키즈 리노

Lee Know used to work at a BBQ restaurant part time to earn money for transport fares (교통비) and cram school (학원) since he lived alone in high school (고등학교).

5. ONF's E-tion 온앤오프 이션

E-tion started working part-time (알바) at different restaurants during high school (고등학교) to pay for the singing and dance lessons and continued to do so until he became a trainee (연습생) at 20.

6. Pentagon Shinwon 펜타곤 신원

Shinwon worked a lot of various part time jobs and also worked as a model he was scouted (스카우트) around age 18/19 while he was working at EXO’s pop up cafe during wolf promotions.

7. Pentagon Jinho 펜타곤 진호

Jinho worked as a vocal coach (보컬 코치) after leaving SM in 2015 when he was 23. The academy he worked at encouraged (격려) him to audition (오디션) for Cube Entertainment even now he’s still a coach, he helped train (훈련) (G)i-dle and he works with their trainees.

8. Brave Girls Yujeong 브레이브걸스 유정

Yujeong was studying Korean history (한국 역사) to prepare herself for a job in that field. She also worked as a skincare product tester (테스터) and a presenter for a car dealership's (대리점) YouTube channel.

9. Brave Girls Yuna 브레이브걸스 유나

Yuna had been working at a cafe and also got her barista (바리스타) license (자격증), she was planning on becoming a barista after they disbanded. She said someone tried to scout her while she was working, but she was too embarrassed (민망) to say she was already in a group, let alone which one she was in.

10. NCT Taeyong 엔시티 태용

Taeyong worked as a server but he said he spilled things a lot. He has also said he’s been fired (해고당하다) from a job before so I wonder if that was the job he was fired from and the reason.