K-Pop Trained Rosé to Be ‘a Perfect Girl.’ Now She’s Trying to Be Herself.

Rosé's journey from a musically-talented teenager in Australia to a K-pop idol at YG Entertainment is a story of passion, talent, and a leap of faith inspired by a supportive family member.

Early Years and Musical Awakening

Born in New Zealand to South Korean immigrant parents, Rosé moved to Australia at the age of eight, where her foray into music began not just as a hobby, but as a primary form of entertainment in an area with not much else to do. As a result, she pursued piano lessons and eventually taught herself to play guitar. Rosé's musical development was largely self-driven; she would sing along to chords she printed out and replicated musicians' covers she found on YouTube.

The Audition that Changed Everything

At the tender age of 15, after noticing her routine of singing every night, Rosé’s father encouraged her to audition for YG Entertainment. The entertainment company had announced they were holding auditions in Australia, and her father didn't want her to regret not taking the chance. Despite thinking her father was joking initially and feeling unprepared, he convi ...

The path to becoming a K-pop star is one of intense dedication and extreme rigor, giving rise to concerns about exploitative aspects of the industry.

The K-pop trainee system involves rigorous, grueling training regimens that dominate trainees' lives for years, with long hours of practice and little personal time

Idols are sculpted into their roles long before they step into the spotlight, molded by a trainee system that demands years of their life in preparation. Critics have raised flags about the grueling and potentially exploitative nature of this phenomenon. Rosé, a member of the world-renowned group Blackpink, shared a glimpse into her life under this regimented training, describing days that began at 9:30 AM with back-to-back vocal, dance, and language lessons, often not wrapping up until the early hours of the next morning at 2 AM. Compelled by a drive to shine, Rosé would sometimes extend her practice even later into the night just to use the dance hall alone.

Rosé describes her typical trainee schedule, waking up early for vocal, dance, and language lessons and practicing until 2am most nights

Rosé's routine was relentless, a testament to the extraordinary commitment expected of every trainee. Even as success hung precariously on the whims of the future, her days were consumed by an unwavering cycle of lessons and rehearsals.

The trainee system can be isolating, as trainees like Rosé are separated from their families and have limited time off

Beyond the physical and mental toll, the trainee system also imparted a deep sense of isolation. Rosé, too young to grasp the full weight of what it meant to relocate to Seoul, would soon confront an overwhelming loneliness—the result of being severed from her family and her home to live in a dorm. This separation was a stark reality for many trainees, especially those who ...

Rosé, a member of the global K-pop group Blackpink, speaks candidly about the challenging transition from anonymity to stardom and the pressures that accompany being in the spotlight.

Rosé found the transition from anonymous trainee to global K-pop superstar with Blackpink to be extremely challenging, as she had to learn to navigate the intense public spotlight and fan culture

Rosé describes her experience moving from the life of a trainee to that of a public figure. She explains that in her early years of stardom, it was particularly difficult to make the shift from being able to make mistakes in private to living under the constant watchful eye of the public. She had to learn to present herself as "Rosé," a perfect public persona, while also maintaining her true self when with friends and family.

Rosé felt pressure to always present a "perfect" public persona, which made it difficult for her to be vulnerable and authentic

The training as part of Blackpink ingrained in her the necessity to always present the perfect image. Rosé worked hard to give perfect responses when interacting with fans, aiming to be "a perfect girl for everyone." This perfectionism made it hard for her to be open and authentic, since she was constantly navigating the pressures to meet public expectations.

The intense scrutiny and criticism from anti-fans online was a struggle for Rosé, leading her to create a private "Vampire Holly" Instagram account to express herself more freely

In an effort to escape the pressures of her public life as an idol, Rosé created a private Instagram account named "Vampire Holly." This was a space where she could express herself without worrying about public perceptions or fan r ...

Rosé, recognized for her work within the K-pop system, is now releasing her first full-length solo album. With it, she embarks on a quest for authenticity and vulnerability, diverging from her usual musical confines to share more personal stories and emotions.

Embracing Vulnerability Through Music

Rosé tackles head-on the doubts and fears that tag along with vulnerability. She describes the songwriting process as therapeutic, stating it allowed her to leave her struggles and worries within the songs, making it a healing process. Despite the different direction from her usual training, which typically doesn't involve openly discussing emotions and experiences, she finds solace in the honesty of her album, mirroring the relatable music that she grew up listening to.

Songs as Reflections of Personal Struggles

In particular, "Number One Girl" emerges from Rosé’s struggles with constantly feeling the need to prove herself and seek validation—emotions intensified by a difficult night dealing with negativity on the internet. The song acts as both a confrontation of those feelings and a recognition of her efforts to find approval.

Moreover, Rosé admits that the album involved not only telling her stories but also the challenge of letting them go. The decision to share tales usually reserved for close friends is part of a larger process of exhaling the ...