Seven young women sit anxiously in a room, awaiting their fate. Aged between 14 and 20, they embody the polished perfection associated with K-pop: slim figures, flawless skin, and impeccable grooming. For these trainees, the moment is pivotal—they're about to learn who will debut in MZMC’s first-ever girl group.
This coveted opportunity comes after years of grueling preparation. The trainees have sacrificed formal education, family proximity, and personal freedoms to perfect their singing, dancing, and performing skills. For many, it’s their one and only shot. “In the idol world, 18 is considered old,” says Ah-In Lee, 18, one of the final seven trainees.
MZMC founder Paul Thompson, a prominent K-pop producer, explains that thousands of auditions led to the selection of 30 trainees, now narrowed to seven after months of cuts and evaluations. This intense elimination process is standard in the K-pop industry, which operates on rigorous artist development programs unlike any other global music industry.
Girl group Aespa - featuring K-pop singer Karina, center - perform in Seoul, in May last year. Han Myung-Gu/WireImage/Getty Images
The pressures don’t stop with training. The girls must meet rigid beauty standards and maintain strict diets, often eating only boiled eggs and chicken. “The word is ‘idol,’” Thompson explains. “People want to idolize someone perfect.”
The stakes are high for the final lineup. Less than 1% of debuting K-pop groups achieve global fame like BTS or Blackpink. Despite the odds, five trainees—Lee, Koga, Jang, Kim, and Moon—made the cut, forming the new girl group VVS, expected to debut in 2025. For those left behind, the journey is far from over, as they seek alternative paths in the fiercely competitive world of K-pop.
