SME has finally revealed the first trainee to be shortlisted for the project group just three days after their confirmation. Kim JaeEun, at 21 years old, and being the eldest of five siblings back at home, is said to possess extraordinary leadership skills and a heightened sense of responsibility. She has been introduced as the leader, vocal, lead dancer, and rapper for caSTARs rookie.

JaeEun auditioned into SME at the age of 17 during the SM global auditions held in the States. Being a mixed Korean and part Caucasian, she is well-versed in English and has made great progress in the Korean language in the past 3 years. JaeEun is said to have been trained in vocals, dance, as well as acting, earning her a ticket to train under SME and further her practice. JaeEun has been reported to shine within the ranks of trainees due to her assiduous attitude and avid motivation as well as her knack in guiding her fellow trainees. This busy trainee has a hectic lifestyle. Other than acquiring various abilities, it has been revealed that JaeEun is currently working part-time and investing the rest of her downtime in the studios practicing. She is seen as an inspiration to others and is particularly well-known amongst trainees for her proficiency in dance. SME has also released JaeEun’s dance audition to the public, as is featured below.

As soon as the news came out, fellow label-mate Amber uploaded a picture congratulating JaeEun on making the project group.

“Jay-ah, now you don’t have to belt out Eye of the Tiger alone into your water bottle anymore. Congrats to my sister from another mister!” –ajol_llama

It seems like JaeEun and Amber do have a really strong friendship. We hope to see her antics behind the scenes in their upcoming reality programme - caSTARs rookie project. Congratulations to the first caSTARs rookie – we’ll be looking forward to finally meeting the multi-talented trainee. For now, we await the announcements of the other rookies.

So, what do you think of our dorky leader?

SME has revealed yet another caSTARs rookie within 48 hours. Hong HyeMi, otherwise known as H, at 21 years old, with a history of effectiveness and efficiency in managing younger trainees, will be sharing the role of leader with the previously-disclosed trainee, Kim JaeEun. HyeMi will join the group as the leader, sub vocal, lead dancer, and main rapper.  

HyeMi was disclosed to have auditioned for another entertainment agency before her initiation into SME. It was said that HyeMi although HyeMI failed her audition for Cube, her intense passion for rap pushed her to showcase her skills some place else. HyeMi met her mentor at the underground rap hideout she passed most of her time at and subsequently encouraged her to give auditions another go. Instructors at SMEntertainment divulged that HyeMi was a very strict senior - both to other trainees and herself. They have expressed their concerns regarding HyeMi and the other trainees, anxious about their interactions. Besides that, it seems that the agency is witholding information surrounding the death of HyeMi's twin sister in a car crash about a decade ago. Otherwise, trainers have commended HyeMi on her excellent rapping skills and strong motivation. The agency has disclosed her audition tape as well - surprisingly, HyeMi chose to dance instead.

Soloist IU has taken to twitter to congratulate the trainee after news of her addition to the group was broadcasted earlier today.

"H-ah, chukkahaeyo~ I've seen you go through so much at such a young age... himnae - stay strong but don't forget to have fun!" - lily199iu 

An ambiguous post by KARA's Goo HaRa on Instagram has also spiked curiosity about the childhood events surrounding HyeMi. HaRa had uploaded a blank picture with a short caption which seemed to expressed her congratulations on HyeMi making the cut and also remorse at ambivalent situation they were involved in before.

"I'm glad that you are doing well and pushing on. Let's let bygones be bygones - nobody wanted that to happen and although I am sorry and I know that no matter how apologetic I am, nothing can change what has already happened and I hope that you manage to fill the void with happy memories from now on. chukkahaeyo~" -kxxhara

It appears that HyeMi and HaRa might have had a previous altercation. Although the events that unfolded then were not clear, we believe that HyeMi has gone through alot to get to where she is now and we would like to congratulate her for that.

So what do you think of our absolute leader?

SME has revealed the third caSTARs rookie in today's news. Lee Kyunji, otherwise known as Diaz, is only one week younger than our dorky leader and is reported to be the project group’s prankster. She is disclosed as the project group’s main vocal, dancer, and sub-rapper.

Kyunji was brought in during the local SM audition when she was 18. It was said that it has not been a smooth journey for Kyunji as well as she had, similarly to our absolute leader, previously failed an audition one year prior. Undoubtedly, she has sacrificed a lot for the chance to train under SME, having moved to Seoul all the way from the UK for her preparations. It was confirmed to be an excellent decision on her part, as she exceeded the expectations in the subsequent auditions and demonstrated her prowess in both vocals and dance. She is said to be a hard worker who enjoys training alongside her peers. The trainees have expressed that KyunJi's mischieviousness portrayed her as an approachable sunbae. Other than that, the agency has brought to light her proficiency in various languages – German, English, Korean, Japanese and even conversational Chinese due to her multi-ethnicity. She displayed superb vocals during her audition – linked below.

It was divulged that she is close to the members of Girls’ Generation as both Tiffany and Sunny wished Kyunji the best of luck on instagram.

“Diaz dangsin-eun geugeos-eul mandeun – you did it!” –svnnynight

“Chukkahaeyo Diaz~ looking forward to you joining us on stage J” –xolovestephi 

It seems like Kyunji is quite a popular trainee and is well-liked by her sunbaes. We are definitely curious at how much Kyunji has improved over the years. Again, congratulations to the third member of caSTARs rookie – we’ll be looking forward to the stories resulting from her pranks.

So what do you think of our prankster?

The fourth caSTARs rookie has been unveiled. Cha MinHee, otherwise known as Rei, similar to the previous two trainees, is 21 as of this year. Unlike the aforementioned trainees though, MinHee is more mysterious and likes to keep to herself. She has been revealed to be the sub-vocal, dancer, and lead rapper of the project group.

The agency has disclosed that MinHee had joined them only 9 months prior through the local SM casting system and was shortlisted because of her talent in vocals, dance and rap. SME has confirmed that they intent to start MinHee off with a smaller role within the group to aid in her integration, which hints that MinHee will most probably play a larger role in the future. There have been contradictory reports about MinHee’s interactions with the other trainees. It seems like other than MinHee being a new trainee and a fast learner, none of the other trainees know much about her. Of course, it could be due to the fact that she has just only joined the agency. It has also been divulged that MinHee had already showcased her talents on stage – as a back-up dancer for Red Velvet. Rumours have been going around about MinHee initially auditioning as a boy. Is that why SME has yet to release her audition tape?

MinHee is said to be close to members of Red Velvet. When approached during the broadcast variety show “Hello”, Seulgi cheered for the former, both Irene and Joy ascertained MinHee’s competence while Wendy revealed that she was MinHee’s childhood friend. 

“[MinHee] has a very professional take on training and she really stands up for what she believes in – she really puts in a lot of effort and really shines although she can be a worrywart! Minnie-ah, geokjeong hajima~” –Seulgi

“Eolin sijeol chingu, chukkahaeyo!” –Wendy 

It is uncommon that an applicant at the age of 21 would get accepted into the trainee programme at SME – the public has expressed their desire to know more about this particular trainee, but presently, let us congratulate MinHee for making the cut. Do anticipate the release of further trainees!

So what do you think of our mysterious enigma?  

SME has released the profile of the fifth caSTARs rookie. Sporting a different aesthetic appearance then the former four trainees, Jang YooMi, otherwise known as Yumi, is one year younger than the previous quartet. She is alleged to be the project group’s sub-vocal, main dancer, and rapper.

YooMi is rumoured to be a last-minute addition to the group, never having been officially auditioned under SME. She was laterally transferred to the SME training system two years prior for reasons which are not specified. People have been speculating that it may have been due to her connections. Research has turned up that YooMi had been accepted into college through a personal favour even though her results fell short. The fact that Rain is found to be her cousin further bolsters this notion. Other than that, little is known about YooMi except for her being trained under Rain’s agency before she was transferred. Even after the transference, YooMi had more private coaching than the average trainee.

Not surprisingly, YooMi is closer to fellow label-mates at J. Tune Camp. MBLAQ member Lee Joon has openly talked about YooMi while promoting MBLAQ’s latest single “Be a Man”.

“YooMi may be privileged and even though she technically got into the SM training system through connections, the fact that she was picked for possible debut goes to show that she really has the potential to do well. Mimi, hwaiting!” –Lee Joon  

It seems like it may be hard for such an unusual addition to join the rest of the trainees within the project group, especially with the hype over her controversial addition into the agency. The audience may want to observe YooMi on stage before locking in their suppositions. Nevertheless, we wish YooMi all the best in fitting in with her new comrades. Let us look forward to the next few announcements of the caSTARs rookies!

So what do you think of our novel addition?   

After the lack of updates on new trainees for slightly more than a week, SME has produced an official statement confirming that the project group will still be going through and the difficulties that had cropped up in the past few days have been successfully resolved. The sixth trainee to join the ranks of the caSTARs rookies has been revealed earlier this morning. Kim SooJin, also known as Sophia, at 20 years old, doesn’t look her age at all and is supposedly the happy virus of the project group. She is joining the group as the main vocal, dancer, and rapper.  

SooJin was casted in the SM trainee system together with JaeEun during the SM Global Auditions held in the States three years prior. SooJin is described as young at heart amongst the trainees and her child-like features has been said to confuse others under various circumstances. Discernibly, she is popular amid the trainees and especially takes care of the younger ones. She is also said to have been trained in the art of writing as well as counselling which explains her ability to connect with others. However, there were allegations about SooJin auditioning for an entertainment agency as she was considered only average and there were doubts about her being up to standard. However, these rumours may just be discarded as the agency has released SooJin’s audition clip displaying her talented vocals – linked below.

Super Junior’s Kyuhyun has taken to his radio show – RadioStar, as a platform to applaud SooJin’s accomplishment as well as to promote awareness of the project group in general.

“Sophie-ah chukkahaeyo~ I hope you’re practicing well – I’ll be waiting for you to debut and become successful! Keudae-eke manh-eun sarangeul boyeo jusib-seo~” –Kyuhyun

It appears that SooJin’s friendly disposition has endeared her to many such that even the evil maknae of Super Junior has expressed his praise for her. It definitely seems like SooJin is about to prove the public wrong as she surpasses expectations – we do look forward to seeing her interactions with the other caSTARs rookies. Meanwhile, we want to express felicitations to SooJin as we await yet another caSTARs rookie.

So what do you think of our happy virus?    

SMEntertainment has released caSTARs Rookie number seven earlier this morning. Lee YoonKi, otherwise known as Ki, at only 19 years old, has been revealed to be the group's longest-training trainee, having been with the agency for a grand total of 7 years. YoonKi has been introduced as caSTARs Rookie's vocal, main dancer, and lead rapper.

It was confirmed that YoonKi, of Korean descent, had been accepted by two other companies via video audition when she was 12. YoonKi had signed on with SME and was one of the trainees habouring the most potential. However, other than appearing on a few stages as a background dancer, there have been little news regarding this particular trainee for the past seven years. However, it was exposed that during her first few trainee years, YoonKi was considered for debut in SME's then new girl group Girls' Generation, but due to time constraints and multiple other inconveniences, the idea was scrapped and Girls' Generation went on to debut as a nine-membered group with the exclusion of YoonKi. The agency has disclosed that YoonKI had been trained in acting as well as emceeing a few years prior, although she had not had a chance to showcase her talents in these aspects yet. The trainers approached surprisingly had a hard time remembering YoonKi, but after some prodding, they recalled her as being an energetic fresh-faced trainee a few years before, but have settled down into the routine thus far. Unfortunately, it seems as though YoonKi has disappeared into the background although she had definitely shown some promise as a new trainee. SME has also released YoonKi's audition clip - as shown below, showcasing her superb dance abilities.

Super Junior's DongHae has offered his congratulations to the trainee on his relatively new variety show "Guest House". EunHyuk interjected with snide remarks as the former gave his salutations.

"chukkahaeyo Yokki~ see you soon!"

"YoonKi-ah, you should come and join Guest House... I'm sure DongHae would like that!"

It does seem that these two members of Super Junior are familiar with the trainee of seven years and do we see an upcoming scandal as well? Regardless, we hope to see the progress YoonKi has made during this time as well as her interactions with the rest of the members in the project group. Her seniority and experience will definitely be a huge help to caSTARs rookie. Once again, we express our congratulations to our seventh member and do look forward to the revelations of the remaining trainees!

So what do you think of our relaxed senior?

The profile of the eighth caSTARs rookie has been released. Ahn YonNi, at 19 years of age, may not seem to possess the idol image as she invests most of her time taking care of others. She is divulged to take on the role of the lead vocal, dancer, and rapper.

YonNi was scouted by the agency when she was 16, passing the subsequent auditions with flying colours and finally signing on as a trainee. She has been revealed to be a very conscientious trainee even when she was just starting off. Fellow trainees have indicated that YonNi would always be found practicing in the trainee studios after-hours if they needed her. Unmistakably, YonNi comes off as very self-motivated and independent. Her strong vocals and fresh outlook were said to have taken the panel by surprise. Her audition clip has been released as well – linked below.

Former vocal-training classmate and current T-ARA member Boram conveyed her felicitations to YonNi via twitter.

“Yonni~ remember blood is thicker than water – blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb; naneun sangkwan eobs-i jiwon haji geoya.” –BoRam_0322 

The controversial tweet was taken down after overwhelming speculations about YonNi’s predicament surfaced. From the above tweet, it seems that YonNi might have had a falling out with her parents over her signing on with an entertainment agency. Subsequently, Boram uploaded another tweet in its place.

“Yonni mian – naneun ajigdo sangkwan eobs-i jiwon haji geoya.” –BoRam_0322  

It appears that this case may be as complicated as it looks. For now, the majority of the public has voiced their support for YonNi via social media and we would like to congratulate her as well. This incident has greatly increased the tune-in rate for caSTARs rookie as the audience look forward to the disclosure of other potential members.

So what do you think of our impressionable perfectionist?    

The ninth potential member for caSTARs has been revealed amidst the hype that the previous trainee left in her wake. Kim KyMin, otherwise known as Kyo, has been added to caSTARs rookies at the age of 19 and is said to have an unusual demeanour. KyMin will act as the lead vocal, sub-dancer, and rapper.

Similar to KyunJi’s case, KyMin has had an unsuccessful audition when she was younger. Unlike KyunJi who came back stronger than ever though, KyMin remained near the borderline. It was rumoured that KyMin was at one point in time under probation due to her substandard performance in dance as well as Korean. However, it has been disclosed that KyMin is a part British-Chinese fluent in both English and Chinese, with no exposure to the Korean language before she was accepted into the agency, which does explain her struggle in grasping the foreign language. She has since improved though, as she now sports one of the better vocals within the project group – as validated by a recent clip released by SME. KyMin remained largely unknown to the other trainees even though she clocked a relatively longer training period of 4 years compared to most of the prior trainees revealed. It has also been announced belatedly that KyMin has a half-brother who is already an idol under SME.

Her half-brother was disclosed to be Kim HeeChul of Super Junior. During his radio broadcast at Young Street, the global star seemed reluctant to discuss issues pertaining to his half-sister. Under pressure from his guests – Super Junior’s hoobaes SHINee, he finally addressed his half-sister in his closing speech.   

“Kyminnie, I know we haven’t been close but now I’m going to do my part as a brother – hajiman deoisang geeuleun haji malla~ yeolshimhi!” –Heechul

It looks as if KyMin may not have been the most diligent trainee and this may be the reason for her mediocre performance. Other than that, it seems that there exists a strain between these two half-siblings. The public has been active in the forums, especially after the controversy surrounding the last caSTARs rookie’s situation. Many have questioned the addition of this particular trainee, wondering if she was just used to draw attention because of her already-famous half-brother, while others have defended her due to the premature assumptions, citing her improved vocals as evidence.  Even though we would like to congratulate KyMin on her acceptance, the question remains – will she be an asset or a liability?

So what do you think of our lackadaisical nonnative? 

SME has announced the tenth trainee to be added into caSTARs rookie. Go MiYoo, turning 18 this year, is said to be the total opposite of the previous caSTARs rookie Kim KyMin as she portrays herself as a conventional trainee. She functions as the main vocal, dancer, and sub-rapper within the project group.

The agency has also confirmed reports that MiYoo is related to Tiffany from Girls’ Generation.   Tiffany had put in a recommendation for her cousin due to her admirable vocals. MiYoo is heralded as the exemplary trainee as she conforms to expectations and always places above average in the tasks she sets out to complete. Fellow trainees have attested to her tendency to follow rules as they let on that she was favoured by many of the trainers and choreographers because of her unquestioning attitude and knack for replicating the most complicated techniques. It was revealed that MiYoo usually keeps to herself but others have indicated that she is really intelligent and always lends a helping hand to other trainees who have had problems with school work or training. Even juggling both school and training, MiYoo maintains a good balance and is always improving. SME has released her audition clip demonstrating her vocal prowess as well – linked below.

SNSD’s Tiffany has shown her support for MiYoo through Twitter as well. Apink’s NaEun has also congratulated the caSTARs rookie during promotions of ‘Mr. Chu’ from the group’s fourth mini album.

“Mew, jal haess-eoyo~ moduga nae sachon dolbwa jusaeyo!” –msTiffanyHwang

“Sugo-hasaeyo, Gom-ah~ naneun dangshin-i jalang seuleowo-yo!” –NaEun

It does appear that MiYoo has done an excellent job abiding by regulations. The forum has registered many positive comments for this caSTARs rookie although others have wondered if she would appear to be too pedantic. We would like to extend our congratulations to MiYoo as well – the public is really hard to pander to and we wish MiYoo all the best!

So what do you think of our precise learner?   

The eleventh trainee to join caSTARs Rookie was announced early this morning after yet another delay due to problems regarding communication and dissemination of information within SME. Lee MinAh, at 18 years old, has been revealed to be the group’s lead vocal, main dancer, and main rapper.

Despite her youthful appearance, the trainees at SME have come to dub her as one of the iest girls in the company, pointing out that although MinAh doesn't deliberately show off her alluring side, she has the natural spunkiness associated with it. Although having only trained at SME for a relatively short period of 2 years, MinAh has risen above the others in all aspects of performance at a much quicker pace than the average trainee. Furthermore, it was disclosed that MinAh is exceptionally well-versed in both the piano and guitar. Her various talents and excellence have caught the attention of many. Trainers at SME have confirmed that they are eagerly looking forward to MinAh's growth within the project group with the level of consistency she has put in as well as the achievements she has obtained for herself. Many trainees believe that MinAh would be one of the five left standing at the end of the project. SME has proudly released MinAh's audition clip to the public, featuring her audition in all three aspects of performance - linked below. 

It seems that SME is doing its best to promote this new trainee as an interview regarding this new addition was released with various idol groups under the same label. Within the few groups complimenting MinAh on her eagerness to learn and exceptional talents, EXO's ChanYeol stood out as he delivered a slightly more intimate message to his hoobae.

"Min-ah, stay happy and shower the stage with your impressive dedication. nan neol mee-do! You'll definitely shine for me!"

With this friendly shoutout from ChanYeol, audience have begun to form their own conjectures on their friendship. Many have registered that despite this, SME has decided to upload the video onto their official platform, which raises speculation on whether it was a sign that SME has visibly relaxed its previous relationship policies, or that the relationship between MinAh and ChangYeol is purely platonic. Regardless of which, the public has expressed their enthusiasm in MinAh. We would like to extend our congratulations to the new caSTARs Rookie as well.   

So what do you think of our gifted glimmer? 

Closely following the release of the twelfth caSTARs Rookie, SME has released the profile of the next trainee to join in their ranks. Shin SuJin, otherwise known as Que, is 17 this year and will be joining the group as the vocal, sub dancer, and lead rapper. 

SuJin is revealed to be another idol sibling, this time, having an elder brother from NH Media. It was disclosed that her brother is UKISS's DongHo, though no longer active in his group, his love for music has motivated SuJin to continue in her brother's place. For those wondering about the reason for SuJin joining SM Entertainment, relaible sources have stated that SuJin was scouted through her covers on YouTube, where she showcases her vocals, rapping, as well as guitar-playing. It was revealed that BTS's Suga had coached her on many occassions, increasing expectations of the budding rapper for the public. The trainers at SME have vouched for her rapping prowess as they exposed that SuJin is outstanding at aspects that she puts her mind to, and with little practice, is able to fully convey the main point of performances, a talent that few possess nowadays. This has led to her addition to the project group even though she has only been in the company for merely a year. The cover that got her a place in SME, surprisingly showcasing her vocals rather than her rap, is linked below.

It was noticed that SuJin has many ties to other idols and trainees alike, receiving congratulatory messages from DSP trainee ChaeWon as well as newly debuted rookie group Red Velvet's Joy.

"SuJin-nnie, chukkahaeyo~ I hope I'll be able to join you at a later time~ hwaiting!" - ChaeWon

"Su-su, jaraesseoyo! sugohasayo - continue to work hard! naeil bayo - see you!" - Joy

It does appear that SuJin has great connections and support from her both sunbaes and hoobaes alike. We wish to congratulate the latest addition to caSTARs Rookie. SuJin's addition has sparked much excitement regarding the interaction of the project group and other sunbae groups in the future. With such diverse connections, it does seem as though SME may consider the inclusion of other groups not under its own label in the establishment of the project group. If so, we believe that the interactions will be greatly anticipated.

So what do you think of our supported socialite? 

The revelation of the twelfth caSTARs rookie was closely followed by the thirteenth. Jang EunMi, turning 17 this coming year, is disclosed to be the project group’s 3-dimensional daydreamer. She takes on the role of the main vocal, dancer, and rapper.

EunMi was scouted in school at the age of 16 when a talent scout happened to overhear the girl singing. Recognizing her as the famous violinist Cerys Collins’s daughter, he had immediately invited her to an audition at SME. Videos of EunMi performing onstage with her mother has surfaced as well, depicting EunMi singing onstage alongside her late mother at the young age of 5. The public who are familiar with the freak airplane crash of 2011 has offered their condolences. Despite having lost both parents at a young age, EunMi is frequently described by other trainees as a positive daydreamer with many quirks. Easy-going and interesting, EunMi has drawn the attention of many of her peers. Surprisingly, many have suggested that EunMi is unbelievably shy with strangers but most agree that they see her as a younger sibling once she opens up to them. Others have commended her for her dedication and passion while training. EunMi’s audition was released as well – linked below.

MBLAQ’s Mir has divulged that EunMi was his close hoobae at school, congratulating her on Twitter as well. Fellow sunbae f(x)’s Sulli has also dedicated a speech to EunMi during promotions for ‘Rum Pum Pum Pum’.

“EunEun, haeng-un-eul bil-eo yo~ oppa ga dangsin-eul jiwonhabnida!” –BangMir

“EunMi-ah, dangsin-eun geugeos-eulhaessda~ jal haet-da!” –Sulli

The interest in caSTARs rookies has evidently seen a surge as search engines have been flooded with searches relating to EunMi’s performances when she was younger. We daresay that everybody is looking forward to seeing EunMi’s live performance onstage. Congratulations to the ninth caSTARs rookie – the revelation of this rookie has stoked the audience for future members of the project group. For now, let us all wait patiently for the next update!

So what do you think of our 3-dimensional daydreamer?    

The fourteenth caSTARs rookie has been revealed earlier this morning. Cho MinJae, otherwise known as Oli, at 17, is roughly one week younger than the previous caSTARs rookie and is disclosed to be the smiley rapper of the group. She is allegedly the vocal, sub-dancer, and main rapper of caSTARs rookie.

MinJae was brought in through the SM Global auditions in the States, half a year earlier than both Leader JaeEun and Happy Virus SooJin who went through the same process. Other than KyunJi, MinJae is one of the trainees who has a grasp on a wide variety of languages – being fluent in Portuguese, English, Korean and Japanese as well as being able to converse in simple Chinese and Spanish. The trainers and choreographers have attested to MinJae being a pleasant and attentive trainee. Fellow trainees have also described MinJae as helpful and willing to take the initiative. Some may find MinJae familiar, seeing as she appeared on TVXQ’s ‘Something’ and SHINee’s ‘Boys Meet U’ MVs. She is said to have intimate knowledge of sound production as well, especially on radio. Surprisingly, MinJae’s audition clip depicts her vocals rather than rap, arousing significant interest about Minjae’s prowess.

It appears that Super Junior’s SungMin grew up with MinJae, going out of his way to congratulate his hoobae. Super Junior’s KyuHyun joined in as well as both of them crashed KARA’s performance of ‘Mammamia’ at MCountdown to promote the project group.

“Jae-ah chukkahaeyo~ caSTARs rookies – moduga geugeos-eul gidae hasibsio!” –SungMin

“Jae-ah, gongbu yeolshimhihae~ hwaiting!” –KyuHyun

It looks as if MinJae has a strong bond with the two members of Super Junior. The public has expressed their interest in the young and girly-looking rapper, with many voicing their curiosity about her unique style. We would like to congratulate our tenth caSTARs rookie – we’ll be looking forward to finally seeing her in action. As we approach the revelations of the last few trainees shortlisted for the project group, it has been noted that caSTARs rookies have gained many followers from the public. Do anticipate the disclosure of the rest of the rookies!    

So what do you think of our girly rapper?   

SME has revealed the fifteenth trainee to join in the ranks of caSTARs Rookie before the scheduled release, amping up the excitement. Min JinRa, otherwise known as Jenna, at 17 this year, is arranged to join the group as the lead vocal, sub-dancer, and lead rapper.

JinRa is confirmed to be the younger sister of f(x)'s Luna, who had doubled as her music tutor. There have been reports suggesting that both sisters have been depending on each other after the death of their parents, leaving JinRa under Luna's care. Although born and bred in California, Los Angeles, JinRa is of Filipino-American descent and has little contact with the Korean language as well as culture. Nonetheless, trainees approached have testified to JinRa being hardworking and helpful, having almost no problem communicating with others once approached. Surprisingly, many have admitted that they were afraid of the rookie when they first met her, citing the divergence between her husky voice and innocent demeanour slightly disorientating. Nevertheless, JinRa is highly praised by the trainers for her proficiency in vocals and rap. The agency has released her audition video below, featuring her excellednt vocals.

Luna instantly took to her Twitter to congratulate her younger sister as EXO's YiXing joined in the fun as he hijacked the former's twitter account. 

"Jinnie, chukkahaeyo~ uri dongsaengie saranghae!" -@fx_SunYoungPark

"nado saranghae! jang-naniya [just kidding] - aniya... chukkahaeyo! Nan YiXing-ah..." -@fx_SunYoungPark

The commotion on Twitter has spiked curiosity amongst the public regarding the sisters' friendship with the SME labelmate from EXO. It does appear that they are well-acquainted with one another. We would like to wish the latest addition all the best in the coming journey with the rest of caSTARs Rookie as we look forward to getting a more comprehensive glimpse of the relationships (friendships) between siblings, trainees, and idols alike.  

So what do you think of our chic vessel?

The sixteenth shortlisted candidate has been revealed to the public. Lee HyeSun, aged 16 this year, is disclosed to be a very shy and introverted trainee. She acts as the vocal, main dancer, and sub-rapper within the project group.

The agency has also exposed Super Junior’s EunHyuk as HyeSun’s older brother. HyeSun entered the agency as a trainee completely by accident, as was the case with EunMi. A talent scout had spotted her dancing alone in an alley late at night while waiting for her brother. He belatedly realised that she was EunHyuk’s sister after he had invited her for an audition at SME. Many trainees have established that HyeSun was a quiet but friendly trainee and many were in awe of her skills in dance – some suggested that she resembled her brother in that sense. Older trainees have expressed their protectiveness over the meek hoobae. The trainers and choreographers alike confirmed that HyeSun invested herself completely in dance, going further to insinuate that dancing was her life. SME has not released this particular trainee's audition tape due to unknown reasons.

Aside from that, Super Junior’s EunHyuk has used Twitter as a platform to cheer on his little sister and show his concern.

“Sherry-ah, geokjung hajima [don't worry]~ gwenchaneul gguh ya [it'll be okay] – nunh halssu isseoyo [you can do it]!” –AllRiseSilver

It does look as though HyeSun may be a worrywart as well. It has also been brought to attention that HyeSun was accepted into the agency at the young age of 10, having been trained with slightly older trainees back at the SM Academy before she was transferred to the main SME trainee system. It seems that SME has been putting a lot of effort into moulding this caSTARs rookie. We would like to wish her all the best as we await the disclosure of the final trainee.

So what do you think of our innocent child?    

SME has finally revealed the penultimate trainee to join the project group caSTARs Rookie. The seventeenth trainee to be added has been disclosed to be 15-year-old Chen RuiXian, also known as Rui. She is to join the group as the sub-vocal, lead dancer, and main rapper.

Coming from a wealthy family back in BeiJing, RuiXian is often dubbed "the China princess" by trainers and fellow trainees. It has come to the public's attention that RuiXian has a younger twin under the same label, leading the public to wonder if the final trainee revealed would be RuiEr since the staff within the company has confirmed that the twins were almost never apart from each other if they could help it. It appears that RuiEr had expressed her interest in auditioning and RuiXian had gone along with her to show her support, never expecting to be shortlisted as a trainee. Both sisters seem to have great talents although trainers have hinted that RuiXian shines almost without even meaning to. SME has acknowledged that RuiXian indeed has raw talent though much work is needed to allow her to shine brighter. Both trainers and trainees alike have attested that RuiXian's biggest motivating factor appears to be her sister. SME has released RuiXian's audition video as well - linked below.   

On receiving the news, internal intel under SME has divulged that RuiEr is exuberant about RuiXian's addition to the group. Representatives of SME have come forward to convey that RuiXian has promised before the auditions that she would be "less of an annoying brat" and "work harder" if she were to be shortlisted with her sister. It seems that SME is ready to declare RuiEr as the last trainee to join caSTARs Rookie but we've yet to receive solid confirmation regarding this matter.

Many contributors to various SME-related news website have expressed their support for both twins to be shortlisted for caSTARs Rookie. It does appear that RuiXian and RuiEr have already appealed to the public's eyes even before their (probably) first appearance/stage. We are definietly excited for the unveiling of the final caSTARs Rookie before the end of the year. We would like to express our congratulations to our newest addition and keep our fingers crossed for the last trainee to hop onboard caSTARs Rookie.

So what do you all think of our foreign princess?

The final caSTARs rookie has been revealed as of today, about one month since the release of the project group’s title. Jung HaRu, the youngest of all caSTARs rookies at merely 14 years of age, is the obedient maknae of the group. She is to play the roles of the vocal, main dancer, and sub-rapper within the group.

HaRu auditioned after she migrated to Seoul from the States, gaining attention for her vocals and dance at the young age of 11. She was also belatedly revealed to be 3-Dimensional Daydreamer EunMi's half-cousin on her step-father's side. SME has stated that they were initially hesitant about allowing such a young trainee to get exposed to the entertainment stage so soon, but HaRu’s passion convinced them of her determination to shine as an idol. Though they were confident that HaRu stood a decent chance of adapting well to the project group, they had decided to start HaRu off small, giving HaRu a smaller role within the group to help in her acclimatizing to the situation. Trainees have described HaRu as a shy and respectful maknae who is loved by many. She has been heaped with praises for her excellent dance technique and artistry within the trainees. Other than that, there have been talks of her being trained in acting. Her audition clip has been released as well, displaying her dance capabilities – as shown below.

The maknae of Girl’s Generation – SeoHyun, has also addressed HaRu during TaeTiSeo’s promotions for their latest comeback ‘Holler’.

“Ru-ah, ije unnie boda deo nasda~ you’ll be the youngest to ever debut!” –SeoHyun

It seems like the two maknaes of SME are getting along really well. The revelation of this final trainee has peaked the attention of many and has awed audiences with both her talents as well as achievements at such a young age. Although it means that RuiEr would ultimately not join her twin in the project group, we do wish HaRu all the best with her half-cousin and the other unnies in caSTARs Rookie. With this final revelation, we all await the interaction of these fresh-faced girls behind the scenes!

So what do you think of our obedient maknae?