IS THIS POSSIBLE?

    Is it possible for active groups and idols to learn English and speaking the language fluently in the middle of their career? with intentions to expand to the global market you'd reckoned by now that agencies would try to let one or two members in their groups learned the language in degrees that they would eventually be fluent with and able to comprehend it further so that they can easily interact with fans who speak and understand English and also international media.


    Is it possible?


    can it be done?


    or is it a preserve korean image / nationality thing? ...where this kind of integration is considered discouraging, just a waste of resources, and completely uneccessary?


    and if so, why'd you think agencies haven't done something like that? or why isn't it a popular thing to instill to their groups?


    If anyone can cite notable agencies and groups who have done this and went through this process? why do you think it hasn't been replicated by some of its contemporaries? :melon_think:

    PINK • VENOM

    ITZY is prob the best example.


    Lia and Ryujin could speak prior, but Yuna, Yeji and Chaeryeong have learned since they debuted


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    It's possible but in the grand scheme of things it may be needless for idols.


    A lot of idols can sing in English phonetically but aren't able to read or speak fluently. If they can get by with just putting out English music and know the important/common words and phrases for the occasional interview or fan events here and there then that's enough. The fallback plan is to simply have interpreters tag along wherever they go or put out subs/translations. This is what's been happening of years even before hallyu and kpop fans still found it and enjoyed it


    Becoming fluent takes muuuch more effort and would mainly be required if they were fully devoted to entering and staying in a foreign country. Otherwise it's a bit of an overkill. We've seen tons of idol groups enter Japan market without everyone being fluent Japanese speakers and still find prolific success. Even BTS while having massive success worldwide aren't all fluent English speakers.

    everyone in monsta x can speak english now. I can guarantee you it wasn't the case when they debuted, and even in their first buzzfeed interview with puppies they were still weak but all of them tried. Nowadays they speak english at ease in interviews and w fans.


    after the world tours, their american manager for overseas promo, their interviews in english, their big international fanbase, their contract with columbia and epic records, and their full english album, it was about to happen. When you're overexposed to a language you'll end up at very least understanding the basics.

    narcissistic, my god i love it

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    I agree. age really IS a factor so its burdensome to teach them these idols another language in the middle of their careers. I think it would be just ideal to house trainees at a young age and integrate English-language lessons to their trainee curriculum within or scout for young kids who already have a background in English-speaking and maybe just hone it from their once they acquire them as trainees and potentially idols they decide to debut. This of course, if they really want to have a group that can venture to the global market.

    PINK • VENOM

    The three could learn a thing or two from the other two members. It might just come down to JYP making them do it or they're already settled with Lia and Ryujin. To my knowledge only Lia has the capability of speaking the language fluently so forcing them all would already be unnecessary at this point. Lia can handle it.

    PINK • VENOM

    Quote from harambelives

    It's possible but in the grand scheme of things it may be needless for idols.


    A lot of idols can sing in English phonetically but aren't able to read or speak fluently. If they can get by with just putting out English music and know the important/common words and phrases for the occasional interview or fan events here and there then that's enough. The fallback plan is to simply have interpreters tag along wherever they go or put out subs/translations. This is what's been happening of years even before hallyu and kpop fans still found it and enjoyed it


    Becoming fluent takes muuuch more effort and would mainly be required if they were fully devoted to entering and staying in a foreign country. Otherwise it's a bit of an overkill. We've seen tons of idol groups enter Japan market without everyone being fluent Japanese speakers and still find prolific success. Even BTS while having massive success worldwide aren't all fluent English speakers.

    I agree with the keen observations. I was just really curious about the factors that were considered as to why it hasn't been done OR isn't a popular trend among groups. Might just resort to the old' interpreters backup. I really think with endeavors expanding internationally and especially to the US, being a big music market as it is, it would only be a matter of time that these companies may start to hold english lessons to their future trainees as to what happens also with them having to learn nihongo or japanese in preparation for Japan promotions.

    PINK • VENOM

    Quote from catzi

    everyone in monsta x can speak english now. I can guarantee you it wasn't the case when they debuted, and even in their first buzzfeed interview with puppies they were still weak but all of them tried. Nowadays they speak english at ease in interviews and w fans.


    after the world tours, their american manager for overseas promo, their interviews in english, their big international fanbase, their contract with columbia and epic records, and their full english album, it was about to happen. When you're overexposed to a language you'll end up at very least understanding the basics.

    fascinating. I was aware someone in Monsta X could speak English but I didn't know that it would ripple down to the other members. Well I think I might have encountered it, the We Bare Bears guesting was something to take note of. I swear it wasn't only one member who spoke English in the episode or I stand corrected.

    PINK • VENOM

    Quote from VenerableBede

    fascinating. I was aware someone in Monsta X could speak English but I didn't know that it would ripple down to the other members. Well I think I might have encountered it, the We Bare Bears guesting was something to take note of. I swear it wasn't only one member who spoke English in the episode or I stand corrected.

    Yeah actually all of them voiced their respective characters in english! I.M is the one in charge of speaking english, when they debuted he was the only one familiar with it as he grew up in Boston and Israel. But Kihyun has the best english now, both in understanding and diction.

    narcissistic, my god i love it

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  • AllKill VIP
    Quote from VenerableBede

    The three could learn a thing or two from the other two members. It might just come down to JYP making them do it or they're already settled with Lia and Ryujin. To my knowledge only Lia has the capability of speaking the language fluently so forcing them all would already be unnecessary at this point. Lia can handle it.

    actually after those lessons that they've get all girls can really speak English in a nice way


    they don't need to be fluent, just need to use basics, and drop some harder words that we all understand


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    Well maybe not become fluent but to reach to level where they can hold a conversation and do an interviews in English without translators should be possible.


    I mean many idols have managed to do that with Japanese.

    of course they can but it's better to speak it in an environment that is constantly speaking the language which gives immersion


    I mean the izone j-line have really good korean and they only learned it for like what 2-3 years...


    i recall sakura saying in sakunoki that when she returned to japan she's slowly starting to lose her korean because of the lack of immersion in the language...


    we can also see it in twice's j-line where sometimes they have issues speaking japanese...

    yeah environment would have to be a vital factor as well. good point

    PINK • VENOM

  • AllKill VIP

    The best way to learn a language is complete immersion for the majority of people, so I agree with selfmate. I learned a language to some fluency in adulthood, but only because I put myself in situations where I'd need to use it on a frequent basis. This is not even counting ones natural aptitude for picking up language which will vary from person to person.


    We have people like RM whois a huge outlier as an English speaker in that he is self taught and maintains it as well as he does, but even he is better after he gets more into speaking it regularly further into his stint.

    I think it was pretty unecessary until a few years ago, as kpop didn't have any global ambitions - kpop fans through the world were fine with their idols talking their native language.


    But I wonder if english will now be a part of an idol training. Or even if speaking english will be a skill that recruiters will be looking for in the future.

    I suppose it depends on the act and its target market. In my time watching NCT, many members in 127 and WayV have been working hard and studying their English, trying to use it more often to communicate with fans and in interviews (off the top of my head, Taeyong, Doyoung, Xiaojun, Kun, Hendery, Chenle have been the most serious about it and you can see the tremendous growth since they started in both understanding and reading it and speaking it. Others dabble in it like Haechan.) I've also seen some of the members of SuperM work harder to expand their English skills, like Taemin and Baekhyun, in ways they were less focused in their original groups (or so it seems to me at least). But then I see other acts that are predominantly focused on Korea vs the international or Western market who are less involved in it (even within NCT, the Dreamies seem less focused than 127 or WayV, which again could be a function of their target markets. Dream was primarily Korea-focused. Maybe I've missed if they are, as I admit I'm less familiar with Dream.)

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    Quote from amalyas

    I think it was pretty unecessary until a few years ago, as kpop didn't have any global ambitions - kpop fans through the world were fine with their idols talking their native language.


    But I wonder if english will now be a part of an idol training. Or even if speaking english will be a skill that recruiters will be looking for in the future.

    I mean from various behind the scenes clips and stuff I know idols are taught the CJK languages (not sure for smaller companies but at least mid sized and above) and I'm pretty sure they teach English in school as well so probably English will be a standard lesson going forward...

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