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 wonder too or is it already implemented somehow, we aren't just sure of it because to my following of kpop I never encountered an idoll who mentioned indulging in english lessons and english speaking training when they were trainees. or recounting experiences regarding that.
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.
ooh yes. i suppose another factor to consider would be another one's ability to pick up language fluency this is maybe the reason why companies just haven't push their idols to learn english in the middle of their careers. nice to read on your experience as well.
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.)
oh that's nice and yeah i think it would also depend on the roadmap the company has laid out for the said group, I guess it wouldn't be necessary to groups who will be situated in Korea in comparison to groups who they expect to have success internationally. However, I just think it would be a useful interaction tool once a certain groups gets traction to international countries cause I'm sure an international following is inevitable.
