ENHYPEN‘s Jake moved to Australia when he was a child before returning to South Korea to become a trainee. He opened up about his life down under in an interview with Weverse Magazine.
His life in Australia was completely different from the one in South Korea. One was filled with relaxing days while the other was hectic and jampacked.
Life in Australia was the definition of a chill life. I would get off school at three, and I didn’t have many things to do. The pace of life in Australia is slower, and you have a lot of time to think. So I found the Korean culture very different, with everything being done so quickly.
— Jake
Moving to Korea wasn’t necessarily a bad change according to him. Jake appreciated the stringent schedule that trainees are given, with set days and times for specific classes.
I liked being busy and having a routine while living as a trainee for nine months in Korea.
— Jake
That’s not to say, however, that it was all sunshine and rainbows. Jake admitted that he “never knew it would be that hard” to live life as a K-Pop trainee. The independent side of practice was a new challenge for him.
It was okay on the days when I had lessons, but when I didn’t, I didn’t know what I should be doing all day long. But I prepared for the monthly performance tests, got lessons, and became more interested in dancing and singing. I think that’s when I started making a lot of progress.
— Jake
He eventually settled down in South Korea and made new memories.
When I moved to Korea from Australia, I had to transfer to a Korean school, and that along with becoming a trainee was completely new to me, so it wasn’t easy at first. But once I got used to my life as a trainee, it was fine.
— Jake
If there’s anything that he misses about Australia, it’s the chill times he had back home.
These days, I sometimes miss the relaxed atmosphere of Australia.
— Jake
Jake did not have an easy time adjusting, but he persevered and he’s now a world-renowned K-Pop idol!