On March 13, Lee Sun Bin appeared as a guest on the “Kang Ho Dong’s Bookstore” variety show released on Coupang Play, where she shared stories from her trainee years.
She recalled that when she first moved to Seoul, she joined an idol entertainment company with dreams of becoming a successful performer. “I really wanted to become a cool idol,” she said. “At that time, there were seniors like 2NE1 and Girls’ Generation, and I wanted to become like them.”
Lee Sun Bin explained that life was extremely difficult back then. “I basically lived in the practice room. I even stayed in a sauna for about a year and a half,” she said. She added that she used her mother’s long winter coat as a blanket while sleeping in the practice room, pushing sofas together to create a makeshift bed.
She continued by explaining how difficult it was to travel back home while living as a trainee in Seoul. “It was hard to go back and forth from home. I didn’t even have the 5,400 won it cost to get to Cheonan,” she said. “I couldn’t afford to spend that money every day, so I decided I would just live in the practice room.”
Lee Sun Bin also shared a memory that still stands out to her from that period. Seeing how difficult her situation was, the head of her agency began giving her 10,000 won each day.
“At the time, I remember the CEO feeling sorry for me and giving me 10,000 won a day,” she said. “Other trainees lived even farther away, like Cheongju or Incheon, but I couldn’t even go to Cheonan because of the 5,400 won transportation cost.”
She explained that the money was meant specifically so she could bathe. “There was a sauna in Sinsa-dong right across from the practice room,” she said. “He told me not to walk around looking like a beggar and gave me the money so I could go wash up.”
Her candid story about the hardships she faced before achieving success resonated with many viewers, offering a glimpse into the difficult journey behind her career.
Sources: Daum