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Hahm Youngji (함영지), also known simply as Youngji (영지), and formerly Kim Tae-young (김태영), is a South Korean trainee under BELA Media. She is a member of the BELA Media trainee program BELAIVE.
She is a former PY Studios trainee, who left sometime in 2021 after being cut from the lineup for their future group, which would later be BEAUDENT.
Career[]
Early Life[]
Hahm Youngji was born on February 18th, 2003 as the youngest of 2 in Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea. Her mother, Ahn A-ryum, is well known as a former and original member of the super girl group Beeverse, and currently works as a nurse at a hospital. Her father is a professor at Sungkyunkwan University. Youngji grew up rather interested in the history of South Korea, as her mother commented how Youngji would beg her to get her history books on South Korea.
That was, until she discovered a talent she never knew about: singing.
2017-2021: PY Studios[]
2017: The Beginning of a Future Star[]
Sometime in 2017, at 14, Youngji attended an open audition held by PY Studios with friends Yoon Seon and Ahn Ryoojin. To her, Youngji would never thought of her passing. After all, she was only 14 years old, and still had a long way of studying ahead.
Seon was the first to be called, then after 4 trainees, Ryoojin, and the last to be called was her, Youngji. For her audition, she performed "Rain" by well known soloist and SNSD member Taeyeon. After everyone had done their auditions, the man, who was the person holding the audition, announced 5 trainees that have passed the auditions and will join the company as a trainee. "First, the first contestant that will be joining the company is...Takamura Sukima!" Youngji had heard of her. Apparently, Sukima's older sister was Sumiya, well known as a member of both the super girl group Beeverse and top girl group Girls Time.
"The second trainee to join the company is...Kwon Kyung!" Kwon Kyung was someone Youngji immediately knew would become a trainee. Kyung was a student at the elementary school Youngji attended, and Kyung was known as a potential superstar due to her vocals.
"The third trainee to join the company is...Yoon Seon!" Youngji immediately clapped for her. She was happy to see one of her friends passing the audition. How about Ryoojin- "The fourth trainee to join the company is...Ahn Ryoojin!" Huh? She immediately thought that it was some sort of dream after seeing 2 of her friends passing and not her. Would she make it? She definitely knew she wasn't. Or would she?
"The fifth and final trainee to join the company..." She was unknowingly nervous and anxious. Just say the person who will be joining, it's hard for her to take all of the nervousness and anxiousness!
"Hahm Youngji!"
She immediately fell into tears, as Seon and Ryoojin ran to hug her. "These five contestants we see as future stars, as we saw the amount of potential these contestants have inside them."
Not minding the man speaking, Youngji immediately called her parents, specifically her mother.
"Mom?" She said, sounding like she was about to break down in tears. "Yes, Youngji? What is it? You sound like you're in tears." Her mother asked, with a sign of concern in her voice.
"I'm becoming a trainee."
2018-2020: In this world, it's be impressive or be kicked.[]
"You're gonna be kicked if you're going to be unimpressive, Youngji." A lady told her.
Those words haunted Youngji for years to come. For her excuse, she never knew she would pass; she was just auditioning for fun with Seon and Ryoojin. Nonetheless, it was time to be serious, as her future was on stake here. She could be impressive and be a star, or be unimpressive and get kicked. She spent day and night, every hour, every minute, every second, doing everything she can to impress others. At this time, she even started attending Somteul Vocal School, studying pop vocal
Around the beginning of 2019, she found out Seon and Ryoojin had left after being super stressed about debuting, which didn't affect her. In every trainee evaluation, she would slowly be more and more complimented upon fellow trainees. She was commented for her smooth and rich vocals, as well as her dedication.
She still has to remember that despite those compliments, that in this world of music, it's be impressive or be kicked.
2021: "I'm Leaving"[]
At the end of 2020-into-2021, she was placed in the trainee team named BEAUDENT, under the alias "Kim Taeyoung". She was revealed during an evaluation of the group. This was amazing. After what felt like decades to her, she was finally going to debut in a group! She'll be able to show that she had endured it all to Seon and Ryoojin! And then, she was called to the CEO, Pil Yunhye's, office.
"Hello Youngji." She welcomed her warmerly. "Please, sit down, I want to talk to you about something." Youngji sat down, wondering why she called her down. "Yes CEO-nim? What do you want to talk to me about?"
"After consideration, my team and I have decided upon something." What was this something? Was it something regarding her debut? "We decided to cut you out of the lineup of BEAUDENT, as you were not very impressive."
What? What did she hear? That she had been cut from the lineup? It's just a bad dream, right? It's just a hallucination, right? It's just a fear of her, right?
No. It wasn't a dream, hallucination, or a fear. This was real.
"I'm leaving." Youngji murmured. "What?"
"I said, I'm leaving."
And thus, her contract was terminated, and she was the last of the friend trio to leave, her dreams crushed. She shortly returned to studying and planning to go to university.
2022-present: BELA Media[]
2022: "Do you still want to be an idol?"[]
"And then she said I was cut out from the lineup. I could've been in that group!" Youngji cried out to her mom. "Youngji..." She hugged her, also shedding a tear. "They shouldn't never said you're unimpressive. You are a star, Youngji, you have to know that. In fact, I'll contact someone I know who has a company."
"Really?" Youngji murmured. "Yes. But do you still want to be an idol?" Youngji thought about it for a solid minute or 2. "Yes." Her mother shook her head. She went to the other room, and called someone.
"Eunhye-sunbaenim! Hey, how are you doing? My daughter wants to be an idol, can she join your company? Alright."
Her mother came back to the room, looking happy. "Why are you so happy?" Youngji asked her mom.
"Well, guess what?" Her mother asked. "You're joining my friends company!"
Trivia[]
- She's described as a "total sweetheart."
- She knew Ryoojin and Seon when they were kids.
- She loves history.
- She likes sweet food.
- Her older brother is an executive at SM Entertainment.
- Her favorite song is "Roly Poly" by T-ARA.
- She is a SONE and Blackjack. She owns all of their albums.