BLACKPINK’s Lisa recalls her trainee days; says, 'I secretly cried in bed because...'

Lisa urged the contestants to remain resilient and to keep moving forward in pursuit of their dreams despite the obstacles and moments of weakness.

Chinese audition program 'Youth With You' recently shared a touching vlog capturing BLACKPINK's Lisa's first day as the show's dance mentor, alongside a heartfelt letter she penned to the contestants about her own trainee experience. The emotional depth of Lisa's letter left fans in tears.

As the main dancer of BLACKPINK, Lisa took on the role of dance mentor on the survival show, and the vlog documented her initial task of reviewing applicants' profiles. Initially, Lisa found joy in reading about contestants who shared her interests, like a love for cats or a passion for Japanese cuisine like shabu-shabu.

However, as she delved deeper into their personal stories, Lisa was moved by their struggles and insecurities. Some contestants expressed fears of loneliness, while others battled low self-esteem regarding their talents and appearance. Reflecting on her own journey, Lisa empathised with their hardships, having faced similar challenges during her trainee days.

In her heartfelt letter to the participants, Lisa shared her own struggles, including homesickness and the difficulty of adapting to a new country and language. She reassured them that she understood their fears and encouraged them to persevere, drawing from her own experience of five years of rigorous training before debuting with BLACKPINK.

"I debuted after 5 years of training. I know being a trainee is hard. I can totally understand you all because I’ve also been through that experience. When I was 14 years old, I wanted to be a singer… I left home by myself and went to an unfamiliar country to be a trainee. I went through high level training and had to overcome the language barrier. Sometimes I secretly cried in bed because I was so homesick. 5 years was so long, but I didn’t give up — and I believe you can do the same. As you try to achieve your dream, you will encounter many barriers. However, no matter what you face, I hope you continuously move forward, and I will be here to support you," she wrote.

Despite facing obstacles and moments of weakness, Lisa urged the contestants to remain resilient and to keep moving forward in pursuit of their dreams.

Check out the vlog here:

Her willingness to share her own struggles demonstrates the power of vulnerability and connection, uniting individuals in their shared pursuit of their dreams.