pros and cons of being a trainee in hawaiʻi
A Kaden Reyes Exclusive
Welcome to Apple Hair!
Usually, in the CANON, I explore creating a fictional universe with the hopes that you’ll follow along with your own world. Every fourth week, I’m releasing an AU story or an exclusive with one of the members of Apple Hair. This time, we have an entry from Kaden Reyes, the Filipino American member.
Want to read Apple Hair, the boy band fantasy novel, from the very beginning? You can start here! Apple Hair is a fictional, Asian American boy band from Hawaiʻi.
Welcome to the newsletter, and I’m excited to share this exclusive with you.
Hello, it’s Kaden. I’m one of five of Apple Hair. As a trainee in Hawaiʻi, let me tell you that there are definite pros and cons. First, let me preface this by saying I’m incredibly grateful to be following in the footsteps of K-pop artists. This is just my personal list, and I’m going to keep fighting towards a debut with the other four guys regardless.
Pro: It’s Hawaiʻi
I just can’t wrap my head around young aspiring artists leaving their home suddenly to go to Seoul. Even though it is necessary for those kinds of companies, I don’t think I would do it. Being close to my younger sister, Lora, is very important to me.
Con: No One Knows What I’m Doing
It’s true. Every time I tell someone I’m a trainee, they get this weird, puzzled look on their face. In Korea, I’m sure it’s more common to hear “I’m a trainee.” Here on the island, people look at me like I’m strange for not being in college or starting my career. Especially as a new adult, I am expected to be doing something else besides training. The term “trainee” probably needs to be spoken out more. And people seem to be getting more aware of AWE Entertainment, my company.
Pro: The Cuisine
I’m heavily biased, but I don’t think I can last in a country without Filipino food. Hawaiʻi has some killer places for Filipino cuisine, and I don’t think Korea would be able to match that. If I were a trainee there, I’d be heavily missing my lumpia and ube desserts.
Con: The Massive “Time Difference”
So, Hawaiʻi operates on “island time,” which means that people are more relaxed about life in general. However, there is another meaning. Basically nothing is open past nine p.m. Sure, this works for the average individual here. For a trainee who sometimes gets off work past midnight, it’s not the best to have nowhere to go. 7-Eleven is most definitely sick of seeing me and the other four guys. It’s not like Seoul where restaurants and stores are open late.
Pro: The People and Language
I put these two together. The people in AWE Entertainment are generally understanding if someone were to take a day off. Sure, this isn’t very common. But it’s nice to know that I won’t get asked to pack my bag after missing a day or two. And I put language here too—just because I can’t imagine being asked to speak only Korean as a trainee. That would be a whole extra layer to the lifestyle. Being able to speak English while learning Korean on the side gives my brain a needed break.
You’ve probably noticed there is one more pro than con. I’m taking out a page from my teammates’ posts and putting a positive spin on my introduction to you all. You now know that I like to make lists to organize my thoughts. The next time I write to you, I hope that you’ve learned something new about Hawaiʻi and the trainee life.
Sincerely,
Kaden
Hey, it’s Airen again! Did you enjoy Kaden’s entry? Comment or jump into the Chat to talk about it!
What do you think are some general pros and cons of the K-pop trainee life?
I would love to hear your thoughts. Now that all five members have introduced themselves, who do you want to see for the second time?