In the South Korean entertainment industry, it is not uncommon for a trainee of one entertainment to debut with another. This happens because music entertainment companies are selective about their trainees, i.e, looking a certain way, giving off a certain vibe. Here are some examples of K-pop idols who trained together but debuted in different groups.

Miyeon and BLACKPINK

One famous example is Miyeon of (G)I-DLE. Before she joined and debuted under CUBE Entertainment, Miyeon was a former YG trainee and she was set to debut with BLACKPINK. Over the years, many fans speculated as to why she left YG. One theory is that she broke YG’s rule by having a boyfriend at the time. Another theory is that she possesses similar physical features to current Blackpink vocalist, Jisoo. As Kpop groups have designated positions for every member, like vocalist, rapper, visual, having two members with the same features would not make the group stand out. 

Somi and ITZY

While YG lost out on Miyeon, they gained Jeon Somi. Famous for her time on Produce 101, Somi was originally a trainee under JYP and was set to debut with ITZY. However, she later decided to go solo and be signed with The Black Label under YG Entertainment. The girls are still good friends despite being at different companies.

Hyunseung and Bigbang

Another example of K-pop idols who trained together but debuted under different companies is Hyunseung and Bigbang. YG decided to cut Hyunseung and go with Seungri instead in the final lineup for Bigbang. Hyunseung debuted with BEAST and later became a solo artist under CUBE. 

Shownu, Ahn Hyunseop and GOT7

Shownu of Monsta X and Ahn Hyunseop were both trainees under JYP. They were set to debut with GOT7. The current Monsta X leader trained together with GOT7, however, did not make the final cut. He later competed in No Mercy, a competition hosted by Starship Entertainment and debuted as the leader of Monsta X. Ahn Hyunseop also trained alongside GOT7 but later decided to follow his acting path.