Where Is She Now? The “Unlucky” Trainee Who Was Supposed To Debut With NewJeans
A new twist was recently added to the ADOR vs HYBE feud involving NewJeans.
On July 22, Dispatch dropped a bombshell report alleging how Min Hee Jin took over control of NewJeans. The report revealed that the group was initially meant to debut under Source Music in 2021.
The report included that the group was supposed to have more members, and trainees were eliminated based on Min Hee Jin’s alleged conversations with a shaman.
Some have wondered who these trainees are and have discovered someone who previously revealed they were a “debut member” of NewJeans.
Sakurai Mui was first introduced as a trainee competing to debut as a member of JYP Entertainment‘s NiziU.
After her elimination from this program, she next appeared on Girls Planet 999, the survival show that created Kep1er in 2021. She was ultimately eliminated during episode 8 after ranking eighth in the J-group.
Sakurai Mui did not appear in any programs or debut until 2023, when she was revealed to be a contestant on Produce 101 Japan The Girls. During her introduction, she shared that she was in the debut group of NewJeans and practiced with them.
Many at the time did not believe her claim, even though Sakurai Mui was a trainee under Source Music at the time.
In a new episode of PRODUCE101 JAPAN, Sakurai Miu (who was also on Girls Planet 999 & Nizi Project) revealed that she was originally a debut member of NewJeans and practiced with the members
— nugu promoter (@nugupromoter) September 27, 2023
Her claim has been even more validated following the Dispatch report — it is believed she was a trainee from the time of her elimination from Nizi Project in early 2020 until sometime before her appearance on Girls Planet999 in July 2021.
According to the report, Source Music had already been planning to debut the girl group and there were ten girls in the running from 2018 to 2021.
Thankfully, Sakurai Mui was able to turn her luck around during her Produce 101 Japan appearance, as she ultimately ranked 4th place and made the final debut group.
She debuted as a member of ME:I in April 2024 and the group is currently set to release their second single on July 29, 2024.
Some have reflected on her journey and are grateful she was ultimately able to find success!
wait everyone made fun of her for this and said she was lying but it was TRUE https://t.co/tPirIal1qW
— em (@sea_under_) July 23, 2024
The girl really suffered
From nizi project to jyp then to gp999 to hybe to training with nj to giving up her dreams and went back to japan
And tried her luck at another survival show at “21” which was considered old 😭
Thank God my girl made it to ME:I— Aurora (@Aurora77778) July 23, 2024
throwback to when people were dragging tf outta her… anyways take your seats for me:i’s first comeback out july 28th pic.twitter.com/b42CuMbotD https://t.co/RQhb4QOzMl
— vay (@4sujungie) July 23, 2024
