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| KIIRAS’ Lingling Opens Up About YG Trainee Past and the Unexpected SPM Twist (Twitter/Instagram) |
It’s not every day you hear about a Malaysian teen making it into one of the Big 4 K-pop agencies — but Huang Lingling, the 20-year-old leader of newly-debuted girl group KIIRAS (키라스), is turning heads yet again.
This time, it's not for a fiery stage performance, but for a sweet, humble moment from her pre-debut days that fans didn’t see coming.
Lingling, hailed as Malaysia’s first female K-pop idol, recently confirmed a long-standing rumour during a fan-sign event — yes, she was once a trainee at YG Entertainment.
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But before you imagine her brushing shoulders with BLACKPINK or practicing in the iconic YG basement for years, she clarified she was only there for about four months. The reason? Her age, she said — no drama, just reality.
That little comment opened the floodgates. Soon after, a Twitter user stepped forward claiming to be a translator for YG’s global auditions in Malaysia back in the day. And this person had a rather touching tale to share.
According to the translator, Lingling was the only one to pass the Malaysian audition — no easy feat, considering how competitive YG try-outs are. At the time, she was just 16. But the most unexpected detail?
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Apparently, the future idol once asked whether she could fly back to Malaysia just to sit for her SPM exams — even though she’d already secured a golden ticket to one of K-pop’s most powerful companies.
There’s no official word yet on whether Lingling did end up taking the exam, but that little anecdote was enough to make local fans swoon.
Many took to social media to praise her for putting education first, even when fame was calling. One tweet summed it up: “She passed YG but still thought about SPM. Some local influencers out here can’t relate.”
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Others admired how she stood out enough to be the sole name picked by YG from the Malaysia audition pool — a subtle but strong flex that proves her talent isn’t just hype.
This small but sincere story adds another layer to Lingling’s journey — from a determined 16-year-old juggling studies and K-pop dreams, to now leading a girl group that's quickly gaining international attention. Fans are now hoping she’ll share more behind-the-scenes stories as KIIRAS continues to rise.
Until then, it’s hats off to Lingling — not just for the vocals and visuals, but for keeping her head and heart in the right place, even when the world of K-pop was already knocking.