Seoul Metropolitan Youth Center and SM Entertainment Conduct Job Mentoring for Youths Aspiring to Enter the Entertainment Industry

On the 27th, the Seoul Metropolitan Youth Center and SM Entertainment held a job mentoring event at the SM headquarters for young people preparing to enter the entertainment industry. This event was organized as part of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Youth Allowance Growth Support Program.

Approximately 1,000 people applied for the mentoring recruitment, and from among them, 67 people, including Seoul Metropolitan Government Youth Allowance participants and unemployed youth, were selected as final participants. The high number of applicants compared to the scale of participants is interpreted as a sign that young people preparing for employment in the entertainment industry were thirsty for opportunities to meet professionals directly.

Following icebreaking and company introductions, the event proceeded to small-group mentoring led by professionals in eight different fields. Professionals in practical areas such as Classical/Jazz A&R, General Affairs, MD Planning/Production, Organizational Culture, Project Management, Actor Management, Public Relations, and Singer Management shared their direct experiences and advice.

One participating mentee said, "I received help in determining my career direction while listening to specific advice from working professionals, which is usually difficult to access," and added, "I was able to deeply understand job roles that I only vaguely knew through the experiences of professionals." The professionals who served as mentors also shared their thoughts, saying, "We felt rewarded seeing the participants listen intently while taking serious notes," and "Seeing the passion of the youth served as an opportunity to reflect on ourselves."

Shin So-mi, director of the Seoul Metropolitan Youth Center, said, "We hope the experiences and advice from SM professionals will serve as a practical guide for young people preparing to enter the entertainment industry," and added, "We will continue to expand customized growth support programs that reflect the diverse industry and job demands of young people." This case, which prepared a practical, hands-on program in partnership with a specific large corporation, suggests that similar cooperation could expand to other industries in the future.