Debuting in a successful idol group such as Girls' Generation is a dream to many, but for Stella Kim she had to set aside that dream for one particular reason. Kim trained with SM Entertainment for 4-5 years, a period in which she struggled with image development and eating disorder.
In an interview with Le Film (via Koreaboo), Kim revealed that the K-pop industry is cut-throat and competitive, and there's a need to change your appearance in order to make the cut. She mentioned a particular process called "profile filming" through which trainees are assessed based on how they appear on camera.
Kim was raised in America, and forcing one to change her appearance to comply with a certain standard of beauty felt alien to her. She would've had the chance to debut with Girls' Generation, but her parents eventually did not allow her to sign a contract with SM Entertainment.
The pressure to look a certain way remained with her and she felt the need to continuously improve herself even when she was no longer training under SM Entertainment. When she went to college, some of her Korean classmates still recognized her. She became all the more conscious and developed unhealthy eating habits.
Kim eventually recovered from her eating disorder. She's currently working as a global ambassador for makeup brand Clinique and inspires other people who have gone through the same experiences as her.
Meanwhile, Girls' Generation is reportedly preparing for a comeback in the second half of 2017. According to Koreaboo, fans caught up with Sooyoung in Spain where mentioned that the group would stage a comeback later this year.
Previously, Taeyeon also revealed that the members are constantly working on their new material and are waiting for good timing to share it with the fans.