The Deal That Changed Everything
Kim Ga-eul was born on September 24, 2002, in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, South Korea. Her parents named her "Gaeul"—meaning autumn in Korean—to reflect the season of her birth. From an early age, she developed an intense passion for dancing, participating in her school's dance club and choreographing her own performances for graduation ceremonies at Bupyeongseo Girls' Middle School. During these formative years, she practiced until dawn while maintaining her studies, eventually serving as class president.
Her journey to becoming an idol, however, was not straightforward. When she first attracted the attention of entertainment industry scouts at local dance competitions, her parents opposed the idea of their daughter pursuing an idol career. But they made a deal: if she were scouted again at a future competition, they would support her dreams. This bargain would prove pivotal. In April 2017, during her third year of middle school, Gaeul competed in the preliminary round of the Incheon Youth Dance Competition. Unknown to her, scouts from multiple agencies were watching. Both JYP Entertainment and Starship Entertainment approached her after the event.
Remembering her deal with her parents, Gaeul "coolly accepted" Starship's offer. The choice would determine the course of her career—leading her not to JYP's roster but to a company preparing to debut its next flagship girl group. She entered Starship's trainee system and became an undisclosed trainee, eventually rising to become the leader among the company's female trainees.