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Fame by chance? 10 K-pop stars with bizarre breakout stories

HONG KONG — Being a K-pop star is the dream of many youngsters with visions of global fame — just think of the wealth it brings, the luxury homes and the fancy destinations that idols can apparently all afford. So it’s jolting to learn that some of today’s biggest K-pop idols only got into the business reluctantly or by chance, while others were chased down by entertainment agencies scouting for fresh faces.

Accidental fame? Some of these K-pop biggies had other plans at first.

Accidental fame? Some of these K-pop biggies had other plans at first.

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HONG KONG — Being a K-pop star is the dream of many youngsters with visions of global fame — just think of the wealth it brings, the luxury homes and the fancy destinations that idols can apparently all afford. So it’s jolting to learn that some of today’s biggest K-pop idols only got into the business reluctantly or by chance, while others were chased down by entertainment agencies scouting for fresh faces.

Here’s how some members of huge bands like BTS, Got7, TVQX, TXT, ITZY, NCT and Girls’ Generation broke into the entertainment industry. Sometimes, it was luck, sometimes by accident, and sometimes, mum called it for them.

1. V of BTS went to an audition only to support a pal

V, a member of BTS, sporting diamantes in the video for single Butter.

V wasn’t thinking about becoming an idol when, back in 2011, he accompanied a friend who was auditioning with Big Hit Entertainment, just to lend his support. But while there, he was also asked to give it a try, V revealed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon television show. So he sang. But that was just one of his many talents, as it turned out.

“I danced and they said, do you have something else? I sang for them and they asked, do you have anything else to show us? I beat-boxed and they asked, what else? I rapped and they said what else? I brought my saxophone and played it for them, to which they responded, do you have anything else to show us? It was then that I finally said no, I don’t have anything else to show you,” he said.

V got in but his friend, unfortunately, did not.

2. BTS’ Jungkook wanted to be a badminton star

Jungkook didn’t impress judges at a talent show.

BTS’ youngest member Jungkook wasn’t looking out for a music career either, he was more interested in badminton, according to celebrity news site Cheat Sheet. However, after seeing Big Bang’s G-Dragon performing the song Heartbreaker, Jungkook changed his mind.

He auditioned with the popular Korean talent search show Superstar K but failed to impress there. However, he won the attention of entertainment companies. He chose Big Hit Entertainment because he thought rapper and future bandleader RM, who was already with the company, was “so cool”.

3. Got7’s Jackson Wang was a keen fencer, but K-pop called

Jackson of Got7 was a fencer first.

His father was a pro fencer who won an Asian Games gold medal, and the Hong Kong-born Jackson Wang was aiming to follow in his footsteps. Fate had other plans — a JYP Entertainment talent scout, impressed with his looks, approached Wang to ask if he would audition. Jackson agreed because he thought BigBang was under JYP, and he had recently met the band’s members through a Korean schoolmate, KoreaBoo reported.

Jackson beat 2,000 applicants to be the winner and stayed with the company for 10 years, making his debut with Got7 in 2014.

4. Thanks to mum, Got7’s BamBam become a star

BamBam’s mother was a big fan of Rain.

Thailand-born BamBam’s mother was a huge fan of Rain and it was through her that he became interested in Korean culture, food and music. In 2007, she entered BamBam for a cover dance competition in Thailand, hoping he would win the prize, which was dinner with Rain, per K-pop news site KoreaBoo. Her talented 10-year-old son, who was already practising singing and dancing, thanks to her, not only fulfilled her wish but also became a trainee with JYP Entertainment and a Got7 key member later.

5. TVXQ’s Changmin’s mum wanted to meet BoA

TVXQ’s Changmin didn’t want to be a K-pop star.

Changmin is another “good son” who joined K-pop for his mother’s sake. He was invited for an audition by an employee of SM Entertainment who had spotted him singing while playing badminton at a gym class, KoreaBoo reports. Changmin refused because he wasn’t interested in becoming a singer. However, his mother insisted because she wanted to meet K-pop queen BoA who was with AM. Changmin did the army clap dance, and he got the call after three later. The rest is history.

6. Itzy’s Ryujin was spotted at a Got7 fan event

Ryujin, a Got7 fan, was approached by a count at a fan event.

The fan-turned-idol has an unique scout story. While Itzy’s Ryujin was queuing up to use the restroom at a Got7 fan event, a JYP Entertainment scout who was also in line asked for her number. Ryujin was initially suspicious but gave out her number because she thought they were cute, she revealed in an interview on SBS Power FM’s Lee Joon’s Young Street.

7. NCT’s Taeyong only auditioned because he got free toast

Tempted by toast, Taeyong agreed to audition.

Taeyong was 17 when, in 2012, he was approached on the street by someone who introduced himself as from one of the “big three” agencies. The high school student wasn’t familiar with K-pop and thought it was one of Korea’s TV and radio networks, SBS, KBS or MBC.

He accepted the audition call because they bought him some toast. “Since they’re buying me good things, they must be good people, and I went,” he said on TV show Happy Together 4. He sang the national anthem because he didn’t know any other song, did some popping and was signed on to SM Entertainment.

8. NCT’s Lucas just looked too good to pass up

NCT’s Lucas’ bad grades drove him to try his luck elsewhere.

He was getting poor grades and didn’t want to go to school anymore. So NCT’s Lucas decided to go for a 2015 SM audition in Hong Kong just for the experience, according to Soompi. He made no preparations, but it took just three model-like poses for him to get through, thanks to his good looks.

9. TXT’s Taehyun went with the agency closest to home

Taehyun was scouted by many agencies.

Taehyun, popular at school for his looks, was chased by many agencies. Big Hit Entertainment tried to “catch” him first, going directly to his school. When they didn’t spot him there, they got his phone number from a classmate and immediately contacted him. Their efforts led him to turn down other offers; he finally selected the agent simply because it was closest to his house, according to KoreaBoo.

10. Girls’ Generation’s Tiffany pink passion led her to SM

Any colour as long as it’s pink for Girl Generation’s Tiffany.

Tiffany is known for her “obsession” with pink. She always wears pink outfits, owns many things in pink, including a car, and only selects pink ice cream, as she revealed in the Strong Heart talk show.

Not surprising then, that it was SM Entertainment’s pink card that stood out among the many call cards passed to her at a Korean festival in Los Angeles back in 2004. She asked Lee Soo-man, SM’s founder, why the card was pink and he said it was because he liked pink. She told him, “(So) you’re a leader in my eyes.” SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

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