5 K-Pop Idols Who Were On Audition Shows Long Before Their Debut

It’s quite common for K-Pop idols to be active before their debut, and some were on audition shows long before their debut. Here are 5 of these idols.

1. Jungkook (BTS)

In 2011, BTS’s Jungkook auditioned for Mnet‘s Superstar K3, but his audition was edited out, and he ultimately failed the audition.

Despite this, the agency recruiters who saw Jungkook’s audition were impressed, and 7 different agencies scouted him!

While some bigger named companies scouted Jungkook, he decided to sign with Big Hit Music (formerly known as Big Hit Entertainment), which wasn’t a big company at the time. Jungkook picked this company since he thought RM was cool! Jungkook debuted as a member of BTS in 2013.

I thought RM was so cool, so I wanted to sign with them [Big Hit]. I told my parents that I wanted to join, and so I signed.

— Jungkook

Here’s the full video below!

2/3. Chaeyeon (IZ*ONE) & Chaeryeong (ITZY)

Sisters Lee Chaeyeon and Lee Chaeryeong were shown to the public in 2014 in SBS‘s K-Pop Star 3, and they impressed many people with their talents. After the show’s conclusion, the two signed with JYP Entertainment.

Chaeyeon left the company and signed with WM Entertainment after a few years, while Chaeryeong stayed. After being trainees for several years, the two eventually debuted with Chaeyeon debuting in IZ*ONE in 2018 and Chaeryeong debuting in ITZY in 2019.

Here’s the full video below!

4. Momo (TWICE)

In 2011, TWICE’s Momo participated in Mnet’s Superstar K3 along with her sister and friends.

Momo successfully passed the 1st and 2nd preliminary rounds, but she didn’t pass the 3rd round and was eliminated.

However, a JYP Entertainment staff member saw a video of Momo dancing and saw her potential, and Momo soon became a trainee at the company!

After a few years of being a trainee, Momo participated in the survival show SIXTEEN. While Momo was eliminated midway through the show, she was brought back and put into the final lineup by Park Jin Young (the head of JYP Entertainment).

Momo made her debut as a member of TWICE in 2015.

5. Yuju (GFRIEND)

In 2011, GFRIEND’s Yuju participated in SBS’s K-Pop Star. Her performance received mixed responses from the judges. Yang Hyun Suk said Yuju was a “great singer for her age,” and Park Jin Young said that “her voice was too plain.” Park Jin Young also told Yuju that “it would have been better” if she didn’t dance in her performance. Park Jin Young ended up failing her, and she was eliminated.

Yuju used this as a learning experience, and she eventually found her way to Source Music, where she debuted as a member of GFRIEND in 2015.