How Each NewJeans Member Joined HYBE

As the newest girl group to debut from the well-known company HYBE through its subsidiary ADOR, many have wondered how the company gathered the talented group that’s NewJeans. Here’s how each member joined the company, whether they were cast on the street or attended a round of auditions.

Minji, Danielle, Haerin, Hyein, and Hanni.

1. Haerin

One of Haerin’s classmates revealed she was well-known for her visuals, to the extent that she was cast multiple times by entertainment companies outside of their school. After being street cast, Haerin’s classmates noticed her absence and thought she’d moved houses. They discovered she’d dropped out of school to become an idol.

2. Minji

Among the five members, Minji was the first to join HYBE. While learning guitar at an institute, the head of the institute saw her potential and suggested she attend Source Music‘s auditions.

Since the auditions were being held at the institute, Minji gave it a try and passed. She spent at least two years training at the company and was thought to be the first member chosen by ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin for the group.

3. Hyein

Hyein is the youngest member of NewJeans and was in front of the camera ever since she was young, posting dance cover videos on YouTube and appearing on Pocket TV‘s Play With Me Club. Hyein even debuted in the first generation of the girl group U.SSO Girl with the stage name U.Jeong.

Hyein (second from right) | *Kids Planet*

Due to Hyein’s many entertainment opportunities, she even met TXT before joining the company. She shocked Yeonjun with their nearly ten-year age difference. It would still be some time until she joined HYBE, though.

While Hyein hasn’t spoken about how she joined the company, like Haerin, it’s speculated that she was the last to join because Play With Me Club announced her graduation from the series in 2021.

4. Danielle

The Korean Australian member spent her early years in Korea as a child model who also appeared on various variety shows. Though she gained a fanbase, Danielle moved back to Australia to pursue her education.

Danielle joined HYBE by attending the company’s Plus Global Audition, which caused her to move back to Korea.

5. Hanni

The Vietnamese Australian member became a part of the company through their Plus Global Audition. Before auditioning, Hanni had previously appeared on The Voice Kids and was part of the K-Pop dance cover group Aemina.