BamBam Spills On How GOT7 Was Originally Called GOT6—And What Happened That Changed This

Can you imagine GOT7 being named anything else?

In an interview with Psick Univ on YouTube, Thai member BamBam looked back on his past as a JYP Entertainment trainee. He joined the company in 2010 and became the first Thai artist to debut three years later. According to him, it was a difficult period in his life with many uncertainties.

Host: So BamBam, you’ve been a trainee for a very long time. It must’ve been very tough.

BamBam: I did three years of training. I think the last year was the hardest time for me.

He opened up about how he almost did not debut. His trainee contract was expiring soon and he was not yet part of the debut lineup.

My contract [was set to] end in six months [but I was] not in the debut project.

— BamBam

In fact, the group name was originally one number less because he was not “part of the team.”

GOT7 at first was GOT6. I wasn’t part of the team. It was only six members so we called it GOT6.

— BamBam

It was a lucky turn of events that led BamBam to the debut team. In the 2013 YG Entertainment survival program WIN: Who is Next, the Thai member was allowed to represent JYP Entertainment in the dance segment after another member was injured.

They had that time where the JYP and YG trainees came out for a battle show called ‘WHO IS NEXT.’ One of our members got hurt so he couldn’t dance. So the company was like, ‘Okay Bam. You should come out and dance for this guy.’

— BamBam

His performance caught the attention of then-CEO Yang Hyun Suk who praised his star power. This was all it took for the boss of JYP Entertainment, Park Jin Young, to make BamBam an official member of GOT7.

Somehow I just got into the show and then [Yang Hyun Suk said] ‘Oh this guy BamBam is catching my eye.’ And then JYP was like, ‘Just put this guy in GOT7.’

— BamBam