GOT7's Jackson Shares His Parents' First Reaction To His JYPE Audition, And It's Everything

To most Ahgases (short for IGOT7, their fandom name), it’s common knowledge that had GOT7‘s Jackson not joined JYP Entertainment as a trainee, he would be well-known as a top fencer from Hong Kong!

As he spent most of his life training and competing in fencing, but left abruptly to pursue his true dream of being a musician in Korea, his parents were understandably worried, and Jackson recently shared their true first reaction to his audition for JYPE!

Jackson recently appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show as a guest, alongside actor Jake Johnson and American comedian Natasha Leggero. During the show, Kelly Clarkson asked Jackson about his journey from almost-Olympian athlete to a rapper and dancer in GOT7. Jackson talked about his past, and even talked about the way he broke the news of his audition to his parents back then!

I was prepping for the London Olympics back then, and then, while prepping, I just told my parents, ‘Hey, I always had this dream about music…let me do my thing!’

—Jackson

He also shared how it took him a long time to persuade them, and how everybody around him thought he was making the biggest mistake ever!

They of course wanted me to go to the Olympics, and it took me 7 months to convince them. They were really against me [going to Korea]. They were like, ‘You’re out of your mind!’

My principal told me that ‘This is the worst decision you’re ever gonna make in your life’. Then after I debuted as a singer, I went back to have a concert, and I invited him, and he said, ‘Jackson, we believed in you!’

—Jackson

Jackson then finally shared his parents’ reaction when he told them he passed the audition for JYP Entertainment-they told him that it was 100% a scam, and were even more against his dropping everything and pursuing music!

At first, I said, ‘I passed this audition in Korea, I’m going! I’m leaving!’ And they said, ‘You know what? They told me about this! Entertainment!? No, they’re gonna kidnap you and put you in a cave! You’re not gonna do that! We’re never gonna see you again! You’re gonna be MIA!’

—Jackson

He then revealed that he had to work really hard to persuade them for months…which definitely paid off in the end, and now they’re nothing but proud, supportive parents!