SM Entertainment’s One Bizarre “Bias” For Debuting New Idols

Or is it just a coincidence?

Debuting as a K-Pop idol in itself is no easy feat. But being able to secure a spot in a group debuted under a big-name label like SM Entertainment (SM hereon) is even more difficult, thanks to the sheer volume of competition. So, more often than not, hopeful trainees need to have even more than just musical talents to make the cut.

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| Yonhap

When it comes to SM particularly, it is widely accepted that one of the prerequisites of debuting under the label is above-average vocal technique and skills. There’s also the floating theory that all SM idols possess a certain type of visual quality, though it is up for debate.

But some netizens have also observed another peculiar quality about new SM idols, and it is something that nobody could have seen coming. In a viral Reddit post, a user pointed out recently that in the last 15 years, the label has not debuted a single artist with a December birthday!

The OP (original poster) mentioned that in the last 15 years, SM has debuted over 60 idols, and yet none of them were born in December. The last December-born idols in the label were SHINee’s Minho and Onew.

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SHINee’s Onew (left) and Minho (right) | Naver

Even in the case of senior SM idols re-debuting in project groups like Got The Beat and SuperM, none of them have birthdays in December.

Over the span of 15 years, SM entertainment debuted 60 idols and none of them were born in December
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This fact has left many SM fans mind-boggled, especially given how, with such a large number of members, even a group like NCT doesn’t have a single December-born on its roster.

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Some also pointed out how minuscule the mathematical probability of this phenomenon was, while others joked about their respective favorite artists not making it to debut had they been born a few days before or after their actual birthdays. There were also playful hints at conspiracy theories regarding this matter.

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While it could very well be a coincidence, 15 years and 60 idols are also too big of numbers to keep the tinfoil hats at bay. What’s your take on this?

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