Recently, during a program appearance, aespa’s NingNing shared her casting experience with SM Entertainment. According to Ningning, she had participated in various talent shows since she was 6 , which caught the attention of an SM employee who then messaged her on her old social media account, saying, “I am an employee of SM. Your singing is very impressive. I hope you will come to Korea sometime. Have you ever thought about becoming an idol?”
Initially, NingNing thought this message seemed like a scam, so she read it but ignored it. Later, she decided to respond as it wouldn’t hurt to try. Immediately, the SM employee asked for a date when she could come to Korea and bought her a plane ticket. NingNing then went to Korea and signed a contract with SM the very next day.
NingNing isn’t the only idol who thought an offer from SM was a scam, as many idols have received casting invitations from SM but assumed they were being deceived. Some eventually joined the company, while others missed the opportunity. It’s not an exaggeration to say that SM Entertainment is the agency most accused of “scamming” in K-pop, and below are some examples.
aespa’s Winter and Karina
Like NingNing, Winter also thought the initial contact from SM was a scam. She received an audition invitation at a music festival, but the employee didn’t reveal the company’s name, making her suspicious. In the end, Winter’s parents accompanied her to Seoul to ensure her safety during the audition.
Meanwhile, Karina received her invitation via social media and, along with her parents, initially thought it was a scam.
EXO’s Sehun
Sehun, now an artist under SM, also thought he was being scammed when he was first approached by the company. An SM employee contacted him while he was eating tteokbokki on the street. Being cautious, Sehun ran away because his parents had warned him not to talk to strangers. The employee had to chase him for 30 minutes before finally convincing Sehun to accept the opportunity.
NCT/WayV’s Winwin
Winwin’s recruitment story is legendary, as SM had to approach him seven times before he agreed. Initially, he gave a fake phone number because he doubted the company’s legitimacy. Later, SM saw him perform traditional Chinese dance at a school festival and pursued him again. They flew to China seven times to finally secure his agreement to become a trainee.
RIIZE’s Wonbin
According to Wonbin, he received a casting message while lying in bed and decided to give it a try to avoid going to school, despite thinking it might be a scam. It turned out to be a genuine offer from SM, and he successfully auditioned to become a trainee, eventually debuting as a member of RIIZE.
BTS’s Jin
Before joining Big Hit Entertainment and becoming a member of BTS, Jin was also scouted by SM. While in high school, he was approached by an SM manager who invited him to audition. However, Jin thought it was a scam and ignored the offer. This “fateful” rejection might have changed his career trajectory, leading him to his successful path with BTS instead.
Source: K14
