Sunmi Reveals She Passed Both SM and JYP Auditions: “I Debuted in 9th Grade, I Was Just Lucky”

In a recent appearance on the YouTube talk show 밥묵자 (Let’s Eat), Sunmi shared a heartfelt story about her early path to stardom—revealing she passed auditions for both SM Entertainment and JYP Entertainment before eventually debuting with Wonder Girls in 9th grade.

Hosted by comedian Kim Dae-hee (a.k.a. Kkondaehee), the August 23 episode titled “24 Hours Aren’t Enough for Talking with Sunmi” featured candid conversations over a traditional Korean meal.

Sunmi recalled, “I was the breadwinner of my family as a child, and I wondered, ‘What’s a job I can start early and make money from?’ That’s when I saw BoA, who debuted in middle school. So I thought, ‘I have to become an idol,’”

Sunmi took a solo express bus to Seoul to audition for SM at just 12 years old. After impressing during the Saturday Open Audition, she was invited to participate in SM’s Teenager Best Contest, where she placed 2nd in the ‘Looks’ category, right behind actress Gong Seung-yeon. Meanwhile, she received a private audition offer from JYP, where she sang only BoA songs and was accepted as well.

“I chose JYP because they were more eager to bring me in,” she said. She moved to Seoul in 8th grade and trained for only 1 year and 2 months before debuting in 9th grade with Wonder Girls. “I never imagined I’d debut that fast. I was just really lucky.”

Despite her success, Sunmi admitted she wasn’t confident in her skills at the time: “I recently asked Producer J.Y. Park why he picked me. He said it was because my eyes looked really gentle during the showcase.”

She also revisited the mixed emotions surrounding the Wonder Girls hit “Tell Me”, admitting she cried the first time she heard the song, during the jacket shoot (due to her high ponytail “pineapple” hairstyle), and again when JYP showed the original dance barefoot in the studio. “I was 16 and sensitive—I couldn’t understand why people loved the song at first,” she laughed.

Sunmi concluded by promoting her upcoming digital single “BLUE!”, which will be released on August 26. She described the genre as rock, and explained it’s about cherishing the most vibrant, ‘blue sky’ moments in life. Unlike her previous tracks, she will sing while playing bass guitar in this introspective and emotional piece.

Sources: TV Report,Nate,YouTube ‘밥묵자’