Popular Celebrities Who Were SM Entertainment Trainees But Debuted Elsewhere

As one of the most prominent entertainment agencies in K-Pop, SM Entertainment (SME hereon) enjoys a reputation of creating some of the biggest names in the industry. While artists like Girls’ Generation, SHINee, Red Velvet, and aespa are some of the crown jewels of SME’s roster, there are many other prominent Korean celebrities that were once training under its wing.

G-Dragon

While G-Dragon is known as the representative face of YG Entertainment, the idol actually spent five years as a trainee at SME. He was scouted by the company’s founder, Lee Soo Man after he spotted a much younger G-Dragon at a dance contest. He eventually left SME in 2002 and joined YGE. He later debuted with BIGBANG, becoming one of the biggest K-Pop artists of all time.

Park Ji Hoon

Former Wanna One member and actor Park Ji Hoon is also an ex-SME trainee. Though he had been very active as a child actor in musicals and TV dramas, his participation in Produce 101 is what thrust him into prominence. The show revealed that he was training under SME and Fantagio to become an idol before, but couldn’t make it to the final lineup of ASTRO due to an injury. He was subsequently transferred to Maroo Entertainment.

Lee Hyori

The “it girl” of first generation K-Pop, Lee Hyori, rose to fame as a member of Fin.K.L. which debuted under DSP Media. But her past as an SME trainee still remains lesser known. Lee was scouted by SME in 1999. It is said that she was well on her way to debut in a girl group under the company but had to leave due to personal reasons. Given the timeline, had Lee Hyori stayed at SME, she would have probably been a member of S.E.S.

ENHYPEN’s Jungwon

Jungwon was a trainee at SME before he became a member of ENHYPEN, picked through the survival show I-LAND, and signed with Belift Labs. When he joined I-LAND, he already had one year and four months of trainee experience, which he presumably earned at SME.

Urban Zakapa’s Kwon Soon Il

Kwon Soon Il of the popular Korean R&B group Urban Zakapa was originally a trainee under SME. He was scouted at a singing contest hosted by the agency when he was in the sixth grade. Kwon spent three years training at SME during the same period when Super Junior, TVXQ, and Girls’ Generation members were trainees at the agency as well.

Gong Seung Yeon

Actress Gong Seung Yeon was preparing for her solo debut as a singer under SME before she shifted careers. She was a trainee around the same time Red Velvet members were training at the agency.