K-Pop Stars Who Almost Didn’t Debut At All, From BTS’ Jimin To Twice’s Momo

Can you imagine BTS without Jimin? What about Twice if Momo isn’t there? You might be astonished to find that these members nearly didn’t make their debuts with their groups at all. To say the least, the K-pop industry is cutthroat, and after years of preparation, would-be idols aren’t guaranteed a seat in the final group line-up. The choice behind an idol’s debut ultimately rests with the entertainment agency, and many world-famous talents were previously on the verge of being dropped entirely.

Here are some K-pop stars who almost didn’t make the cut …

BTS’ Jimin: Despite graduating from the famous Busan Arts High School in dance, Jimin of BTS almost did not make his debut. Jimin said on JTBC’s Please Take Care of My Refrigerator that the group’s agency, Big Hit Entertainment, constantly questioned whether he was a suitable match for the group.

What’s the reason? Jimin specializes in modern dance, which is very different from the style of dancing that is normally necessary for idols to be successful. However, he was finally able to prove himself to the agency and debuted as a lead dancer alongside the other six members.

Twice’s Tzuyu and Momo

“National female band” Twice was supposed to be a seven-piece band at first. The members were picked through a televised reality program called Sixteen, and the outcomes of the show initially left Tzuyu and Momo out of the lineup.

Park Jin-young, the founder of JYP Entertainment, however, opted to add the two to the group due to their tremendous popularity and aptitude.

Got7’s BamBam

Got7 almost debuted as Got6, since BamBam was not intended to debut with his group members because he was so young at the time. (When he was 13, he auditioned for – and passed – JYP’s World Tour in Thailand.)

BamBam said on Thailand’s Today Show that he was originally set to debut with a younger male group managed by JYP Entertainment. However, Park changed his mind after BamBam, at the age of 16, demonstrated his skill in a dance fight against YG Entertainment trainees on the reality survival show’s Win: Who is Next?