Crazy K-pop scouting stories: Cha Eun-woo and Bae Suzy were both spotted by talent scouts ... outside the toilets

Jul 22 , 2021

Cha Eun-woo, Bae Suzy and Sehun from Exo all got signed for future fame in unusual circumstances. Photos: @eunwooworld; @suzybae__; @ohsehunxk/Instagram

Exo’s Sehun and Gfriend’s Umji both got scouted while eating a snack – noshing on tteokbokki and dak-galbi respectively

Exo member Suho and NCT’s Jaemin both caught officials’ eyes while doing volunteer work – but who was spotted backstage at reality TV show Superstar K1?

K-pop stars don’t spring from nowhere. Behind the scenes, there are agents tasked with finding diamonds in the rough and transforming them into idols.

Recruiting these future stars is known as talent scouting – and while some K-pop trainees realise their dreams after fighting through tough auditions, others are simply spotted in the most mundane circumstances by entertainment recruiters, and offered a life they might never have imagined.

Over the years, there have been many weird and wonderful scouting stories doing the rounds. Here are some of the most outrageous ones.

Cha Eun-woo got scouted in front of the toilet

Astro member Cha Eun-woo was scouted near a toilet. Photo: @eunwo.o_c/Instagram

When K-pop idols are asked about their childhood dream jobs, many reply that they never expected to become an idol – one being Cha Eun-woo from Astro.

Cha was a smart kid who dreamed of becoming a judge – a middle school student representative who even ranked among the top three students with the best grades.

Cha Eun-woo in a still from True Beauty. Photo: Viu

Being a smart kid, he intended on attending Seoul National University ... before he was scouted by his agency at a school festival. Even more surprisingly, during his appearance on Immortal Songs: Singing the Legend, Cha revealed he was in front of the toilet when the scout first approached him.

Exo’ Sehun got scouted while eating tteokbokki

K-pop idol Sehun from Exo. Photo: @oohsehun/Instagram

Crazy K-pop scouting stories: Cha Eun-woo and Bae Suzy were both spotted by talent scouts ... outside the toilets

Exo’s Sehun and Gfriend’s Umji both got scouted while eating a snack – noshing on tteokbokki and dak-galbi respectively Exo member Suho and NCT’s Jaemin both caught officials’ eyes while doing volunteer work – but who was spotted backstage at reality TV show Superstar K1?

Exo’s Sehun and Gfriend’s Umji both got scouted while eating a snack – noshing on tteokbokki and dak-galbi respectively

Exo member Suho and NCT’s Jaemin both caught officials’ eyes while doing volunteer work – but who was spotted backstage at reality TV show Superstar K1?