K-pop stars before the fame: the adorable BTS boys as babies, Blackpink’s diverse backgrounds, Twice’s early audition videos and why Chungha almost gave up
Clockwise from top left: Rose from Blackpink, Chungha, Nayeon from Twice and Jin from BTS as children. Photos: @ROSEVotingTeam; @Byulharang_209; @FrenchNayeon/Twitter, @bangtanworldborahae/ Instagram
Blackpink’s Jennie and Rosé featured in G-Dragon songs, BTS’ Jungkook flubbed his shot on Superstar K, and Twice were selected through a combo of TV shows, auditions and viral YouTube videos
This was the year that Korean pop music made it big around the world, making the members of groups like BTS and Blackpink recognisable far beyond the towns and cities they grew up in. So it made us wonder – how did it all begin? And how did they go from there to here? Read on for four of our favourite K-pop “before the fame” profiles of 2020.
Blackpink before the fame: what Jennie, Rosé, Lisa and Jisoo were like before they became K-pop idols
The adorable Blackpink girls long before they were famous. Photos: @cutebabyidols; @jenniedebuts; @ROSEVotingTeam/Twitter
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Our four beloved Blackpink idols had a surprisingly diverse international upbringing, and some of the girls even cameoed in other YG artists’ music videos while they were still trainees. Half of the group lived in New Zealand; one beat out 4,000 teens to get in to Blackpink, and another debuted as the mystery woman on a G-Dragon track … so who did what?
Twice members before the fame: how Jihyo, Nayeon et al made it into K-pop’s favourite nine-piece girl band
Young Twice members before their debut. Photos: @idolspredebut; @FYTWICE; @FrenchNayeon; @dahyunniepics/Twitter
Twice is another group with an impressively international background. With members from South Korea, Japan and Taiwan – chosen through a combination of Mnet reality show Sixteen, JYP auditions, dance competitions and viral videos – the nine-piece girl group surely boasts one of K-pop’s most fateful origin stories. How else could this seemingly perfect combination of talents have come together at just the right time? Find out here.
BTS members before the fame: what J-Hope, RM, Jin, V, Jungkook, Jimin and Suga dreamed of when they were kids
The seven members of BTS during their childhoods. All together now: awww. Photos: @bangtan__armyyyyy/Instagram
It may look glamorous, but the journey to stardom is rarely easy. BTS’ members had their fair share of setbacks, but eventually came together to make their debut as the group we know and love today. Jin was scouted by SM Entertainment but thought it was a scam, and Jungkook didn’t make it past the first round of Superstar K. Did the rest of the boys find it a little easier? Find out here.
