Cover Leading the list of Korean celebrities who were discovered on the streets is BTS' Jin, who was scouted twice! (Photo: Instagram / @jin)
Leading the list of Korean celebrities who were discovered on the streets is BTS' Jin, who was scouted twice! (Photo: Instagram / @jin)
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The road to K-pop and K-drama stardom is usually paved with years of training, intense competition, and relentless auditions. But for these Korean actors and pop stars, one unexpected moment changed their lives forever
Blackpink and White Lotus star Lisa is one of the biggest Korean celebrities in the world, but the road to stardom wasn't exactly easy. She trained in the performance arts early on and grew up idolising K-pop acts, such as BigBang and 2NE1. When South Korean record label YG Entertainment opened auditions in Thailand, the 13-year-old took her place among 4,000 applicants. She was the only one to qualify and again had to endure auditions to showcase her confidence and attitude. One year later, she had to uproot herself from Bangkok and begin her formal training in South Korea.
Indeed, South Korea’s fiercely competitive entertainment industry demands relentless auditions and years of training before agencies take notice. However, not every star had to endure this gruelling process. For a lucky few, fate intervened in unexpected ways. Rather than nervously standing before a panel of judges, they were simply going about their day—walking to school, shopping, or even grabbing a snack—when a talent scout spotted them. Their aura alone signalled their star potential. Some had never even considered a career in entertainment until that serendipitous moment. These celebrities prove that sometimes, destiny doesn’t wait for an audition—it finds you.
1. Kim Seokjin (Jin of BTS)
Before he became BTS’s “worldwide handsome” Jin, Kim Seok-jin had no plans to enter the entertainment industry. While in middle school, he was scouted by SM Entertainment but dismissed the offer, assuming it was a scam. Years later, while studying acting at Konkuk University, fate struck again—a BigHit Entertainment scout spotted him on the street. His striking visuals were impossible to ignore, and after some persuasion, he auditioned, trained as a vocalist, and joined BTS. What began as a chance encounter led to a record-breaking career.
2. Kim Ji-won
The Queen of Tears was so close to not becoming one of the most recognisable Korean celebrities today. Kim Ji Won, who also received global acclaim with Fight for My Way, Descendants of the Sun and My Liberation Notes, wasn’t actively pursuing an acting career when she was discovered. She was simply walking in the streets when she was scouted and later signed to an agency. She still trained, initially as an idol, for three years, but she fortunately skipped the gruelling audition process.
Don't miss: 5 things you need to know about ‘Queen of Tears’ star Kim Ji-won
3. Bae Suzy
Bae Suzy is a triple threat and could probably have her pick of any entertainment genre. Her career didn't exactly move in a straight line. She first auditioned for Mnet's Super K talent show but was eventually eliminated. However, while waiting in line at auditions, a JYP Entertainment scout noticed her and signed her. She only had to train for one year before debuting as an idol with Miss A, and later transitioned into a successful acting career.
4. Han So-hee
Han So Hee wasn't exactly plucked from the literal streets. It was her Instagram that grabbed people's attention, long before influencer marketing was even a thing. A talent scout stumbled upon her profile and reached out, leading to her first job as a commercial model. That eventually paved the way for her breakout role in The World of the Married and her rise as one of the most sought-after Korean celebrities.
5. Kim Go-eun
Unlike most Korean celebrities who go through the K-drama audition circuit, Kim Go-eun was discovered by acclaimed director Jung Ji-woo while she was still a university student. They met through friends and Kim had no idea he was casting for his next project. Jung invited her to audition and with barely any preparation, she beat out over 300 aspirants. She had never worked as a professional actress before A Muse (2012), which became her breakthrough. The film turned her into an overnight star, and she soon transitioned into hit dramas like Goblin and Little Women.
6. Kim Tae-hee
Kim Tae-hee, often regarded as one of Korea’s most beautiful women, was first scouted while riding the subway as a Seoul National University student. Her stunning looks caught the attention of an advertising executive, which led to modelling gigs before she transitioned into acting with Stairway to Heaven and Iris.
Also read: ‘Lies Hidden in My Garden’: 4 things to know about Kim Tae-hee and Lim Ji-yeon’s new K-drama
7. Han Ga-in
When Han Ga-in was in high school, she appeared on KBS's TV show called The Golden Bell Challenge. She was featured in some interviews with her classmates. Entertainment executives spotted her in the news clip and went to her school to offer her a career. Before she knew it, she was starring in K-dramas like Moon Embracing the Sun and Mistress.
8. Lee Jung-jae
Before Squid Game made him a global superstar and one of the top Korean celebrities ever, Lee Jung-jae was waiting tables at a café. A designer noticed his striking features and offered him modelling gigs, which eventually led to acting roles. His first drama Sandglass (1995) turned him into an A-list star, and decades later, he made history as the first Asian actor to win an Emmy for Best Lead Actor.
9. Cha Eun-woo
Cha Eun-woo, one of K-pop and K-drama’s most, er, visually gifted visuals, but he didn’t actively seek the limelight. He was at a school festival when his famously ethereal looks immediately caught the attention of Fantagio Entertainment. The scout even waited till he was available to talk to him. He later debuted with ASTRO and made a name for himself in dramas like True Beauty and A Good Day to Be a Dog.
10. Hwang Min-hyun
Hwang Min Hyun of NU’EST and the drama Alchemy of Souls was discovered when he tagged along with a friend to an audition. While he didn’t plan on auditioning himself, Pledis Entertainment’s scouts saw something in him and convinced him to give it a shot. That spontaneous decision led to an idol and acting career spanning over a decade.
Also read: 8 best K-drama performances by K-pop idols
11. Nam Joo-hyuk
Nam Joo-hyuk originally dreamed of becoming a basketball player, not an actor. However, after an injury halted his sports career, he was approached by a modelling agency on the street. His transition from runway model to actor was seamless, with hit dramas like Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo and Twenty-Five Twenty-One cementing his place in the industry.
12. Sehun (EXO)
Sehun’s life changed when he was spotted at 12 years old while eating tteokbokki or spicy rice cakes on the street. An SM Entertainment scout followed him around for 30 minutes before convincing him to audition. That chance encounter led to his debut in EXO, one of the most legendary K-pop groups of all time.
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