Rejected 3 times: aespa's Winter reveals how she finally joined SM Entertainment
Karina, left, and Winter / Captured from JTBC
Aespa member Winter has revealed that she failed auditions for SM Entertainment three times before finally making it into one of Korea's biggest K-pop agencies.
Winter shared the story during Sunday's episode of JTBC's cooking variety show “Please Take Care of My Refrigerator,” where she appeared alongside fellow aespa member Karina.
Host Kim Sung-joo said both idols are often described by fans as having the "classic SM look" — a term referring to an image commonly associated with artists from the agency.
Karina said she believed Winter best fit that image.
"I think Winter is the perfect example of the SM style," Karina said. "She has the fair complexion of seniors like Seo Hyun-jin and Taeyeon."
Winter, however, disagreed.
"I actually think it's Karina," she said. "I failed the SM audition three times. I kept auditioning until I finally got accepted, while SM sent Karina a direct message first."
She jokingly contrasted their different paths into the company.
"SM chose Karina, but I chose SM," Winter said.
Kim then asked whether entertainment agencies now recruit aspiring idols through direct messages on social media.
"It seems they do," Karina said.
SM Entertainment is known for discovering talent through both traditional auditions and street casting. In recent years, agencies have increasingly used social media platforms to contact potential trainees directly.
This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.