On August 2 episode of JTBC's television show 'The Night of Hate Comments', Sulli talked about how she ended up becoming a trainee at SM Entertainment.
After GIANTPINK shared her story, Sulli shared her casting story with SM Entertainment, "I was acting in the drama 'Ballad of Seodong' when SM Entertainment reached out to me. At that time though, there were too many trainees at our company that casting agents were told not to recruit any more trainees for a while."
She continued, "But one casting agent really liked me and edited a video of me singing, dancing and acting in 'Ballad of Seodong', then submitted it to Lee Soo-man (the head of SM Entertainment) for review anyway."
She then wrapped up the story, "After watching my video, Lee Soo-man apparently said to her, 'I know I told you not to recruit anyone right now, but we have to recruit her. We need someone like this here. That's how I got into SM Entertainment."
She departed f(x) in 2015, but kept a tight relationship with SM Entertainment; she renewed her contract in the summer of 2017.
(Credit= JTBC The Night of Hate Comments, SBS)
(Lee Narin, SBS Star)