SM Ent. Casting Director Reveals Where He Scouts Potential K-Pop Rookies

A casting director at SM Entertainment revealed places that he goes to scout potential K-pop rookies. 

On September 14, the host of YouTube show 'Ssulply' singer Lee Seok-hoon and guest KEY of K-pop boy group SHINee visited KEY's management agency SM Entertainment. 

KEY, who has been with the agency for 15 years since his debut in 2008, gave Lee Seok-hoon a full tour around the building. 

As soon as Lee Seok-hoon walked into the office where Casting Department was located, he gasped in shock after witnessing what one casting director was doing; the casting director was looking through different Instagram accounts.

KEY laughingly asked, "What are you doing? Are you really trying to find the agency's next trainees on Instagram? For real?"

To his questions, the casting director nodded and laughed, then covered her laptop in embarrassment. 
When Lee Seok-hoon asked another casting director if there were any 'real' places that they go to discover potential K-pop rookies, the casting director of five years told him, "I often go to busy areas in Seoul like Hongdae or Gangnam. I sometimes even drive all the way down to Geojedo (an island in the southern part of Korea) or somewhere in the countryside. I also walk about outside schools." 

Listening to his answer, KEY complained, "As you can see, casting directors at my agency are always trying to find hidden gems. But I wonder why they failed me at the audition three times. I pretty much got in after going, 'Please, give me an opportunity to join your company!'" 
Lee Seok-hoon laughed, then asked KEY where the casting director who managed to make his dream to enter SM Entertainment come true was. 

KEY replied, "Oh, the casting director who got me to join SM Entertainment moved to another company. There, he/she 'created' THE BOYZ.'"

Upon hearing that, Lee Seok-hoon went, "Wow!", impressed with the casting director's amazing work skills. 
 
(Credit= '썰플리' YouTube) 

(SBS Star)