SM’s Center Director: “Chance of Becoming a Trainee is 0.00867%” – 20 Years of Casting Insights

Yoon Hee-joon, the head of SM Entertainment’s rookie development center, appeared on *You Quiz on the Block* to share his 20-year experience in idol casting and his philosophy regarding talent training. In an episode broadcast on the 4th on tvN, Director Yoon explained SM’s strict, on-the-ground culture by saying, “As soon as I joined the casting department, I went straight to the recording sites.”

Director Yoon has been involved in casting for SM’s major idol groups, including SUPER JUNIOR, Girls' Generation, SHINee, f(x), EXO, Red Velvet, NCT, aespa, RIIZE, and Hearts2Hearts. As an example of on-site casting, he mentioned personally discovering CHANYEOL of EXO, noting that back then they would even conduct auditions in front of schools or get out of taxis mid-ride to find potential talents.

Modern casting methods have changed. Director Yoon said, “These days, we focus on social media. In the case of WONBIN of LE SSERAFIM, he was cast after we sent him a direct message.” He added, “When Wonbin came from Ulsan to Seoul for an audition, I went to Seoul Station to pick him up myself to ensure no other agency would recruit him.” Wonbin also appeared on the show and recalled with a smile, “I was just going home like any other day when I received a DM. As soon as I arrived at Seoul Station for the audition, they put a mask on me and took me away.”

Director Yoon identified KAI, DOYOUNG, and WONBIN as idol members with particular determination. He noted that KAI practices so hard that it puts pressure on other staff members, to the point where they sometimes have to skip leaving work while he trains. The director also clarified common misconceptions about SM’s casting process. He emphasized, “We never choose candidates based solely on appearance. That’s why some people say they didn’t apply to SM Entertainment,” stressing that sincerity is the primary criterion for selection.

The chance of becoming an idol trainee is extremely low. From the perspective of SM’s rookie development center head, this probability is only 0.00867%. Director Yoon stated, “When sincerity turns into action, I believe it leads to success.”