BTS’s Jungkook Was Asked To Audition In A Hotel Room When He Was In Middle-School — He Recounts The “Disturbing” Experience

By Koreaboo on July 11, 2023

BTS‘s Jungkook revealed a shocking and disturbing story from when he was 13.

BTS’s maknae is known to have been sought after by many K-Pop entertainment companies before he joined the then Big Hit Entertainment, which is now known as HYBE/BIGHIT MUSIC. Leader RM is often credited as why Jungkook went with the smaller and lesser-known company.

Yet, in BTS’s new memory, Beyond the Story: 10-Year Record of BTS, Jungkook shared an uncomfortable account of his experience with previous companies leading up to his decision. He had indeed received many business cards…

Jungkook was famously brought on by Big Hit Entertainment in 2011 at one of the auditions for Superstar K3, a TV audition program on Mnet. But the story of how a Busan middle schooler named Jeon Jungkook decided to come to Cheonggu Building in Seoul is a bit more complicated than that. Jung Kook had already received business cards from seven different entertainment companies during the Superstar K3 auditions.

— Beyond the Story: 10-Year Record of BTS

But Jungkook explained that companies hadn’t really expressed why they were so interested in signing him. Additionally, one even asked him to meet them in a hotel room, claiming they needed a video of his singing. Keep in mind he was only 13 years old at the time!

None of them really told me why they wanted to sign me. I remember one of the companies wanted me to come to a hotel room near the Superstar K3 audition site for an audition. They wanted to get a video of me singing.

— Jungkook via Beyond the Story: 10-Year Record of BTS

ARMYs were horrified by the story. This story was too similar to many from the #MeToo Movement.

companies asking 13 year old jungkook to go to hotel rooms to “audition” is the most disturbing thing ive ever read, what the actual fuck.

— dia ♡ IS FINALLY DONE WORKING (@DIORKOOKZ) July 9, 2023

// book spoiler

the thought of someone asking a 13yo jungkook to come to a hotel room with them for an audition is making me sick like why would you possibly need a child to come to a hotel room with you to record him singing pic.twitter.com/pTz3tOthuY

— kaia ⁷ ᵇʸ ʲᵏ (@jnggkuk) July 9, 2023

@bffbangtannie

thats so creepy and disgusting, I’m glad he refused. but imagine how many stories like this and worse exist #jungkook

♬ Džanum – Teya Dora

We’re glad that Jungkook made the right decision.

Other idols and trainees have shared unsettling encounters from being “cast.” Read more below.

“I Was Scared”: HYBE Trainees Recount Unsettling Casting Experiences