Why SM Entertainment Sent a Team to Pick Up RIIZE’s Wonbin

Have you ever wondered how K-pop idols are discovered? SM Entertainment recently shared the recruitment story of how they found Wonbin, a talented young artist who’s now part of the group RIIZE.

The label’s recruiting manager recognized his star potential and went to great lengths to sign him as a trainee. The 22-year-old K-pop star trained for around 4 and a half years before debuting with RIIZE in September 2023.

In part 2 of SM Entertainment’s “K-POP The Beginning: SMTOWN 30”, director Yoon Hee Joon of the artist development department spilled a surprising secret about how RIIZE’s Wonbin was cast.

Director Yoon revealed how they discovered and recruited him, “When I first saw a video of Wonbin during a meeting, I learned that he lived in Ulsan. That is when I told my team, ‘Go wait for him at Seoul Station. You must pick him up and bring him here.’”

They revealed it is against their policy to pick up trainees, however, they made an exception for Wonbin, “Usually, we do not send anyone to pick up the new talent. They are asked to come to the headquarters on their own. However,I thought anyone from anywhere (other agencies) could try approaching him and stealing him away from us as soon as he landed in Seoul. So, I specifically ordered that he must be picked up.”

The RIIZE vocalist also shared that he was told to wear a mask and hide his name tag. Wonbin, who was still in his school uniform, was skeptical and found himself questioning “What kind of company is that?”

He ultimately signed with SM Entertainment and worked hard for 4 years with no certainty of a debut. Wonbin debuted as a vocalist, center, and dancer of RIIZE on September 4, 2023. 

He is widely regarded for his stunning visuals, earning him a spot among the best-looking K-pop idols. Being one of the popular members of RIIZE, it is hard to imagine the group without him. SM Entertainment truly hit a jackpot with Wonbin.