SM Entertainment's intense casting of RIIZE's Wonbin is detailed, highlighting unique methods and Wonbin's rapid growth as an idol.
March/5/2026 12:15
The full details of the tense 'casting spy war' that SM Entertainment unfolded to contract RIIZE's Wonbin have been revealed. On the tvN show 'You Quiz ON THE BLOCK' aired yesterday (the 4th) in Korea, Yoon Hee-jun, the head of the SM Idol Development Center that has produced many stars over the past 20 years, including SUPER JUNIOR, Girls' Generation, EXO, and aespa, appeared and shared her exceptional aesthetic sense and behind-the-scenes casting stories. Yoon Hee-jun reflected, 'I cast EXO's Chanyeol,' and said, 'At that time, I was casting even in front of schools and would get out of taxis to cast.' However, due to changes in the times, the casting methods have also evolved. She revealed, 'Recently, it's new. We also cast on social media. Wonbin from RIIZE was cast through a DM,' which attracted attention. In particular, Yoon Hee-jun's obsession with Wonbin was remarkable. She explained, 'When Wonbin came to Seoul from Ulsan to audition, I went to pick him up at Seoul Station to prevent other agencies from taking him.' Regarding this, Wonbin recalled, 'I received a DM on my way home from school, and for some reason, I was drawn to it,' adding, 'When I arrived at Seoul Station to audition, they made me wear a mask and took me away,' and 'I was told to hide my name tag,' which brought laughter to the scene. On this day’s broadcast, footage from Wonbin's trainee days in 2019, which had been shrouded in mystery, was revealed for the first time, causing admiration. Yoon Hee-jun stated, 'Since Wonbin was cast through social media, he had never experienced dancing or singing before, but he really improved quickly,' highly evaluating Wonbin's talent. She continued, 'In the early trainee footage, he was observing the older trainees from the corner of the practice room, but later he surpassed them and came to the front. This is not an easy thing to do,' positioning Wonbin as a 'motivated idol' following in the lineage of EXO's Kai and NCT's Doyoung, raising expectations for his future activities.
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