12 K-Pop Idols That Could Have Debuted In A Completely Different Group

K-Pop fans are so used to idols being in certain groups, it seems odd to imagine them in anything else. However, there have been many K-Pop idols that nearly ended up in not just a different group, but an entirely different company! It can be interesting to think about how things might be different if some of them had ended up somewhere different than they are now, so here’s a look at 12 idols that could have debuted in a totally different way.

1. Allen (CRAVITY)

Allen is the main dancer and lead rapper of CRAVITY, but he could have ended up not even with Starship Entertainment! From 2016 until 2018 he was a trainee at JYP Entertainment, and he was supposed to participate in Stray Kids Survival Show, which meant he could have ended up in Stray Kids! But he was replaced on the show before the first episode, and ended up debuting with CRAVITY, though he’s close with members of Stray Kids such as Bang Chan still to this day.

2. S.Coups (SEVENTEEN)

S.Coups is the well-known leader, hip hop team leader, main rapper, and sub-vocalist of SEVENTEEN, but he could have been a member of another group at Pledis Entertainment instead. Along with fellow SEVENTEEN member Woozi, he was the longest trainee at the company, spending 6 years there before debuting in 2015. Because of this, he was supposed to debut with NU’EST back in 2012, but due to line-up changes, it just wasn’t meant to be!

3. Jisoo (BLACKPINK)

Of course, Jisoo is BLACKPINK’s lovely lead vocalist and visual, but did you know she could have been in Red Velvet? While she was training at YG Entertainment to debut with BLACKPINK, she was actually scouted by SM Entertainment while attending a concert with her company. She’s said that if she hadn’t already been a trainee, she might have taken the offer and ended up in the other third-generation girl group instead!

4. J-Hope (BTS)

It might be most difficult to imagine BTS’s members in a different group, but their main dancer, sub-rapper, and sub-vocalist J-Hope could have been! Before he joined BigHit Entertainment, he auditioned to be a trainee at JYP Entertainment by showing off his dance skills. Shockingly, the company turned him down, but if they hadn’t, he might have debuted with GOT7!

5. Taemin (SHINee)

Taemin is SHINee’s extremely multi-talented main dancer, sub-vocalist, and maknae, but he could have not been! As the youngest member of SHINee, he had some nervousness and trepidation debuting with a “younger boyfriend” concept, and has even stated that he has wondered how his career might have been different if he’d debuted with EXO, who are closer to him in age!

6. Mino (WINNER)

Mino debuted as WINNER’s main rapper, lead vocalist, and face of the group, but he was so close to being a part of another group entirely: Block B! In fact, he was part of the original five-member lineup for the group, but he ended up not debuting with them due to issues with his contract. Fortunately, his hardships led him to joining YG Entertainment and WINNER with plenty of experience to help his career!

7. Subin (VICTON)

Subin is VICTON’s vocalist, rapper, and maknae, but before he joined Play M Entertainment, he was actually a trainee at both JYP Entertainment and Cube Entertainment. He actually could have debuted with PENTAGON at the latter, but he ended up leaving the company instead and found his way to VICTON.

8. Jinho (PENTAGON)

Speaking of PENTAGON, the group’s main vocalist, Jinho, might not have been a part of it if things had turned out differently! In fact, he’s another idol that was nearly a member of EXO’s final lineup, and was one of SM Entertainment’s most well-known trainees during his time at the company. However, the label decided to keep EXO at twelve members instead of thirteen, and when Jinho realized it would likely be several years before he had the chance to debut with another group at the company, he moved on to Cube Entertainment and became part of PENTAGON instead!

9. Shownu (MONSTA X)

Shownu, MONSTA X’s leader, main dancer, and lead vocalist, joins J-Hope as another idol that might have debuted with GOT7 had things went differently. It’s fairly well-known that he was a trainee at JYP Entertainment before he joined Starship Entertainment, and he trained alongside the GOT7 members during his time there. He ended up leaving the company due to training absences, but he’s still close to GOT7 to this day!

10. Wendy (Red Velvet)

Fans are highly anticipating Wendy’s return as Red Velvet’s main vocalist for their upcoming comeback, but there could be an alternate universe where this wouldn’t have happened! She actually had her first Korean entertainment audition in 2010 that was run by Cube Entertainment and Koreaboo, and though she was one of 15 finalists out of 5,000 participants, she didn’t end up winning and thus didn’t join Cube Entertainment. If she had, she might have been a member of CLC!

11. Jin (BTS)

Jin is another BTS member that could have ended up somewhere else instead of the group’s sub-vocalist and visual! In fact, he too could have ended up in EXO, since a manager from SM Entertainment approached him while he was in middle school and tried to scout him. But Jin thought it was a scam, and didn’t accept the offer, but if he had, he might have been in the other popular third-generation boy group!

12. Wooyoung (ATEEZ)

And finally, Wooyoung is the second-youngest member and main dancer, sub-vocalist, and visual of ATEEZ. However, both he and fellow member Yeosang were actually trainees at BigHit Entertainment before they joined KQ Entertainment, which means they might have one day ended up debuting in TXT! However, when Yeosang decided to leave BigHit Entertainment hoping that he might debut sooner elsewhere, Wooyoung loyally followed his friend, and they were fortunate enough to end up in ATEEZ together.