If you’re curious to learn more about the members of ATEEZ, here’s a look at how all of them ended up joining KQ Entertainment and became K-Pop idols!

Hongjoong

Hongjoong is known by ATEEZ fans to be extremely hard-working, determined, and passionate about his work. Even before he debuted, he was a known workaholic and perfectionist, which shouldn’t come as a surprise to ATINYs!

He actually didn’t attend school as much as other students his age because he spent so much time creating music in a studio. Hongjoong was motivated to become a K-Pop idol in order to express himself with his music and positively influence others through it — a goal in which he has achieved immense success.

As a hopeful future idol, his first step to reaching that dream was joining SIMS Academy, and then becoming a trainee at KQ Entertainment. His joining the label was actually pretty unusual: the company wasn’t holding auditions at the time, so Hongjoong sent the CEO a mixtape and letter through the mail in 2014. It wasn’t until a year later that staff actually saw this, and they ended up calling him to ask if he was still making music. He thus became KQ’s first trainee in 2015, and was alone in this position until Yunho joined him six months later.

After that, he appeared on the YG Entertainment show MIXNINE. He was one of just four KQ trainees to pass the audition for the show, and ranked #7 in the “Just Dance” showcase. Later, he ended up placing 42nd on the show and was eliminated in the tenth episode, meaning he wasn’t able to debut in the group created by it. However, ATEEZ fans can feel blessed because it allowed him to go to back to KQ Entertainment to become the wonderful and talented leader of ATEEZ he is today!

Seonghwa

Seonghwa’s name means “to be a star” (“Seong” = star, and “Hwa” = to become), which basically set up his path since his parents gave him this incredibly fitting name! It’s not a surprise that he’s gone on to be such a beloved and successful idol with such a perfect title.

There are rumors that he had offers to join JYP Entertainment, though they aren’t confirmed. He passed his audition at KQ Entertainment in late 2016, where he actually auditioned as a rapper initially but changed his position to vocalist at the time he debuted. Of course, he has more recently been able to put his rapping skills to use in some of ATEEZ’s latest discography! He also tried applying to take part in MIXNINE like Hongjoong, but didn’t end up making it onto the show. And they definitely missed out, because he’s an absolute delight to have in ATEEZ, and any group would be all the better with him in it.

Yunho

Yunho also had dreams of becoming a musical performer when he was young, and attended the famous School of Performing Arts (SOPA) in Seoul, from which he graduated. He and future fellow ATEEZ member and friend Mingi actually both attended Seungri‘s Dance Academy as well, where they both honed their dancing skills.

Afterwards, they both also attended Joy Dance and Plug-In Music Academy, and Yunho’s extensive training in dance has definitely paid off with how beautifully he wears the main dancer title of the group! He eventually auditioned for and became a trainee at KQ Entertainment around 2015/2016, unintentionally auditioning and getting accepted at the same time as Mingi. He, too, auditioned for MIXNINE, but didn’t make the cut and ended up becoming the powerful and charismatic main dancer of ATEEZ instead!

Yeosang

Before Yeosang joined KQ Entertainment, he was actually a trainee at BIGHIT MUSIC, home to BTS. If he had stayed with the company, he might have ended up debuting as a member of TXT, but he instead left the company after he became worried that he may never debut there. He apparently received offers from six different entertainment agencies, and ended up choosing KQ because the label put a lot of effort into bringing him into their trainee program. Hongjoong himself encouraged their staff to try to get Yeosang to join them, because after looking at his profile, he thought Yeosang would be a valuable addition to their group.

He’s another member that auditioned for MIXNINE and didn’t pass to make it onto the show, but Yeosang’s talents and experience from attending IB Music Academy when he was younger ended up earning him a spot in ATEEZ instead!

San

Considering how energetic and incredible San is on stage, many people are surprised to learn that he actually didn’t have any dance experience before joining KQ Entertainment. He did, however, have hard-earned strength and flexibility from practicing Taekwondo for years with his dad as an instructor, which explains how he’s such an incredible performer.

He knew he wanted to be a performer by the time he was in middle school, and found a lot of enjoyment singing for his grandparents with the karaoke machine they bought for him. He told his father that he felt like the money spent on him attending a hagwon (private academy) was wasted, because he didn’t want to study, but be a singer instead. Thanks to his dad’s support and connections, San was able to get vocal lessons in Seoul, where he eventually moved to from his hometown of Namhae after he was accepted to Seoul’s prestigious Korean Arts High School. His mother spent about two and a half years traveling back and forth between Seoul and Namhae each week, with four days in Seoul and three in Namhae. She has said that even though the commute was tiring, that time in her life was precious to her, as she was able to look after San.

There isn’t a lot of information about how he joined KQ, but he was the fourth member of ATEEZ to join the label in 2016. After passing the audition for KQ Entertainment, San also applied for and didn’t make it onto MIXNINE. But this didn’t discourage him, and he became the phenomenal performer that he is in ATEEZ today!

Mingi

Mingi has had an interest in rap and dancing since he was young, and before he joined KQ Entertainment, he was a trainee at Maroo Entertainment instead. Also as stated earlier, he attended Seungri’s Dance Academy, Joy Dance, and Plug-In Music Academy alongside Yunho when he was younger, honing his skills in dance. He was the third member of ATEEZ to join KQ Entertainment around 2015/2016.

He was also one of the four then-future members of ATEEZ that applied for and made it onto MIXNINE, where he ranked at 23rd in the “Just Dance” showcase but ended up getting eliminated in the seventh episode, finishing at 113th. But we’re grateful for this, because ATEEZ just wouldn’t be the same without Mingi’s iconic deep voice, adorable personality, and explosive stage presence.

Wooyoung

Wooyoung decided that he wanted to be a K-Pop idol after performing on stage at school, thinking that he would enjoy the feeling of being on an even bigger stage. He attended Hanlim Multi Arts High School, and ended up joining BIGHIT MUSIC as a trainee for a while during the same time as Yeosang, where the two became friends. He also became close with TXT’s Yeonjun and other members of the group while he trained there.

Also like Yeosang, he ended up leaving BIGHIT in order to join KQ Entertainment instead. He didn’t want to debut without his friend, making their relationship one that many fans are endeared by! He was the last member of ATEEZ to join the label (sometime in 2017), and got in for his elegant, fluid dancing abilities.

He was another member that applied for and made it onto MIXNINE, where he ranked 57th at the “Just Dance” showcase and ended up finishing 132nd overall. Thus he debuted with ATEEZ, where he remains an absolute gem and beloved member with incredible stage presence and a heart-melting personality.

Jongho

Before Jongho discovered his singing talent, he was actually really into sports when he was younger. This is likely why he’s strong enough to break an apple in half with his bare hands! Eventually, however, he realized how much he enjoyed singing (which we’re forever grateful for) and decided to pursue that talent instead of becoming an athlete.

Prior to joining KQ, Jongho was a trainee at TOP Media, where he trained since around 2013 alongside members of groups like MCND, TEEN TOP, and UP10TION. However, he ended up leaving there for unknown reasons and joined KQ in 2016/2017.

After auditioning for and joining KQ Entertainment, Jongho also participated on MIXNINE, where he ranked 27th at the “Just Dance” showcase and 43rd overall. Considering just how praised he is as one of the top vocalists in modern-day K-Pop, ATEEZ is truly made whole having his soulful, unmatchable voice in the group.