ARMY story time! In a rather strange twist of fate, BTS’s Jungkook was selected by BigHit Music’s casting director without an audition, a choice that in itself made K-pop history. Noh Min-mi was captivated by his aura when she first saw him on Superstar K3, she didn’t bother to go through the usual processes to enlist this young talent. Here’s how a chance event and Jungkook’s magnetic appeal made him BTS’s Golden Maknae.
Jungkook’s Star-Spotted Moment at Superstar K3
Back in 2011, a teenager named Jungkook auditioned for Superstar K3 without knowing that his life was about to change. He was just another face in the crowd until casting director Noh Min-mi, then at BigHit Music, spotted him. “One boy caught my eye. His eyes were bright, he looked adorable, and it felt like he was glowing. I was drawn to him as if by fate,” she shared.
[ CASTING #JUNGKOOK ]
“Interview with Big Hit’s casting director Noh Min-mi”🗣️: “Director, you are known as the one who conducted the casting of BTS members. What were your feelings when you first saw them?”
👤: “When I came to the company, RM and j-hope were already… pic.twitter.com/gIBeRarkEH
— 𝕁𝕌ℕ𝔾𝕂𝕆𝕆𝕂 __ ℂℍ𝔸ℕℕ𝔼𝕃 (CIS) (@JK_CISteam) August 22, 2025
This was how she described it during her August 22, 2025 on an interview on the Kajufriends YouTube channel. It was a feeling in which you could call “destiny”. Jungkook was quite simply so compelling a presence that all audition processes would be bypassed for his sake for fear of being snatched up by rival agencies, some still hanging out at Seoul Station.
A Bold Move by BigHit Music
Noh Min-mi’s decision was to cast Jungkook right there, and then it became a gamble, one that did pay off. She reached out to his dad, leaning toward a direct contract with BigHit after some persuasive talks on how promising the child would turn out.
The casting director must be very proud of herself for all the decisions she made back then. If she didn’t turn up at Superstar K audition, notice Jungkook & worked hard to convince JK & his parents, JK may have never joined BH.
— Still with JK (@stillwi68146102) August 22, 2025
Noh said, “It was like being under a spell. I couldn’t let him go.” Such a risk move would hardly be an act with the entire K-pop world, and that brought Noh’s trainee count to one, as she would alone handpick the person who would hike BTS to unthinkable heights. Fans will one day remember it as destiny, such as one X post, which reads, “My man was born a superstar & destined to be BTS.”
The Legacy of Jungkook’s Fated Casting
A test on instinct and timing, indeed, Jungkook: from Superstar K3 to being BTS’s Golden Maknae. Noh’s faith in potential, paired with family trust in BigHit, created a perfect storm in succession.
By 2025, Jungkook has proved himself as a global phenomenon, either with or without BTS, in light of a new album which is about to be released in 2026. Fans on X call him “destined to be a legend,” a reality that Noh would vouch for in immense pride of BTS’s tireless dedication.
Also Read: BTS’ RM’s Heartfelt Weverse Update For ARMY, ‘When We Meet Again…’
