G-Dragon reveals surprising SM Entertainment trainee experience before YG

On the October 30th episode of tvN’s 'You Quiz on the Block,' G-Dragon shared a surprising story from his early career, revealing that he once trained under SM Entertainment. During the episode’s “Power” special, Yoo Jae Suk asked him, “Were you really an SM trainee? I had no idea.” G-Dragon confirmed, “No one knew, but yes, it was SM.”

Jo Se Ho continued, asking if he joined SM after his first TV appearance with 'Kid Roora,' to which G-Dragon recalled how he first appeared on the children’s show 'Bbo Bbo Bbo' on MBC, where child actors competed fiercely for screen time. He then described how he unexpectedly joined SM while on a family ski trip. “There used to be lots of dance competitions, and my mom would always push me to participate. The host of the resort’s dance contest was none other than Lee Soo Man. That’s how it all started,” he shared.

Yoo Jae Suk noted G-Dragon’s five years with SM, to which G-Dragon responded, “I felt like I didn’t quite fit with the senior artists at SM. The frequency of their calls decreased, and I couldn’t find a purpose there, no matter how hard I tried.” He added that he began to explore rap, which led to a lucky break in 2001 when he appeared on a compilation album titled 'My Age Thirteen.' This eventually caught the attention of YG Entertainment, leading to his famous career there.

Yoo Jae Suk expressed surprise, saying he only knew G-Dragon from his time at YG, not realizing he had spent years at SM. G-Dragon explained, “There wasn’t really a concept of ‘trainee’ back then. You had to be prepared at all times, ready to perform on the spot.”