2AM's Im Seulong Reveals Group Was Created to Rival Super Junior

2AM's Im Seulong has shocked fans by revealing that his group was initially planned to rival Super Junior.

On the YouTube channel 'Donghaemul and Baekdu Eunhyuk,' run by Super Junior's Donghae and Eunhyuk, a video titled '2AM Was Actually Created as a Rival to Super Junior?! Shocking Latte Stories Revealed' was uploaded.


Was 2AM Really Created to Compete with Super Junior?


In the video, 2AM members Im Seulong and Jeong Jinwoon appeared as guests, reuniting with Super Junior members Donghae and Eunhyuk. Im Seulong confessed that 2AM and 2PM were initially planned to target Super Junior, surprising many. He explained that the strategy was to first promote as units and then merge, countering the approach of the rival team.

Jeong Jinwoon reminisced about the days when they performed as 'One Day,' sharing the challenges of choreography that had to be manageable even for Changmin, adding humor to the conversation.

The video also unveiled unique stories from their trainee days. Jeong Jinwoon recalled being street-cast by JYP Entertainment after a band competition rehearsal. Despite initially suspecting a scam, he was convinced upon seeing 2PM's Junho, who resembled Rain, at the company. Im Seulong shared his pure feelings from those days, expressing gratitude for the free meals, accommodation, and singing lessons provided.

What Challenges Did They Face as Trainees?


The video also revealed the infamous '111 servings of pork belly' incident, where the trainees were summoned to the CEO's office due to their enormous food expenses. Jeong Jinwoon recounted a celebratory dinner for Wonder Girls' Billboard chart entry, where 12 members of 2AM and 2PM devoured a massive amount of meat. Im Seulong shared an anecdote from 2010 when, despite contributing significantly to the company's revenue, they were called to the CEO's office over a nearly $100,000 food bill for two months. Super Junior's Eunhyuk also shared his experience of excessive food orders during his trainee days, leading to a one-order-per-person rule.

The video continued with revelations about the strict recording process with producer Park Jin-young. Im Seulong described the unique instructions from Park, such as singing as if entering a hot sauna, and the grueling two-week, eight-hour-a-day recording sessions for their debut song 'This Song.' Jeong Jinwoon humorously confessed the difficulty of understanding Park's direction to sing with the emotions of adults ordering soju in a restaurant during his underage years. Im Seulong also shared a recent episode where Park grabbed Jeong Jinwoon's hair during a recording session, but expressed his respect for Park as a mentor rather than a source of tension.

Reporter: Im Chaeryeong, Ten Asia syjj426@tenasia.co.kr

Related Topics: 2AM, Im Seulong, Super Junior, JYP Entertainment, Park Jin-young