[SBS Star] '8-year Trainee' Jo Kwon Says There Were Many Times When JYP Ent. Tried to Get Rid of Him

Jo Kwon of K-pop boy group 2AM shared that there were many times when his previous agency JYP Entertainment almost kicked him out of the company before debut. 

On January 26 episode of iHQ's television show 'We've Come to Make Sure You Earn Lots of Money' (literal translation), Jo Kwon made a guest appearance. 

The hosts took Jo Kwon to a restaurant where they were planning to order lots of dishes, and asked if he is able to eat a lot, with doubts in their eyes. 

Jo Kwon answered, "Many who don't know me think that I don't eat much, but I actually eat quite a lot. I can finish off a whole fried chicken by myself, two packets of instant noodles at once and as for rice, I can eat two bowls." 

Since Jo Kwon is so thin, the hosts jumped in surprise and asked how much he weighed. 

Jo Kwon responded, "I'm 173cm, but only 58kg. I've been 58kg pretty much all my life after I went into my 20s. I've never gone over 60kg." 
Then, Jo Kwon thought back to the time when he was stressed about his weight in the past. 

The K-pop artist said, "It wasn't because I weighed too much, of course. I was stressed as I was too light. Due to my weight, I almost had been kicked out of JYP Entertainment a number of times when I was a trainee. They would make me stand alongside pre-debut groups, but were like, 'No, no, no.' every time. Apparently, I looked too skinny compared to them, so I didn't blend in well with any groups." 

He continued, "So, I worked out as much as I could. I worked really hard to achieve my dream to make debut. I managed to gain 8kg of muscles in the end. That's how I became 58kg." 
Jo Kwon trained at JYP Entertainment for about eight years before entering the industry as a member of 2AM in July 2008. 

He parted ways with JYP Entertainment after 17 years in September 2017; he joined CUBE Entertainment in November 2017. 

(Credit= iHQ We've Come to Make Sure You Earn Lots of Money, JYP Entertainment) 

(SBS Star)