BoA was “a project” worth 3 billion dollars

Singer BoA draws people’s eyes with her days when she just debuted.

In the episode of SBS’s Bae Gi Wan, Choi Young Ah, and Jo Hyung Ki’s Good Morning that aired on January 31, a history of BoA who has been singer for 12 years was revealed.

The episode showed President Lee Soo Man of SM Entertainment explaining “the mysterious project” he had: “I was so desperate. I searched everywhere in Korea to find a kid who did not enter middle school yet.”

As a result of his “project,” BoA debuted in 2000 at the age of 13. But before her debut, she had to study and practice at the same time; she spent at least five hours on weekdays, but ten on holidays practicing. When she finally debuted as a singer after being trained, she dropped out of middle school in order to concentrate on her career.

About BoA, who is considered as “a large-scaled project” for SM Entertainment, President Lee says, “The budget we estimated was 3 billion won. But my company did not have that much money, so I had to borrow some. Coming to think of it now, I wonder how I could have done it, but I really wanted to give it a try.”