Reasons why Big Hit and Bang Sihyuk had to hid Taehyung in his trainee days

 

During BTS' pre-debut days, Taehyung was known as the "hidden member" of the group. Here are the detailed reasons why Hitman Bang and Big Hit Entertainment decided to keep him hidden:

 

 

Strategi of surprise and suspense

 

-- Big Hit wanted to create an element of surprise for fans

 

-- When BTS was introduced as a 7-member group, Taehyung was kept a secret until just before debut

 

-- The company revealed the other six members (Jimin, Seokjin, Yoongi, Jungkook, Namjoon and Hoseok) one by one through blogs, Twitter, and pre-debut content

 

-- By hiding him, Big Hit could create hype and make fans curios, and when he was finally revealed, it had a strong impact.

 

 

The reason: "secret weapon" started

 

-- Bang Sihyuk and Big Hit staff considered Taehyung to have a unique charm and strong stage presence that could surprise audiences

 

-- They worried that if they revealed him too early, he might get overshadowed by other trainees or, conversely, other agencies might notice his potential and try to recruit him away

 

-- So the deliberately kept him out of pre-debut promotions, calling him their "secret weapon"

 

-- Taehyung himself explained that he was told not to tell anyone--even his friends at school--that he had become a trainee and part of BTS

 

-- This secretly made him feel a bit left out, but it also meant that his reveal would be more dramatic

 

 

Taehyung's own feelings at the time

 

-- In interviews, Taehyung admitted he was sad and confused back then

 

-- He still trained with everyone, but he couldn't appear in photos, videos, or posts

 

-- Sometimes, when filming practice logs, he was told to step aside

 

-- He thought maybe he wasn't going to debut

 

-- He said his parents reassured him to just keep practicing and trust the company

 

 

Protecting his image and training period

 

-- At that time, Taehyung was still polishing his skills in vocals, dance, and performance

 

-- Big Hit might have wanted to protect him from early public scrutiny compared to the other members who were already expossed in pre-debut videos and photos

 

-- By keeping him hidden, they allowed him to grow without the same pressure as the others

 

 

Impact of his reveal

 

-- On June 2, 2013, Taehyung was finally introduced as the 7th member of BTS, just days before their official debut with "No More Dream"

 

-- Fans were shocked and excited, since they had thought BTS was going to be a 6-member group

 

-- This reveal added mystery and intrigue, giving BTS more attention right before their debut

 

 

Looking back

 

-- Bang Sihyuk later explained that keeping Taehyung hidden was part of marketing and protection strategy

 

-- It turned out effective, because Taehyung's sudden reveal drew attention, and he quickly became one of the most popular members.

 

So in short: Taehyung wasn't hidden because of his weakness--it was because Big Hit and Bang PD thought he was too good to risk losing, and they wanted to debut him as a surprise.

Direct quotes and replication from Bang Sihyuk, Taehyung, and BTS members

 

From Bang Sihyuk

 

In a past broadcast/interview, Bang PD revealed: "We decided to keep taehyung a secred until just before debut for marketing reasons. We thought that by hiding one member, the surprise reveal would attract one more attention and make the group more memorable."

 

From Taehyung himself

 

a. On Rookie King: BTS (2013): "I was a hidden member. The company told me not to tell anyone that I was a trainee. Even my friends didn't know. They thought I wasn't going to debut, so it was lonely."   

 

b. On a fansign/interview: "I couldn't even tell my closest friends. I really wanted to tell them, but the company said,'Don't say anything.' So only my family knew. I felt sad but I understood it was for the group."

 

c. Taehyung about new reveal: "When I was finally introduced, fans were surprised because everyone thought BTS had six members. That moment felt really special to me."

 

d. In another FESTA QnA: "During trainee days, I couldn't be revealed. I fel like a ninja." (said jokingly)

 

 

From other BTS members

 

The members have also mentioned Taehyung's hidden status:

 

Hoseok: "Taehyung was always with us,n but outside, he wasn't shown. We felt sorry for him because he wanted to tell his friends too. But when he was revealed, the response was huge, so I think it worked out."

 

Jimin: "We Know Taehyungie was going to debut with us, but the fans didn't. We wanted to introduce him, but we had to keep the secret. It was hard not being able to share him."

 

Namjoon: "Taehyung was always part of BTS from the start, but Big Hit wanted to make his reveal a surprise. That's why he was called the hidden member."

 

 

Taehyung's hidden trainee period

 

2011 (recruitment)

 

➖ He originally went to a Big Hit audition in Daegu just to support a friend

➖ A staff member spotted him and encourage him to audition too

➖ He was the only person that day who passed

➖ After this, he officially became a Big Hit trainee

 

 

2011-2012 (training--Secret status begins)

 

➖ Taehyung trained in vocals, dance, and acting

➖ Unlike other members, he was not introduced publicly through pre-debut blogs, Twitter photos, or YouTube content

➖ Big Hit told him to keep it a secret

 

 

2011-2013 (trainee period)

 

➖ Trains with BTS member (Rap Monster, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin and Jungkook)

➖ Practice vocals, dance and performance every day with the group

➖ But when Big Hit uploads pre-debut logs, photos, or trainee showcases, Taehyung is told not to appear

 

Example: dance practice logs often show only with 6 members

 

He even said the staff would ask hin to "step aside" when they filmed.

 

 

2012

 

➖ Big Hit begins introducing BTS members one by one online

➖ Fans start recognizin "Bullerproof Boy Scouts" as a 6-member pre-debut group

➖ Taehyung is kept completely out of all content

 

 

Early 2013

 

➖ BTS preparing for debut

➖ All 6 revealed members are promoting pre-debut on SNS (social media), SoundCloud, YouTube, etc.

➖ Taehyung continues training, but is still the "hidden member"

➖ At this point, even many fans believe BTS will only debut with 6 members

 

 

June 2013 -- the reveal

 

➖ June 2, 2013: Big Hit suddenly drops teaser photos of Kim Taehyng

➖ Fans are shocked--some even thiught he was a new addition instead of an original trainee

➖ Bang PD calls him their "secret weapon"

 

 

June 12, 2013 - debut showcase

 

➖ BTS debuts with all 7 members (Taehyung finally on stage)

➖ His first official appearance is in the "No More Dream" MV

 

So Taehyung was hidden for about 2 years of training and revealed just 10 days before BTS' official debut.

 

 

 

Why Big Hit (BSH and team) thought Taehyung was too "risky" to reveal early, and why they hid him

 

Strategic reasoning by Bang Sihyuk and Big Hit

 

➖ Last-minute addition: Taehyung was the last member to be officially added to BTS. His trainee period was relatively short compared to others, and Big Hit wanted to finalize the lineup before punlicizing him.

➖ Fear of instability: Since Taehyung joined later, Bang Sihyuk and the team were cautious. If he didn't adjust well or if the lineup changed again, revealing him too early would create confusion and backlash.

➖  "Risk Factor": Big Hit tought exposing him before being fully prepared (skills, image, stability in the group) could be risky, especially since they were a small company at the time. Losing public trust before debut could ruin BTS' chances.

 

 

Why Taehyung was hidden as a "secret weapon"

 

1. His unique visuals and aura

 

➖ Even as trainee, taehyng stood out with his striking looks and unusual charm. 

➖ Bang Sihyuk felt he had an x-factor--something different from the "standard" idol visuals.

➖ The company worried that if they showed him too early, bigger agencies might notice and try to scout him away.      ➖➖➖➖

Versatile talents

➖ He wasn't just good at singing; he was also strong at dancing and had natural charisma.

➖ He could play instruments (saxophone, piano) and was comfortable in many genres

➖ This made him a "multi-tool," rare for trainees at the time.

➖ Big Hit thought his abilities would shine best all at once during debut, rather than being teased out early

Market strategy

➖ BTS was a small-company group in K-Pop world that dominated by SM, JYP, and YG.

➖ Big Hit needed a debut impact to compare.

➖ By hiding taehyung until the very end, they created shock value--fans were buzzing about the "7th hidden member."

➖ It built mystery and excitement, which gave BTS more attention at debut.

Taehyung unpolished stage persona

➖ According to older BTS interviews, Taehyung was playful and unpredictable as a trainee.

➖ He wasn't shy--sometime he'd so silly things that made staff laugh.

➖ Big Hit thought it was better to refine him in private, then reveal him fully ready.

➖ He himself later joked that maybe they hid him because he was too"4D"--quirky and oddball