Why did Lee Soo Man Pick BoA for SM?

BoA is arguably one of SM Entertainment’s biggest artists and was one of the pioneers in getting Korean artists into foreign markets. Suffice to say, she has had a lot of influence in the K-Pop industry and for SM Entertainment itself. But how did BoA actually end up in SM Entertainment and why was she picked in the first place? Well she answered those questions just recently and the answer is surprisingly short and simple.

On the recent airing of SBS’s sincere talk show “Thank You,” MC Cha In Pyo talked about how “There was a lot of people who had misunderstandings and were saying critical things about Lee Soo Man back when BoA debuted. They complained about the fact that he was putting a young child through harsh training and then sending them off to Japan.” He then asked BoA if she has talked about this in depth with Lee Soo Man.

BoA replies that “I actually asked him, I asked him why he picked me and he just told me it was because I looked lovely when I smiled.” She also mentioned that the reason she worked hard was that “While the company’s power is of course important (in terms of becoming successful), I believe that I need to first become someone that can protect myself.”