WinWin from NCT and WayV: how Chinese dancer’s lack of trust nearly cost him his chance at K-pop stardom
- While growing up in Wenzhou, Winwin loved music and specialised in traditional Chinese dance, before joining the Beijing Dance Academy
- He was spotted by a K-pop casting agent, but gave him a fake phone number and nearly ruined his chances of fame
With three decades of experience in show business, South Korean super label SM Entertainment has shown it can make unknown performers into superstars. While most K-pop hopefuls would jump at any opportunity to potentially meet with the label, one of the company’s rising stars nearly lost out on his big chance over trust issues.
Here’s a rundown of Chinese star Winwin’s unusual road to K-pop success.
His early life
Dong Sicheng was born in the city of Wenzhou in China’s eastern coastal province of Zhejiang in October, 1997. The future star grew up interested in music and dance, learning to play guitar and specialising in traditional Chinese dance.
He was admitted to the historic Affiliated Secondary School of the Beijing Dance Academy, where he was a star student, ranking first among students in the classical-dance department. He also studied at China’s prestigious Central Academy of Drama.
Despite his early commitment to the arts, Winwin nearly missed his chance at K-pop stardom. When the then-teenaged student was approached by a casting agent for SM Entertainment, he was understandably wary and gave the agent a fake phone number.
