First of all, it is important to say that this will be an incomplete story, because much of what happened in BTS’s first three years is still unknown. This account brings more details about the rap line than the vocal line, since the rap line members were the only ones really in the spotlight until the end of 2012.
Here is the year in moments: in each one, the main highlights and, under “Read all”, every detail, clue and video.
BTS Timeline · Pre-debut
2010
Where it all began
2010 timeline, moment by moment
The beginning – B.P.B., the first name
- The group’s first appearance
- The origin of the name: B.P.B., from Bullet Proof Boys
- The original lineup, with the rap line
- The first songs, like “We Are Bulletproof Pt.1”
Read all
1. The First Appearance
BTS officially appeared for the first time in August 2010, with only Kim Namjoon (RM) and Jung Huncheol (Iron) revealed as members. Namjoon joined Big Hit Entertainment in May 2010. There is no precise information about when Iron joined, only that it was after Namjoon.
2. The Origin of the Name
At first, the group was abbreviated as B.P.B, a reference to the English name “Bullet Proof Boys”. At that point, the term “boy scouts” was not yet part of the name. The abbreviation changed to BTS in mid-2011, around the release of the song “Satoori Rap”.
3. The Original Lineup
During the trainee period, around 30 people went through the selection process for BTS, but not all of them made it to the official lineup. The members confirmed at the time were:
- Kim Namjoon (RM)
- Jung Huncheol (Iron)
- Shin Donghyuck (Supreme Boi)
- Choi Ikje (i11evn)
- Min Yoongi (SUGA)
- Jung Hoseok (J-Hope)
- Park Yeong-man (little is known about him, except that he was older than the 1994 line members).
4. The First Features
Between 2010 and 2011, BTS took part in five official tracks, always credited as Bangtan, with no individual mention of the members. Namjoon was on all of these tracks. In 2012, Hoseok also featured on Jo Kwon’s song “Animal”, credited as “Jung Hoseok of BTS”.
5. First Songs
During this period, BTS released a few tracks of their own, including:
- “We Are B.P.B” – later re-recorded as “We Are Bulletproof Pt. 1”.
- “Hook Gayo”.
These first steps were crucial in shaping BTS’s identity, molding the group that would later conquer the world.
2010 – The first Hit It! audition
- Big Hit opens the first Hit It! audition
- The first days of training
- Recruitment: Hoseok comes from Gwangju, and Yoongi joins the project
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BTS’s story began unexpectedly, after a night out drinking between Pdogg, a producer at Big Hit Entertainment, and Sleepy, a rapper from the duo “Untouchable”. Pdogg, who was also a rapper (although he stopped performing as one after BTS debuted), was introduced to Kim Namjoon (RM) through Sleepy. During the conversation, Sleepy asked if Pdogg would like to hear a young, talented high school rapper he knew. Pdogg agreed, and Sleepy played some of Namjoon’s underground tracks.
At the time, Namjoon had paused rapping to focus on his studies. Still, the songs impressed Pdogg, who quickly showed them to Bang Si-hyuk (Bang PD), Big Hit’s CEO. Bang PD asked Namjoon to audition. After the audition, Namjoon signed the contract right away, marking the start of Bangtan.
No Clear Plan
In the beginning, there was no structured plan for the group. In old interviews, Bang PD revealed that Big Hit had no formal trainee system, evaluation periods or even dorms. Signing Namjoon was the starting point for the project.
In a 2017 interview, Bang PD said his initial idea was to form a hip hop group with Namjoon at the center. That vision gradually evolved into an idol group.
There are old rumors suggesting that Iron might have been the group’s original leader, but there is no concrete evidence to support that story. From the start, Namjoon was recognized as the leader by Jihoon, a former Big Hit trainee.
First Days of Training
Between May and August 2010, Namjoon went to Big Hit after school and went home at the end of the day. In August that year, Big Hit got its first dorm, and Namjoon was the first trainee to move in.
Although there are no records confirming whether Iron also lived in the dorm, we know that Supreme Boi was already part of the group from September 2010.
This period marked the start of BTS’s journey, still under the name B.P.B (Bullet Proof Boys), planting the seeds of what would become a global phenomenon.
The First Hit It! Audition
BTS was revealed to the public for the first time on August 30, 2010, during the promotion of the first Hit It! audition. On that occasion, two members were introduced: Kim Namjoon (RM) and Jung Huncheol (Iron). Along with the reveal, the group’s official fancafe was opened.
Namjoon and Iron were promoted as rappers with experience on the underground scene, and Bangtan was first announced as a hip hop crew. However, judging by the comments on the HipHopPlaya community, Namjoon seemed to be the only name the public already knew.
Connections and Recruitment
Iron came from the same dance academy in Gwangju as Jung Hoseok (J-Hope), which suggests Big Hit may have recruited him through that connection. After Namjoon joined, Pdogg mentioned that Big Hit considered other well-known underground hip hop artists, like Beenzino and Basick, before deciding to hold an open audition to form the group.
Track Releases and the Audition
To promote the Hit It! audition, photos of Namjoon and Iron were released along with two solo tracks from each:
The contestants had to pick one of these four tracks, write an original rap and perform it, covering themes like school life or social issues.
The Hit It! audition was one of BTS’s first big steps toward the group’s final lineup, establishing Namjoon as the centerpiece of the project from the very beginning.
How to Join the Hit It! Online Audition
Step 0: Check the video. Watch the Bangtan Sonyeondan reference video!
(Check the Bangtan Sonyeondan sample performance)
Step 1: Download the track. Download the track you want.
You can choose from four tracks.
Step 2: Write a rap. Write a rap about your school life or a social issue.
Show your style and confidence!
Step 3: Record a video. Record a UCC* video of yourself performing.
(*UCC: User Created Content)
Step 4: Send your application. Fill in the application form and send your material
Once the Hit It! audition opened, contestants had two ways to take part: upload a video performing their song to Daum TV (a platform that was shut down last year, wiping out all the old videos) or attend one of the in-person auditions.
Among the participants, Min Yoongi (SUGA) stood out. For his entry, he chose Namjoon’s track “Seventeen”.
The Voting and Ranking Process
After the performances, the contestants’ videos went up for a vote on a site/app called Love Beat. Yoongi’s performance got a lot of attention and finished in first place in the vote. Besides him, two other participants who also stood out on Love Beat were picked by the judges to move on to the Hit It! finals.
Recognition in the Finals
On the official poster for the finals, Yoongi was credited as:
- “Love Beat First Place Winner – Min Yoongi”.
Another name that appeared was Choi Ikje (i11evn), credited as:
- “Daum TV Winner”.
This moment was crucial for Yoongi, marking the start of his journey toward BTS and establishing his talent and recognition on the music scene while the group was still in its early stages.
The Hit It! finals took place on October 24, 2010 at club NB2 in Hongdae. The competition followed a rap battle format, putting the finalists head to head. According to the event poster, Min Yoongi (SUGA) and Choi Ikje (i11evn) were placed on opposite sides, facing each other in the final round.
The event featured Big Hit Entertainment artists, including the group 8eight (made up of Lee Hyun, Joo Hee and Baek Chan), rapper San E and Bangtan itself. At that point, Bangtan had three members – Namjoon (RM), Iron and Supreme Boi, the last one a recent addition. After the competition, Bangtan gave a special performance on stage.
In the final battle, Yoongi came in second, losing to Ikje. Even so, his performance caught Big Hit’s attention, and the company decided to sign him anyway – only the winner was officially guaranteed a spot at the company.
There are recordings of that night’s performance, and later Yoongi and Ikje re-recorded their raps. The tracks “Swagger” and “Diss”, part of Yoongi’s early catalog, came out of this competition.
Interestingly, the re-recorded “Diss” has one striking difference from the live performance. On stage, Yoongi ended his battle claiming that he had obviously won.
In the studio version, he added one more line at the end, admitting that he actually lost, in a self-deprecating joke.
This detail shows not only his talent and confidence, but also his humility and ability to laugh at himself – traits that would become trademarks of his career in BTS.
September to November 2010 – The first songs
- The first tracks and features
- Working with Lim Jeong-Hee (J-Lim)
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BTS’s musical journey officially began on September 13, 2010, with the release of their first group track, “Hook Gayo” – also known as the “Brave Brothers Diss Track”. The song featured Kim Namjoon (RM), Jung Huncheol (Iron) and Shin Donghyuck (Supreme Boi).
The track was a direct response to a song previously released by Brave Brothers (a well-known South Korean producer, not a group). The Brave Brothers track criticized Bang Si-hyuk (Bang PD), Big Hit Entertainment’s CEO, along with other names in the industry. “Hook Gayo” worked as a diss in Bang PD’s defense and became one of the first expressions of Bangtan’s combative, creative spirit.
Shortly after, on September 30, 2010, Bangtan made its first official feature, on singer Lim Jeong-Hee‘s song “Ashes”. On the track, RM and Iron wrote and recorded their own rap verses.
Although RM and Iron were the only members actively involved, the song was credited only to the group, registered under the name Bangtan with KOMCA (the Korea Music Copyright Association). This collective credit pattern was used again later, on songs like “Waste It On Me”, released as BTS even though only RM and Jungkook sing on it.
The collaboration with Lim Jeong-Hee also produced the first video of the series that would later be known as Bangtan Bomb/Episode. The video shows Namjoon and Iron recording “Ashes”, a sneak peek at their studio work and the behind the scenes of the production.
These first releases and features were crucial in shaping BTS’s identity, highlighting not only their musical skills but also Namjoon’s presence as a central figure in the group’s evolution.
On October 12, 2010, Bangtan released the track “We Are B.P.B.”. This song is often confused with “We Are Bulletproof Pt. 1”, a re-recording released on SoundCloud in 2015, shortly before the BTS Begins concert.
In the 2015 re-recording, Namjoon (RM)‘s part was kept but split between him and Jungkook. Supreme Boi and Iron‘s parts were removed, and new lyrics were added to reflect BTS’s official lineup.
Interestingly, in 2016, Yoongi (SUGA) reused part of his verse from “We Are Bulletproof Pt. 1” on the track “Agust D”, linking the group’s early work to his solo career.
On October 26, 2010, Bangtan featured on 2AM‘s song “Love U Hate U”. The track featured RM, Supreme Boi and Iron.
Although all three rappers took part, Supreme Boi’s and Iron’s verses were shortened – only 4 lines each – while Namjoon had a full 8-line verse. It is not clear whether this was a musical choice or because Supreme Boi was added to the track late.
These collaborations with established artists like 2AM helped Bangtan gain experience and visibility before their official debut as BTS.
Building Bangtan’s Visual and Musical Identity
The lyric video for “We Are B.P.B.” brought not only Bangtan’s first group song, but also the group’s first official logo. That logo used the initials B.P.B. and the English name “Bullet Proof Boys” – without the “Boyz” that Bang PD had mentioned earlier in a tweet.
The logo went through two more changes before BTS’s official debut in 2013, reflecting how the group’s visual identity evolved and settled during the pre-debut years.
“Is This Diss?” – The Diss Track That Wasn’t a Diss
In November 2010, Bangtan released a diss track aimed at DNH (Daenamhyup), a collective of underground rappers. The song references the initials BPB, reinforcing the group’s identity on the emerging hip hop scene.
Funnily enough, although the track was labeled a diss track, its lyrics were actually full of praise, playing with the idea of rivalry. That shows in the song’s title: “Is This Diss?” – a good-humored jab that highlighted the respect between the artists.
These early productions helped shape Bangtan’s reputation as a competitive hip hop group that also knew how to bring irony and creativity into its lyrics, setting a unique tone for what would become BTS.
December 2010 – From BPB to BTS
- The change from BPB to BTS
- New trainees and dorm life
- The December 2010 trainee rankings
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The initials BPB kept appearing in Bangtan’s songs during the early phase. One example is the mention by Namjoon (RM) in “Rollin”, by the collective DNH (Daenamhyup), released around August 2011. Still, the track may have been written earlier, since older records are scarce.
The name change from BPB to BTS happened around the same time Bangtan went from a hip hop crew to a hip hop idol group. That shift marked the start of a new phase in the group’s identity, reflecting the future Bang PD and Big Hit were planning for them.
New Members and Dorm Life
With his spot secured through the Hit It! audition, Yoongi (SUGA) moved into the dorm in November 2010. Soon after, on December 24, 2010, Jung Hoseok (J-Hope) joined the group too. Fun fact: the date on Hoseok’s helmet in the “Dope” music video refers to the day he moved into the dorm – a tribute to that milestone in his journey.
Around this time, the mysterious Park Yeong-Man also joined the group. His name appears written on a whiteboard in a photo that includes other Bangtan trainees.
The image comes from an old MBC music reality show called “Star Audition: The Great Birth”, where Bang PD was a judge. The photo also mentions other trainees and hints at how the group was structured at the time.
Trainee Rankings (December 2010)
According to the available records, the rankings that month were:
- Choi Ikje (i11evn)
- Kim Namjoon (RM)
- Shin Donghyuck (Supreme Boi)
- Min Yoongi (SUGA)
- Unranked: Jung Hoseok (J-Hope) and Park Yeong-Man.
These rankings show how Big Hit was evaluating the trainees at that point. The structure reflected where each member stood in terms of skill, development and potential within the group being formed.
Hoseok’s Thank-yous and Bangtan’s Former Members
In the thanks section of the album 2 Cool 4 Skool, Jung Hoseok (J-Hope) split his mentions into two groups: former Bangtan trainees and former Bangtan members.
Among the former members, Hoseok mentioned Park Yeong-Man, showing that he was officially considered part of the group, even without taking part in songs or releases. Choi Ikje (i11evn) and Jung Huncheol (Iron) were also on the list.
Supreme Boi, although not on that list, was mentioned in another part of the thank-yous, suggesting he was still involved with the group at the time.
Other References to Park Yeong-Man
Kim Namjoon (RM) also mentioned Yeong-Man in his own thank-yous, along with Iron, Ikje and Jihoon (covered in part 2), as part of the “Big Hit Family”. This reinforces that Yeong-Man was officially part of Bangtan at some point.
However, there is little more information about Yeong-Man. We know he was older than the 1994 line members (Yoongi and Jin) and apparently left the group before the more stable lineups took shape.
Essential videos from 2010
Wrapping up 2010 – The Start of BTS’s Journey
That was 2010 for our BTS: a year full of first steps, changes and lots of hard work. From the first auditions and releases to building an identity as a group, 2010 marked the start of a journey that would keep evolving.
In the next article, we dive into 2011, a year of new collaborations, big changes and Bangtan getting stronger on the road to becoming BTS. Stay tuned!
Frequently asked questions about BTS in 2010
What was BTS’s first name?
B.P.B., from Bullet Proof Boys. The name Bangtan — and later BTS — came with the group’s transition.
What was the Hit It! audition?
It was the audition Big Hit opened in 2010 to put the project together, which started out as a hip hop crew.
Who was already in BTS in 2010?
The rap line was already in the project: Namjoon (RM), Yoongi (SUGA) and Hoseok (j-hope), alongside trainees who later left, like Iron and Supreme Boi.
When did BTS debut?
On June 13, 2013. See everything in BTS 2013.
