K-Pop Idol’s Biggest Hit Song Revealed To Have Been Rejected By Another Group First

A beloved K-Pop hit is making headlines again—this time not for its success, but for its unexpected origin story. Composer Joo Young Hoon recently revealed that Kim Jong Kook’s mega-hit track “Loveable” was never originally meant for him at all.

Appearing on Immortal Songs, Joo Young Hoon opened up about the surprising journey behind the now-iconic track. According to the composer, the song was initially created for a four-member Japanese girl group and carefully tailored to fit the preferences of the Japanese music market.

However, the plan quickly fell apart when the group’s agency rejected the track outright. Rather than shelving it immediately, Joo Young Hoon admitted he repeatedly tried to “bundle” the song with other projects, offering it to various artists whenever the opportunity arose, but it was consistently turned down.

Just as the song was on the verge of being scrapped entirely, it found its way to Kim Jong Kook. While working on other material for the singer, Joo Young Hoon casually included “Loveable” as an extra option. In an unexpected twist, Kim Jong Kook passed on the originally intended track and instead chose the very song that had been rejected multiple times.

Even then, the choice raised eyebrows. Joo Young Hoon revealed that he initially questioned whether the soft, charming track suited Kim Jong Kook’s well-known muscular, masculine image. Despite his doubts, the two moved forward with recording, treating it as an experiment more than anything else.

Soon after, that “experiment” would go on to become one of Kim Jong Kook’s most defining songs. “Loveable” exploded in popularity upon release, earning widespread public love and ultimately helping Kim Jong Kook secure the Daesangs (Grand Prizes) at the year-end award ceremonies of all three broadcasting stations that same year!

Listen to “Loveable” here: