A casting director’s unexpected discovery of a smiling photo in a small academy in Daegu has resurfaced online, revealing the unlikely moment that helped launch the career of BTS’ V. The story of how the global K-pop star was first spotted is now drawing renewed attention from fans. Japanese outlet Oricon News recently published an interview with Kim Mi-jung, a former casting director at BigHit Music who helped recruit members of BTS and Tomorrow X Together. Kim said among the many trainees she encountered during her years scouting talent, the moment she first saw V stood out the most. “I’ve seen many trainees, but V was the only one who gave me chills the moment I encountered him,” she said. At the time, Kim had just begun working as a casting manager and was traveling across regional cities in search of new talent. She recalled spending an entire week scouting in the southern city of Daegu during a sweltering summer without finding anyone promising. “I had been searching all week in Daegu, but I couldn’t discover anyone,” she said. “I was exhausted and sitting down whe