Yang Hyun-suk
Choi subsequently recorded several demos with Kwon and sent them to Yang Hyun-suk, CEO of YG Entertainment, who later asked he to audition. Choi was initially rejected by the record label, which deemed him too "chubby" to fit the "idealistic version" of an idol. He later "went home and exercised really hard because I wanted to join YG Entertainment," losing 20 kg in 40 days. Six months later, Choi returned for another audition and was signed.