Members for the group have been scouted for since 2010. Before joining, J-HOPE was active in the underground dancing scene, participating in various battles and competitions. Rap Monster and SUGA did the same, being active in the underground rapping scene. Before becoming trainees, they focused on their respective interests (dance, singing, acting, rapping), where they eventually passed auditions and ended up in the same group. The original lineup for Bangtan went through several changes before the final group of members was established in 2012.