TOKYO -- In 2012, Yuta Nakamoto flew from Osaka to Seoul with a one-way ticket and a determination to plunge into K-pop music, which was gaining popularity around the world. The 16-year-old passed an audition held by SM Entertainment, a top South Korean entertainment company representing internationally known pop music artists such as BoA and TVXQ.
Nakamoto, now known by his stage name of Yuta, became the first Japanese trainee performer in SM Entertainment.
