In 2002, Heechul and Kangin were recruited along with Kibum, who was discovered in Los Angeles, California by a casting agent. Sungmin and Donghae became trainees after jointly winning first place in an SM-sponsored contest in 2001. That same year, Leeteuk, Yesung, and Eunhyuk were recruited after auditioning for the company's annual casting system in Seoul. In 2000, SM Entertainment held their first overseas casting auditions in Beijing 101, China and recruited Han Geng, who auditioned against three thousand applicants. Musical career 2000–2005: Formation and debut 8.3 Han Geng's lawsuit and departure from group.1.10 2022–present: The Road: Winter for Spring, The Road: Keep on Going and Super Show 9.1.9 2019–2021: Kangin's departure, Time Slip, Super Show 8, 15th anniversary, Star and The Renaissance.1.8 2017–2018: Play, One More Time, and Super Show 7.1.7 2014–2016: Mamacita, Super Show 6, Devil, Magic and Label SJ.1.4 2010–2011: Bonamana, lineup changes, and international recognition.1.3 2008–2009: Sorry, Sorry and career breakthrough.Their fandom name is E.L.F, which stands for Ever Lasting Friends. In March 2020, Super Junior broke their own record topping the Korean Album Chart of Taiwan's KKBOX for 122 consecutive weeks since 2017 with their 8th album Play, the 8th album repackage REPLAY in 2018, the 9th album Time_Slip from 2019, and 9th album repackage Timeless. They won the "International Artist" and "Best Fandom" awards at the 2015 Teen Choice Awards. In 2012, they were nominated for "Best Asian Act" in MTV Europe Music Awards. The group has earned thirteen music awards from the Mnet Asian Music Awards, nineteen from the Golden Disc Awards, and are the second singing group to win Favorite Artist Korea at the 2008 MTV Asia Awards after jtL in 2003.
Super Junior was the best-selling K-pop artist for four years in a row. Their successes and popularity as all-rounded entertainers have led other Korean entertainment managements to also begin training their music groups in other aspects of the entertainment industry.
The members have also individually branched out into hosting, presenting and acting. Over the years, they have been divided into smaller groups, simultaneously targeting different music industries and audiences. Super Junior launched into international recognition following the release of their best-selling single " Sorry, Sorry" in 2009, the title song of their most critically successful album, Sorry, Sorry. Originally a 12-piece group before the addition of Kyuhyun in 2006, Han Geng, Kibum and Kangin departed the band in 2011, 20, respectively. Super Junior currently consists of 10 members, consisting of leader Leeteuk, Heechul, Yesung, Shindong, Sungmin, Eunhyuk, Donghae, Siwon, Ryeowook and Kyuhyun.
They are also dubbed by the media as the "King of Hallyu Wave" due to their prominent contributions in Korean Wave. Super Junior ( Korean: 슈퍼주니어 RR: Syupeo Junieo stylized in all caps), also known as SJ or SuJu, is a South Korean boy band formed by Lee Soo-man, the founder of SM Entertainment in 2005.