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K-Pop Documentary: Trainees Practice Late, Some Train 10 Years Unpaid

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BTS and BLACKPINK

According to a latest report by CNN, K-pop has become a global phenomenon, with Korean idol groups like BTS and BLACKPINK representing the genre’s massive success in Europe and the Americas. However, behind their glamorous image lies a long and grueling journey to stardom. CNN recently aired a documentary titled The Untold Story of How K-Pop Stars Are Made, which reveals the intense process of how a group of young girls are trained to become K-pop idols, enduring immense pressure and harsh conditions.

Weight Limit of 90 Pounds

In the footage, seven young, beautiful girls, aged between 14 and 20, anxiously await the results. Some of them will be selected to join a new group, with a chance to become K-pop stars. Today, K-pop attracts a large number of young people from South Korea and around the world who dream of stardom. However, the path before them is long and arduous. Before being selected, these girls undergo months or even years of intense training, which includes singing, dancing, rapping, and acting. They are also required to meet stringent exercise and diet standards. Some even give up formal education and leave home to train, despite the uncertainty that their K-pop group may disband after just a few years.

In an interview with CNN, Paul Thompson, the founder and CEO of the entertainment company MZMC, shared insights into how the company creates K-pop idol groups. Thompson, who has written hundreds of K-pop songs, showed CNN how the company builds these stars. About 30 girls participated in the initial auditions, but after thousands of selections, only 7 remain—this brutal selection process is now a common practice in K-pop “star-making factories.” Unlike the music industry in other countries, South Korean entertainment companies not only train and select trainees, but also control their entire schedules, including when they make public appearances, meet the media, attend concerts, interact with fans, and even monitor every aspect of their private lives. “In the U.S., this training model briefly existed in the ’60s and ’70s,” Thompson said. “But it’s gone now because it’s too expensive.”

In South Korea, however, this star-making system is thriving. Trainees who survive the intense selection process have the chance to debut and publicly showcase their talents, which many young people with starry-eyed dreams see as their only opportunity. “In the idol world, 18 is already considered old,” said 18-year-old Lee An-young (pseudonym), one of the final 7 trainees at MZMC, reflecting the thoughts of many aspiring young girls. “If I miss this chance, there’s nowhere else to go.”

Among these girls are Korean-Americans and a 17-year-old girl from Japan. Their daily routine starts with two hours of gym exercise, followed by a full day of lessons, including vocal and dance training. Some of the younger girls even attend half-day academic classes, and the training might continue until midnight or even later.

K-pop has extremely high aesthetic demands for idols. Trainees are required to strictly control their diet and weight, with the company checking their weight twice a month. 45 kg is considered the standard weight for Korean female idols, and while undergoing intense training, the girls also have to follow strict dieting and consider how to enhance their appearance through cosmetic surgery. In Thompson’s view, “This is what being an idol is. Fans want to worship someone who looks perfect.”

“The Media Only Shows the Glamorous Side of Idols”

Even after debuting successfully, the pressure on these idols does not lessen. Statistics show that only 1% of K-pop groups reach the top level of fame like BTS or BLACKPINK. Celebrities are also under constant scrutiny from their fervent fans, with any negative behavior in their appearance, performance, or private life likely to lead to protests. A few years ago, Aespa member Yoo Jimin was forced to publicly apologize to fans after her relationship with South Korean actor Lee Jae-suk was revealed. The relationship, under immense external pressure, lasted only a month before being made public. Additionally, there have been cases of idol stars dying suddenly or committing suicide, highlighting the widespread issues within the K-pop industry.

In an article published in December 2024, Yoo Hyung-seop, a spokesperson for the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, said that the idol industry plays an important role in enhancing South Korea’s national brand image. “The media only shows the glamorous side of successful idols, but what is going on inside them? What happens to idols or trainees who aren’t successful?” In reality, many people working in the K-pop industry had no formal education growing up. As trainees, some can go unpaid for 9 to 10 years. The intense competition and pressure to lose weight often lead to malnutrition, menstrual issues, or mental health problems. In the position of neither employee nor student, there are no legal protections for trainees who have to practice for 15 hours a day in singing, dancing, and exercise. Even if they are fortunate enough to debut, they are required to repay all the expenses their agency has invested in them. The entertainment industry, including costs for music broadcasts, stage outfits, and music video productions, requires a large capital investment. Therefore, the smaller the company, the more financial pressure and coercion they place on their idols or trainees.

The article states that research on the idol industry reveals that unfairness continues to exist between various stakeholders in the mass music industry, including entertainment agencies, broadcast companies, investors, and consumers. Especially for idols and trainees, fragile contracts are the norm. The industry’s structure, centered around agencies, exacerbates the power imbalance. The term “singer” has surpassed its professional meaning and is instead seen as a mere “commodity.”

Policy Introduced to Protect Trainee Rights

Around 85% of South Korea’s entertainment companies that discover and train idols are based in Seoul. These companies provide insufficient support for adolescents going through unstable periods in their special role as trainees. According to Seoul News, in January 2024, the Seoul City Council passed a bill, initiated by City Council member Kim Gui-nam, titled the “Seoul Youth Cultural Artist Rights Protection and Support Ordinance.”

Based on this ordinance, the Seoul City Council will intervene early in cases of physical and psychological harm to youth trainees, including sexual harassment, sexual violence, forced dieting, and cosmetic surgery. It will also offer support for trainees in psychological assessments and counseling. The ordinance also includes provisions for consulting and helping trainees explore new career paths if they fail to debut, or if their contracts expire or are terminated.

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