'Bright and skinny' K-pop idols are fostered around the world
Behind the success of the K-POP idol cultivation system
South Korean entertainment companies are working to export their K-Pop idol cultivational systems to foreign countries. As K-Pop idols have achieved significant results in the U.S. market recently, Korean entertainment firms intend to develop new profit models by nurturing idols directly from abroad in addition to the expansion of Korean idols overseas.
Is this system really effective for sufficiently nurturing artists to export abroad? We need to note that this system is a "standardized" project designed by idol producers that ignores each trainee's individuality and human rights and unifies them into a "slim and bright" image.
Hive·JYP·RBW…Export of idol cultivation systems
Korean entertainment agencies are working to foster K-pop idols in the U.S. and Japan directly, in addition to promoting K-pop idols in Korea. Their intention is to create a new profit model in overseas markets by exporting a system that fosters idols.
BTS agency Hive is in a situation where it must diversify its profit portfolio as BTS member Jin is about to join the military. In response, Hive has chosen to enter the U.S. market. In order to strengthen its connection with the U.S. market, Hive announced in January 2021 that it would establish a joint venture with the U.S. Universal Group and produce an idol audition program. In April, for $1.05 billion the company acquired a 100 percent stake in Ithaca Holdings, the agency of Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande, through Big Hit America.
In addition to Hive, large Korean agencies are also exporting their own idol cultivational systems to find profit models in overseas markets. JYP Entertainment, one of Korea's top three agencies, is working with Sony Music, Japan's largest record label, to conduct a global audition "Nizi Project" to select and create girl groups. More than 10,000 applicants flocked to global auditions in Japan and the United States in July and August last year. The selected girl group is scheduled to debut in Japan in November. RBW, which is affiliated with the girl group Mamamoo, debuted boy group D1Verse in Vietnam in February 2020.
"Power of the System" K-pop Idol
The Korean idol cultivational system, which is expanding the profit model of Korean entertainment agencies in the U.S. and Japan, is a system that creates 'standardized' idols. Korean agencies do not work with outstanding artists ready to debut immediately, but rather select young people with potential and train them from one year and up to 10 years to meet their standards and to make them standardized idols.
SM, YG, and JYP, now the top three agencies, became big agencies through the idols created by the system. The system dates back to the 1990s, when idol H.O.T and SES was released by SM Entertainment, Fin.K.L and Sechs Kies released by DSP Entertainment, the agencies began to recruit trainees in earnest to foster idols.
Representative idols produced by SM Entertainment include BoA, TVXQ, Super Junior, Girls' Generation, SHINee, EXO, Red Velvet, NCT and Espa. BoA, who marked the beginning of a production-type idol, is famous for her anecdote that she was selected when she was in elementary school, planned to target the Japanese market, and stayed with a Japanese announcer for three years during practice.
YG emphasized hip-hop labels by producing Jinusean and 1TYM, but gradually expanded its production scope to the idol market by producing Seven, Lexy, Big Bang, 2NE1, WINNER, iKON and Black Pink. JYP produced idols such as g.o.d, Rain, wonder girls, miss A, 2PM, 2AM and TWICE. Big Hit Entertainment, the predecessor to Hive, which has recently emerged as an aggressive M&A, was a small and medium-sized agency, but BTS's success in the U.S. market has given it a big hand in the Korean production industry.
The artist's personality and human rights hidden in the "Idol Painting."
Then, is the K-Pop idol cultivation system one that can contribute to discovering and nurturing idols and even good artists? Given the success of idols and production companies, it seems to prove that this standardized system can make the idols we expect efficiently. However, there seems to be room for improvement in that each trainee's individuality and human rights are ignored within the system.
Most idol trainees are children or teenagers. However, the idol system focuses only on one goal: to create 'slim and bright' idols. In addition to training, the system requires trainees abide by a number of rules including bans on dating, cell phones, and high-calorie foods, and a requirement of low weight. It is standard practice to create unlimited competition by frequently dropping trainees after monthly evaluations.
Jin, a member of BTS (BTS), confessed on a talk show, "I survived for a year eating only two pieces of chicken breasts a day." TWICE member Momo also said, "I heard from my agency that I can't debut unless I lose 7kg a week. For the next week, I stayed up with a few pieces of ice, and every time I slept, I was afraid I couldn't get up.”
Trainees who spent their adolescent years working to match the image of idols, or idols who made their debut through competition, complain of anxiety. In April 2021, NU'EST agency Pledis Entertainment said, "Member Aaron received a specialist's opinion that he needs stability and rest due to psychological anxiety. We plan to operate Aaron's second regular album in a flexible manner." TWICE's Jeongyeon was absent from the group’s second full-length album in October 2020 due to anxiety and, before that, TWICE’s Mina also took a break from team activities due to the same symptoms. In addition, numerous idol singers, including Oh My Girl Ji-ho, Monsta X Joo-heon, Seventeen S.Coups and WJSN Da-won, have suspended their activities due to mental anxiety.
However, with the success of the K-pop idol market, the way in which the agencies foster idols is becoming the "right thing." This empowers producers to fit trainees into the standard uniform of still slim and bright idols and violate their human rights in the process. "We want to consume a good image through idols," lawyer Song Hye-mi said in an Aju Economic Contribution. "However, are idols in a situation where they can grow up right and nice?" he asked. "I think Korea, which produces idols that are popular around the world, should seriously reflect on this issue now."
It is time to think about what K-Pop idols the market wants and how to establish a nurturing system in which the needs of producers, trainees, and consumers coexist.
[by Sejin Kim]
Drop Me a Line, Let Me Know What You Think: kimspaper@substack.com