Korean pop music, or K-pop as it's popularly known, has been taking the global community by storm for the past couple of decades, with tunes like 'Gangnam Style' by PSY topping various charts across the world. Whether you like it or not, you've got to admit that there is at least one k-pop song that got stuck in your head for a few days after hearing it.
Such is the melodious charm that comes with k-pop. That said, due to the global success of k-pop, millions of teenagers have been dreaming and working tirelessly to make a name for themselves in the industry. With so many top artists like Big Bang, EXO, Girls Generation, to mention but a few, emerging from the k-pop industry, Korean teenagers are certainly not devoid of talents to idolize. Many Koreans try to find their feet in k-pop, but the stiff competition in the industry has proven to be a big hurdle.
Millions of aspiring youngsters try their luck by auditioning at well-established entertainment brands like JYP, SM, and YG, on a weekly basis, just to get a shot at fame. However, being a k-pop star goes beyond a pretty face and a lovely voice. Here, we take a look at the sweat, funds, blood, and efforts it takes for someone to become a successful k-pop idol.
Rigorous Training
Passing a musical audition in Korea isn't the end of the road for an aspiring k-pop star; in fact, it is just the beginning. After passing the audition, one would progress into an agency where you would have to sign an official contract with the agency to become a trainee. However, due to the stiff competition present in the industry, a trainee would have to compete with hundreds of other trainees for a limited chance to make their debut. Most times, being a trainee doesn't mean you would stop schooling. In fact, many trainees juggle between trainee life and student life. While you are with the agency, you will be expected to take part in singing, dancing, acting, and even language classes, all of which involve rigorous efforts. And most training periods usually last between five to 10 years. The training also includes - what many agencies refer to as - 'monthly evaluation' to evaluate the performance of each trainee at the end of each month.
Perfect diet and appearance
Good looks are extremely vital to a Korean celebrity. Besides some stars undergoing the infamous plastic surgeries and cosmetic enhancements, many, if not all of them, must follow strict diet plans and watch their food intakes in order to maintain a certain weight, especially before a performance. Besides the diet and weight, you've got to present yourself in a stunning fashion - if you really want to make an impression on people quickly - both before and after your auditioning. This presents a huge challenge for people who don't really have much to spend on their diet and appearance. But, have no fear if you are one of them; you can find a passive income stream to fend for yourself, such as forex trading (using a unique and effective strategy like scalping) or freelancing. If you opt for the former, be sure to find the best forex brokers for scalping, to improve your chances of earning more money to support your career.
Seven-year curse
The Korean music industry is so populated, and this is because agencies continuously produce idol groups several times a year. So it is expected that the weaker ones who fail to succeed would end up disbanding due to the stiff competition. Then there is the myth that idol groups would only last for five to seven years without undergoing a member-change or worse, disbandment. Since the early days of K-pop, many groups and bands have fallen victim to this curse largely due to the period of their contract as well as strong competition. Sometimes, idol group members would end up chasing other career paths such as acting, continuing as solo artists, or becoming a TV host instead.
Work more and spend more
Besides practicing, singing, dancing, recording songs, and producing albums, K-pop idols also have to think about promoting and marketing their work, which means MORE work for them in terms of public appearances and financing. Some idol groups' schedules are usually hectic - attending photoshoots, filming commercials, appearing on variety shows, and showing up at events, just to get a shot at fame. But, this begs the question: where do you get the money to finance all of these? Most up-and-coming stars fall short because of their inability to either promote themselves or find brands to market them. Instead of waiting for brands to raise you, why not self-fund your career? You can do this by picking up a secondary stream of income that wouldn't take much of your time or stop you from pursuing your musical career. For starters, forex is a good one, and within the first few months of trading, you can expect to start earning some cool cash to help you on your career path. It is often preferable to trade when there are low spreads, like during the major forex sessions.
Slave contracts
The K-pop industry is renowned for its 'slave contracts.' Not so long ago, SM Entertainment, one of the biggest entertainment agencies in Korea behind Super Junior, Girls Generation and EXO, made the news headlines for legal issues pertaining to their artists' contractual agreements. In 2012, Kris from EXO-M also filed a lawsuit for contract annulation. "The company has treated me like a machine part or as an object of control rather than presenting a vision as an entertainer," he said.
