Not all K-pop idols come from wealthy families, some had to work their way up from impoverished beginnings to success. Below are eight artists who grew up in poverty and are now well-known celebrities in the Korean entertainment industry thanks to their hard work and determination.
8 K-pop Idols With Poor Family Backgrounds
Sandara Park
In her early childhood, Sandara Park relocated to the Philippines due to her family's financial crisis. Besides that, her father had a secret second family in Korea and ultimately deserted Dara's family. Her father even brought all their money, leaving them with nothing. This motivated the female idol to work hard and become successful.
ALSO READ: 6 Girl Crush Female Idols Who Brought Back Smokey Makeup Trend
Park soon became a popular actress and singer in the Philippines. She then returned to Korea to train at YG Entertainment. She went on to become a member of the legendary girl group 2NE1.
TVXQ Yunho
TVXQ Yunho had rough times during his teenage years. His family was struggling financially. This led them to be kicked out of their home. Because of this, they were forced to sleep at train stations sometimes.
Yunho then decided to become a singer to help his family, however, his parents were against it. This resulted in him having multiple part-time jobs to save money for his dream. Fortunately, Yunho was accepted to SM Entertainment and debuted as a member of TVXQ.
BTS V
BTS V may be regarded as a global star, but he is one of the K-pop idols who come from a poor family. He initially thought that he will become a farmer and never imagined that he will become a celebrity.
It all started when Kim Taehyung (V's real name) followed his friend to an audition even if he did not plan on going in the first place. He ended up passing the audition, and the rest is history.
Girl's Day Hyeri
Lee Hyeri spent much of her childhood away from her parents as they were working hard to provide for their family amid their tight financial difficulties. In particular, she lived with her sister and grandmother in the countryside while her mother was working at a factory (for 15 years).
READ MORE: 10 K-pop Idols Who Initially Dreamt of Becoming Doctors or Nurses
After debuting in Girl's Day, Hyeri was able to help his family overcome their hard situation. She even purchased a huge apartment in Seoul for her parents along with an imported luxury car for her dad.
BTS Suga
Another BTS member who experienced poverty before rising to stardom is Suga. His family had financial struggles that led him to the point where he had to choose between eating and riding a bus. If he bought a bowl of noodles costing $2, then he would have to walk home.
To earn money, BTS Suga worked as a part-time delivery guy during his trainee days. He also had a part-time at a recording studio. He wrote songs when he was 13 years old, which he would then sell. Even though he sustained a shoulder injury due to an accident while working, he continued to pursue his dream.
SHINee Taemin
During a live broadcast, SHINee member Taemin revealed that his family had a financial crisis during his childhood. He mentioned not being able to afford an MP3 music player. He added that he would wear headphones while it was attached to nothing just so he can fit in with all the other kids.
After training at SM Entertainment, he officially debuted as a member of SHINee and was able to buy a house in Gangnam for his parents.
Kim Chungha
Because of Chungha's family's financial difficulties, they ended up having lots of debts. Thankfully, she found success through "Produce 101" and was able to debut in I.O.I. She later became a solo artist after her group disbanded.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 5 K-pop Groups Who Gained Popularity After Member's Viral Fancam
Now, that she has become one of the top K-pop soloists, Kim Chungha was able to pay her parents' debt in full in 2019. She even bought her mother a luxury bag as a Christmas present.
Rain
The final K-pop idol on our list is Rain. His family was left in poverty following the 1997 Asian financial crisis that affected several countries including South Korea. This calamity caused his father to declare bankruptcy. They moved to Brazil to earn money.
Rain shared that there were many days when he starved as there was nothing to eat at home. Another unfortunate thing that happened was that his mother passed away due to diabetes and their inability to afford medicines for her.
At present, Rain is one of the top richest celebrities in South Korea. He and his wife Kim Tae Hee are among the most powerful couples in the entertainment industry.
For more K-Pop news and updates, keep your tabs open here at KpopStarz.
KpopStarz owns this article
Written by Mhaliya Scott
