From the perspective of a fan or a total outsider, it seems like being a K-pop star is deeply rewarding and glamorous. As a sufficiently popular talent in this field, you'll likely make lots of money, visit interesting places, and even be worshipped by passionate fans. It's a life of luxury and appreciation that stirs feelings of jealousy—but perception and reality aren't always synchronous.
The truth is that K-pop stars often face high levels of stress and burnout, sometimes forcing them away from this celebrity lifestyle altogether. For example, last year, BTS announced they were taking time off, with burnout being cited as the main reason. More recently, Blackpink's lead rapper Jennie, has also talked about how burnout has affected her personally.
Why does it seem like K-pop stars face burnout so frequently?
The Demands of K-pop Stardom
Let's start by looking at the core demands of being a K-pop star.
Tight performances. Most fans understand that K-pop is built upon a foundation of very tight performances, which is part of the appeal. Performers must prepare and execute very precise choreography in order to please their fans and repeat those precise movements hundreds or even thousands of times when they're on tour. There isn't much room for error, as even a single mistake could jeopardize their career or undermine their potential. Even if you're an amazing musician and dancer, this is a lot of pressure to face, and the pressure compounds with each passing year.
Managerial controls. It doesn't help that most K-pop bands and solo acts are under managerial control. They don't have much freedom to choose the music they perform, the venues they perform at, or their schedule. Instead of exercising creativity and autonomy, most people in K-pop simply execute commands.
Group dynamics. Group dynamics make things even more complicated. Oftentimes, the success of a K-pop band is a result of the individual personalities and collaborative chemistry of its constituent members. Even a single tense fight or a breakdown in communication can lead to major problems within the group.
Fan expectations. Fan expectations make everything worse. Without fans, a K-pop star cannot continue their lifestyle. But at the same time, fans are almost impossible to fully please. There will always be haters and critics, and if an artist makes a questionable move, it could cause an avalanche of negativity.
Fast changes. On top of that, the K-pop world turns swiftly. Most K-pop stars know that they're never more than a few wrong moves or a few competitors away from becoming permanently irrelevant.
Personal Burdens
K-pop stars typically face personal burdens.
For example:
Finances. Making lots of money doesn't necessarily set you up for life. These stars need to think carefully about how they manage their money, utilizing a diverse distribution of assets to build a sustainable portfolio. There are options available to take away some of this burden; for example, working with a Houston property management company allows K-pop stars to build an entire portfolio of investment properties, even throughout the United States, and even as they tour internationally.
Relationships. It's understandably difficult to build and maintain healthy relationships when you're dealing with the demands of K-pop stardom. Without stable relationships and friendships, the stress and anxiety that lead to burnout become even more difficult to manage.
Health. All these factors can also take a toll on a person's physical health. Suffering an injury from ongoing performances or even something simple, like catching a cold, can be incredibly disruptive and hasten the onset of burnout.
The Big Picture
If you zoom out, it's easy to understand burnout as an inevitability for many K-pop stars.
Hours. This lifestyle may seem glamorous, but it comes with long hours. The best stars have to work tirelessly and constantly in order to keep up the pace. On top of that, they're usually away from home for months at a time.
Effort. Many of these hours aren't idle. K-pop stars must push their bodies and minds to the limit in order to keep their fans happy. Very few people have the stamina to keep this up for a prolonged period of time.
Lack of autonomy. Unsurprisingly, autonomy is often cited as one of the most important factors for happiness and well-being. But many K-pop stars don't have enough of it. They're subject to the desires and decisions of managers, fans, and even other group members, giving them little room to choose their own path. Sure, K-pop celebrities can always choose to leave the profession—but even this can be a difficult choice.
Stakes. Finally, the stakes are enormous. Succeeding in this industry means you'll be rich for life, but even a single mistake could cost you that potential. Many of us "normal" people dream of becoming rich and famous but would buckle under this kind of pressure.
We all love K-pop, and we all love the stars who make it so unique and memorable. But it's important for us to remember that these are human beings behind the bands, and they're just as susceptible to stress, hardship, and burnout as the rest of us. The conditions under which they distribute music and perform are incredibly tough, and we owe it to them to have a little more sympathy and respect for what they do.
