"How To Become A K-Pop Idol: Life As A Foreign Trainee"

[myrrhcat.livejournal.com]

Source: YouTube: CNA Insider

TW: disordered eating and body image. This is a short 6-minute documentary about a Japanese trainee's experience at a Korean entertainment company, Star Road Entertainment. They're home to JBJ's Kenta and formerly D.Holic and Kiwi Band M.

Comments

[ty.livejournal.com]

I do not know how they get through this. And then even if they DO debut, it may go no further. As a consumer of Kpop, it is very conflicting

[cettefemme90.livejournal.com]

Well that was unpleasant. I guess at least it's a 24 year old woman in this case who knows she wants this life and not a young girl?

The 50kg thing is just enraging. It's so arbitrary. Even if they really must insist on some 'size limit', one weight for everyone makes no sense. What if you're tall? What if you're a little on the muscular side?

[kimbafierce.livejournal.com]

I remember when Uee(who's a tall woman) was put face to face Niel (who's extremely thin) in a "weight-off". He was 60kg then, which was already underweight for their height, but when she lost she lost more turning into a walking skeleton.

I think all of EA countries care too much about the number, than whether it looks okay for your body shape/height. It's insane.

[lightframes.livejournal.com]

Making people miserable doesn't make them any stronger or better, it just makes them... miserable.

[scionofawhisper.livejournal.com]

I think they try to break them to make them more controllable, to bring out the best in them, and to see if they can withstand idol life itself.

[lightframes.livejournal.com]

I believe it's 100% to make them more controllable, I just don't think it actually brings out the best in anybody.

[kimbafierce.livejournal.com]

I don't think there's a company in Kpop that isn't abusive tbh. They all are but in varying degrees.

[scionofawhisper.livejournal.com]

They take in girls just because they are pretty and then expect them to pros in dancing and singing when they started at 0. :x I mean,I get it. Everyone enjoys the perfection that kpop is, in dancing and visuals, and this is because it's so demanding of perfection behind the scenes. That's the price. They demand it. It seems harsh but that's what it takes for the level that kpop is at...

It's kinda scary how crazy their diets are and then they appear so many places in Korea and young girls compare themselves to them of course and find their bodies wanting. But idol bodies are so, so skinny only from hard dieting. :/ It seems unhealthy for all girls, idols or not, tbh. Being shown that to be a beautiful girl who has worth, you have to be that skinny and that perfect and that beautiful.

It's amazing how hard their training is and idol life is, and how they are treated but they act so cute and innocent. But maybe because of their hard training they are humble and cute...? (well most of them, lol)

[ostsiberia.livejournal.com]

Is it grim of me to say I welcome that for once we aren't hearing the typical kpop waif spiel of "Disordered eating? Me? I EAT 5000 calories a day and don't gain an ounce uwu"

[kimbafierce.livejournal.com]

OMG YES!!! The biggest BS line in kpop which stans fall for every time.
A group of 12 girls where ALL are just blessed with incredible genes. what a load of horse crap.

[ostsiberia.livejournal.com]

Absolutely. It's led me to believe that idols have to be exalted beings who dont have to diet--in the public eye

[theweebdream.livejournal.com]

Yikes, that beginning scene with them forcing the girls to do a split was hard to watch (esp as someone that can’t do them, ouch)

But honestly this was all so hard to watch in general. I feel like since it was a small company there were being esp harsh. That’s when I would say fuck it and keep auditioning for other companies.

[myrrhcat.livejournal.com]

tbh, i might put up with this treatment under a big company with a decent chance of success, but this company? why torture yourself just to debut in an unsuccessful nugu group?

[prlsb4swiine.livejournal.com]

50kg???? i need to see myself out ugh that enrages me

[myungung.livejournal.com]

I wasn't expecting the ending when I watched this last week. but I guess this is probably the tip of the iceberg only, when other harsher things are happening that we probably don't get to see

[camouflagecat.livejournal.com]

Videos like this just enrage me with the ridiculous standards (like 50kg is a magic number somehow), the belittling and harsh words (like that's the most effective way to train someone) and then not to mention not giving them any pay, them not even debuting, or even if they debut having very small change to make it (to make it big being a pipe dream at best)... the horrible (on both physical and mental level) treatment and the odds being against you, it's crazy there are still so many people who want to do this. At least try it out in the bigger companies where you actually have somewhat of a chance at a career in the industry.

But I do also wonder with the people, who don't have experience in dance or singing/rapping, still trying out for being an idol. Like if you had a passion for either of those or both and your dream is to perform them I'd get it but these people who are just good looking and see the glitz and glam and think they wanna take a shot at it... these people need to re-evaluate their priorities. Seems like too many people think anyone can be an idol if you're pretty and want it badly enough, and don't have an realistic image of what it means to be an idol, at all.

[jessi-cola.livejournal.com]

This is how harsh they are ON CAMERA jfc imagine what they actually say/do behind closed doors 😥

[megamisama-ann.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry for what trainees have been through :(
I hope they will find happiness despite what had happened to them.