MADE IN KOREA
Inside K-Pop factory with hormone-altering diets & kids given plastic surgery…as Brit band heads to Seoul in BBC show
Some K-Pop stars have taken their own lives as a result of intense pressure
It’s a global music phenomenon which turns teenagers into pop idols.
But beneath the glossy glamour of K-Pop lurks a sinister underworld ruled by dangerously strict regulations.
17
17
17
17
Stars are so tightly controlled that they are forced to starve themselves, encouraged to have plastic surgery and banned from drinking, smoking and even dating.
Their schedules are so punishing that in some tragic cases the huge pressure has led to suicides.
In a new TV show the BBC is sending five British boys to Seoul to see if they can survive in the notoriously cut throat industry.
The musical experiment Made In Korea launches tonight.
READ MORE FEATURES
Over the next six weeks experts will attempt to mould Reese Carter, Blaise Landsbert-Noon, Dexter Greenwood and Oliver Quinn into perfect pop pin ups.
While the show will be obviously be safe-guarding the British lads, Korean DJ Jinseok Kim, known as Seoul Train, says the lads are in for a culture shock.
“If they all come out the other end in one piece they will have learnt a lot," he tells The Sun. "They will be put through their paces and it’s going to be very tough by any standard.
“It's going go at a super frenetic pace and maybe they'll be so jacked up on adrenaline they're just going to get through it but if they are really going to treat them like Korean trainees, they are going to feel the cultural differences.”
Most read in Celebrity
As soon as K-Pop wannabes are signed up they are forced to follow a rigid regime which restricts every aspect of their behaviour and appearance - or risk being shunned from the industry entirely.
To mirror that experience, the Brits will be immersed in a rigorous training boot camp with the goal of launching a new boy band on the global stage.
Inside the dark K-Pop factory with hormone-altering diets & kids as young as 11 bullied into plastic surgery - as wannabe Brit band head to Seoul for BBC show
17
17
17
For the first time, cameras will be allowed behind closed doors at iconic management company SM Entertainment.
Over 100 days, the band will face a gruelling schedule of intense choreography, vocal and performance lessons as they learn every aspect of the K-pop business.
Each week the band’s progress will be critiqued by Hee Jun Yoon, the creative force behind some of the biggest K-pop bands of the last 20 years - and success is far from guaranteed.
Kim explained: “I know a lot of people in this industry, and just like in the corporate world the hours are very long.
“Since Korea is a very patriarchal hierarchical society, in most companies you cannot leave your job until your boss leaves.
“It’s very similar in that they have to dance, rehearse, and be in the studio pretty much all day.”
Strict appearance
17
17
17
Every K-Pop star is expected to look a certain way and maintain a body image that fits the 'ideals' of Korean beauty standards, including XS body measurements.
Strict diet plans must be followed at all times and there is even guidance for the shape of their legs. Some of the most high-profile cases include singer Sojung from the girl group Ladies' Code.
She claimed on national TV that she has dieted so much her hormone level dropped to "those of a menopausal woman."
Global Icon's OneKet also allegedly lost a whopping 1st 6lbs in just a month by only drinking one bottle of soya milk a day.
There have been cases reported of students being offered loans to pay for plastic surgery if their facial features do not match the expected aesthetic.
“Beauty is a very subjective thing in Korea,” Kim said. “It is very common for people to get plastic surgery. It’s something that many people do.
“In the West many people put on fake eyelashes, it's in that magnitude.”
Tragic suicides
Speaking out about mental health is discouraged - idols are simply not allowed to admit if they are suffering from anxiety or depression.
At 25.2 deaths per 100,000 people, is more than double the OECD average of wealthy countries.
Many stars have buckled under the intense pressure and several have committed suicide.
17
17
“Obviously, that is very, very sad,” said Kim. “It stems from the culture and the enormous pressure that is being put on their shoulders not only from the management companies but also from the online fans - they have tremendous power.
“The bullying on social media can get quite extreme. The comments can turn toxic. It's not just about the management making money. It's about the whole ecosystem.”
As well as sleeping in dormitories and rarely seeing their families, determined teens have to behave impeccably - because they are seen as national ambassadors.
Tattoos are also a no-no, and they must not share political opinions. Their social media accounts are closely monitored too.
They are forbidden from drinking, smoking, using drugs - or any other habits that would be considered ‘vices’ in Korean culture.
TeenTop member Min-Su was disgraced from the business for smoking a cigarette.
Kim said: “The artists are guarding the national image, that's basically what this is about. They’re put on this pedestal by Korean tourism organisations and the government.
“They want them to have a spotless image, because they are the face of the country. It's a cultural thing, K-Pop is a huge export product. So they want continued success. The spotless image comes with that.
“And that's why you see so many fashion companies hiring them as ambassadors for their brands, because it's safe, there's no scandals, everything is managed.”
Controlled sexuality
17
17
17
In a bid to appear picture-perfect, access to phones and social media is restricted, and youngsters are barred from dating. Homosexuality is said to be frowned upon although it is not banned.
Same sex K-Pop idols regularly play act ‘romances’ but real relationships must be kept secret to avoid upsetting the passionate fanbase.
“They shouldn't make that much of a deal out of dating simply because teenagers are going to do it anyway,” Kim said.
“But they are doing it behind everybody else’s back, people find out and then it will turn into a scandal and become a much bigger thing than it needs to be. It’s about conforming.”
There has also been claims of sexual assault at the hands of K-Pop magers.
In 2022, the band Omega X accused their management agency, Spire Entertainment, of sexual assault.
Lawyers representing them told BuzFeed News: "Former CEO Kang [Seong-hee] made Omega X drink with her even before important official events, sexually harassed them.
They added: "The sexual harassment of the members is not simply a sexual issue between men and women, but a problem that shows how power with distorted values violates the dignity of young people with dreams.”
There is no room for mistake and accidents, illness or injuries are not acceptable excuses for missing a performance.
They also have to abide by the musical and fashion style agreed by the agency.
Kim added: “They don’t get home very often, they live in dorms supplied by their entertainment companies and live off the meals provided for them.
“Their schedules fill the whole day. I'm not sure how much sleep they get, but I cannot imagine it would be a lot. It’s 24/7 and it’s difficult. But it's also a choice.
“Obviously when a child is very young then it's a conscious decision by the parents hoping for a bright future for their child.
“But this conveyor belt production system has been in place since the eighties so by now people should know what kind of world they’re entering.
“I have sympathy for them. Particularly when young girls perform songs that are not appropriate. I don’t want to play songs that are not appropriate.
“I have a little bit of a say in it from that point of view. I need to take a stance.”
I have sympathy for them. Particularly when young girls perform songs that are not appropriate. I don’t want to play songs that are not appropriate.
Seol Train
Child labour laws which prevent youngsters being exploited in the UK do not exist in the K-Pop world - although Kim believes that could change.
“The long hours are quite dangerous, there have been accidents,” he said.
“Sadly a couple of years ago a tour manager got so tired that he drove his van off the road.
“In some cases something bad has to happen before changes are made and they start treating their people better.
“In the last couple of years there has been a push from quite an unexpected side,.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
“Actually, it's the fans who have been speaking up, saying, Okay, you know what? We don't want the artists that we like to be this exhausted all the time, don’t overwork them, please take care of them.
“Some progress is being made because of that. The change is coming, it's a cultural shift but it needs time.”
17
17
Topics