K-pop idol, Sign of Grit and glamour:
A new docuseries gives viewers an intimate look at the lives and struggles of K-pop stars. Exploring the true cost of making it in South Korea’s cut-throat music industry. K-pop idol, Sign of Grit and glamour:
Apple TV+’s “K-Pop Idols”
follows Jessi (Jessica Ho), a Korean American rapper forging a new path after leaving “Gangnam Style” artist Psy’s record label; girl group Blackswan, on the quest for global stardom but set back by interpersonal conflicts; and rookie Cravity, a nine-member boy band trying to make a name for itself after debuting during the Covid-19 pandemic. Sign of Grit and glamour:
Korean music scene
While Jessi has been on the Korean music scene since releasing her debut single in 2005, Cravity is a splashy newcomer trying to carve out its own style and space in a crowded market. Blackswan has existed for more than a decade with different members and names, but is trying to find its way in its current iteration, which evolves as the show develops. Sign of Grit and glamour:
South Korean cultural exports have exploded over the past decade BTS and Blackpink topping international music charts and K-drama series achieving mass popularity on streaming platforms. Following the performers as they embark on world tours, share emotional moments and undergo grueling hours-long training sessions . The highly competitive, multibillion dollar industry that holds its young stars to extremely high standards. K-pop idol, Sign of Grit and glamour:
K-pop idols,
Many young teens begin training and often face intense pressure from their strict management. This work culture has been linked to a mental health crisis in the industry. Several K-pop stars have taken their own lives in recent years, prompting outpourings of grief from fans. K-pop idol, Sign of Grit and glamour:
Mental health struggles
One of the major storylines centers on the conflict between Blackswan members Leia and Fatou . K-pop idol, Sign of Grit and glamour:
Leia later says she found the gathering hard because she missed her own family back home in Brazil. She also addresses her depression, and the stigma that comes with speaking openly about mental health. “I know I am sick,” the Brazilian singer said. “Here in Korea, depression is not a sickness.”
In another vulnerable moment, an emotional Jessi speaks about the sacrifices that come with the job, particularly in terms of prioritizing work over relationships.
“When I go back home (to) Korea, I go back to an empty house,” Jessi tells viewers. “It’s so lonely. I thought this was a pretty dream, but it wasn’t.”
K-pop industry’
The series also documents the K-pop industry’s recent efforts to increase the genre’s global appeal by recruiting foreign talent. In June, South Korea’s finance ministry announced that the country would soon launch a new visa scheme, called the “K-Culture Training Vis”.
Having started as a Korean-only band, Blackswan’s ever-evolving lineup is today exclusively made up of overseas-born members.
Gabi and Sriya beat thousands of young women to become Blackswan “trainees,” in large part due to their nationalities according to Philip YJ Yoon, director of DR Music.
Gabi’s home country, Brazil, is one of K-pop’s biggest markets outside South Korea. And India, where Sriya is from, is the world’s most populous country — and somewhere K-pop is starting to make inroads. The women training in Korean language, rap, dance, and much else, testing not only their physical capabilities, but their mental resilience as well.
Labels also face challenges K-pop stars, according to Yoon Deung-ryeong, DR Music’s founder and CEO – the looser reins expected by band members.