Lee Jong-im, which interviewed half dozen newest and you can former K-pop music trainees to possess a text toward K-pop music program, told you the fresh new trainees she spoke to help you appeared to strive psychologically from this new anxiety and you will suspicion off whether or not they was basically ever-going so you can create. They experienced without any recourse of these emotions because they was indeed block from relatives and buddies and you will entirely determined by its administration agencies. Even while she was speaking-to him or her, their cell phones were pinging which have texts from their executives asking regarding its whereabouts, she told you.
“They aren’t given the possible opportunity to develop their particular identities,” said Lee, an effective lecturer for the mass media degree within Seoul National University out-of Science and Technical. “Since they are at the center out of intense interest about societal, they truly are never considering the time 
to recover from and you can overcome emotional pain.”
Ryan Jhun, a veteran K-pop music manufacturer and leader of activity team A group, said that while he spotted the new issues of one’s system, the industry possess nothing alternatives but to closely manage how their celebs is actually sensed because it’s dependent on the latest whims regarding fickle young fans.
“Its visualize is their way of life, thus their organizations put-on limits,” told you Jhun, just who handles this new jobs regarding one or two idol organizations. “They appear at him or her since the a product.”
In terms of “woman teams,” the images created by labels can be simple and you may natural otherwise hyper-sexualized, readily available for commercial attract with little enter in regarding the celebs by themselves
The objectification results in skewed thinking of your superstars off fans, said Hwang Hyo-jin, a great columnist who has written generally regarding the K-pop idol groups.
“Of several men fans seem to thought, they are responsible for new star’s achievements simply because they count into the fans’ like and cash,” she told you. “Whether it’s perhaps not using a bra otherwise dating, there’s a soreness so you can enjoying this type of stars because a be which have personal wants with the capacity of saying their particular views.”
While the K-pop is certian out-of a book curiosity toward worldwide phase and you will to be a professional social push and you may multi-billion-dollar organization, a creation ones superstars is dealing with the latest aftermath out-of having been afflicted by the newest grueling system.
Afterwards you to definitely seasons, Kim Jong-hyun, of your category SHINee, passed away from the suicide, making a note that said: “I am busted inside. ”
The despair one to much slower ate aside from the myself at some point swallowed me whole
Towards Wednesday, 22-year-dated Kang Daniel of one’s group Would you like to One told you he had been delivering a rest out of their career once the he was suffering from despair and you will anxiety. To your their enthusiast website, he’d printed that he are suffering from online symptoms and gossip, saying: “I’m hoping some one saves me.”
“The industry is incredibly glamorous it is with techniques enhanced result in psychological stress and you may damage for people involved,” Park Done-hee, a former idol star-turned-psychological state specialist, said when you look at the a beneficial 2017 radio interview after Kim Jong-hyun’s death. “There was extremely higher traditional and you can severe reprimand when you fail to satisfy they because of the also a little bit.”
Sulli is one of the few a-listers so you can directly flout the newest strict norms. She openly dated, easily resided the lady lifetime and you will flippantly retorted for the social networking in order to suggest comments she sensed was in fact unjust. In the 2015, she stop the team f(x).
“I did so the thing i is told however, wasn’t also yes why I happened to be carrying it out. Right after which, will eventually, it taken place if you ask me, ‘As to the reasons was We this topic?’ ” she later on told you on the an actuality Tv show from the making the fresh new class.