Can I join without paying or not?

Rick and Morty i-

Take one in the yarbols if u have any yarbols

I mean fans usually call them slave contracts, they are paid close to nothing and still have to give 120% for each performance. Because it is a very competitive business, some groups disband without ever making money and the members are actually indebted. So many groups debut each year and among those only a small percentage will actually last more than 3-5 years and make money

It Actually is A Slave Contract Not allowed to ear barely nothing Not allowed to date Not allowed to see Family Not allowed to Go out Not allowed to Be yourself We need to fix this Edit: 60 LIKES!! thank you Edit:why this have so many likes?

@@stix702 I agree they control them with contracts and fear.

In-Cred-I-Ble. :-(

i was pissed after hearing it.

As she explained: 30-40% of the money for the singers and 60-70% for the company but the expenses are 50/50%. I believe they're in debt until these days

Makes sense =D

I was like "wtf?!" when she said that

@Jhanna o

@Jhanna most of them are abusive to some extent though... And even the groups who are in "ok" companies still suffer a lot and have very hard working conditions.

Ok aunty MiCaLou

@Jhanna What’s the point of your comment exactly? You seem to be talking just to talk.

@@mariaransborg33 Damn is it illegal to talk about what's on your mind now?

There is another former K-pop idols turned youtuber called "Henry Prince Mak" and in a video he made about why he left the industry he said he didn't get to see his mom for 4 years because they never got any time off. He said that when he did see her it was because he invited her on stage at a concert they did and that that's a big reason why he decided to quit. It's honestly disgusting how these companies get away with treating their artists like this, and they'll keep getting away with it until the fans start standing up for their idols.

@@SaveMeMoon ohh myy godd...4 years without seeing his mother..aren't those company directors human? I am afraid that,, if present kpop groups are facing these horrible experiences.....

@@SaveMeMoon That's dehumanizing af.....I actually feel bad for them. Is that really the price of fame in that industry? What happens when the members of a kpop group get disbanded? Not everyone can become KZfaqrs.

@@SaveMeMoon wasn't he in JJCC, the band formed by Jackie Chen?? I thought he said their management is different..

After watch this, i wonder how rookie idol's life then?? I mean, nowadays there are a lot of rookie gg/bg that hve underage member. And mostly they still in their teenagers, so how can they live with this condition?? U can't see your parents, it would be nice if they didn't receive mistreatment and became popular one. But how about, if they received mistreatment from their agency and they have to accept that their group is underrated. So ironic😭 I'm still in my teenagers, and i even can't imagine when i could be an idol and i have to life with that condition, i really can't😔

I could not tell if this was a cult or slavery. It has aspects of both.

@@LaurieFloodTeacher modern slavery IMO

There's already a term for it, it's called indentured servitude.

@@TomoyoDrifts Very true.

I was shock

Mariana Rudge Bortoli she didn’t say that. She said it’s not just glamour it’s also hard work

@@fabuma i know she didn't say that. I said it, it's called irony.

I know right. This is the first time I heard something about artist owe money to the company...that's ridiculous!

@@melodyofthecursed totally! And to have ALL aspects of your life controlled... and to have all those actions normalized by society just sounds crazy to me.

Melody Mel Welcome to the music industry. They even did this in the US. Google TLC and Toni Braxton and you will find out. In the words of TLC “We currently are the number 1 selling group out and we are broke!”

it’s so sad i would actually give up being a fan just so they could live better lives :(

Yes and they do it cause they chose to do it, not cause they got forced...

2NE1 had to say STOP and YG didn't like it, queens are independant

Yohan Dahmani Yesss Stan 2NE1 in our hearts

@@yohandahmani9329 yg artists dont really live this harsh. they have no debts to pay and get fame immediately. but the small groups struggle a lot

Yes :(

and you stay alone with your broken dreams + huge debt in a bank

@@Elenasn the debts are insane i couldnt even imagine

Yeah it's horrible... They put their soul blood sweat tears into it ... One infomous heart wrenching moment was MoMo getting cut on 16 (Twice audition show) ... Then again they don't show of all the horrible heart breaks of the other girls that got cut .... Many many train for years and at the last moment get sent home or actually are working as a fledgling group then to get it disbanded and shut down by these entertainment company

the same thing goes in any other industries, and even in any life.

More like Company: We need that cash cow!

you forgot "you owe us money for going home"

small and unknown kpop companies could be thinking these stuff not the big 3 companies in sm yg jyp they would cut off trainees in monthly evaluations and they would have to go home. What youve seen in the video is about small compaines and is not the truth for big ones. Big ones are super caring but will be strict in evaluations so they can cut off trainees who are not hard working and stuff

@@ravenjs3609 sure mate......

@@loneranger1646 ik when one girl was offered by a man who could be her father, she left and they caused her the accident but she survived

Skylar Crater she probably knew. Don’t act like she’s an angel

I doubt she knew. Korean music contracts are waay different fron ones in the US

I don't think she did. Her management just paid their company for the opening act then it is their responsibility for giving it to their employees.

@@hollywoodisasataniccult4022 If you think she wouldn't stand up to their defense then you don't know what she stands for

The reality for all opening acts is that they don't get paid well at all. Korean or otherwise. It's all about the exposure, especially when opening for big acts like lady gaga. Sometimes opening acts will actually pay money to perform on such a big tour. My experience comes from touring the US and the UK. The openers usually get paid $250 per show, to split between all band members. The only way to break even after hotel, gas, food and all other travel costs (flights, van or bus rental) is through selling merch. So to answer the question, no, lady gaga would not be mad nor surprised her openers didn't make any money on her tour, as this is normal in the music industry. She most likely experienced it herself at one point in time. She would however probably be pretty upset about the grotesque and unethical contracts they signed. Hope this helped shed some light on the subject!

Would you blamed her if she complained? It was basically slavery.

@@AnaissN Wouldn't have blamed her at all. But she didn't. Slavery is a bit strong but I understand your thoughts on it. Many feel basically the same.

@@tommyo2450 Having less than minimum wages, no income for 15 months but loanes from bank, sleeping 4 hours a day, and when doing the opening show before lady gaga and not earning money but more "illegal debts", sure it's absolutely not slavery at all.

i even subscribed to her channel

@@organharvester1983 I wonder what Lady Gaga thinks of this she is a millionare she could help them after hearing this.

@Wuanslm you're so delusional lmao

Ha thank you! This is exactly it!!!

@Wuanslm they literally got paid nothing, what are you talking about?

facts

Same blood running in one vein

Aja Z Camara True but being an idol is like a big gamble. It is like double or nothing. If you are even able to make it to debut then that is step one. Then are you able to climb the charts to get popular or not is a different story. Are you willing to sacrifice it all but then again you may or may not get anything in return. Basically, it is like an investment, if you profit then you reap the rewards but if not then you get into debt.

@@zaic8660 Being an "idol" is literally terrible and the kpop industry is poison to every idol involved.

@Dark of the knight a female Japanese idol was raped by a "fan" of the group, and when it became known to the public, she had to apologize for "worrying the fans" (or something along those lines; I need to reread the story for accuracy) at their own concert, where her rapist was in the crowd. Becoming a Japanese idol is worse imo

If you do want to be an idol. Do your research and actually find the right company to apply too

For you it doesn't make sense for the company was a great profit.

@@angelpirulin9395 Your trainers work longer hours, yet your trainees don't learn faster, maybe even slower. How is that profitable?

All I could think about is that if I don’t sleep enough I’ll get pimples!! I need my 8 hours of sleep haha

Ikr??

@@lalamanana1912 By the numbers, it actually looks more profitable. The problem is the numbers never account for the human element. Companies would likely make more profit in the long run if they treated the idols a little better (at least as far as letting them rest).

@Em e it's scary really

Basically a uni student minus the phisical work :)

@@anastasyawidya5885 no uni student sleeps for 3 hours a night and if they do, they should reconsider going. Unless you're balancing a full time job and full time school, there is enough time to sleep at least 6-8 hours a night.

No wonder many are driven to suicide.

i did that everyday when i was at high school and uni too

not only kpop but korean culture in general, it is a lot darker than what we see from outside as foreigners..

My exact thought. It's totally stupid

Kinda wondering why she signed the contract in the first place

Actually, she said they had to pay back all the expenses the company incurred in forming the group, so in terms of expenses it was 100%, although it was paid in installments. They were young and naive, isolated from family and friends, no lawyer to represent them during contract negotiations(couldn't afford one even if they wanted one) and their agent was probably on the company's payroll, so it comes as no surprise why they signed without knowing what they were getting into.

This is just the financial side of it. But knowing this, we could see how much of a business monster the k-pop industry is. I am not incurring that all label management in the k-pop industry is bad or malicious but a lot of them are to a point where artists does not even know they are being abused.

@@johnlloyddy7016 it's almost like being in a toxic, controlling relationship or something. Wow.

Slavery but make it fashion

Yellow Emperor like suge Im young Ceo Suge yeah yeah

So true

Music industry has been rooted with horrid conditions and evils for generations. I only hope more get out and speak up

I guess they get paid a lot for all their misery.

That’s why we should appreciate for what we have

@@kristy5698 yes should. Except 99% of us do not until we lose what we have.

exactly, I'm so sick and tired of seeing kpop fans talking about wanting to be kpop idols cuz they wanna be famous too like every single one of them needs to watch this

@@azpizzazz3442 many, maybe even almost all, kpop fans do know the hardships kpop idols have to go through and the toxic environment they're in yet some of these fans still want to become idols because it's their dream tho

@@azpizzazz3442 I'm a kpop fan and I would want to become an idol because I like singing. I just want people to hear my voice and also love how they are in groups, I love the friendship. Its not always about being famous. No hard feelings dear

Then they cant even talk to their families as much as they want

I know! It's so sad :(

Hara, sulli, jonghyun etc. 😭

Ikr their personal relationships are also controlled by their company, they cannot meet their families and friends, and they cannot have a normal love life. Some toxic fans makes my blood boils because they don't want their idols to be happy and fall in love with other idols. I thought kpop idols are treated like queens/kings, but in reality, idols are slaves of kpop companies and toxic fans😔😔

This is so sad! I couldnt imagjne how hard their lives must be despite all the fame and the spotlight they get.

i feel like koreans are really good with their words

True, she's very eloquent

Wtf

Its in our culture atleast in asians countries

Asian people have tendency to be passive aggressive at times. Ones from Asia I mean, if they grew up anywhere else they act just as pissed as everybody lol

Yeah... but when does her contact expire tho?

bom is easier

I wish CL could come out of YG's dungeon but YG is sadly above law in Korea and can do anything they want to

@@chelsea8357 not really

I hope she bet will say Mr yang is sooo super strict... Pride and ego man

Omg really

Yeah

Oh my God! 😭😭😭

Only physically album, that's why sm's group doing a lot of tours :") Also, in sm for promotion stuff or debut and comeback expense idols dont have to paid into it :")

It isn't really true like there's no proof about it and we know that sm idols are one of the richest idols in kpop.

Yes it's like selling your happiness and whole life just for frame 😐.it's so sad these people have to go through a lot 😢.

Her and her sister's birthday. Unsure of your knowledge but will add this here for others anyways. She was in the band with her twin sister

Well her happiness isn't in the statistics for profit.

Snow Pearl Yeah that sucks. You have to risk your family opportunities if you wanna be an idol I guess

@@finnheisenheim8274 That shouldn't even matter... :/

That was the saddest part... :(

The "expenses" part of the contract is there so they can creatively screw them out of their 30% of the earnings. "We took out bank loans to survive". All while they heard their songs playing in every restaurant they went into. That is ridiculous.

@@dacypher22 5t

Make a list of the actual artistic contribution the girls make: Do they write the music? NO Do they write the lyrics? NO Do they develop the choreography? NO They are cute, petite Korean girls who have mediocre voice talent at best. They rarely chart outside of Korea. They are bubble gum pop...that's all...and yet, they allow themselves to be subjected to this crap, and the laws in Korea allow it. It's pathetic. They're nothing but eye candy.

@CLEAN. SARCASM. I didn't say they were talentless. What I DO maintain is that they are no more talented than ANYONE with a mediocre singing voice. They don't write music or lyrics. They don't play musical instruments. They don't choreograph their own dance moves, and if they make the company angry, they can be thrown away and replaced very easily - and no one will even notice it. There is literally nothing very special about them if they can so easily be replaced. K-Pop and J-Pop is the kind of music that people who just want to see cute girls listen to and watch videos of. Event the songs have limited value outside of Asia. It is RARE that the songs they sing (you can't even call the song THEIR song, because they have nothing to do with them other than singing) have any popularity outside their own country or outside of Asia. Can you say the same about someone like Shakira, or Taylor Swift or Lady GaGa? No, because those people are true stars. They don't have to audition to be an "idol".

@CLEAN. SARCASM. He knows very well what k-pop is. You are the one who provided no counter-arguments to debunk his points. Therefore, you are just a blind fan who dislikes the truth.

I thought she was 25

Plastic surgery

No bro. She looks 30. And thirty's not that old.

@@suckmaballs4294 Why do you think all the idols had plastic surgery?It is true that Asians look young for their age.

@@user-on4jj1he6r Plastic surgery is actually extremely common South Korean. Hell, a trip to the plastic surgeon is a common High school graduation gift for young girls. It is practically certain that every K-Pop idol you see has had some form of plastic surgery to look that way. I think its even written into some contracts.

That's why people liking K-pop should introspect

I couldn't think of a username it reminds me of in the past interviews of bts where jin had to act quiet but in reality he’s a fun person

@@elizabethnguyen9372 but that's not real what happens behind that is not very glamorous and bright

I remember there was another person who said something about this. They said that some got to keep their personalities, some not. It depended on what the company thought about it.

I think Heechul talked about it. Like he wasnt supposed to speak. Because his image is supposed to be mysterious. This was when Suju was new. Sech Kies also talked about it.

I hope she isn't going to have threats because of the video.

Really? As a full-time KZfaqr? 😅

@@MiaogisTeas yes, sometimes full time KZfaqrs make better money than idols. Even if it isn't the case, they still have the freedom that most kpop idols doesn't.

being a youtube seems way less stressful and pressuring then being an idol i’m sure she’s much happier

Periodtt.

*It won’t.* _That is the nature of business. To change this, it will require the masses of people to cease financially supporting the industry by funding the independent artists. However, to be completely honest, over time the same process would repeat - any artist that becomes highly profitable will inevitably become more greedy._ It’s called the *‘vicious cycle’* .

Kpop girls are barely artists. The companies create the dance moves, music, and lyrics. The idols just sell their souls to have the "fame" and be used as tools for the company

It's sad. They don't even get paid that much. :(

sodori exactly!

She's not even recognized on street.

No it’s not just that. It is also literal.

@@sodori That's why, whatever happens, don't sell your soul to the devil. You'll lose everything.

Sorry I sung that from Prince’s song “Gold”

@@chestbumphero No, you sang it. Not "sung"

I thought that was from LOTR

And the converse, "All that is gold does not glitter" - Tolkien

The expanded quote is really relevant, too. It goes, "All that glisters is not gold - Often you have heard that sold - Many a man his life hath sold - But my outside to behold - Gilded tombs do worms enfold."

Nice one

I was thinking about that Rock Lee training too. I think I'm going to watch that training now that you've mention it. Haha

It reminded me of Dragon Ball, when Goku and Kuririn where training with sandbags on their legs too

tyler tha destroyer Lol Ikr 😂

Thanks for this man

I guess the gokudols training isn’t so abnormal after all, their boss is onto something.

they are trying to make crayon pop a ninja

the excessive use of question marks really affects how i see this comment

Actually it is common for dancers to put weights on their legs while training. Strengthens the muscles and makes you push yourself harder. When the weights are removed you are so used to the weight that you move with the same strength you became used to and it gives more power to the motions.

Parry Hotter Thank you???

Lololololololol

so sweet! it's a korean phenomenon! we dont have that stuff in Europe!!

You are, please let this fact spread. If enough people would stop supporting it and demanding justice for the idols then maybe they'd be willing to change.

the entertainment industry has always been like this, if you look at old Western actors you'll see a lot of them had to change their personalities because their agents said so, I think the best way to support idols is to spread the word about how they get treated and remind them they are supported !! they often feel afraid their company will stop them from getting a career.

Kelsea Nova you can still listen to Korean music without being a kpop group 😉

You're basically support child labor and prostituion if that's what you mean. There are plenty of artist from smaller indie companies that do their own thing. Korean music goes beyond the fake and materialistic boy and girl groups.

you’re not, the ENTIRE music industry is like this. you can’t just not listen to music, it’s not just kpop. the whole industry needs to change kpop included

Ironically, Gaga also ended up in debt after the tour, albeit for completely different reasons.

@@audrepoison566 why did gaga end up in debt tho ?

@@alia580 she spent too much money on costumes, props, employees, and sets for one of her tours.

@@audrepoison566 was it the tour in which she had to cancel lots of dates because she got sick?

@@Forlfir I don't know. I think it was The Fame Ball or The Monster Ball. It wasn't the tour where she broke her hip (that was the BTW Ball)

Hildegard von Bingen not everyone knows everyone that is famous.....

@@hildegardvonbingen9092 if someone like lady gaga wore normal clothes and no makeup, I doubt she would get recognized

well the contracts that bands sign in the west are not that better-ask TLC

For the first two parts, I dont have to imagine it since being in college already lets me live that reality

Musa Yobabydaddy Exactly and many fail to realize that and think that celebrities are all rich and famous. Not true at all! The only ones who are rich are the ones who make it big and that is not many people. The entertainment circle is hard which is no wonder many parents do not support their children to enter.

same

Anh Nguyen I mean kinda but black pink is under yg

Yg would never let that happen (even if they weren’t still part of the company)

They are hiding LOTS of things in that building, and Blackpink can't say anything... Blackpink is the only hope for yg right now

Anh Nguyen He treated them badly even publicly saying he thought they were ugly and that blackpink “were the prettier version of 2NE1”. Whenever she does come out, I won’t be shocked.

Unfortunately she won’t be able to say much as he could sue her for defamation...

YG is strict but they're nothing compared to this Company. Artists in YG is being paid more than YG itself, that is why their artists is one of the richest idols in kpop. And take note, YG spend 100,000 dollars every year for every trainee but you have to work hard in return. That is how they are being treated there.

Amazing comment..... wow...blown my mind. Love Jim Carrey

I agree with Jim. understand completely even at a young age

Sullyv one of them is a mother she shows up in the return of Superman

^^^and her baby is very cute!!!

Quiero Mango really? I didn’t know that I’ll have to check that out. I really loved watching that show, when that famous boxer’s daughter was on the show.

Right! And mnet plays the past performances of earlier kpop artists and I was like where are they now!?

i was so surprised, they were my favorite group at the time, i dont really listen to kpop, but when i did, it was them.

yes omg me too! like watching twice i would be so in awe of them, which is what led me down this kpop rabbit hole in the first place, but now hearing abt what sm trainees go through like oh my god i feel sick just watching idols after knowing what majority of them had to go through to get to where they are now :/

KOSMOS390 like OvO sweatshop

Thats pretty much every kpop industry and its been that way since the beginning of kpop.

Nah Jyp prioritizes the health and well-being their groups Sorry for grammatical mistakes english nOt mY nAtIVe LaNguAge

@@waygi28 still prohibited for make individually inst account.

@@mambach7894 yah but I really don't know what's with making a personal Ig account...

so true

r e m e d y ! The CEO being female doesn't change the fact that Korea has ridiculous standards in the Entertainment industry.

It is

Almost all of them really have intense training hours, but not all are super evil. For example, BTS' company, Bighit ent., lets the members have schedules which can allow them to rest and at the same time perform. But being a KPop group really needs commitment, it's not easy

It is because often times the label considered the artist as the product/packaged product. Not "the artist"

Just like Simon cowell and his talent show

@@elisdeliofa5570 nope don't think so. Those people have freedom and every rights to do whatever the heck they want. Unlike K-pop, K-pop is more like a modern slavery...!

shut up you commi

Inb4 toxic kpop trash

@@thaiveds2738 Partially. People who participate in these shows still get a lot of things taken from them, like the rights to their own creations and what not. Go look up some information on the contract you have to sign if you want to be part of any of his shows and you'd be surprised just how much of a shitshow it actually is and how much you have to sacrifice just to be part of it. All of those shows are manipulated and if you don't play by their rules, you're out.

Exactly then why are they getting more ??? I though that was like that Cuz they made the investment of "training and create them" and of course cuz they need to promote them BUT SOME COMPANIES ARE TERRIBLE AT PROMOTING SO this is clearly a scam

@@cocutou She just said expenses were split 50/50.

@@cocutou did you watch the whole thing ? She say company take more porcentaje EVEN when they Split (50-50) the expenses, do thats why i was in shock cuz i though companies PAID for everything and thats why their CUT WAS BIGGER but no !!! So they are pretty much scams using their idols as slaves

Not all companies take that much. Bigger companies tend to take alot because of promotions and training and all that stuff. There are many distribution things not just paycheck. They have on stage distributions, album sales distributions, international sale distributions etc. They vary in % for the artist and company. Just look up company distributions in kpop.

@@lattae7102 their company was a tiny one, crayon pop was their only group for quite a while. Imo their company was too greedy and forced them to go to small events to earn money for the company instead of working on new songs and albums.

The whole profit is not the idols' paycheck, it belongs to the company. The paycheck is the one that comes from the company. I'll explain from a different example but with the same situation. In a construction project, the developer will pay the company, lets say 500k. All of this will go straight to the company. The contractor, the one who oversee the project from a-z, will only get their monthly pay plus lets say 5%-10%(sorry I forgot the actual range) from the 500k. The same situation applies to idols too... They work and earn their pay from the company, but it is not the whole profit from concerts and tours. The money from concerts and tours is first spent to clear any pending payments such as the costumes, the dancers, the stage and the staffs. What I'm trying to say here is... The company does all the paperworks and prepares everything to make sure the idols get to perform. Therefore, the money goes to the company first and the company will sort out the pays for each idols.

@@nurulhafizah2145Thanks for saying that; I was about to say the same thing. If one is going to understand a problem one must understand the actual problem. That said, the messed up part is the artist having to pay back training costs and expenses out of their cut of the profits. Expenses first, maybe a base salary as part of expense, then profit share out of the actual profit. I am curious though if this is just Chrome or if it is all of the companies. I mean, after Crayon Pop debuted Chrome was so broke that they were having CP do guerilla concerts because they could not afford advertisement - it is also why they filmed the Bar Bar Bar video in an amusement park after hours; they were able to get it on the cheap. And if the numbers Way gives represent her cut of 30 - 40% (I'm assuming the 30 - 40% is split 5 ways) company did not have much coming in either - $150k to $200k for the same period that had to pay how many non-artists? Would be nice to have more numbers to work with. But were they shifting expenses to the girls in order to stay afloat? Not saying that it is right, just asking if it is SOP. Other sources I heard said that the companies paid for training and expenses with basic living expenses to trainees. But the actual artists either got set salaries or they got a profit share. Now if a concert flopped profit share meant no pay but it did not mean the act having to pony up half the concert hall.

@@1smallstep my knowledge about this matter is rather small too, actually. But from what I've already known, most if not all entertainment companies in korea do the same thing. The debuted idols have to pay back all the expenses spent on them otw to debut. Therefore I'd like to share about sm ent which I got from one of old kpop fans who follow sm's artist. From what I've heard, sm has different contracts for common trainees and for trainees that are confirmed to debut. For common trainees, lets say they sign a contract for 3 years. After 3 years, if the trainees are still not chosen to be debuted, they can choose whether they'll terminate the contract or continue with it. If they terminate it without breaking any rules, they are free to leave sm ent and they dont have to pay a single dime. Then there's another contract for the trainees that're confirmed to debut and even have chosen a group name. These trainees' expenses start after they sign the group member contract since they get extensive training in vocal, dance and rap(for rappers). As most people already know, sm did produce idols talented in singing, dancing and rapping. One of sm's vocal coach even appear in variety show "the sisters"(I forgot the actual tittle, I'm sorry). So... I think the idols need to pay back these expenses which are used to help them to debut since there are a lot that need to be done for a debut like outfits, choosing a group concept, making songs and lyrics, distributing the lines and choreographing the dance. All of the above that I shared are not confirmed. It is one of the things that I read from the comment section of a video uploaded by sm. I honestly think the comment is plausible. It really makes sense because how can companies calculate a trainee's expense from day one if the trainee is not confirmed to debut yet and that trainee may go to another entertainment company. Regarding your question, maybe it is sop in south korea.

@@nurulhafizah2145The Sisters is 언니들의 슬램덩크, Romanized as Eonnideurui Seullaemdeongkeu and translated Sister's Slam Dunk. Season 2 is where they did the Make an Idol Group concept, with three of the members being idols or coming from the idol environment (Minzi of 2NE1 and Somi of IOI, and trot queen Hong Jin-Young). So watching that does give one a chance for a partial look of the idol world from the inside. If you haven't seen it, I recommend giving it a look. Minzi and Somi come from bigger agencies and have hard but positive memories while Jin-Young was in several smaller agencies before getting into trot and her memories are not so good. Unfortunately a lot of the information floating around comes from fans who might have a rather simplistic and biased understanding of the reality. In general if that is all I have to go on I consider myself to be fairly ignorant of the topic. Would be nice to get the perspective of the agencies or to see an actual contract. What would be great would be to get the perspective of Kwon Bo-Ah (AKA BoA) since she is on both sides of the equation being and artist and an executive for SM Entertainment or the Perspective of Park Jin-Yong AKA JYP for the same reason.

Nurul Hafizah CmnZ i dont know how you can make this horrible situation “acceptable”. No one is supposed to spent their time 24/7 doing something and not get paid for what..? The first 5 years? And you dont even know if this idol group going to debut/become popular or not. They have to pay even just 30% of the profit. And 70-30% profit gap is not something that acceptable whn the expenses is split 50-50. Either way, k-pop are a trainwreck industry to begin with, and too many problems behind it. And I don’t think anyone should support such a toxic industry, because less anyone care, the governemnt/company will change the regulation. Dont make something acceptable just for you to like it.

Their song "FM" is a bop

james yah I remember them

The song is sure a bop, but their color, they do what they been told

yeah true

like Way said, their contract ended, AND Soyul got pregnant .............

welcome to hell joseon watching commercial kpop is immoral and supports this system

That’s my life as a Black person with no fame in America lol

Not all companies are like that most of the time smaller companies are more strict

@@sternalevin1069 not smaller, I have heard almost every company is like that, Lol. Just recently even a member from black pink was criticised for dating, even though she denied the rumour, she was still trolled by Koreans like it was a crime. Hyuna and his boyfriend was thrown out from the agency for dating, lol

No sex too

When I was young, I always want to be a trainee. But, my dream completely shattered once I knew the truth behind these companies. Ever since then, I stop liking K-pop. Most of the celebrities might regret their choice too just like these girls.

When i was young i wanted to go to college without knowing what will gonna happen to me..

starst9 same but not everyday, though. And that’s not going to happen if you’re diligent. Most of students in my class they’re diligent so, they hv no problem sleeping

Lizerio I don’t like the Kpop industry but I still stan Kpop groups. They worked hard to get to the point they are at so I mine as well support them! It’s really sad what they have to go through though...health is what matters the most for them!

I can only imagine the American music industry...the levels

I want to be actor

@@warrior9326 That’s a wonderful dream to have, do please give it a go, you can do it! But also keep another option open to fall back on.

@@Rhileyn yes my another option is to become a gamer , or youtuber or dancer

@@warrior9326 I’ll support you!

@@Rhileyn Thanks were are you from

💔💔

Keun Balgi Yes and it is sad that many fans just do not understand how hard and depressing the lives of idols are. I knew this since I was a child in the 80s way before Kpop existed. Life in the limelight is just very hard and difficult.

Yona Naturelover nAH

Yona Naturelover Thanks and I am very a experienced fan so know about it all way before Kpop was even in existence.

Yona Naturelover That other poster just does not agree with you. I can careless what they think though.

yes, so many underrated talents

The "talent" is out there.

There just to much talents.

doesnt that apply to all success?

@@yomuthabyotch yes u're right😅

Because, they are need money.. And their life just for money.

Maybe because..in Korea if you want to become singer or dancer or rapper....this is the option

cause they wanna make fans like us happy 😪✨✨💖💖

fame

bcuz singer or acting must been their dream...but the problem is the agency/company especially in the music department in south korea is problematic and we can't blame this idols bcuz its not their faults

It's actually easy to say but companies hugely invests on trainees and idols. In any case, a trainee leaves the group beforehand he/she falls on a huge debt which is nearly impossible to pay. So they have no alternatives other than to continue.

This happened to b.a.p They couldn't see them. What happened to The East Light is more heartbreaking😭😭😭😭😭😭

Yes, this is modern day slavery. Why do they stay?

@@maka7600 for the promise of fame and glamour.

@@kokhowe rather, they stay because legally they would hold no power having signed a contract and everything

Roberta OH yes Please!! I wanna see what BAP has to say about TS entertainment and all the bad stuff they had to go through 😞😒

YES

Jumin, is that you?

Honestly anyone who used to be from TS should come

I feel like they would have so much to say, it would turn into an hour and a half long movie. I'd be here for it!

actually i think its abusive because of how obsessed the fanbases can be. All those smiles on those idols while they're dancing and the fans got no idea about where that came from

Dude whatever, this is what South Korea wants of their idols. Having international fans is just a bonus. Korean's who want to become Idols know that THAT IS THE LIFESTYLE! They make that decision when they sign that dotted line. Asians strive for perfection in every single way, perfection equals sucess in the culture, you don't like that, don't do it.

Then you should stop.

I feel you. Honestly I was a diehard fan of k-pop a few years ago, and occasionally I still listen to some old songs of my favorites and I check in on how my faves are doing every now and then. I had stomached a lot of horrible things I've heard about the industry for many many years as a fan, but when I heard that Jonghyun of SHINee had taken his own life... I was really devastated and couldn't look away anymore. That's when I just stopped. I had a complete purge of all things k-pop a while. Now, like I said, I'm just checking in on some of the oldies on their socials here and there.

I feel this, and it’s tough because I want to boycott and get others to do so as well, but I also don’t want my favorite artists to fail and possibly get worse treatment if people don’t support them.

And poor Jimin is looking skeletal. She didn't look like herself last comeback and it's even worse now.

And yet people enter that world knowing what’s in store for them which I know can’t be helped 😣🥺

@@sugakookieislifeu311 people know drugs are bad but they still do it, we're all moths to a flame

this dream of becoming a 'star'... i think perhaps it's just a myth, there really is no real 'star'... what you have are some quite normal materials forced to go supernova. They can shine as bright as a star, but they're left a hollowed near dead husk. doesn't seem to be worth it.

The talent companies do that to them, because that's what the fans want, and fulfilling that want rakes in money.

But in order to be productive, you need more sleep than a quick nap if you work for the entire day. You obviously don't understand.

@@maihaiki888 it’s you that doesn’t understand. I was saying that she doesn’t get enough sleep

When I first saw this comment I thought you were talking about YG the rapper until I found out it was a south Korean entertainment company. For a second I was like "What the hell is YG doing stealing from Korean popstars?!"

j lαliѕα If that is true, then I feel bad for them and that is extremely sad.

@@TrinhNguyen-sh4fj it is true

xleanx 666 Ok since that is true, we can see more and more proof of how dark and black the Kpop and entertainment industry is. Hope more people will realize how tough the artists have it and behind that glamour lies a dark and sad reality.

lmao I thought you meant YG the rapper

Sadly, at least in the music industry, it's not much different

@• Salsa what makes you think there are no cases here as well? It's just that it's more hidden

This agency is under Sony. So it's kinda the same thing.

This is a pin-worthy comment.

Yea

If your interest in 'K-culture' was only Kpop groups from small poorly managed companies, then good riddance.

@@tararasque932 No, young people are still forced to go on diets and have their phones taken away in middle-sized and big companies. Also the sexism. Wendy from RV had to go on a diet on her birthday and was given cake by her father, but couldn’t eat it. Momo from Twice had to lose 7 kg in a week. Female idols are still expected to be 45kg or under, when most aren’t naturally that skinny. Also, they are way less likely to accept a 20 year old who is old enough to know what they’re doing. If they had the choice, they would rather accept an 11-14 year old child who is young, impressionable and naive. Everglow’s Aisha was training since the age of NINE for 11 years. Jihyo from Twice since she was 10 for 10 years, Jisung from NCT since he was about 10 and Jeno from NCT when he was very young. Another idol trained since they were 7, I think Jessica and Krystal were scouted at 7 too.

​@@hectzen23 The STEREOTYPES are now being applied by foreigners to literally any singer or group that is Korean, and that is WRONG. If you don't like the way a company's artists are treated, DON'T support that company.

@@tararasque932 wait, what do you mean by stereotypes?

Families might tell them something is wrong. Can't let that happen!

But this is Korea. It’s all in the contract and they count on the young teenager not reading the whole thing. And if they do they are not going to understand everything. They have hopes of being the next B.T.S.

민초먹는애 Yup they sacrifice a lot to achieve their dreams.

@@SD-ir1vf Burn the entire country.

@@SD-ir1vf but even bts never gets to meet their families. They mentioned in one episode recently that they meet them only 2 or 3 times a year

Jimmy Liaw right..example: 2ne1

Jimmy Liaw right. Others will come

so true 😭

DBSK, SJ, SNSD... etc.

We fans of certain groups, have to cherish them when we still can😭

If lady gaga knew about what happened to them I wonder if she would shame the company, especially aftey they worked for free and still got debt.

I hope Lady gaga watch this video one day she was a fan

@Sephora Ndaya Mutubile to expose the company

Rose Thorn well, technically you can have friends, but it depends what company you’re under. Some companies are chill about giving trainees their phones and letting them see their parents, while other companies, usually the smaller ones, are very strict and competitive

It depends on the agency you're sign in

They exploit them with the Desire to have fans also i Guess It has to be with the hate they got to beautiful people so they make their Life as dificult as they can since i Guess un their minds wining live by singing and dancing is easy ... Idk

I think that depends if the group got famous or not during debut

Ok

It's not a big secret. Fans just seem to ignore it though.

its not related to idol industry either, just see the whole scandal with Taylor or Kesha, no one is safe, companies from everywhere are trash, US just know how to hide it better of course, not all companies are like that, so if you want to be an artist please do some research in companies, do not conform with little things

You have to write your own music. These members are hand picked by the record companies.

It's one of the reasons I'll never get into K-pop and support it. The industries in other countries have their own issues, but from what I can tell it's not as bad as in Korea. Maybe they just hide it better, but you'd think there'd be people like this exposing it.

I think it differs from company to company

That is exactly why compagnies like large groups!! I don't know if you guys noticed but as the years go by the kpop scenes become more and more satured (there are literally groups which debut every second it's crazy!!!!) and there are more and more groups with large number of members (Loona, NCT, Seventeen IZ*ONE, Wanna One, The Boyz, Cherry Bullet, Treasure and the list goes on and on...). It's obvious that it's more lucrative for the compagnies

Jhanna Garcia well having that many members is also has many consequences as: the more members the more scandals. The more members the more hate. The more members the less you are going to get paid. The more members the less attention to the actual people of the group. If only one person gets popular out of a group that one person has to pay the debt of the other members too.

Jhanna Garcia there was a kpop group like 11 years ago which had like 64 members in it.

Jhanna Garcia well I forgot the kpop group’s name as the name was hard to learn and I read about them in a couple of Twitter threads.

Jhanna Garcia the sad part is that the group was only popular because they had so many members and not because the people where talented.

I didn't notice any badmouthing. Just fair facts of what it's like to be a kpop idol. Which pretty much every wannabe idol in S. Korea knows.

Her company would just be wasting money suing for this, any one that is able to provide them with legal advice would say the same.

Same here. I love her last statement where she didn't actually discourage anybody, just that they need to be fully aware of what they are getting into.

@Santos Lewynn That's actually not true. Unlike the US or UK, in Korea truth is not an absolute defense to defamation. But I don't think she will get sued because she chooses her words carefully and doesn't say anything disrespectful or critical of the company.

Does Chrome even exist anymore? CP was their only group. I think Chrome is gone. The owner made money and then left. The girls were left to finish out their contract. After that, the company just went kaput.

Exactly.

The kpop industry is horrendous in it's current state. They need more regulations as to not be this exploitative. Let the kids be kids. And the whole debt thing just seems like a scheme tbh. Let the young idols work their asses off and you won't have to pay them a dime for a while

I agree but I would change "practically" to "actually"

Damn straight, I'm fuckin' pissed. I'm like trying to find some sort of good angle in this interview but, like... Realistically that kind of stardom lifestyle is just ridiculous to sustain.

@@jonmoore9015 Yeah y'all are right this IS DEFINITELY exploitative and abusive. When you need permission from your employer to see your family??? And they don't let you have a healthy night's sleep??? And they don't even pay you??? How is this OK. you lose your personal, social, and financial freedom, and on top of that you have to PAY THEM????? the more i think about this, the angrier I get.