BBC Young Reporter @ LCS
K-Pop: World Domination
By: Anonymous
What is K-pop?
For some who may not know K-pop is inspired from American 'black' music like rap and hip hop and was adapted into what we know as K-pop.
A brief backstory of K-pop.
In 1950 the genre became recognisable with the trio The Kim sisters in the 1950s. They were born in Korea and didn't speak any English but quickly became popular in the USA by performing Americans songs. In 1990s k pop became even more popular and well known.
Becoming a trainee.
There are many ways you can become a trainee if you are from Korea, you can just go to audition at the company buildings but if you are born anywhere else you need to do audition online which could give you less of a chance to join. But sadly, in Korea they have an order people can get chosen.
- Koreans
- East Asians
- Asians
- Other
Before we continue, a quick warning: this maybe contain topic like self-harm, eating disorders and anxiety. I advise you to seek help. Everyone life should be valued.
To become chosen to be in a group children and teens are pressures to drop out of school since the basic hour are high (causing burnouts) but it is because of this that they made them have least hours and, they need to continue school.
Another problem is the obsession of the person visuals they cannot look 'chubby' and 'ugly' it is because of this that teens are told to starve and have plastic surgery with the fear that their dreams won't be true.
It is because of this they made some rules like a minor cannot drop out of school and not to work really long hours. I believe because of this people are getting aware will try to stop this this is why many will make YouTube video all to help protect them.
K-Pop is great, fun and uplifting music and it's only right that steps are being made to protect the most vulnerable in the industry from exploitation. Hopefully new policies will continue to be put in place – and with the support of the fans, anything is possible.