Of all the wacky topics in the world that a teenager could be an expert on, I happen to be a pro when it comes to knowing a lot about South Korea's music industry. Right off the bat, this sounds pretty harmless; how different can Korea's music industry be from those of America or England?
Oh, my friend, a new world is about to be opened up to you.
For those who know me (or have ever had a conversation with me, really) know that I have a huge passion for Korean music and Korean culture in general. I have spent over two years exposing myself to what I see as the most fascinating entertainment industry in the world. But I have not turned a blind eye to the dark side of this phenomenon.
Korean pop music ("K-Pop", for short) is known and loved all around the world, from Egypt to Russia to Peru to the Philippines. If you've never heard a K-pop song, all you need to know is that it is founded on catchy tunes, clean instrumentals, and bright colors. There is very little focus put on the lyrics, since only the small percentage of K-Pop fans that actually live in Korea bother to understand what is being said in the songs. A huge part of K-Pop is centered around the visuals. Every great K-Pop song has a memorable dance routine and a shiny, clean-cut music video. Rarely are either of these components missing.
The structure of the K-Pop industry is really where the word "immoral" is used. Most K-Pop stars are found in the form of K-Pop groups. While boy bands and girl groups may have died out in the 90s for Americans, they are the most common form of music artists in Korea. These groups are put together by major labels such as YG, SM and JYP (known as "The Big Three" in Korea), who hand-pick children often between the age of 8 and 16 that audition for these companies. These children then sign a contract with the music label and become trainees, undergoing daily/weekly training for two to seven years. After sharpening their singing, dancing, rapping and interviewing skills, they are either made soloists or put into a K-Pop group with other trainees. This newly formed group will be given a song and dance to learn very well and will later debut directly on television and YouTube for the rest of the world to judge. A crowd of potential fans will show up at the group's debut showcase (the group's first public performance) with merchandise and light sticks; these fans might enjoy the group and become long-term fans, or on some occasions they will "Black Ocean" the group, turning off all of their light sticks to show disinterest. Years upon years of training could result in a Black Ocean, practically ruining the career of a young Korean who simply dreams of becoming a star.
So, is this structure immoral? Many arrows point to "yes," but I would argue for the opposite opinion. Yes, I am slightly biased because of my love for the results that this system provides me with. But let us start at the very beginning of this whole process: the child chooses to follow their dreams of becoming a K-Pop star. They discuss for ages with their parents, who probably planned on sending their child to school for a few more years, and determine whether a private life is worth giving up for a life in the entertainment industry. After convincing the parents, they have to wow the judges at major music label auditions. There are so many levels to pass WILLINGLY to become a mere trainee, let alone someone worthy of the title of "K-Pop star." These teenagers are fully aware of the strife that one must go through to make it big in Korean entertainment. They know that they will not be able to publicly date under the rules of the music label, they will rarely see their families, they might be asked to receive plastic surgery to appear more attractive, they will constantly be under the scrutiny of the public eye, and they will spend hours on end practicing dances and songs each day. It is something they recognize from the very beginning and are willing accept for the sake of following their dreams. Therefore, I would argue that the K-Pop industry, even with its obvious dark side, is not immoral. It is the teenagers who sign up for this lifestyle that many westerners would see as "cruel," fully prepared to make the sacrifices that are so well known to those who are familiar with the K-Pop industry.
(Let me know what you think. I love debating this topic.)
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