K-pop is Becoming Political

By: Henrique Vieira Soares

Content Warning:

The following article contains material that may be harmful or traumatising for some audiences.

K-pop is more than just music. It is a complete form of entertainment that embodies choreography, fashion and lifestyle. In today's globalised world, it is hard for someone not to be familiar with the music genre that makes billions for South Korea. K-pop is a fundamental part of the Hallyu (or Korean Wave), which is South Korea's cultural economy exporting pop culture, entertainment, music, TV dramas and movies. Hallyu started in the 1990's and has been a powerful way to exert soft power, which positively contributes to the country's economy and international influence. K-pop, in specific, has played a major role in boosting the country's economy, generating about $10 billion for South Korea each year. However, such economic development requires a price to the artists who get involved with the K-pop industry.

The K-pop industry can be really tough. To start, many auditions have a competitive rate of 700:1, meaning that there's a lot of pressure to do well in order to become a trainee As a trainee under a company, your life can change as there's a restless training schedule and a strict contract that restricts you from dating, having an online life, and contacting people. In addition, many companies stress the idea of the ideal body and face, requiring their artists to maintain an "acceptable" weight and to do plastic surgeries. Even though a bill to protect underage K-pop idols from exploitation was passed in 2023, it is possible that the industry's behaviour will take a while to change. Beauty standards and exemplary behaviour are an intrinsic part of Korean culture, which motivates the way the K-pop industry works. The industry tries to build and shape perfect artists but mostly fails to ensure their wellbeing. These inhumane conditions have led to many suicides in the K-pop industry over the past years.

South Korea has one of the highest suicide rates among developed countries. In the context of K-pop, it is not any different. Many K-pop idols have taken their lives because of the pressure to be in this industry and because of the lack of mental health support provided. The question that stays, then, is: how legitimate is the growth of South Korea's economy because of Hallyu given the negatives of such growth?

Jonghyun was found dead in his apartment in 2017. He was part of K-pop group SHINee.

South Korea and the K-pop industry need to start reflecting on what they are doing right and wrong. The increasing suicide rate in the country, and among K-pop idols, is a strong indication that something needs to be changed. On the other hand, we are talking about societal culture, meaning that some beliefs are hard to change, as most of what happens in the K-pop industry reflects what Korean society believes to be ideal. Yet, on an international level of analysis, South Korea's way of treating their artists could be negatively seen by some countries, which could affect their soft power.

In the end, K-pop is still a cultural phenomenon that has attracted a lot of attention towards South Korea, which is good for their economy and has positively impacted their international relations. K-pop is an addictive phenomenon that will hardly disappear in the following years. Despite that, it must be said that the negative events in the K-pop industry may be seen as an infringement of basic human rights. Therefore, it is clear that its structure and way of functioning needs to change, as South Korea's economic development is happening at the expense of people's lives.

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K-pop is Becoming Political

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