I don't like the Kpop industry. They are abused.

[Aphasic 4,033]

I get that South Korea has given a lot of great groups with incredible songs and even more incredible and complex choreographies but the abuse they go through doesn't do it for me.

Kpop artists are manufactured, they are not at liberty to express themselves truely. All this extravaganza with boy bands wearing make up, skirts, ect,  is just for show. South Korea is known to be highly homophobic. 

The way these guys and gals are treated is not fair nor human.

The following article shines light on this topic. 

https://www.theguardian.com/global/2020/mar/29/behind-k-pops-perfect-smiles-and-dance-routines-are-tales-of-sexism-and-abuse

[Cherries 357]

I agree. The kpop machine is the reason of many suicides

[Noah 26,928]

I think you're playing on a few stereotypes here.

While the Kpop Industry has been known to be tightly controlled, it also has gotten a lot better in the past like 5-6 years (obviously not saying its perfect). The Artistry is also there, many Idols are encouraged to write and produce their own music and come up with concepts for their albums.

Obviously there are very conservative christians who are homophobic, but the newer generation of Idols are far more open. You also have to look at a cultural difference here. In Korea you do not talk about those things openly or discuss them like that, so if an Idol is gay they rarely do come out. With the amount of western influence tho, Korea is going in the right direction in general when it comes to being more lgbt friendly. I also just wanna add - acts of homophobia in general are still very normal. You would also see more homophobia in a Red State in the USA. 

 

Korea has lots of growing to do (and it is doing that) but just generalizing these claims in an article diminishes that growth. 

[NichuuB 43,788]

Just now, blindinghope said:

And the American music industry isn't just as bad? Literally. Stop pointing fingers and making one thing the bad thing and shouldn't be listened to. How many rapes do we hear about over here? Shut up. 

West Music Industry is something dirty and awful, but not as near as the korean industry. It's something really cruel, even more for women, as it's always has been. If you look it up, you'll be horrified

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, blindinghope said:

And the American music industry isn't just as bad? Literally. Stop pointing fingers and making one thing the bad thing and shouldn't be listened to. How many rapes do we hear about over here? Shut up. 

Both of those industries can be criticized at the same time. This was such a dense take and ignorant to a lot of the abuse and mental strain a lot of KPop  and American musicians are put under. It's not a contest of who's got it worse, its about the overall mistreatment that these industries promote.

[blindinghope 216]

Just now, NicoB said:

West Music Industry is something dirty and awful, but not as near as the korean industry. It's something really cruel, even more for women, as it's always has been. If you look it up, you'll be horrified

Oh I know. But I listen to groups who actually don't have to be slaves. Try out ateez. One member has been gone for ages because of mental health issues. And the company is letting him. They take care of the group. They nurture them. So....

Everyone is aware of how shitty the industry and the companies are. We still stan the groups and support them and send love to them. We been knew. 

[Bonkers 28,941]

I've watched a lot of south korean tv dramas, and one trait that is really valued there is the value of "HARD WORK".  It's a cultural message that is promoted and embraced.

When you listen to KPop singers in interviews, one thing you will always hear them say is, "we work so hard"  "we've been working so hard."  or when something doesn't work out it's always sad because "they were working so hard."

I think when a culture glorifies hard work, it means there are high expectations and working in that industry is going to be demanding.  

Just my two cents on why I suspect it's tough for KPop singers, they basically need to signup for a degree of abuse since success is equated with "hard".

[Decodekid 27,869]

Although there are mistreatments in the Kpop industry, it's not like that is always the case. There are a bunch of companies, you cannot simply point out the ones that are problematic. Also, it's not like the western industries are any better 

 

[NichuuB 43,788]

Just now, homomart said:

Both of those industries can be criticized at the same time. This was such a dense take and ignorant to a lot of the abuse and mental strain a lot of KPop  and American musicians are put under. It's not a contest of who's got it worse, its about the overall mistreatment that these industries promote.

And, as always, the mistreatment is worst for women

[Noah 26,928]

2 minutes ago, NicoB said:

West Music Industry is something dirty and awful, but not as near as the korean industry. It's something really cruel, even more for women, as it's always has been. If you look it up, you'll be horrified

Okay, then lets look at the Western Acting Industry. or Model Industry. Weinstein, Epstein... all the CP and luring of children etc.

[blindinghope 216]

Someone close this thread. It's nonsense. 

[Aphasic 4,033]

12 minutes ago, Cherries said:

I agree. The kpop machine is the reason of many suicides

Correct.

[Babel 41,308]

I don’t get why Kpop fans come to defend the erratic behavior of the kpop industry and start deflecting the issue by talking about how the western world treats artists. We know what artist go thru on American music, the woman this forum is dedicated to has always been outspoken about the corporate world and its inhumanity. Countless of discussions have been taking part, it’s everywhere. 
 

So why can’t we speak about the insights of Kpop corporations too? Why is such taboo for Kpop fans? 

[Aphasic 4,033]

4 minutes ago, blindinghope said:

Someone close this thread. It's nonsense. 

Why is it nonsense? Even in the documentary of Blackpink on Netflix you can very clearly see that Kpop is an industry that mistreats people. 

 

[GagaSine 7,464]

It's true, the k-pop industry goes pretty far with controlling idol lives and not letting them be their own people. They are just machines for their managers/record labels. 

The music industry can be toxic everywhere but it isn't comparable to the level of control that k-pop idols have exerted over them. I'm glad that it is slowly changing.