On April 16, it was announced that the South Korean girl band Blackpink was set to be the first K-pop group to headline the Coachella Music and Arts Festival, which is typically reserved for only the biggest musical acts in the industry. In contrast to this, just three days after, member of K-pop boy band Astro, Moonbin, was found unresponsive in his home in South Korea with no cause of death has been announced, but police said he appeared to have taken his own life.
These events highlight the extreme highs and lows of an industry that is currently having a significant impact on worldwide popular culture.
K-pop, which refers to South Korean popular music, gained prominence in the mid-nineties alongside J-pop, the Japanese pop music. It is typically a blend of pop and hip-hop sounds, performed by highly trained artists with a strong focus on youth and visual aesthetics. K-pop has expanded to become global music that is predominantly produced in Korea or using the Korean industry and training system.
The term “idol” is common within the K-pop community and refers to someone in a successful K-pop group or is popular in the genre, and refers to an all-round talent who has to possess the abilities to sing, dance, and look appealing.
The road to becoming a K-pop artist necessitates rigorous training, often involving long term contracts that can last up to five or ten years. Even after debut, artists are subject to strict training schedules, including rehearsals and performances for lengthy periods with little sleep. Underage idols have the basic legal right to learn, rest, and sleep according to a law introduced in 2014 to protect them.
Despite these advances, K-pop artists still have to adhere to strict conditions as per their contracts. Some agencies enforce a “no mobile phone” rule, and others are known to enforce bans on dating, and have also been known to strictly regulate weight loss.
While breaking into the K-pop industry is a challenging and intense process, it has become a more accepted aspiration for young people in South Korea, with K-pop having a significant impact on the global music industry.
