Aidonian's blog

 so while I do enjoy the k-pop music, if you look at the industry, you see some disturbing things. From age 6-7 they are entered into special schools and then do talent shows so when they are released by their agency, they are ready for it. 

The problem is that until recently, they were forced to sign bad contracts where they were but slaves in anything but name. Since the agency invested a lot of money in them, they are forced to work it off. Which means that the first albums and shows they do, most of it goes to the agency. If they don’t do well, they are forced to do other things to pay off their debt. For women, it means sometimes even prostitution. 

Since South-Korea is a very conservative country, women’s rights are much to be desired for. Same can be said for western countries where women’s rights are under attack. 

While the music has evolved in South-Korea after the war. The rise of idols was towards the end of the 90’s. While in the west, we are used to artists singing of rapping about sex, in South-Korea it’s still a taboo. Female artists can’t twerk without getting a fine. 

Another problem arises for artists is that before they are 30 they have to serve for 2 years in the military. When popular, this could mean that after they come back. they have to start over again. For other artists, it could ruin them altogether. 

Since South-Korea is a hyperkapitalist country, which means that there is no safety net for unemployed or barely one in existence. While in US tv shows, “ordinary families” live in an ordinary house, in South-Korea it means that people in dramas are wealthy. They clearly give the message that if you work hard, that you will become wealthy. Basically a South-Korean version of the American dream. 

Those idols, while talented, the motive behind is to make profits, not to make good music. They don’t care if they make good music, so long as the profits come in, they don’t really care. 

When Psy ‘s Gangnam style came out. People made fun of it and his dance. I even did it. But it brought K-pop to the forefront and introduced western audiences to K-pop. When the first Youtube awards came around, western audiences were dismayed that the K-pop Girls Generation won the award and not a US musician. K-pop has a long way ahead of because many people still ridicule it. In a few years, I think K-pop will be mainstream in the west alongside with their tv shows and movies. They even make better shows and movies than US.