V-lines, S-lines, whatever-lines — South
East Asia is rather obsessed with looking a certain way, often shaming countrymen
and women for not meeting fanatical expectations. The obsession with weight is
prominent in the K-Pop industry where idols are starved or given meals that
meet the bare minimum in nutrition so that they appear skinnier — well, because
skinny is sexy, it seems.
However, any variety show will prove that things
aren’t sexy when these manufactured role models are pitted against each other
to receive meals as a reward.
The reality is harsh, but a new wave of idols,
thanks to the slight freedom granted by their companies, are lashing out
against unworldly expectations.
Choi Youngjae of GOT7 recently aired streamed a “mukbang”, an interactive
session where one person savours meals as they speak to an audience on camera. In
this live stream on Naver’s V platform, a “fan” had commented with hopes that
the star loses weight. Youngjae stepped up to react to this statement,
requesting the person to mind their own business in a rather candid context.
I think it was a much-needed stand. As an entertainer,
idols have a certain amount of influence over their followers, and spreading
messages of positivity and healthy body image is important to save an ignorant population
from life-threatening meal plans and ridiculous diets.
New Year brings new tidings; and K-Pop world’s first ship has already set sail. SM Entertainment recently confirmed that EXO’s Kai and BLACKPINK’s Jennie are dating.
Kai x Jennie
The news reeled in mixed feelings. On one
side, we have EXO-Ls and Blinks celebrating, while on the other, we have the
usual hate patrol that refuse to acknowledge the relationship.
Interestingly, few are also pointing out the hypocrisy surrounding idol dating news. For instance, the unnecessary hype behind Cube Entertainment’s Hyuna and E’Dawn “dating” news that had K-Poppers lining up with pitchforks. Threats came in left and right, causing Cube to drop the two artists from the label.
The HyuDawns
Why though? What was so scandalous about
Hyuna and E’Dawn?
Why are fans far calmers about KaixJennie?
What are we missing here?
One of the season’s most awaited ceremonies of the year, that’s not one of the big three Gayos, succeeded in disappointing fans yet again. MAMA 2018 had K-poppers and netizens firing away at their keyboards to express their thoughts on the terrible system adopted by the show.
The voting Nominated artists are selected based on a number of factors — local and international album sales, music video views on social media, public appearances, etc. — followed by the audience voting system.
The latter is supposed to give fans the power
to support their beloved artists through several campaigns. Each voter creates
an account on the official site in order to place a vote daily. This is
applicable to all categories, except for the “Album of the Year” award, which
is solely selected based on album sales and a panel of unidentified “local and
foreign” judges.
What
happened?
It is understandable that popular groups
often end up racing head to head for several titles. However, one category, “Best
New Female Artist” is what left many of us dumbstruck. The award was given to
IZ*ONE, a 12-member female group that was created as a result of Mnet’s show
Produce 48.
IZ*ONE battled it out with five other female
rookies — NATURE, GWSN, LOONA, Fromis_9 and (G)I-DLE. But this is where it
gets interesting. There is a great divide between what fans appreciate in South
Korea vs international fans.
Flashbacks
of a haunting experience
For instance, when I was in Seoul in December
2016, I.O.I. were glorified as goddesses. Every street down Hongdae, every
corner of Myeongdong, Dongdaemun, and even the souvenir shop in N-Seoul Tower,
Namsan, had their annoying Pick Me song blaring through speakers. My friend and
I, who equally adore girl groups, just couldn’t comprehend the appeal behind
I.O.I. The only “wow” factor in the group was the fact that these girls
competed against 101 other trainees to take centrestage. But listening to “Pick
Me”, or their other track, “Very very very”, was terrifying and yet it had a massive
following. Now we’re not sure if their producers hold much influence across the
media and population, but IZ*ONE is like the I.O.I nightmare revived.
Do
they deserve the title?
Now while I do understand that the levels
of appreciation vary from country to country, what I fail to understand is what
exactly did IZ*ONE do to deserve the award over (G)I-DLE in the “Best New
Artist — Female” category. While supporters claim IZ*ONE sold 80,000 albums
since debut compared to the meagre 2,000 by (G)I-DLE, on what basis did the
former earn the title? I mean, while Produce 48 has been around since June, IZ*ONE
officially debuted in October. Were two months of mixed bag activities enough
to earn that many album sales and a year-end accolade?
(G)I-DLE, under CUBE Entertainment, debuted
in May this year and has been making strides not only in the K-Pop world, but
also on the international scene with two of their lead vocalists part of the
fictional League of Legends pop group, KDA. The song, POP/STARS, earned 125
million views in one month, thanks to its infectious bi-lingual melody, which
is being appreciated by gamers and music lovers. Besides journeying through
different genres in pop culture, the six-member group are serving as Goodwill Ambassadors
in Seoul alongside other nominees for two years.
So, what we’re missing is the justification
behind IZ*ONE’s win. Personally, (G)I-DLE had every possible reason to win the
award. Clearly, MAMA continues to reign supreme as one of the most unfair and
illogical awards programme in South Korea.
Jonghyun Kim, the lead vocalist of K-Pop boy band SHINee, committed suicide at the young age of 27 on this date (December 18) last year, shocking fans around the world, including me. According to Korean media, the star had left a number of cryptic messages prior to his death that hinted at his long-term struggle with depression, loneliness and fear of lacking talent.
SHINee’s lead vocalist, Kim Jonghyun May his soul rest in peace
Jonghyun now joins a list of many
celebrities (and residents) in South Korea, who ended their life after
being driven to the edge by stress, peer pressure, harassment and low
self-esteem.
According to my Dubai-bred Korean friend,
Youngjae Kim, the country sets incredibly high standards for its
citizens, and failing to meet them results in shame and public
humiliation. “People are treated as outcasts if they’re unable to join a
prestigious university or renowned company, for example. People are
also expected to look a certain way — where big eyes, pursed lips, a
“V-shaped” jaw, “S-line” figure and porcelain skin are desired. The way
you look can easily gain you favours in a lot of situations — especially
when it comes to job promotions. The pressure from society is so
intense that it drives people to commit suicide,” he said.
Youngjae has signed-up for the mandatory
two-year military service and is currently living in Incheon, South
Korea. As someone who was raised in a multicultural environment such as
the UAE, he is unable to adjust to Korea’s social norms and is looking
forward to returning once he completes his service.
“Nobody likes to talk about it
(depression), but it’s there. People tend to turn a blind eye because
they themselves are afraid of being shunned. Visiting a therapist is
almost considered taboo, as the shame of seeking help passes onto the
family or creates unnecessary commotion,” he added.
According to the World Health
Organisation, suicide is the fourth most common cause of death in Korea,
while the South Korean Health and Welfare Ministry identifies
depression and anxiety as the top reasons. The situation is so severe
that its prevention is part of the 100 key policies vowed by South
Korea’s President Moon Jae In, who aims to reduce suicide rates by 2020.
With Jonghyun’s case plastered all over
social media, Korean society is now being forced to confront and discuss
clinical depression, a topic usually swept under the rug. It is also
shining the spotlight on the Korean pop music (K-Pop) industry, which is
no stranger to mental, physical and sexual abuse.
The vibrant K-Pop industry isn’t as jolly
and glamorous as international fans think. While I still adore the
music and choreography, everything else about the scene has lost its
charm. Unlike the West, where artists’ creative freedom is welcomed,
Korea thrives on seasonally produced puppets (with trainees getting
younger and younger, with an average age of 15) who have to follow a
strict schedule — be it during work or off-work hours — as deemed fit by
their employers. This also covers diet and personal relationships, with
artists often seen salivating on game shows at the prospect of sampling
food, or unable to see their family and friends except during special
occasions or broadcasts.
Artistes often have their personal
communication devices confiscated, are forced to live in cramped
conditions, provided with one debit card to cover all basic expenses of
the team. They are subject to inhuman working hours with no holidays,
are forbidden from strolling outdoors, and quite often, have no say in
the creative process of the music industry. This is just the tip of the
iceberg, and based on years of closely following several court cases
where renowned artists mustered the courage to legally terminate their
‘slave’ contracts.
Except for a handful who are lucky to
have debuted with forward-thinking companies, others are under constant
surveillance by employers and netizens alike, who are quick with
criticisism at any opportunity. Hence, their lives are scripted with
assigned personalities. Each member takes on a certain role and is meant
to act that way — for instance, the eldest is often considered the
leader with either a serious or a clumsy aura, while the youngest member
is expected to act mischievous and cute for maximum fan appeal.
Fandom armies in Korea alone have formed
an army of their own. In a casual conversation with a Korean friend who
works at one of Korea’s entertainment companies, CJ E&M, I was told
that these fans alone can make or break a group, which directly affects
artistes’ lives, their schedules as well as their success. This topic
crept up during my visit to the broadcast company to view the taping of a
music programme. Interestingly, if there are any rumours floating
about, or other fans don’t conduct themselves in a certain manner,
members of each respective fandom take matters into their own hands to
thwart negative news and protect their idol’s public image.
However, not all fans are the
happy-go-lucky kind. The worst of them are known as sasaengs. The Korean
term defines followers that go through any means necessary to catch a
glimpse or attract the attention of their favourite idol. From setting
up CCTV cameras in homes and parking lots to social media hacking and
death threats, sasaeng fans take invasion of privacy to a whole new
level.
That said, there is a strong need to
address the issues that plague the K-Pop industry, encourage local and
international fans to adopt an open mind, and ease artists’ burden of
living a plastic life.
The Escapades of Feefkebab 