How Social Media Is Gradually Showing the Dark Side of K-Pop Stars’ Lives

Apink, the six-member-deep South Korean woman group, is famous for its sour, uncontroversial pop tunes about adorable crushes and obscure, intimate thoughts (“Five,” “No No No,” ” My”). But after among the band’s associates, Naeun, published an benign Instagram image from a brunch at February 2018, she obtained overwhelming backlash and deleted this article. The reason? She had been holding a telephone case that read “Girls can do anything.”

This sort of feminist advertising is omnipresent in vogue nowadays (the situation is out of Zadig & Voltaire). Nevertheless it was seemingly too radical for lots of its own followers, whose ideals align with the profoundly embedded patriarchal system of Korea. Although Naeun’s post might have seemed like benign sponcon (if you are not yet an influencer, that is short for sponsored articles ), supporters were outraged that she had been “promoting feminism.” Her bureau allegedly dealt with the situation by stating the case was a present from the manufacturer, for whom the singer had lately done a take.

K-pop and societal websites have had a variable connection. Idol trainees, that undergo K-pop’s infamous pop-star boot camp, frequently aren’t permitted to use social media openly during grueling days which could last up of 12 hours. Then, after a trainee becomes a celebrity, they are encouraged to market their musicvideos, and tours in their respective channels — without becoming too political.

But social websites has bolstered innovative campaigns within Korean civilization, also. The #MeToo motion has targeted strong guys, most especially the Korean movie director Kim Ki-duk (on a 2018 South Korean information show, several celebrities accused him of sexual abuse, however Kim denied the accusations). The behemoth industry that’s K-pop stays less influenced by the #MeToo motion, but societal media has provided favorable programs for young Korean girls.