Inside the controversial course to become a K-pop idol

Becoming a K-pop idol is a physical and emotional path that requires many sacrifices.

The battle to become the next pop idol of South Korea is a fierce battle in which few go to the end and those who have to face a rigorous schedule to make sure to hit the big lot.

For many, this is a controversial career choice that makes the X Factor process seem moderate in comparison.

While the BTS boys group is now one of the largest pop music groups in the world, it's impossible to get there for many who start the journey.

Here is the controversial way to become a K-pop idol;

Years of training very young

Becoming an idol in the K-pop industry involves making the decision to give it a shot while it's still young.

The only way to have a chance is to sign with one of the entertainment companies of South Korea, but this involves an audition process.

Suggested itineraries are simple auditions to company executives or being "screened in the street" by one of the country's many observers, with the goal of finding the next big thing.

Young candidates who register are known as trainees and the exhausting process begins in earnest.

The K-pop industry requires very high standards and the trainee receives singing or typing lessons, depending on his abilities.

There are also dance clbades, drama, foreign languages ​​and even "funny action on television".

With regular performance evaluations, trainees can find the process extremely stressful, especially as they can be removed from the process if they show no consistent improvement.

Form a group of K-pop

A group of K-pop is made as it should be and each member is chosen for a specific skill, so that all the bases are covered.

Each place on a group of boys is fiercely contested, those who have not been chosen are returned to the training process or removed completely.

It is known that some have been stuck in the training program for about ten years, but it is more likely that if hope was not chosen for a group after a few years, their process is finished.

Voice and voice lead to physical changes

The South Korean company is known for its "high standards of beauty" and it is not uncommon for idol trainees to undergo plastic surgery to ensure a "perfect" appearance.

Before starting in a group, trainees can look for "fixed" features on their face, with the most common nose, cheeks and jaw to go under the knife to give the trainee an advantage.

It was reported that the better the trainees, the more likely they were to be in the group, and preferential treatment was given to those who seemed "aesthetically pleasing".

This is not a democracy

Being an idol of K-pop does not mean that you have the choice of the orientation of your career.

Entertainment executives carefully plan the rise of the bands, with pop videos ever more elaborate and personal appearances required to ensure that the acts remain relevant in the heavily populated K-pop market.

An attribute rarely attributed to a star of K-pop is an opportunity to be individually creative, the idols are only there to realize the vision of entertainment companies.

Heo Chan of K-pop group Victon recalled that he had to whiten his lighter hair and decided to take a stand as the discoloration became painful.

After an outing during which he had his natural black hair, the executives gave him an ultimatum: to dye the hair in blond or to have the group cut off.

Heo Chan took the trouble to dye to make sure to stay a K-pop star.

This is not a program "get rich fast"

While the best K-pop bands, the BTS of this world, might well find it, the reality is that many idols are struggling to make ends meet.

This is mainly due to the fact that while their training and career path are traced, all the money invested in the idol to achieve this goal is considered a "loan" by the entertainment companies.

From housing development to idols, feeding them and paying bills along the way, everything has to be paid back as soon as the money arrives.

Companies fund thousands of dollars in advance and this money must be repaid before any profit is made for the idols.

Christine Park, a member of the Blady Licensed Girls Group, said, "The money you invest is so much more than you can expect to earn in a career.

A group of K-pop boys will usually have a video clip, an album and many promotional performances.

This can generate up to $ 500,000 in debt, which is then distributed among band members.

To cope with payments, idols often have to take on a second job, such as waiting tables or construction work.

While breakthrough groups can demand huge advertising contracts and clear their debt quickly, it's a big deal with many idols earning less than $ 7,000 a year for their efforts.

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