The K-pop Dream Has Reached India, But Is It Truly Worth It?

Lights, camera, action – cue music. Picture this: the crowd goes wild as the lights fade into darkness and the spotlights find you on stage. This is where you were meant to be. To be known worldwide as one of the rising pop star sensations. You’ve done it. You’ve achieved your dream.

K-pop turns global

Well, we all dream big, and I’d be lying if I said I never once pictured myself performing on stage, dancing my heart out after watching Hannah Montana on television the night before. Cause let’s be real, who wouldn’t want to be leading a double life? Now, while the traditional and largely generalized ‘popstar’ genre makes up popular media and generates constant visibility, the life of a K-pop artist, however, sows seeds of mystery and curiosity. K-pop stars are not simply musicians; no, they are ‘Idols’. Thus, it is no surprise that they were ultimately idolized to the point of breaking through Westernized fan culture, giving way to an almost obsessive adoration. 

Nevertheless, their songs, social media presence, and their attempts to create personal connections with their fans became the dream for many young individuals. However, contrary to the genre’s name, becoming a K-pop Idol was not limited to South Korea or Japan; rather, following the immense influence of groups such as BTS and the success of their comebacks, the K-pop dream has now gone global.

However, as one gets older, only a few individuals fight to keep this dream alive. Perhaps it was because you grew out of it, or maybe there was no hope dangled by world-renowned pop companies to help achieve your dream. But the tides have turned. The company, known for launching some of the biggest K-pop bands, including BTS, Enhypen, and, more recently, KATSEYE, has brought its talent search to none other than the world’s most populous country, India.

Hybe India wants to know – do you have what it takes?

Currently in search of a new global girl group from India, HYBE has officially launched an online audition process, with many more in-person auditions to come. With the steady rise in Korean culture, cuisine, dramas, and, of course, music throughout the country, this doesn’t come as a surprise for most. But while this announcement was met with largely positive reactions, the age criteria announced by the company ranged from 2005 to 2011, leaving many young girls and women heartbroken. However, I believe this is where the inherent and potentially inevitable problem stems from, because what do you mean a 22-year-old is considered too old for the stage?

This is where the entire concept of bringing K-pop culture to India, not through external media but rather by directly inserting young girls into the framework, irks me. A country that seems not to be on the radar for events and concerts, even after having one of the largest K-pop fan followings, is the one chosen to have auditions in? It’s this general irony that ultimately generates a larger group of young individuals to try their luck at becoming the next big thing. But I would like to pose the question, would this next-gen girl take up the mantle of a K-pop group, a global group, or (and this might be a stretch), an I-pop group? Would this change lead to a possible loss in both Indian and Korean cultural authenticity, or would HYBE be willing to embrace the ‘desiness’ instead?

I hate to break it to you, but the K-pop industry is brutal

I’m sure you’ve heard of KATSEYE, the global girl group formed under HYBE x Geffen, known for their controversial lyrics and, of course, their band diversity. Despite them holding pride in the fact that each girl hails from a different cultural and ethnic background, the most recent controversy surrounding Manon, who happens to be the only black girl, has reached the point where well-established musical artists like Leigh-Anne took to social media to call out HYBE’s potential racist treatment. 

Keeping this account in mind, at a time when racism towards Indians is at an all-time high due to social media, creating a K-pop-inspired Indian girl group could lead to constant scrutiny simply due to the color of their skin. What makes this even more worrisome is that the auditions are being marketed to a group of girls with young, impressionable minds who have ultimately chosen to give up their childhood to pursue a dream that could make or break their careers. As a result, they are not only primed to be performers but also to be exploited.
With more and more K-pop idols bursting the bubble of the ‘idol’ life, there has been an emphasis on the constant burnout, mistreatment, and overworking that takes a psychological toll – from idols not having the opportunity to visit their hometowns for years to come after they debut, to being sucked into controversies so deep that they have to go into hiding, some even ending their own lives.

So……..is it worth it?

Well, I guess this is entirely subjective, isn’t it? 

You might have the drive and the passion to be there on stage, you might even be willing to give up your normal life to pursue that of an idol, but to what extent? Where can a line be drawn between talent and exploitation? In this scenario, is the line even there to begin with, or was it erased after the contract was signed? The internet often jokes about Western artists selling their souls to the devil, but in the K-pop industry, this might very well just be an individual signing their soul away instead. Known to generate an annual turnover of approximately $1 billion, the K-pop industry seems to be making bank at the expense of these young idols.

Because behind the glitz and glamour that one sees on stage, there lies a web of hurdles that test not only your endurance but also your character. 

So, I guess I’ll see you guys on the global stage, because personally, I, for one, would love to see a pop girl group made up of desi baddies. 

• #entertainment
• #K-pop
• #Katseye
• #music