If you’re at all familiar with the world of K-Pop, you’d have heard the phrase “survival show” at least once. Perhaps from an obsessed friend, lamenting over the elimination of their favorite contestant. Perhaps from the viral Twitter memes. Or, perhaps, your favorite group was made from one. Hate it or love it, survival shows have become a staple part of the K-Pop fan culture that is simply unescapable.
For the sake of simplicity, I will be focusing on idol survival shows: reality television programs involving a pool of contestants competing against one another, being periodically eliminated until the show is left with winners. The coveted prize is a musical debut in a group—the ultimate dream of thousands of trainees hoping to make it in this cutthroat industry.
At the center of it all is K-pop behemoth Mnet, whose infamous survival shows have borne popular groups like IOI, WANNAONE and IZ*ONE.
Whether it be “evil editing” or the 2019 vote manipulation scandal, it seems like the TV channel can never rid itself of drama. In fact, you can argue that Mnet thrives off the drama, as their ongoing survival shows continue to rack up millions of viewers.
So why do we care about these shows? Why do we keep watching them, despite their ethically questionable practices?
Objectively, their popularity can largely be attributed to three reasons:
- Visual appeal
Produce 101 (2016, 2017), Produce 48 (2018), Produce X 101 (2019) and Girls Planet 999 (2021) all feature conventionally attractive young men and women. The first episode gives trainees a chance to show off their talents, leading to memorable performances like Chung Ha’s freestyle in Produce 101 or Kim Yohan’s charming Produce X 101 audition. Mnet has never been one to hold back on star power, with celebrities like Lee Dong Wook, SNSD’s Tiffany and Sunmi having made their appearances as hosts and mentors.
2. Audience Voting
Idol survival shows also provide the opportunity for fans to cast votes for their favorite trainees. Unlike traditionally made K-pop groups that are created by private companies, the audience has a say in who gets into the final lineup. Audience voting is not a new concept; Western reality TV competitions have used the text and call voting method before the first Korean idol survival show even existed.
However, it’s undeniable that Mnet takes it to the next level. Girls Planet 999, for instance, would start and end every episode calling out to “planet guardians” (AKA the viewers) to choose girls whose dreams they want to “protect” (AKA vote for). In this way, the audience themselves have become part of the show.
3. The “story”
Perhaps nothing is more compelling than the “story”—narratives surrounding the trainees’ personal and professional journeys, their friendships, the drama, and everything in between. There is the underdog like Kim Sohye in Produce 101(2016), who started off unskilled and ended up a winner. Produce 101 (2017) introduced members of already-debuted boy group NU’EST as trainees in the show, which shocked fellow contestants and fans alike.
Unlike Western shows where it’s all about aggressive competition, idol survival shows like to focus on the trainees’ bonds with each other. Produce 48 and Girls Planet 999 in particular revolve around trainees of different cultural backgrounds (Korean, Japanese, Chinese) working together despite language barriers.
The “wholesomeness” easily eclipses the more competitive aspects of the show, effectively attracting even more fans into the franchise. Equipped with undeniable visual appeal, voting system and compelling narratives, it’s no wonder that idol survival shows have only become more popular over the years. Yet, despite the pristine image the shows aim to embody, the reality of Mnet could not be further than the truth.
Dubbed a “snake” by legions of bitter fans, Mnet has never shied away from “evil editing”; the practice of editing certain contestants’ clips to make them look bad, usually to paint another as better. Words are taken out of context, while imperfect performance clips are repeated over and over along with unsavory facial expressions. Foreign trainees not fluent in Korean are often victims of mistranslations. It seems that no amount of drama—made up or otherwise—can satisfy the producers or the audience.
We also discovered in the 2019 Mnet vote manipulation investigation that the channel is not above rigging the competition. The police investigation exposed the bribery going on behind the scenes, electoral fraud, as well as the rampant mistreatment of contestants. A trainee of Idol School alleged that they were given inappropriate clothes for the cold weather, cut off from communication with the outside world, and malnourished to the point of some girls not menstruating or having abnormally long periods.
One thing is clear from the investigation: Mnet is guilty of exploiting both contestants and the audience, and they deserved what was coming to them. I know this for a fact, and yet, when Girls Planet 999 began airing this August, I couldn’t help but to tune in.
These shows are dangerously fun and addicting. As an outsider, it’s interesting to see how idols are “made”. There is just something gratifying about supporting an idol before they get famous and watching them succeed partly due to your support. The constant screening of the trainees’ daily lives, while certainly invasive, also brings about the illusion of closeness. Their happiness becomes your happiness. Their sorrow becomes your sorrow.
It’s a parasocial relationship, at its finest.
Many viewers, myself included, watch these idol survival shows with a guilty conscience. I watch these shows for the trainees and the trainees only, but in doing so, I’m still supporting an exploitative company whether I want to or not. But it’s oh so easy to escape into this aesthetically pleasing world after a long day. Let it be clear that I do not blame myself or anyone else who seeks refuge in parasocial relationships.
Such is the uncomfortable reality idol survival shows hide behind bright lights and pastel pinks. Perhaps there is truly no ethical consumption under capitalism, yet I still find myself wondering how we can do better.