Blackpink takes the world by storm. Blackpink is South Korea’s most successful girl band. A Netflix documentary tells their story but ignores the dark sides of the K-pop scene.
Written content from DW
The documentary focuses on the four young women aged between 23 and 25 who emerged as the winners of the lengthy YG program.
The film, however, does not look at the many contenders who did not make it in; teenagers who flocked to the academies hoping for national and global fame after dropping out of school and leaving friends and families behind to live their dream.
But dozens of such young people fall by the wayside each year because they are deemed not talented or disciplined enough, and are then marked with the stigma of failure.
No tattoos, no partners
The Netflix documentary stays somewhat on the surface, perhaps because Netflix has business ties to YG Entertainment. The dark side of life on the road to success does not fit the squeaky-clean image the young K-pop stars radiate: no scandals, no alcohol, no cigarettes, no tattoos, and endless, competitive rehearsals as the prize for fame.
Sandara Park of 2NE1, a K-pop band that no longer exists today, said in a recent interview that YG Entertainment imposed a five-year dating ban on her after she finally made it into the band following years of tough training.
Becoming a global brand
In 2016, the newly founded girl band shyly presented itself to the South Korean press for the first time. Four years later, the four young women have completed a world tour, have recorded a song with Lady Gaga (“Sour Candy”) and have released their second album featuring guest appearances by Selena Gomez and Cardi B.
The four K-pop girls are influencers, too: they show up in Samsung ads and are brand ambassadors for popular fashion labels.
Dark clouds hanging over K-pop
K-pop is not exactly a new phenomenon; it was first created about two decades ago, and made waves around the world in 2012 with the South Korean singer Psy’s hit song “Gangnam Style.”
The video was the most viewed video in the history of YouTube.
Singer Psy introduced K-pop to a global audience in 2012
While Psy’s fame since has faded, Blackpink is only just getting started on their global career. Singer Psy represented a fun gateway to the K-pop phenomenon, but then, as is now, focusing on fun is certainly the exception and not the rule in the competitive world of K-pop.
Artists like Blackpink are not supposed to leave the beaten K-pop track; they are meant to be shining celebrities, and appear pristine in every way. That’s what the fans pay for after all.
Should they break the mold and express an opinion that does not meet the high moral expectations in South Korea, they face bullying on social networks. Read more on DW
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