The K-Pop Boy Group Working Day Jobs To Survive While They Continue To Pursue Their Dreams

“There are other idols, not just me, who don’t don’t have an income right now…”

A K-Pop boy group has continued working day jobs to support themselves.

The new JTBC survival show Peak Time recently premiered and has become a hot topicPeak Time‘s objective is to give opportunities to K-Pop groups that have been hit hard by the pandemic, had long breaks or frequent member changes, recently debuted and would like a boost of attention by showcasing their skills, or even disbanded.

One of these groups is boy group VANNER (also known as Team 11:00). They debuted on February 14, 2019, under VT Entertainment with the single “Better Do Better.” They’ve toured the U.S. and have even performed over 200 shows in Japan!

VANNER is a five-member group comprising of Taehwan, Gon, Hyesung, Ahxian and Yeongkwang. Their fandom name is VSS, which is an acronym for “Very Very Slightly,” referencing diamond’s clarity to represent how valuable fans are to them.

VANNER

Taehwan, born January 15, 1994, is the Leader and Main Vocalist. Reportedly, he was a PLEDIS Entertainment trainee and rumored member of SEVENTEEN.

Taehwan

Gon, born August 7, 1995, is the Vocalist, Main Rapper, and Main Dancer. Originally, he was only meant to be VANNER’s dance instructor, but he ultimately accepted VT Entertainment’s offer to be a group member.

Gon

Hyesung, born January 17, 1996, is the Lead Vocalist and Lead Dancer.

Hyesung

Ahxian, born March 27, 1996, is the Lead Rapper.

Ahxian

Yeongkwang, born September 22, 1997, is the Vocalist, Visual, and Maknae.

Yeongkwang

While VANNER has a loyal fanbase, and you’ll often see videos of the members circulate social media, showcasing their talent and charming personalities, they revealed their struggles during Peak Time. 

@venxion

WHY DIDNT ANYONE TELL ME ABOUT VANNER SOONER !?#vanner#vannerkpop#kpop#kpopfyp#fyp#trending#viral#ZFlipClackdown

♬ 폼 (FORM)(FORM) – VANNER (배너)

@itaehwan

i’ll never forget him ♡ | #vanner #배너 #kpopfyp #gon #곤 #itaehwan

♬ State Lines – Novo Amor

The VANNER members each shared their day jobs they work to support themselves. Taehwan and Hyesung both serve at a tteokbokki restaurant, Gon is a barista, Ahxian does delivery from Lotteria at Shinjeong Intersection, and Yeongkwang works at CGV (movie theater) near Konkuk University.

Previously, Hyesung explained to fans via live broadcast why he was working part-time as a salesperson at LUSH at the time. He had been living for a couple of years without any earnings.

There are other idols, not just me, who don’t don’t have an income right now. I’ve lived about 2 years without an income, and I’ve realized that when people live without an income, their thoughts become extreme and have no limits. You know, I just want to be able to afford my bus fare, be able to pay for food, and if I meet up with a friend who’s younger than me, I want to be able to treat them to a meal. My life would be sustainable if I can just pay for things like coffee or food, but because I don’t have that kind of money, I began to think about quitting being a singer and how I’ve burnt out. So I decided to let things go. Even if people happen to recognize who I am, I decided to work. When people ask me, ‘Why do you work a part-time job?,’ I tell them, ‘I decided to work part-time in order to protect my main job.’

— Hyesung

VANNER are certainly getting the recognition they deserve while on Peak Time. Everyone is recognizing their talent and work ethic.

@itaehwan

vanner has worked so hard, they deserve this. pls support them on peaktime! team 11:00 | #peaktime #vanner #배너 #kpopfyp #kpop #kpoptiktok #nugu #vvs

♬ snowfall – Øneheart & reidenshi

You can watch Peak Time on Rakuten Viki. Don’t forget to support VANNER!
Source: Kprofiles and itaehwan

Idol Struggles & Victories