Former K-Pop Idol Reveals The Control That Agencies Have Over An Idol’s Image
It is no secret that being a K-Pop idol is tough! From the strict schedules, long hours of training, and constant expectations to be perfect, life is far from the glitz and glamor most people expect. One of the most important parts of the industry is the way an idol looks.
In the latest video on her YouTube channel, former Blady member Tina (now more commonly known as Soobin or Christine Park) discussed the idea of beauty standards in the industry.
She looked at one question that many people have asked her: “How much control does the company have?” As expected, Tina’s answer seemed very high as she explained that it was probably about 90%.
Most of the time, your hair belongs to the company. You do not get to do anything, and they decide what they want to do with your hair with the comeback.
— Tina
From the color, style, and anything in between, all discussions go through the hairstylist. Because of this, she pointed out that you can’t do anything on a whim with your hair, adding that they would get into a lot of trouble if they did.
I remember there was a time where I really wanted to cut my hair because it was summertime. I just remember my company saying, ‘Don’t ever do anything with your hair.’
— Tina
Tina pointed out that it wasn’t just hair. They had the same view on the smallest details of an idol’s appearance, including their eyebrows.
When you become a K-Pop idol, that is kind of out of your hands because the stylist or the makeup artist will start to decide what eyebrow shape you should have.
— Tina
On several occasions, Tina revealed that she had done small things to maintain her appearance in the way she likes. However, she was always met with harsh words warning her not to do it again.
She perfectly summed up the reality of being an idol by saying, “Nothing belongs to you at this point.”
Although fans might think that idols are effortlessly flawless on the outside, there is a lot more work that goes into it. Sometimes, these visuals come at the cost of the idol’s freedom of how they want to look.
You can watch the whole video below.
