Disturbing K-Pop Staff Confession And Horrifying Trainee Stories Going Viral Among Koreans

Recent accounts of the harsh realities faced by aspiring K-Pop stars have ignited discussions online, shedding light on the extreme sacrifices and troubling practices within the industry. Many of these stories reveal the devastating toll the trainee system takes on the physical and emotional well-being of young individuals hoping to achieve fame.

  | Mashable

One of the most shocking statements came from a former trainee development team member at an entertainment agency. He stated that due to the strenuous training, most female trainees stop menstruating. The combination of intense physical training and extreme diets, often limited to water for days, leads to such alarming health issues. The former staff member even emphasized the lack of proper sex education.

Most of them don’t menstruate. They’re at an age where their bodies are supposed to be growing, but they don’t eat and only exercise. There’s no such thing as a ‘healthy’ dieting system here. They’re simply told to hit their target weight, no matter what.

When they stop getting their periods, the kids actually prefer it — it’s convenient for them. Young girls who don’t attend school don’t even think twice about not having their periods because they don’t get proper sex education here.

— Former Development Staff

In 2020, Ladies Code’s Ashley also opened up about losing her period just two months into K-Pop training. | @ashleybchoi/Instagram

One former trainee nicknamed “Gaeun” in the Biz Hankook report revealed more about the pressures of dieting and weight loss. She even gave a glimpse of what punishment would occur if she didn’t reach her goal numbers. She spent 7 whole years training to be a K-Pop star.

If my weight was even slightly higher than the day before, I wasn’t allowed to go home. Until I reached the target weight, I had to endure punishments in front of the staff.

After this routine repeated over and over, my body became so weak that even eating a little would send me to the hospital. I was constantly suffering from enteritis (intestinal inflammation),

— Trainee “Gaeun”

| News Ade

Meanwhile, former Brave Girls member Hyeran also opened up about what her life was like as a trainee. Beginning her training at just 15, her days consisted of school, grueling rehearsals until dawn, and strict dieting. In some cases, trainees were forbidden from consuming even water for extended periods. Over time, these practices caused her to suffer from chronic health issues, including severe stomach problems and prolonged bleeding that lasted for months.

Hyeran | Biz Hankook

Despite such hardships, debuting did not guarantee relief. Hyeran described a relentless schedule, leaving only two hours of sleep on some days. The pressure to maintain an “ideal” figure persisted, with peers resorting to dangerous methods, including diet pills that caused severe dehydration or, worse, seizures.

The entire industry has that kind of atmosphere. Comments like, ‘You look a little bloated, so work on your figure to appear slimmer,’ are normal. If you get enteritis and lose weight, people say, ‘That’s great!’ There’s even a popular diet pill here. It dehydrates your body completely. Still, everyone takes it. I even willingly took it for months because I had to meet the weight requirements. One friend ended up having seizures after taking it.

— Former Brave Girl’s Hyeran

Photo of Hyeran in the ER after injuring her ankle. | Biz Hankook

Such testimonies continue to capture netizens’ attention and go viral, serving as a horrific reminder of the high price many trainees pay to pursue their dreams of performing on a K-Pop stage.