"8 out of 10 female trainees don't get their period."
This statement comes from a staff member of an entertainment company's rookie development team. Waking up at 5AM and returning home at 2 AM. There are countless kids in the entertainment world who only drink water for a week to lose weight.
"Most of them don't have their periods. It's because they don't eat and only exercise throughout their growth years. There is no such thing as a 'healthy' diet here. They are just ordered to meet their target goals. In fact, they often prefer not having periods because it's more convenient. Young girls who don't attend school don't think much about not having their periods, because they don't receive sex education here," explained the insider.
"I couldn't go home if I weighed a little bit more than the day before. I had to stand in punishment in front of the staff until I reached the target weight. After repeating this lifestyle, I had to be hospitalized from eating too little. I constantly suffer from gastroenteritis," recalled Gaeun (Fake name), who was a trainee for 7 years.
Although many trainees suffer physically and mentally, there is no one to take care of them. Because entertainment companies are not schools, they are not obligated to provide care for them. Trainees, whose labor status is not recognized, do not have an 'employment' relationship with the company. While they are trained and punished, there is no obligation for the company to follow labor laws. We spoke with No Hyeran, a former member of the girl group Brave Girls, to learn more about the lives of idols and trainees.
#Excessive bleeding for three months ... Rushed to ER once every week
Hyeran loved hip-hop. At the time, the concept of being an 'idol' was still forming. She dreamed of becoming a performer who both sang and danced as she watched BoA.
She was lucky. She passed the audition without needing to attend multiple rounds. The company she joined was considered well-regarded in the industry, and she became the envy of trainees from other companies.
At 15, she practiced every night until dawn. There were times she would stay up all night and then go to school. This was the routine of trainee Hyeran. To increase her practice time, she moved into a Gosiwon near the company. In that small, smelly room, she nurtured her dreams. "Practice time was also dream time. It was the most exciting time, rushing to see and experience an unknown world."
She spent three and a half years like this. At 19, she was finally given the chance to debut. Standing at 170cm, Hyeran was constantly pressured about her weight. Any baby fat was unacceptable in front of the camera. 'Dieting' was prioritized over talent. Her schedules were overwhelming, during busy times, her day would run from 7 AM to 5 AM the next day. She would only get 2 hours of sleep.
She would weigh herself, diet, and exercise for 8 hours a day. She even has gone through 10 days without eating or drinking anything, not even water. She would hold water in her mouth and spit it out, repeating this to survive.
Eventually, her body broke down. Severe stomach cramps became a regular issue, and she had to go to the emergency room once a week. Even while just sitting still, she would sweat profusely. After debuting, her periods stopped altogether. She even experienced continuous bleeding for three months.
Despite her physical suffering, the dieting continued.
"The industry itself has this atmosphere. 'You look a bit bloated, so try to increase your volume and look slimmer,' these kinds of comments were normal. If you catch gastroenteritis, it's seen as a good thing because you can lose weight. There’s a popular diet pill here. If you take it, all the moisture in your body drains out. But they still make you take it. I voluntarily took it for several months myself because I needed to lose weight. Some friends even got seizures from it," she shared.
https://www.bizhankook.com/bk/article/27939
theqoo
-I think the Kpop industry is one where you can't survive without exploiting young people, not just in terms of appearance, but everything... This belief has grown stronger in me, so I ended up quitting being a fangirl.
-For things to change, I think there needs to be some kind of child protection law for the entertainment industry. I think they should make a rule that prevents media exposure if an idol's body fat percentage is below a certain level, especially when they're extremely underweight, you know? Just like how they have a rule that makes sure underaged idols can't appear on live broadcasts after midnight.
-When I was really skinny, my period cycle was very irregular, anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 weeks... Yeah... But if I were a trainee and had to diet every day, it would’ve been even worse.
-My younger sister was 163cm and 43kg, and she stopped getting her period for 6 months. But once she gained weight, her period came back. Everyone has a weight that works for their bodyㅜㅜㅜㅜ This is exactly why I worry about my faves every dayㅜㅜㅜㅜ
-Yeah, it's because they're too skinny... A lot of them suffer from hair loss too...
-Why do they do this to kids in their growth period?ㅜㅜ Wait a second, that yearbook picture... is from my school...? She's my senior by one year, but why did no one talk about it back then?
-They say they’re healthier than others because they have abs and muscles, but that’s only because they have no fat to cover their muscles. They keep showing off on media as if they eat well, but it’s really not healthy, especially when you don’t get your period. There will be serious consequences later.
-In our country, even regular people are judged for their looks, let alone idols... It doesn’t seem like it will change.
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