SOURCE: “데뷔 7년차 7인조 아이돌 수입 0원”…이것이 ‘현실 아이돌’
Members of DKB, now in their 7th year since debut, opened up about the realistic stories hidden behind the glamorous image of idols.
On the 10th, DKB (E-Chan, D1, GK, Heechan, Lune, Jusneo, Yuku, Harry June) appeared on the Youtube channel 'Human Story' and revealed their daily lives. The video was titled '7 idols living hard for their dreams despite earning 0 KRW in over 7 years.'
In the video, the members showed themselves preparing for an upcoming concert in Japan, repeating high-intense choreography that looked like the actual performance. They also showed the scenes of the members personally creating choreography and working on songs. It was clear that they are a talented group whose members directly participate in songwriting, composing, creating choreography, and even playing instruments.
However, there were realistic difficulties behind the glamour. E-Chan said, "We manage our food expenses with about 20,000 KRW per day. Income is a sensitive issue, so I have to be careful talking about it. If you're trying to make money, you should absolutely not choose this job. Compared to the amount of time and passion you put in, the money you get back is actually very little." He added, "There are seven of us, and even just going to the salon costs a lot. There are mixing fees, styling fees, and album production fees. It must also be hard for the company to manage everything. They have about 20 employees to pay."
Yuku said, "For us to earn income, we would have to make more than double what the company spends on us. But that hasn't happened yet," explaining that they haven't received any payouts because they haven't reached the break-even point.
Heechan said, "When I was young, I thought I'd be flying around on airplanes all the time once I became an idol." To this, E-Chan responded, "I thought I would have a star's life, but sometimes it actually feels emptier than the lives of people with regular jobs. I'm the type of person who can't do anything if there's no schedule or work. That's why I try to focus on self-development for this job."
The members described their current situation as an 'investment' that they are all enduring together. E-Chan said, "Since this is something we chose, we're working hard with a sense of responsibility and duty."
The members added, "If we had followed the money, we would never have chosen this job," adding that their passion for music and the stage is what keeps them going.
To young people running towards their dreams like them, DKB shared a message of support: "You can do it if you keep going on to the end. Never give up." They also left a message to themselves two years in the future: "You've suffered a lot. Just stay healthy."
DKB is a boy group under Brave Entertainment, founded by Brave Brothers. The group has released one full-length album and nine mini albums so far.
