A rare glimpse of the ‘factorylike’ K-pop idol training system

SEOUL ---Lee Jong-im, a pop culture expert and author of "Idol Trainees' Sweat and Tears," goes beneath the surface of the heavily fortified K-pop industry and lays bare some ugly truths about the challenging idol training system. Sitting down at a cafe in central Seoul, she shared valuable insight gained through months of research and numerous attempts at interviews since 2016 -- a time when idol training shows like Mnet's "Produce 101" were just starting to gain a presence on South Korean TV. After documenting the lives of a number of K-pop hopefuls, the author learned that very few reach the final stages of an audition without the help of private academies. "The media continue to...

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