Welcome to Edition #126 of Gorick's newsletter, where Harvard career advisor and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Gorick Ng shares what they don't teach you in school about how to succeed in your career.
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→ Read time: 6 min
STORY
The truth behind becoming a K-pop idol
You’ve probably heard of K-pop. You may have even heard of some K-pop global stars like BTS, Blackpink, and EXO. Their music videos rack up hundreds of millions of views. Their concerts sell out in minutes. Their net worths hit the tens of millions.
Many dream of reaching that level of fame. In a recent survey, being a K-Pop idol ranked among the top dream jobs for South Korean teens—and for good reason.
K-Pop idols can earn millions from concerts, endorsements, and merchandise. They travel the world, perform in stadiums of cheering fans, and appear in glamorous magazine shoots.
But did you know the reality is far from glamorous?
In a traditional casting, aspiring idols go through an open audition and sign contracts to become K-Pop trainees. They are often no older than 17, and sometimes as young as 11 or 12. They then endure years, and sometimes even a decade, of relentless training.
“We’d get a day off every fortnight and then practice again for another 13 days,” recalled Rosé of Blackpink.
Trainees live under strict surveillance and rules. Dorms enforce curfews, and security cameras monitor nearly every inch of the practice spaces. Dance rehearsals stretch 10–12 hours daily, with the same moves drilled until exhaustion, layered on top of vocal lessons, language classes, and even etiquette training.
Everything from how they bow to how they smile is scrutinized. “There were so many rules... Everything I did was wrong,” said Rosé.
Most never debut. For those who do, success comes at the cost of relentless schedules, minimal rest, and contracts that can last up to 13 years, giving companies sweeping control over their careers and personal lives.
This isn’t unique to K-Pop. Every profession has a reality behind the highlight reel.
What does this mean for you?
The next time you consider throwing everything away for a “dream job,” remember: what looks shiny on the outside may not match on the inside.
UNSPOKEN RULE
Understand the path before you make the destination your dream
The danger of a "dream job" is falling for the stage lights and forgetting the 12-hour rehearsals. You need to talk to the people who are living the path to get the full story.
Here’s how to reality-check your dream job before committing:
- Get a warm intro: “Did I see that you’re connected to _______? Might you be close enough to them to make an introduction? I’m interested in _______ and would love to _______.”
- Ask someone living it: “I’ve always wanted to work in _______, especially given my [interest / background] in _______. Do you mind if I ask you some more questions about expectations versus reality? I’d love to follow in your footsteps.”
- Do a micro-test if you can: Before committing to a career or even a new job, make sure you try it, whether it’s through an internship or even a side project at work if you’re already employed.
(Continued reading: Learn to network like a nepo baby here.)
Dream jobs are worth chasing—just make sure you love both the spotlight and the rehearsals.
See you next Tuesday for our next story and unspoken rule!
—Gorick
What’s an “unspoken rule”? They’re the things that separate those who get ahead from those who stumble—and don’t know why. You can learn more about these rules in the workplace in my Wall Street Journal bestselling book called—you guessed it—The Unspoken Rules.
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Sources:
- the top dream jobs for South Korean teens
- K-Pop idols can earn millions from concerts, endorsements, and merchandise.
- They are often no older than 17, and sometimes as young as 11 or 12
- They then endure years, sometimes a decade, of relentless training.
- “We’d get a day off every fortnight and then practice again for another 13 days”
- Trainees live under strict surveillance and rules.
- K-pop group Blackpink
- K-pop idol audition in Thailand.
- Dorms enforce curfews
- Security cameras monitor nearly every inch of the practice spaces
- “There were so many rules.”
