Why k-pop idols don't make money. Yes, I phrased that question a little bit more open-ended than what I could have
But I did that for a reason when you look at k-pop idols
They're wearing the latest fashion, going out to fancy events, looking like they live the lives of luxury but in all reality
majority of them
Don't even make enough to live. This first was brought to me a while ago when FIESTAR's Cao Lu
Expressed in a TV show that she has no income and she is no fresh-face in kpop
She's 32 years old and she's expecting to live off only
450 dollars a month that is shocking
numbers that I think a lot of k-pop idols go through. Now the reason that this is happening to k-pop idols is because of the
System created by kpop companies called the break even system. Now it's not a new system
the break-even system has been used and continued to be used to this day across the world
but basically the break-even system means of all the years of training and
Classes that these k-pop idols go through the preparation of completing a song or an album,
the music video shooting, the photo jacket photoshoots
everything that you need in order to prepare for a debut or a comeback the company pays for
they pay for your education and learning how to dance, rap, seeing, write lyrics
Produce, everything they want to teach you, but you have to pay that back and the payback system isn't that lenient.
So let's say you're a kpop idol
congratulations you made it but you spent let's say four or five years training those four or five years is an
Investment by the company into you and that company wants their investment back eventually and so how do they get that investment back?
Well from the money that you earn by going out and doing promotions selling albums and everything a k-pop idol does
But it's not that simple and it's a system that doesn't work that fast for a kpop idol to get out of paying
Back the company to actually start making real money now
You've probably seen a variety show or like a reality show by your favorite k-pop
group of their dorm a place where the whole group lives together and that's where they stay most of the time that dorm is
paid for by the company the food that they eat is paid for by the company almost every living expense is paid for by the
company, but again
Let's go back to the break-even system when everything is paid by the company that is more money placed on your debt
That is more money that you have to pay back eventually
So if k-pop idols are building up all this debt and money that they owe to the company. When do they pay it back?
Well, that's where the numbers get a little bit more foggy
Each company has a different contract they have with their k-pop idols
They have their own agreements that they agreed to so numbers aren't that specific but one number that is, is
The cost it takes to debut a new group. In an article
JYP revealed that it takes 900 million won to train a new k-pop group in u.s. Dollars
That is almost a million dollars more specifically a 8 hundred and forty five thousand dollars now that is just debuting
That is probably the biggest expense a company has in
Their k-pop idols another expense is comebacks
It is a bit cheaper
But a mini-album not a full album
cost twelve million won to record and 15 million won to produce
So you're looking at a total of almost 30 million won for just a mini album. Not a full album
That is just a music. Now the music video a music video shoot can cost up to
150 million won plus there's album jacket shootings. That is also another 20 million won on top of that
Once the k-pop group has everything they need a song
Photos music video they're ready to debut
But in order to get their name out there
They need marketing and so marketing through music shows will cost you 500 million won
That is the cost to have a choreography, backup dancers, outfits, and makeup
And so the final tally for a k-pop group to have a comeback is 1 million three hundred thirty-five thousand four hundred ninety three
dollars and 86 cents
Pocket change. dejbdhefbdsh haha
Oh my god, I could I could live forever on that. So why did I spew all those numbers?
That's just an idea to give you how much a kpop company spends in order to have a k-pop group
Debut or comeback that ends up on the back of those k-pop idols to pay back
Let's say a k-pop group is successful enough to where they promote and surpass that
1.3 million that the company has invested into them just a rough estimate is probably more than that
Then that is when they can finally make money they broke even
Through the break-even system and they could start making some real money and those numbers are a little bit all over the place
There is a huge disparity between the top earning k-pop idols and the lowest earning kpop idols millions
We're talking millions. So think of the break-even system kind of like a strict
college
Loan that you have to pay back in college
They give you a little bit of time with a low interest and low payment every month to pay back your college loan
But in kpop they take everything
But they also give you a place to live and every living expense that you need and they're not making little to no income
I'm sure through a lot of companies it's a little bit different
They probably are making a little bit while they're you know
A new group and they're still trying to break even a kpop comapany
wouldn't be that cruel to have them have no money to you know spend on their own thing or you know
Give to their family to support them
Would they????? but here's the sad thing a turbo statistic says that if a k-pop group debuts not in the big three
Then their chances of staying in debt are longer and higher
People love to talk about the big three
Privilege or the big four or how many big companies there are now and to some extent it's true those groups get more publicity
And become more popular and become the most popular groups of that generation
and so their risk of having a huge debt and staying in debt longer is
A lot more less than let's say someone that debuts in a middle tier to a lower tier
Kpop company those kpop companies don't have much backing them
So majority of the time that is when you see a lot of k-pop groups disband, it is a weird system
And it's a system that's been used since the beginning of kpop in the 90s
Don't get me wrong it was a lot stricter and harsher in the 90s. Now it's a little bit more lenient
Kpop companies are being a little bit more empathetic to these k-pop idols
But that debt and that low income is still a huge part of kpop when you see your favorite k-pop idol group
most of them are in debt and most of them aren't earning a living wage and their success is
The make or break for them it is a huge risk
These k-pop groups are taking it is a huge risk, each individual k-pop idols taking training these years
It's a tough system and it's the system that has been working so far
But you know, it does have its flaws. I- I don't want this to be depressing
But when you see your favorite k-pop idol know that they love this craft not for the money
But for the passion of what they do
They wouldn't be there if they didn't love what they do
every single day so don't think of this as a depressing statistic think of it as a
Real statistic something that is happening in kpop that we can acknowledge that
Maybe we can build upon and make a better system as kpop gets bigger, as kpop expands, as kpop evolves
So does the break-even system and maybe a whole new system will be created? Basically
When you look at your kpop idol don't think that they're balling, okay?
Although they look really good in every single clothes. Just know that they love the craft that they're passionate and just
Recuperate that love and show them that you really love and care
Support them the best way you can because we love kpop and they love making it
But I anyways guys that's it for me
I hope you did enjoy and I wanted to make this one for a long time
You know to tell people that it isn't all
What you see and it makes you think a lot of these k-pop idols and groups are taking at risk
Trying to be a huge k-pop group. Well, we love them for the efforts. We love the music and
what else can I say and if you really enjoy this why not give this video a like, check out my other videos off to the
side and please hit that subscribe button and that bell for much much more and I
Think it's about that time
kcon
Kcons' happening, and I want to be there again
So if you can help out by filling out the form in the link down in the description
By suggesting internets Nathan as a special guest for kcon. I would be gratefully thankful, gratefully thankful?
I would be thankful if you filled that out
And why not tell me on Twitter and Instagram so it can give you a shout out as well
Cuz you guys are the best and because you deserve it
You put in the work, you type my name and you click the submit button
that's too much work
And if you want to help out a little bit
Why not head over to my patreon? I consider supporting as little as two dollars a month. That's it
I'm working on perks. So if you can give me some ideas
I'd be
Happy to hear them, maybe something to do with these kinds of videos that I do now
And if you want to just treat it as like a tip jar, that would be a great thing to. Uh, the sponsored thing
I want to get on YouTube, but I meet all the criteria and YouTube won't give it to me. So
I'm here. So, please fill out the kcon link down in the description
I'll really much appreciate it and I hope to see you all there. I love meeting you guys
I love meeting all the people at kcon beautiful, beautiful people and please hit the like
Comment share the video anything you can help out on the algorithm
Something Bless idk . But yeah, I think that's it for me
Hope you guys did enjoy and why not follow me on my twitter and instagram @internetsnathan and you can talk to me
That's what social media is for. But anyways guys. Thank you so much watching and I'll catch you guys in the next one annyeong