What is the Entertainment Business like? 4 Stories I Witnessed during Film/Drama Making [CC] 

The Kpop industry is kinda different from the Chinese entertainment industry. Chinese celebrities tend to have more money, power and privileges (they get paid much more and evade more taxes) than the average Kpop idols who have to pay DEBT to their companies for the initial investment into their debut. Most of them don’t earn anything until their debt is cleared. Kinda like the student loans in America. I think Kpop idols also have a less chance of being sexually abused by their bosses who are too busy overworking them to death. They tend to be severely overworked and struggling to live up to the impossible beauty standards. Momo from Twice (she’s Japanese) literally said on camera that her company forced her to eat only ice cubes everyday to lose weight. She said that back then she was afraid to fall asleep because she was worried she would never wake up. Her company JYP is one of the biggest Kpop companies. One can only imagine what those idols in smaller companies go through. Wendy (Canadian) from Red Velvet fell from a stage (over 10 meters high) because the staff there FORGOT to add stairs. She broke her pelvis and spent months in hospital. And no legal action was taken whatsoever for this severe negligence. Korean workplace safety laws are bullshit. Tao (ex-member of EXO) said in an interview that his company forced him to work when his legs were injured and had to go to hospital. These Kpop idols literally signed away their lives to their company and had no power to refuse work schedules. Lisa (from Thailand) from Blackpink was scammed by her own manager. It was wild. And I haven’t even mentioned the more severe cases of Sulli, Hara etc. Notice that a lot of those accidents and bad things happened to foreign non-Korean idols? I have a strong sense that the Kpop industry is xenophobic and bullies its foreign idols extra hard. So I actually think that your sister idolising Kpop idols is not such a big issue in itself. It’s not a big deal to think that Blackpink members are perfect goddesses because, even though they’re not perfect, it’s very unlikely for them to be involved in super shady scandals, because they live in their company’s dorm under heavy surveillance. For example, even if they want to do drugs, their managers are following them around and reporting everything back to their company. I’m not even making this up. The surveillance on Kpop idols is super intense and not a secret. The much bigger problem is if your sister may think that Kpop idols are princesses/princes living a great Disney life being so beautiful and talented and famous. That is far from the truth. I firmly believe that most Kpop idols are glamorised slaves/products of their companies. And many of them are NOT HAPPY. They signed “slave contracts” when they were underage children and now they’re stuck. They often pretend to be happy and say positive/idealistic things to the camera because they are forced to. Some have old injuries that can’t fully heal because they aren’t allowed enough time to rest. Many of them put on their happy masks on stage and then probably go back to their dorms and take anxiety/depression medicines. I see some idols looking so cheerful and carefree on camera, and then some months later they commit suicide. It’s just sad. If my family members ever say to me that they wanna go to Korea and pursue their idol dreams because they “want to be like Blackpink/BTS”, I will be stressed out and try my hardest to persuade them out of it. It’s just not worth it, in my opinion.

@@HanQ28 you pretty much summed up the reason why gave up the k industry all together. I felt like K idols are treated like products and not like a human being. Chinese actors/idols get paid way waaaaaaaay more and have a bit more say in their life at least.

@@HanQ28 You are saying so much but you didn't knew much about the dark sides of China entertainment business. There's no comparison really. If we all wanted to compare then we need to be releasing books. What you say didn't really happened in SK, happened a lot if you would just read the news. What you think didn't happened in China happened a lot if you would just read the news. Too many to write down. Sexual exploitation of artists happened everywhere worldwide. Stage injury happened to artists on both side. Talking about money and slave contracts, yup it's a worldwide thing. It's a big bad world out here in disguise of a bling bling happy dream.

@@ms.chuisin7727 you are right. It's not just something that's occurring only in kpop industry, because it's happening everywhere in the world. Not just entertainment industry even in other work place it happens. Sad but no matter how high our morals are we are in one way or another consuming the products of capitalism.

Ah, the Idols back stage life is sucks. Even for just a little choirs performer like me, who just perform on tiny village, is still have a 'wild story' to tell. Yeah, you'll got noticed by peoples, you'll got a little fame and have a money ofc. But the drama behinds is really sucks. 😑😑😑 So when I saw a boygroup or a girlgroup, honestly I just appreciate the hardworks they did to make a good performance (especially for so called self-produce idol groups). And their good funny cam personality plus their cute handsome / beautiful faces is just an eye candy bonuses.

I know! I had to come to the comments section to find out if people thought the same!

agreed. it remind me about K-ent and how many youngster dreamed to become Idol just because the glamorous illusion it portrait, leaving the dark side (the struggle, corruption etc) and in the end ruined many. k-pop Seungri case really opened my mind and heart on never took it personal. you can like them on screen, but in the end they also have their own private life and persona.

it is the age old truth.. High rewards, higher competition Nothing is more big in terms of money, fame, power than entertainment industry. When people who want it are way more, the differentiator is bound to break any walls of ethical, moral conduct

In China? some examples?

Domestic violence in general is not okay I would say. Saw a trailer where Yan Mi character misunderstood ML and slapped him - commented that domestic violence is never okay even if it is a woman doing it and I was scolded for destroying the rep of the drama. 🤷‍♀️

@@alicea5 why would you think violence is okay in the first place...

same, i hope she is fine and well soon so she can either continue her career or quit and enjoy her life

I absolutely definitely agree with him…a few celebrities advice their own children to find other professions than entertainment/show business. This industry is glamorous but very cruel in every aspect. Just like any profession,there’s capital to succeed ….physical appearance literally from head to toe, image and projection privacy safety and security , social seclusion…just to name a few…it’s highly competitive and very compromising

I’m also a part of the younger demographic and I think you took the words right out of my mouth. Especially in the kpop industry, I know too many younger fans who worship their idols without knowing right and wrong. This video has made me rethink the way I stan my own group, to not just love them blindly but to also see them for their flaws and imperfections. Every idol/celebrity we know are masked with a sort of perfection by the media and the people who work with them behind the scenes, so it would be great if society can stop viewing their idols as perfect because in truth, everyone makes mistakes and have their own problems.

im part of the younger demographic too. i used to spent too much of my time doing data for people i like, until it stressed me out bcs i focused too much on it. now, i dont do that anymore. avenuex saying 'it does not make sense for the consumer to serve the restaurant' really is accurate. now, i always keep in mind that fan culture is supposed to makes us happy n not stresses us out.

This I disagree with you, not that I support them, I just don't think that they can act well enough to stay true to their character all the time (gosh if they can, then I just have to give them props). Their true self will slip out here and there. But I do agree all celebrities have some kind of public persona, but as far as I know, it will be somewhat close to their own personalities (but with some extra decoration) so at times when they're more relaxed, they can show their true self without too much worry. Otherwise, it is a failed persona because it will break sooner or later. Especially in Cbiz, where everyone's being monitored closely from head to toe.

You hit the nail on the head. There is a very high proportion of 'different sexual orientations' in the US film industry, many are not open about it and the industry gives them a public image. Someone working behind the scenes in the industry estimated only 10% of industry insiders there are "clean" (not perverted). I can't speak to the Chinese industry. But it's reasonable that any industry where limits can be pushed would attract a certain type of predator.

@@xxkissmeketutxx I don’t think that with “different sexual orientation” they mean perverts, but rather LGBTQ+ people who have to stay closeted to stay in the spotlight

It's easy; after a while having a persona you have become the persona. There's no such thing as a "true self" anyway.

@@LinhNguyen-dy4ym lol are you been serious. you should read more biographies of Hollywood celebrities. They always say it was so suffocating keeping a persona for 20 years plus. Imo Britney is a good example. She was selling a persona and eventually cracked. But she ran away from home and was photographed. In a similar scenario the black vans would pick you up and lock you up and crack away behind closed doors lol. i find c actors and actresses its not shown. Because you are an assset worth millions so people behind you will not allow cracks to show. Hence persona keeps going. Like how can a lot of the male celebrities still be single. And girls believe it? Ooo Wallace Chung is single🤯 an "innocent" adult male. But he is selling that persona or maybe he is seperating his private life with public life.Maybe as he is pre- social media he is able to, whereas Zhang Yujian it failed badly.

Dude I was so speechless

@@Michelle-hu7fk same here. 😔

Agree.

Unfortunately, even if they do, some will still be unwilling to accept. There are many hidden psychos in this world. There's this guy that murdered a mother and child but gained female fans because he was 'good looking'. They even went to court to plead the judge not to prosecute him. CRAZY

@@dkf315 Name please?

I still remember a story of a certain kpop idol who have a crazy sasaeng that's love to break his personal house just to put her bloody used menstrual pads on this idol bed, sofa and in his refrigerator. Or other certain idol who thinks that he always got sleep paralysis, but it's turned to be his sasaeng will breaking in the midnight and taking his sleeping photos or lightly rubbing his thigh. 🙃🙃🙃🙃

@@kuroyuri04 oh my.... That's creepy

same here! it's good to know someone else my age isn't so blinded by celebs either.

Yeah like they think she's never gonna find out or something

I know, right? Don't they have contract? Wow! That is really messed up. ENT is just a dark dark place. Glad that we are just audience.

@@lamusiquefanatique so true... also i wonder for that new actress who "got" the role and made her career big today from it ...

@@ShimAdeJulianti @AvenueX, did the new actress end up making it big time?

@@angelasoWA 15:30 Avenuex said everyone will know the new actress

Well, this idol is telling the truth and not afraid to say it.

Ooof! A Chinese celeb?

Of course I know. I'm watching a drama

Yes exactly! People need to see celebrities as human beings! This paparazzi culture here in India (stalking as I would like to call it) is so creepy! Like they click pictures of celebrities even if they're shopping for groceries, going to the gym or airport or EVEN LIVING THEIR LIVES LIKE NORMAL PEOPLE!!!!

People who worship them too much and creep into their personal life and people who attack them so much just cause they were not as flawless as a saint and didn't act like a prophet and made some mistakes in their lives are both the problem!

I think you missed the point of the video. I am not a fan of someone myself but I struggle with self hatred and I can definetly tell you that people who are so obsessed with someone don't do it because they really love to. They have mental health issues and project themselfes into those celebrities because they'd wish to be someone else but not themselfes.

Better invest emotionally in characters than in the actors who play them- you know from the beginning they are not real and have a safe headspace to idolize :). Thats probably the nerdier version to be a fan, but imho the healthier one, too.

Even I thought that webnovels were extreme but after Kris Wu....... Gosh

@@vibingwithpanda So far I'd say Kris Wu story isn't even that extreme tbh, I've seen really worst scandals in K-Entertainment..

Right?? When I heard the story about the two actresses I was like, that sounds like it could be the plot of one of those webnovels... like wow

@@AliceKamiya you seen worst than Kris Wu? I wanna know more stories how extreme can it gets.? .. Kris Wu story already shocked me to the core.

@@c.130 Honestly, I am sure Kris Wu did that, other people in entertainment also did/still do something similar, it's just they haven't been caught yet. There was Seungri's case in Korea, where he did a lot of illegal things including allowing prostitution in the nightclub he was running. (but stories where victims did not consent to that?) Besides the entertainment circle, there's also the 'Nth room case'. If you dig a little bit deeper, there are tons of stories here and there, I think Kris' story shock people bc no one expects him to do that but it isn't the more "severe" case.

Yes I hope these actors are decent people cuz I love their work, GJ, ZZH, ZYL, By, hawick Lau, Shawn dou

There are a few that I believe stays away from the dark side but I think it’s so normalized I’m the industry - the number of vices differs

The government would do society a favor if such organized fandoms were banned

The Japanese says, a human being has 3 faces. The first face, you show to the world. The second face, you show to your close friends, and your family. The third face, you never show anyone. In a way, I believe this to be true. This what prevents me to "worship" any idols/actors/actresses...because sometimes when I see them on the screen, I would wonder about their "third face".

can u tell me the podcast name? thank you!

Me too !I’ll just say it out directly..I’m a fan of Y/bo and this vid chilled me..I always wonder if he gets propositioned on and off sets ( even by those executive ladies).hes really young too.it seems very unsafe for young girls and boys In c-ent🙁

@@Rain26128 Hi, I'm a fan of Y*bo too!! My bet is, these propositions happened. I know cases where it happened with male influencers/models. Young girls in the entertainment industry must receive them frequently, so it's really no surprise if it happens with young men too. Although with Y*bo's personality i doubt that he accepted them. If he did, then it must have been during his debut/early years of his career. I doubt he would accept any of this now. I'm actually more worried about him doing drugs or drinking, because i noticed he drinks alcohol like he's drinking water. And you only get used to alcohol by drinking alcohol. And as for drugs, AvenueX said most of the entertainment industry do them so there's a chance of him doing it. I just hope he's not doing heavy drugs, I draw the line at heavy drugs

@@ghostlypanda4180 hmm I agree..but I don’t think he would do drugs since he’s the face of the anti drug campaign in china( with BAH ) .With his personality I don’t think he would accept propositions, but he might have little choice sometimes, u never know i guess...🤷‍♂️it’s really hard to survive in the industry..

Woah 😯 I guess politics & entertainment are both dirty ey?

@@dirachan5259 Politics & Entertainment were always pretty much dirty unfortunately...

who? cuomo?

@@dirachan5259 That's why I never believe anything coming out of their mouths. No one climbs that high by being nice and true.

I don't think it has anything to do with maturity but with lack of connection or maybe ... the feeling of an echo chamber online. Because many of those people are perfectly capable, mature people in their everyday lives.

I don't know if this is true or not or how much it applies, but I think most crazy fans are like this because they are lonely and have some sort of emptiness in their lives. So they turn to celebrities and imagine being in a relationship with them to fulfill this hole in their lives

But I'm curious for older fans, what step did they missed? (I'm genuine asking)

@@ghostlypanda4180 Maybe ParadiseCrystal means, that they did not learn that these parasocial relationsships are not real. The star does not love you alone as their fan. They do not understand that a celebrity and most of what he or she does is a well controlled product with the purpose to gain money and power and influence. This can be a matter of lacking media literacy, like how a certain big country got a certain orange president elected who created alternative facts and has a lie counter higher than the everest and brainwashed millions with the exact same methods as the idol industry. If you don't develop a critical thinking and question the motives and actions of people.. be it idols, actors, politicians or whatever.. there is a reason they are called influencers.

@@ghostlypanda4180 what’s missed is the ability to see others as human beings. They just continue to idolize things and when something happens that cracks their perfect perception of the thing they idolize, they don’t handle it well. It’s actually really common and not really something to be ashamed of because reality is ugly for a lot of us. The only problem is when the reaction to reality is extreme behaviors that are very commonly displayed on the internet because these people need help.

Share some & enlighten us here pls

👀