Article: 10 Ridiculous Rules About K-Pop Celebrities You Didn’t Know

The K-pop industry is all glam and funny from the outside but, it has a dark side too. The amount of hard work, pressure and restrictions put on them is huge. Here are some ridiculous facts about k-pop celebrities you probably didn’t know.

1. No Tattoos

There is no hiding the fact that k-pop idols love to have tattoos, but they are generally seen covering them. Mostly on Korean TV shows. The only reason behind this is that most tattoo parlours in South Korea are not strictly legal, in fact, tattooing is considered a medical service so the tattoo artist needs a medical license to operate. To most people, splurging into a medical degree just to become a tattoo artist is unrealistic so instead, they stick around small illegal shops. People in South Korea also relate tattoos with gang culture, this is also one reason why k-pop idols don’t show their tattoos on national television.

 

2. No Belly Buttons

As blizzard as it sounds, yes there is a no belly button rule in the k-pop industry. The Korean Communication Standards Commission (KCSC) announced on the broadcasts of SBS, MBC and KBS that girl groups can no longer flash their belly button during their performance, in 2010. The members in most of the idol groups, during their debuts, are minors, so these guidelines were implemented to protect them.

 

3. No Swearing

Swearing alone in an Asian country is unethical and above that k-pop idols have to maintain a certain image, so swearing is a big no-no. KCSC has also released some guidelines about swearing words and product promotion by a k-pop group and for songs to get aired on TV for a certain time slot, it must adhere to the KCSC profanity rules. The guidelines are so strict that some artists and groups have to change their lyrics to perform on programmes like Inkigayo.

 

4. Maintain A Strict Diet

Good looks and a certain body shape is very important for a k-pop idol. So to get that perfect shape, they have to get infamous plastic surgeries and cosmetic enhancement, and almost all of them have to follow a strict diet plan. They have to limit their food intake to maintain a certain weight and body fat. As a result, most of the idols, especially female idols are underweight and skinny.

 

5. No Dating Allowed

K-pop idols have a humongous amount of fan following. Some of these people are supportive and understanding, but some are crazy fans who would go to any extent to meet their idols. No dating culture was established to protect idols and their significant other from getting harmed.

 

6. No Privacy

In this field of job, there is no privacy. Management can check on their idol’s phone anytime they want. They are always under surveillance be it their own management company or any other paparazzi. They have to be really careful as to who they text and call or send their photos etc. even a tiny bit of carelessness can ruin their reputation.

 

7. Restriction On Part-Time Jobs

The top k-pop stars might be rich and making big money but the ones who are just starting are barely making any money due to the high cost of production and low pay. Once they get their contract signed, they are not allowed to have any other source of income because it is against the rule.

 

8. Clothing

Most of the female k-pop idols are made to wear short clothes. Even at the award ceremony, which is mostly held at the end of the year during November and December when the temperature drops to minus level, they still have to wear short and revealing clothes. Although they look stunning while performing but their clothes fail them to keep them warm.

 

9. High Heels

The whole point of performing on the stage is to show off glamour and what else can be more glamorous than high heels. Although wearing high heels looks very appealing from the outside but it has terrible side effects on the idols health. Wearing heels in a long run can cause ingrown toenails and many other health hazards.

 

10. Rigorous Training

Koreans are all about hard work. The effort that they put into their jobs is unattainable. Be it college, high school, corporate job or entertainment industry, they put equal efforts in every field. The same goes with idol trainees, after getting into the agency and successfully passing the audition they sign a contract to become a trainee. There are hundreds of trainees competing for a limited chance to become a trainee, so there is a lot of pressure. They have to take singing, dancing, acting, and even language classes. On top of it, most of the trainees are school kids, so they have to take care of their studies too.