Lanham; Boulder; New York; London: Lexington Books, 2019. x, 205 pp. (B&W photos) US$90.00, cloth. ISBN 978-1-4985-8825-6.
This book offers the reader two parts, with the first presenting a theoretical view of the K-pop system, and the second consisting of a journalist’s “participant observation” (6) of the K-pop girl group Nine Muses between March 2010 and February 2011. Though this original structure, the author suggests the major characteristics of the book are a combination of “theory with industry and musical aesthetics” (8).
Chapter 1 presents an introductory overview of the book, and chapter 2 discusses the role of entertainment agencies in the K-pop industry, a significant factor in the global success of K-pop. The entertainment agencies have focused on two major areas, production and cultural hybridization, to fulfill the globalization and/or transnationalization of K-pop (31). The entertainment agencies have utilized the in-house “overall structural and systematic star-making system” (4) to train idol trainees in singing, dancing, foreign languages, manners, etc., all with the aim of producing idol groups that can perform for and attract not only domestic but also international audiences. Although there are some human rights issues, such as coercion by the agencies and unfair contracts between the agencies and trainees in the in-house system, the author insists that agencies have played a crucial role in making K-pop a global success (23). The agencies have worked with global musicians to bring “foreignness” into K-pop, again to attract Western audiences. The positive view of this hybridization of K-pop supports “contemporary K-pop as one of the most successful forms of global music” (32) while the negative view of it criticizes it “as one of the most nationless popular culture[s]” (32). Overall, this chapter discusses the development of the entertainment agencies in the era of neoliberalism: how they commercialize idol groups and music to meet the requirements of global audiences, and how they utilize social media to promote and circulate cultural products and gain cultural capital. Numerous studies on the development of entertainment agencies, the in-house system, and the cultural hybridization of K-pop have been ongoing, and this chapter provides an overview of them (although some major works are neglected).
Chapter 3 investigates the “idol-formation reality show,” Produce 101, a survival reality show meant to select idol members. Just over a hundred idol trainees from relatively small-sized entertainment agencies participated in the reality show, and 11 participants were selected through viewer voting. It first aired in 2016 and continued to 2019. The idol groups that have been produced through this program have had great success both in the domestic and international market, but the program has raised concerns regarding human rights and bribery. This chapter especially focuses on the commodification of K-pop idol hopefuls, the key role played by small entertainment agencies, and adverse reactions to the combination of a star system and a reality show. When the survival reality show gradually lost its popularity, broadcasters needed fresh ideas to attract audiences back while small entertainment agencies needed a chance to promote their trainees. Appearing on TV programs offered the best opportunity for small agencies, since most TV shows were dominated by idol groups from big houses. As the TV show progressed, audiences were able to witness the hardships of idol training and the occasional human-rights violations. As the book states, “Idol selection reality shows have transformed the star system, from a secret garden where nobody can watch to a public domain where everybody is able to watch, follow, and understand the entire star-making process, whether unscripted or manipulated, but in most cases both” (43). With the soaring success of Produce 101, many broadcasters continue to launch idol audition programs, but again, “the question remains whether the dilemma between commercial and ethical values can be resolved—that is, whether an entertaining, profit-making show can be ethical (and vice versa)” (57). However, in order to continue to advance in the global market, the author strongly suggests that idol trainees on these shows should be considered as human beings, not commodities (57).
Chapters 3 to 11 and the epilogue offer an English translation of a Korean book by Hark Joon Lee. He observed an idol girl group produced by Star Empire Entertainment, Nines Muses, for one year, from the time when they were trainees to the time after they debuted. Lee worked as a manager and recorded the sweat and tears of these girls as they were trained and produced by the agency. In the case of Nine Muses, physical appearance was the most important factor. They were presented as a girl group with model-like bodies, and most members were not particularly talented in singing and dancing. They had great pressure to compete not only with other girl groups but also within the group, and practice despite injuries. They had to put themselves on a strict diet. However, no matter how hard they tried, they eventually failed to achieve the position they wanted. Managers of the agency complained about the girls’ lack of effort—all except the CEO, who insisted the girls should be encouraged, not blamed. Lee portrays the CEO as the captain who saves the ship (149). However, the CEO eventually replaced original members with other trainees, especially when the demands of the agency were not followed. Although Lee tries to convey the message that everyone is trying their best to produce K-pop to satisfy global audiences, his portrayal actually magnifies the flaws of the star-making system: selling image rather than music; treating members like commercial products rather than human beings; and a CEO who produces the group based on his “gut” (112) rather than careful analysis.
The book is informative but unfortunately a bit outdated, as K-pop operates under a more advanced management style these days, as exemplified by agencies such as Big Hit Entertainment. However, the book does offer a good history of the subject.
Seung-Ah Lee
Los Angeles City College, Los Angeles