The Intense And Dangerous Training To Be A K-Pop Star - 9 Muses Of Star Empire - Music Documentary

The journey of nine young Korean women is documented over one year as they undergo intense training in an environment featuring heavy scrutiny, jealousy, and betrayal as they attempt to mold themselves into the next K-pop girl group sensation.
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[@lixiu8654]

Look at them laughing off depression so they don't get kicked out of the company...this is why people end up suicidal

[@desertmoonlee6631]

School and normal jobs are so full of pain and still you don’t get paid like celebs sorry i will never feel sorry for famous people

[@dramaqueen465]

Desert Moon lee Most kpop idols are actually in debt to their record companies. They’re forced to pay back the company for anything they were given while they were trainees (let’s not forget they’re often trainees anywhere from 2 to 10 years) like room and board. Sometimes they don’t even get proper royalties from albums sales so they might never be able to pay them back or they don’t get paid for the work they did for YEARS. Imagine working these grueling hours and not getting paid a cent till years later. It’s really gross.

[@phansaxtiger]

@@dramaqueen465 but they chose to do this job, it’s not for everyone.

[@dramaqueen465]

Ten’s Favorite Fruit No those are predatory practices and inhumane working conditions. Therefore for it’s not “right” for anyone. A lot of them sign young (usually teens) and desperate to make their dream come true. The companies take advantage of that. I don’t think they fully understand what they’re getting into even if they’ve heard and seen things. They might think they can tough it out for their dream. We shouldn’t accept bad things just because they’re the norm. Some of these idols are even forced to be escorts to the wealthy or even do sex work. It’s really messed up and something needs to change. Hollywood had similar issues back in the 20s and 30s when it was new (still does to some extent) until artists started forming unions that would advocate for their rights. Now they have strict laws in place for how long people can work and how they get paid. The same needs to happen in Korea. And one day it will, once the artists have had enough. Though, with K-Pop getting more popular and lucrative I’m sure it will get worse before it finally gets better. Just want to include that idols and actors have died from this treatment. I can’t remember the group but several members of a girl group died in a car accident a few years ago. They had been working from sun up till the early hours the next day, going from a shoot to filming for a show. The members and their manager had not had any sleep and for some reason many companies have the manager playing chauffeur. The manger fell asleep at the wheel and there was a car accident that killed several of the members and injured the rest. I can’t remember if the manager had survived. A similar accident happened to an actress because her overworked and exhausted manager had been driving. Luckily survived, sustaining a broken arm. She also suffered with PTSD and had to go to therapy because she was afraid of getting into cars. Let’s not forget that many idols/actors have died from suicide. Clearly something needs to change. Edit: clarification

[@cinnamonpirate5294]

@@phansaxtiger They didn't choose to be ripped off. For example my cousin worked for Whattaburger (they were hiring) but they often short changed his check. It took him a couple of years to change jobs.

[@priscila_porp]

the only requirements were that the girls needed to be slim, tall and pretty, but when they couldn't sing as they expected they got mad at them. I don't understand these guys.

[@triggahappyyt5420]

It's because there being coached, groups like big bang, twice all went through the same thing too find there voice and style. Yg it's just better at bringing out the singers voices, jyp said the same thing in shows "every one can sing, its just finding the right sound and technique . They might just want to evaluate the way they help there trainees discovering there voices.

[@flamezodiac5736]

But they even mentioned that the girls are not attractive then other bands

[@scarlett9750]

@@flamezodiac5736 um.....SORRY WHAT. DID THEY EVEN SEE THEIR OWN FACE??!!!!

[@juliaellman3273]

Its the same with every girl- or boyband in the music industry anywhere in the world.

[@ampavoo]

Slim, tall, pretty..........and STUPID............you forgot that.

[@bimbolecter9764]

Watching this after a member of the girl group Loona said that none of the members were paid and that the company kept piling up debt on them while only letting them go outside for more than 20 minutes. These companies lure young underage kids in, promise that the contracts will the parents sign will be good and then treat these kids worse than dogs. Heart wrenching

[@nocturne3220]

They use these young kpop idols as profit nothing else.

[@fetB]

interesting who these parents are that sign this

[@jinnierat3738]

and blockberry creative are even hurting the members who were able to leave by trying to get them banned from the industry it is horrible what they are doing to the loona/ex loona members

[@mari3564]

its horrible because the only foreign member vivi wasnt able to visit home for years

[@etcetraetcetra3173]

When I visited Seoul a few years ago, I stayed in my country's Embassy. The talk amongst the Embassy people that day was, parents of a 18/19 year old girl asked the Embassy for help, because their daughter ran away from her home, flew to Korea to join one of these K-Pop groups. The Embassy located the girl, but unfortunately for her parents, she's of legal age, so the Embassy couldn't just send the girl home. I feel for the parents.

[@PD-yh2ss]

I don't understand how they keep saying "be confident" to the girls when they're also the one who keep putting them down??

[@juanchoresultay2704]

the audacity 😤

[@rachael5611]

God loves you! He wants to have a relationship with you! Repent and believe that Jesus paid the price for our sins! He can give you so much mercy, joy, peace and love!

[@rosariioo]

i can't understand how star empire accepted to record this. it's basically a proof of everything they did wrong, how they mistreated them. i really can't believe it.

[@myathinzarkyaw8405]

yes they don't care their trianees mental health. everything push & quick pali pali system 😢

[@BleachBlue04]

I said the same thing but my fiancé believes it’s because they know that this doc won’t change anything. And it hasn’t sadly. There are still so many fanboys and girls horny for kpop. They still keep pouring in tons of money on merch, tickets, meet and greets. The money is all that matters to these awful companies so until tons of kpop fans boycott the industry, NOTHING will change.

[@scarlet8078]

The managers are happy to play the villains because this movie is a form of promotion for their girl band. It's meant to humanize the members, making them sympathetic & heroic figures who are overcoming strife in pursuit of a higher purpose (to succeed in their art/ music). The company behind the band releases this video allowing you to see the girls at their lowest moments, so that you will develop empathy & bond with them. That will (hopefully) make you a loyal fan. 😄

[@ela7354]

@@BleachBlue04 Yes it will, its changing now.

[@facttruth7571]

@@BleachBlue04 youre bias. Its the idol themselves that aim to be a star and its not easy to break the highly competitive kpop market. There are tons of potential idols fighting to be on top. If you cant meet the standard you wont make it

[@percy_coro_cos]

I think the only reason why they agreed to this being recorded is because they didn't see anything wrong about their actions. Absolutely sick.

[@ariamaze9081]

Thats so truth!

[@cevhyakim9143]

Thats what I think so.

[@percy_coro_cos]

@@bezymjannaja I really hope you're joking because otherwise you deserve jail time

[@shecanscream3948]

@@percy_coro_cos Nah, death penalty at his case.

[@nohdrickjamiewesley420]

Yes ♥️ Kn♥️ thanks ❤️ so ❤️ mach ❤️ I ❤️ Iove ❤️ You ❤️❤️❤️❤️🥰

[@ffa28882]

To anyone wondering what they're doing now, don't worry, everything is fine now. Some of them got married and starting a happy family. The others become actress, youtuber, model, etc. This documentary was filmed in 2010 - 2011 and the group itself disbanded in 2019 with so manyyyy lineup changes. Sera was kicked out from the group in 2014 after "Glue" promotion ended.

[@hemdem1074]

oh do you know why she was kicked out?

[@ffa28882]

@@hemdem1074 she demanded more creative freedom for the members, then later she found out that she's no longer part of the group through a news. Basically the company didn't told her

[@hemdem1074]

@@ffa28882 thats horrible!! thankyou for sharing

[@onThestreets439]

I think I read that, she was kicked out cuz she wanted the company to make their concept less proactive!!

[@roundsdm]

@@ffa28882thats so sad,….

[@dianapoe1915]

The fact that almost every one of them was saying they want to leave the group when they just have debuted tells you that something was wrong. They wanted to escape. They didn't like the place they were in. I'm guessing the reason was how toxic they were managed and treated by the company. They grew hating themselves. Very traumatizing.

[@moonbathingrite]

This is still (and perhaps will always be) the most honest and raw documentary about a K-Pop group

[@-amel-9896]

9muse is also one of the most mistreated kpop groups in history.

[@hk5322]

I think this is still nothing. They must've treated them much worse off-camera to have them quit for real after few months.

[@horizonkyun7203]

@invisible diamond no, ex-9 muses member sera ryu herself said that the treatment of idols has gotten much better. not only that, but even for this time period, 9 muses were treated especially horribly. i don’t know of any group that has lost as many members as them.

[@ThemedNumber02]

i thought this was the ONLY honest and raw documentary about a kpop group.

[@cassiusineuros]

@invisible diamond yes, this is how the kpop industry works, it's always shady and manufactured to some extent no matter how cute your groups look on the outside.

[@belledecaucase]

Singing happy songs while being treated in a horrible and sad way. Unbelievable. Hope these young ladies have found jobs that make them happy.

[@visualbeauty3427]

Looks like horror movie.

[@riseshineyoungchildrenschi5536]

And find themselves, find their purpose of life❤️

[@didogoperf6816]

Totally agree

[@sidvacant9382]

Don't forget being creeped on by obsessive fans and lack of privacy online

[@rayva1]

Why are these KPop music industries male dominated and controlled? What is wrong with this picture?

[@blujungi]

I burst into tears at the end when Sera was singing... I didn't know she had such a good voice and even without knowing the lyrics I just cried after watching this. Not that as a kpop fan I don't know of how hard it is but... Man... I wish everyone could be happy ;

[@heaven8875]

everything's fine now..

[@aubreysong]

I think I remember her in historical kdrama 'Sunkyukwan Scandal', she's a good actress too. I subscribed to her youtube channel now. Gosh she has so much potential and have everything to be success. Sadly she was in shitty company.

[@intreoo]

The irony of the manager saying "it's okay to make mistakes" before stage and then berating them for the mistakes they made right after..

[@Vy-if3zd]

the fact that this document doesnt have annoying sad or stressing or happy music in the background makes this documentary so much better..

[@goldenhourss]

more raw and brutal

[@vixxcelacea2778]

I think all documentaries should be that way. Putting a specific emotion into it to tell you how to think isn't real journalism. If someone watches this and thinks these actions are okay, then they are a person I wouldn't want to associate to and if I was friends with, would question what kind of person they actually are. Thinking that hitting people is okay is a red red RED flag.

[@justinmarston4106]

I've personally always thought that type of background music is a cheap tactic when it's a documentary so I am happy about this

[@AmazingRebel23]

Having to choose different music every 5 minutes sucks so i am glad for this trend

[@BleachBlue04]

I’m so SO glad this doc exists. No commentary with some happy-go-lucky voiceover explaining the events. No fancams on screen while it’s being talked about. No music. None of that. Just the video evidence alone. That’s all that’s needed. No filter. Just this.

[@yoohyeonsscience6079]

It's so tough watching this. The girls got all my respect to get through this..

[@LouiseHultcrantz]

It's sad to watch. I really like some kpop groups and I like discovering new ones because I like the music but this is just sad. Wish I knew a way to still listen to kpop but not make it possible for these heartless people to take advantage of these girls, but to treat them right instead

[@VodkaSelekta]

Our western pop music stars and hollywood is just as bad, if not worse.

[@strnglhld]

@@VodkaSelekta We don’t really do the boy band thing anymore. That’s very 90’s

[@canaryinacoalmine7267]

@@LouiseHultcrantz You think male K pop stars are treated better? Men are abused worse. Men are the ones who have to die in wars, like in Ukraine. Women are allowed to leave but anyone with a pen is has to fight. Its unfair.

[@intreoo]

This is literally psychological abuse. I can't imagine wanting to debut after going through such a thing.

[@leggo3213]

Hyemi lasted until 2019 when they disbanded Hyemin and Minha lasted until Sleepless night in 2016 It's crazy and I have so much respect for them to stick it out for so long

[@24O325]

The fact that this is most likely happening to SO many other groups is so disgusting to me. No other agency will make the same mistake this company did by releasing behind the scenes footage. These girls agency got so much backlash no other company will do the same. We will probably never know how all the other groups are. This is so horrible.

[@goldenhourss]

but at least we are a bit more aware.. it still sucks for the trainees and idols i hope they go to therapy if needed.

[@rosie90]

Whats even worse is that the company didnt see anything wrong with what they were doing

[@Fearless.cat1209]

It's probably even worse in big labels knowing that even if the idol complain for abuse, their name is so huge that they're untouchable

[@ubergamer2010]

9Muses management was essentially a bunch of thugs and perverts who had no sense of what musicality is about. They took every ounce of self esteem these ladies had and tore them down. I don't know how Hyemi survived being under this company for so long but I have so much respect for her

[@han660namun8]

They think we manage pple like we sell a product in a company ...they forgot that aside their career and role play ...those girls are human , women , wifes to be ....have emotions , values , limits and being 100% working in a circus without a break ....a space isn't being hardworker but mis placed and litt breaking ...like animals within a circus Litterally they dt regard them as talented or good they are just over trained and forced to be perfect and good at everything like doll machines ...i dt think i will be able to reach such resistance strenght and be good at dance , have wonderful vocals but those lazy guys ....they dk wht it is they wrote the songs ? No ...they're just giving orders and make sure their autority allow them to sleep and drink coffee while those singers killin it

[@brianlittrell797]

You're right, except if any of these girls had self-respect then they would have had nothing to do with these thugs and perverts the moment they found out that they were thugs and perverts. Instead they accepted the abuse.

[@steak7455]

@@brianlittrell797 they sign binding contracts you knob

[@nctsgrass]

@@brianlittrell797 accepted??? Just say you don't know what contracts mean and how it works and go.

[@emerald442]

am i only one who think hyemi look like taeyeon?

[@starfire4302]

Literally every manager and trainer treated them like they were trash, this is painful. I'm glad the industry has improved slightly, but people need to see this, to get an insight on what's really going on

[@kosaken1207]

Yea those were the extremely oppressive days of the Kpop industry. Recently its improved for the better but people should learn about these kinds of horror stories so history doesn’t repeat itself

[@husionuyanick]

Even though industry has improved no fundamental thing ever changed at all. It's show business and they are more pruduct than human in managers eyes. This approves every other group. I don't wanna be harsh or something but this is what you do when you choose show your body, voice, face and talents to people. This hardship is essential unfortunately. They aren't making art, they are just like factory which is trying to exploit public attraction. This isn't my thoughts, or I don't support this. This is harsh reality. The more modern we become more inhuman our art forms reach. I'm sorry. But even now (by watching this documentary (you know they always knew that there was a camera that follows them. And managers give them more hard times so we watch this documentary until the end. By emphasizing with they and feel sad about them, and suddenly hoped to entangle with them...) ) we are still support their doings. This is absurd isn't it. AND EVENTUALLY THIS IS US WHO MAKES THEM SAD. Ironically

[@alkfs137a]

Its been improving slightly and nowadays a lot of companies are actually giving much more freedom to the artists (although it depends on the company). Though, fundamentally.. a harsh training is still necessity as they need to be extremely good at their own abilities.

[@elmin82]

@Werewolf they weren't a bad group

[@inquisitvem6723]

It has improved a lot

[@Peachan24]

You don't tell people to be confident, you help them build confidence, and this is good example of failing to do so.

[@Mishael2023]

Perfect wording 💖

[@olivluv89]

Sera is so genuinely talented, the song she sang at the end made me cry.

[@springss1861]

Do you know which song it is? I’ve been trying to figure it out for a while

[@olivluv89]

I wish I did!

[@ibrahimabah2164xbn]

@@springss1861 jewelry any longer

[@aswjkld.9932]

all of them are gorgeous and very hardworking ❤️❤️

[@ormitomimus]

Sera gradually losing sparkle in her eye and having no energy left was haunting. In the end, she looked like a total shell of a person..all of the girls. And honestly, I know small companies can't do much, but they basically set them up for failure. What do you mean you give them no training before debut? There were so many more wrong things, but jesus

[@lepooploser]

Yep, that is the arc of this doc, so sad. Sera just conforming.

[@wayneholmes2702]

Sera worked hard and is now the Boss of her own successful company. I hope it has a different culture. GO SERA

[@nala6846]

@@squirtleyujeong Which boy group was it lol?

[@nevi676]

@@squirtleyujeong which group

[@squirtleyujeong]

@@nevi676 i mentioned what exactly to google but I guess they deleted my reply ?? Weird ....?? If u can't find it just type her name w these words: netizens , reaction , back lash ...

[@eavs772]

What is the weirdest about this whole situation is that therapist seems extremely incapable. He just throws labels in front of the whole group like “depressed” and “anxious” instead of doing one on one with them and ease the situation. Idk what training did have have 😵‍💫

[@nohdrickjamiewesley420]

Depressed I never know remember ////all time///face up) I love 🥰🥰

[@ashleyrocke4144]

IKR I noticed that. All of the managers too. Idk if they were trying to put up a face but throughout the entire documentary the things they said seemed so useless that it was like they were coming right out of a Kdrama. They have no useful tips to give. All they say is "you need passion blah blah blah". Okay...so what? Can you define passion? Or what one does when they have passion? I agree that the idols were pretty irresponsible. When the girl at the beginning described all the members it did seem like many of them did not really want to become idols. They have the same attitude I had towards school, but the difference is that I HAD to go to school and they CHOSE to become idols. On that front I can empathize with the managers but the managers were just terrible at communication. They talked to the girls like circus animals.

[@anitat9727]

Honestly he acted like most therapists I've had - absolutely incapable and would rather rugsweep.

[@RheeasDomain]

Zero training apart from handing out pills, or forced to behave with emotional cruelty because they think this is the only way that works.

[@holocene2164]

Probably none. A fake psychologist or a really incompetent one.

[@kyrus4989]

I felt so bad for the girl who poured her heart out to her manager in an attempt probably to get some encouragement and he called her irresponsible. I'm not a Kpop fan, but I do like a few Kpop songs, however I feel kinda guilty when I listen to even a little Kpop bc these girls are treated so terribly.

[@tunkytunky]

As for people asking why the company let this be shown… as someone who lived in East Asia for a while, this treatment probably looks strict, rather than abusive, to a lot of people there. Also they probably agreed to it not knowing how sideways things would go.

[@whatchahowsya8688]

Dang, Sera was really the glue that held the group together YET she still lost her leader position. 🤦‍♂️They abused and broke the girls down completely yet wonder why they have no confidence. Star Empire is such a slimy organization. They deserve to go out of business.

[@dokessezeaka5159]

Honestly I watched her on miss back and saw his her company literally broke her spirit. Because of them she developed panic attacks at being in big public spaces

[@dancer4life__30]

She and the girls did NOTHING to deserve this. It makes me angry and disgusted beyond measure. She deserves to be happy now and not live in fear. She is a beautiful soul and I can't imagine how broken she was after all of that.

[@panda-panda757]

Star Empire: Treat the girls like garbage and regularly pit them against each other 9Muses: Have no confidence and struggle with teamwork Star Empire: *surprised Pikachu face*

[@honeyowen3163]

There's no "breaking people down", it's not the girls fault, they couldn't sing. Some ppl. can sing, some not. I'm in the "not" category. I'd love to sing, but I can't. Either could those girls, except one. It's not their fault,

[@ludwigwittgenstein1280]

She is not a leader. The position would have made her really sick.

[@haileyshanken1489]

U know they kept saying the problem was confidence, but they they weren’t smart enough to realize that they were the ones who ruined their confidence

[@sirthisismcdonalds]

Yes, Whenever someone tells me to be more confident I literally lose of my confidence.

[@nohdrickjamiewesley420]

Thanks ❤️ very ❤️ mach ❤️ I ❤️ Iove ❤️ You ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🥰🤩😍 i

[@guestuser1671]

No, it’s not about them gaining confidence, it’s about power. A girl that gets beat down and belittled at every corner, won’t be able to stand up for herself. They’re supposed to do what they’re told and earn money, they’re not supposed to think for themselves or, god forbid, have an opinion. These girls are little more than glorified slaves.

[@GabrielSouza-cg1hn]

YEAAH! Men who run this industry are the very worst!

[@Lilian040210]

They treat women like dogs since the day they're born and dictate and critisize their every breath and then want them to be confident... lmao. And on top of sexism, ageism is also very strong in Asian cultures... You're lucky if you have personality left by the age of 18 tbh...

[@iamaturtle6694]

Is that CEO now in jail? He made the members of the group practice even after a car accident wtf. That poor girl with broken arm and bandages and the member saying she’s sick but cannot tell because they’ll just give her pain killers then make her dance again, so many abuse here. I think this is the documentary that should be shown to all kids who wants to be an idol/trainee. There’s a darker side of kpop that’s unfortunately more common behind the scenes than the bright smiles of these kpop idols that we see on stage.

[@empirity2855]

The management team is terrible in this situation. Their whole attitude towards the girls is very harsh and demotivating. I've watched the whole video and barely saw them praise anything about the girls, like how do you expect someone to sing and dance radiantly if you don't uplift the whole atmosphere and mood? Seems to me like the managers just treat them as tools, not human beings with emotions. It's ironic because the girls' performances would inevitably improve if they focused more on the girls' well-being instead of criticizing every mistake they do, to the point where practicing feels like torture rather than a fun experience. I've also noticed how most of the girls don't really get along with each other, and I also think it's the managers' fault for not giving them personal time to really bond with each other. When idols practice 24/7 under such terrible conditions, how can you expect them to NOT be depressed, let alone become top stars in the industry?

[@KenziePerth]

Literally all of the executives and producers and managers were so disgusting

[@KenziePerth]

@Ash Wolf is it? I think it's very easy to motivate people to work hard and do well without treating them badly - strictness=/bad treatment, etc. Also, I wasn't commenting on the characters 9Muses as people, just on the actions and attitudes of the executives, producers, and managers towards them. It's also worth noting that all of those people have considerable power over the 9Muses members, and just because the girls are willing to put up with that treatment for the sake of stardom doesn't mean that they should, or that it's appropriate for the people who are in charge of taking care of them to treat them that way. Ultimately, it's clear from what Sera said that the way 9Muses was treated was not something that they were expecting or wanted, and although this harsh, I would also say that 9Muses were never popular on the level of superstars, so it's not like this treatment got them there anyways.

[@myungheeyun8295]

Why??? They were hard working. They were so driven to be successful. It was the girls who could not. They succeeded coming from no where and without resource.

[@viennacupcake8700]

Agreed

[@classcism]

I think the manager has a good heart though. He just had bosses with bad judgement. Even agreeing to the documentary was a poor sight by the boss i would say.

[@heidiho5179]

@@KenziePerth Definitely. Workplace studies have proven that. It seems pretty basic but some still believe they’re making things work by being abusive.

[@mya4730]

They really made the requirements all about visuals and then got mad when the girls couldn’t sing 💀

[@zaubs4038]

The girl singing at the end should be a solo artist she definitely has the voice for it. It's sad to see what these girls go through but you can't make a everyone into a singer.. the ceo knew those other girls couldn't sing yet kept pushing it, you can't force a person to be an amazing singer many people just do not have that ability so he definitely added more stress than there needed to be.

[@offsewingdragons9142]

The voice is an incredibly delicate instrument and no doubt the intense stress and lack of true vocal training took a toll on those girls’s opportunities to become better singers. I believe all of them have voices with the opportunity to be at least decent singers with enough training and nurturing, very few people cannot be trained to sing at least decently.

[@nyquilnu2221]

I came to this doc from Sera's KZbin channel. Was never really a 9Muses fan so I didn't know about her role in the group until seeing this but from my experience she always speaks very honestly when talking about other performers (even if she is being critical). This just makes me respect her opinions and views on the industry so much more than I did before. This girl has the looks, voice and leadership ability to reach a high level but unfortunately her and the rest, the company couldn't get out of their own way. For me, you can't be a fan of 3rd/4th/5th gen unless you respect what these 1st and 2nd gen idols had to go through.

[@chocomolo4586]

This is why Star Empire Ent. has never been successful: it had no respect for its idols and it didn't treat them well. I love 9Muses and ZE:A but both were extremely poorly treated. Star Empire Ent. should have been sued, actually.

[@TuberoseKisser]

Actually, based on how contracts work, They wouldn't have been able to be sued successfully.

[@MK-yp9rs]

i doubt other trainees get treated much better. i think it's more about how much money they make the company

[@edgararnoco3229]

Dont forget TS too😡😡😡

[@lvnsuji5672]

star empire and ts bottom 2 kpop companies i think... ts win tho because they couldn't even give their idols a decent place to live and didn't pay for the bills either 😣

[@edgararnoco3229]

@@lvnsuji5672 yeah ts is TSHIT😏

[@DimaRakesah]

They spend years bullying these girls until they are terrified of making mistakes, then put them in front of a camera and expect them to be "confident"?? Sending them to perform in front of a bunch of troops who hoot and holler like they're just eye candy is disgusting. They hire girls that can't sing, can't dance, are just tall and pretty, abuse them for a year or two, and then push them out on stage to be oggled and wonder why they aren't instantly super stars.

[@Anna-dh1iy]

The troops were actually perfect. They didn't try to jump on the stage, they sang along, and they smiled and cheered loudly for them while and after they performed. They were just like regular fangirls, only with deeper voices. I found them to be quite adorable, you could see they loved the performance.

[@andynonymous6769]

@@Anna-dh1iy I agree- I didn't really see a problem with them, but maybe I'm just a pollyanna

[@Anna-dh1iy]

@@andynonymous6769 what's a pollyanna?

[@andynonymous6769]

@@Anna-dh1iy someone who's excessively optimistic to the point of naivete

[@Anna-dh1iy]

@@andynonymous6769 ohhh I see! Thank you for explaining

[@mathildes8583]

The craziest part is that the company did not think that being filmed doing this was a problem. They thought it looked okay.

[@TalesByTheOcean]

Telling one of the girls “Your facial expression makes you look stupid” right after the meeting where the head honchos complain about the girls’ lack of confidence…

[@BleachBlue04]

These are the documentaries that should be aired as Netflix and KZbin originals and not the rose-colored glasses ones like Blackpink’s and Twice’s

[@silvervixen007]

So true!

[@elmin82]

because Black Pink and Twice are from big companies , they didn't want to show their dark sides

[@gisselle6015]

I actually enjoyed TWICE’s one, you saw a very vulnerable side of the girls during their interviews and their point of view of their iconic world tour. And how they dealt with Mina’s absence.

[@willstiehl6079]

Hey hey I agree that these documents are very important and good to watch but don't go dissing on Twice and Blackpink because of how theirs were directed

[@Nicki-jk9th]

agree

[@elizabethmiedema-hunt]

Welp, if you translate this whole thing to one sentence, it would be- “You suck, now go be confident.” 😪

[@eclyectkjackson8883]

Sounds like they met my mom

[@andraarwen]

So sad😔

[@miarena111]

that was the one i was looking for and a whole lot more but they deleted my comment immidiatly LOL

[@aservantinbabylon]

LOl....ain't that the truth

[@garyking6365]

Right on

[@daweithisisdavidinmandarin6121]

This documentary deserves an Oscar, it is real, and it makes me appreciate the performers a lot more!

[@scarqueenx1x115]

I appreciate the person who made this cause it really gives the insight of the real kpop world, not just the good parts but all the aspects of it.

[@soumm.]

Yess

[@ansherinaDoll]

I remember Sera, she was my FAVORITE member of 9muses back then. I had such high hopes for them because they reminded me of After School. It's so sad to learn that this was how they were treated behind the scenes and it's heart breaking to know that behind all their smiles were exploitation, perversion, and depression.

[@StreetDrilla]

I've only seen them from this documentary. Sera seemed the most respectable and likeable. Classic video, i return here every one in a while

[@princessmarshellaaur]

@@StreetDrilla Sera is now a KZbinr, her channel name is SERA RYU and she mostly does Kpop reaction videos now.

[@StreetDrilla]

@@princessmarshellaaur Good to see her but i am not interested in those videos or k-pop in general except for this documentary. This really is a good watch.

[@princessmarshellaaur]

@@StreetDrilla same, i used to be a kpop stan and now a lot of former idols also make KZbin channels to tell all about their experience!

[@princessmarshellaaur]

@@StreetDrilla im also not a fan of kpop anymore. These days I mostly listen to music in German, Russian, French, Italian, Indonesian and Spanish when it comes to foreign music. German pop has the catchy hooks and the addictiveness that K-pop has, but in comparison, German pop relies more into the music, songwriting and catchiness of the song without making it sound very forgettable while K-pop's more forgettable and relies more into the visuals, choreography and the aesthetic instead.

[@susannag1712]

They all looked so miserable, poor ladies. I've felt like that myself in a highly stressful job and toxic workplace culture and the best thing I did was to finally walk away. I have now learnt that if it doesn't feel right, listen to your intuition.

[@happycook6737]

It is very hard to get a high paying job in Korea unless you have connections and graduated from a top university. I think they stay because of it.

[@black101velvet]

They can't leave when under contract as the studio can pursue them to pay back money invested in their training.

[@susannag1712]

@@black101velvet wow no wonder they feel trapped! That's awful.

[@therealkoolaidandkale]

..... just to be stressed out about bills once you walk off. It's hard to get a high- paying job in AMERICA unless you have connections or graduated from a top university. If it's not one thing, it's another smh. Life sucks.

[@susannag1712]

@@therealkoolaidandkale appalling for a country that has so much wealth.

[@matty6878]

i like how they glossed over the part where one of the managers got into a car accident with all the members, leaving one girl in a cast. i dont know which one it was but you know that president was looking at the bruises on the girls and wonder which side of the axe he was gonna use on the manager responsible.

[@T-araLover]

An eye opening documentary. It is very easy to enjoy a fantastic performance and never think about the frustration, hard work and pain the artists go thru 😢😭💖

[@ym_yongmai]

I agree😢

[@thec0nch]

seriously, this is making me rethink all the times i supported this industry

[@millie4689]

Sara's singing at the end... wow... it brought me to tears. She looked so depressed and burnt out the whole time, but carried on anyway. She is amazing.

[@staith]

she also have a youtube channel. you might want to check it out.

[@Mimi-wg7hl]

Deadmogui what is it?

[@viki7268]

@@Mimi-wg7hl Sera ryu

[@han660namun8]

We want good singers good voice kind and btiful caracter ....not this All that mess has nothing to do with art ....but if u want to catch attention ...earn money and grow the business economy yes u need to train like a litlle factory ....i think all this has wasten wht music is for

[@brown_skin_lover_queen5790]

It made me cry as well

[@Glee73]

Mamamoo is a great example of how a girl group can be themselves and thrive in such a cut throat industry. Although from a small company, they were chosen for their talent and not their looks (not fitting into the korean beauty standards). The girls have a say in how they look, the music they want to do, what they wear and how they behave in private and public.

[@newaccount6414]

But was severely overworked at some point in time that they attended 3 events in one day.

[@Shams03079]

Look at Psy, dude doesn't fit the "beauty standards" of an Idol at all and he's smashing records... BTS came from a small company too, I don't think these idiots understand that the audience is tired of girl bands sounding the same, looking the same ... Their best female artists are nothing like the bands they're trying to produce. Out of all female K-pop bands, I think 2Ne1 was the best, T they're just wasting talent recruiting good singers/dancers to "look good" -_-.

[@TibbyMissRiot]

Also Solar talked openly about the difficulties of being a leader and this is something I truly admire on them. This document makes me think of them and it makes me sick that a bunch of men are holding the power like they know better from how the girls must dress to their dieting plans.

[@nohdrickjamiewesley420]

Thanks so much love 😘

[@nohdrickjamiewesley420]

Thanks for help me all time I love 🥰🥰😍

[@askchaanimation9592]

These girls Need a Big hug

[@litneyloxan]

I watched this after reading an article about a girl in k-pop unaliving herself wanting to see what her life was like and this is haunting. These girls are so burnt out before even “debuting”. They all work so hard with no praise or downtime. Perfect recipe for losing your mind…I want to reach through my screen and hug these sweet girls

[@naomijanelle7146]

Work so hard? This is at the end modelling and entertainment

[@srinivasatadipatri4073]

@@naomijanelle7146did you watch the video

[@animesongsluv]

It's sad how the doctor told them they were depressed and then some girls deny it.

[@Beldan4]

It's sad the doctor violated their privacy by saying what specific girls problems were ....on camera. If this was the USA he'd be sued.

[@cneer17]

@@Beldan4 isn’t that only an issue if it’s done without the patient’s consent

[@Beldan4]

@@cneer17 without their consent.. you're telling me all of those girls not only consented to have their mental health issues discussed with everyone else in the group but for it to be recorded and broadcast to everyone else. I would love to see (translated in English of course) that contract they signed.

[@silvervixen007]

These old men talking about how short the skirt should be doesn't sit right with me

[@somipax]

it s all they got: pretty girls, otherwise no one will care about bad music

[@ForgingMyWins]

Sex sells. Money is what's being lusted after here

[@cranky1812]

"These old men" don't care what they wear, lol. Maybe you missed the part where clearly 99% of the audience is young females. Women wants to be attractive, this is just basic biology of female brain. No one forced these fake singers to be a K-pop idols. The whole industry is driven by the demand, basic business 101. "These old men" are doing their jobs for which they are hired. FYI there are old women too, lol.

[@cranky1812]

@Yoongles Lajibolala you can cry all you want but the fact is that they are not forced to join a band. It's their decision, if uncomfortable then leave, who's stopping them? Your feelings are irrelevant.

[@cranky1812]

@Yoongles Lajibolala lol, why don't you learn the meaning of "contradicting" first? Blaming women? Lol. These women choose to work in K-pop bands, they wanna be famous and make money. I know it's difficult for women to take accountability of their own actions. It's easy to blame everybody else and your replies show your IQ, lol. Keep crying, no one cares.

[@mariasimone1231]

Teaching a non singer is really difficult and dangerous. It always lead to depression and losing self confidence. I am still wondering to these days why many agencies practicing training a tall and slim girls w/o skills of both dancing and singing. Talents cannot be force into the mouth but it is a God given gift. Watching these girls doc. made me stressed too that I pitied the girls breaking down.

[@naomijanelle7146]

Thats what I was thinking they dont even seem to want to be singers. The female at the beginning said herself she cant sing

[@animecookies8784]

Not true, anybody can sing with good vocal coaching. Obviously, those naturally gifted will be able to sing while those not able to sing will need to work extra hard to sing. Example are Wheein and Solar from Mamamoo. Wheein was naturally gifted with being able to sing while Solar had to practice a ton to get to the level of where she is at.

[@intannurhaliza2470]

I always like sera most. I think she is the brightest member in 9 muses. Found out that she's been through hell hole 😢

[@kirstintealsher1833]

Watching sera get emotional on her KZbin video about the maknaes and how she lost leader position was horrible,,,

[@hehesmack3211]

ikr, I felt so bad for her

[@hehesmack3211]

@@siyoiii7709 The one where she was reacting to her old 9muses music videos

[@Mimi-wg7hl]

Mooラーメン she has a KZbin channel?

[@hehesmack3211]

@@Mimi-wg7hl yesss ryu sera is the name of the channel, she posts covers, interviews and kpop music video reactions

[@ds-zd9qz]

broke my heart seeing her on miss back. if you havent seen it beware it truly is heartbreaking.

[@Rawker101]

I've always been a little taken aback at just how many middle aged, unremarkable looking men control the lives of these girls and women. it wouldn't be so bad if they were more understanding and not so demanding and dismissive towards them. and they wonder why the group looks so sad and worn out half the time. i'd like to see these guys spend a week in their shoes and see how they like it.

[@eli3845]

unremarkable looking lol such a polite and funny diss

[@brennathecatlover4360]

Its sad how these companies especially smaller ones treat all their idols

[@nohdrickjamiewesley420]

❤️❤️❤️

[@tubester4567]

Same thing happens to the guys.

[@aesyamazeli8804]

If you enter the workplace, most of your boss will be middle aged unremarkable men. Don't feel sorry for the girls because your future is as bleak as them.

[@flofee]

How can they be confident if they’re just dismissing their effort? It’s the ones who bring you down, the ones who are asking why the low self esteem?

[@saturdazed4926]

I was going down the 2nd gen kpop rabbit hole and discovered 9muses fell in love with their music and visuals came across this wow I’m in shock these girls went through so much and deserved better. Editor should’ve put dates though cause many in comments think this is recent when it isn’t 9 muses debuted in 2010 and were active until 2017 this doc aired on bbc in 2012

[@GWSNtheworld]

they disbanded in 2019

[@pregenderneutral]

okay watching this the creepy managers always talk about confidence and how they aren't confident and I just wanna say... you cannot expect someone to become confident when you give them zero positive reinforcement. if you constantly critique them and treat them as if they aren't a human being what do you expect?

[@beaveggie3222]

EXACTLY. This man literally tears them to shreds every time they're practicing, now he's asking them to be more confident? Bruh. With the amount of trauma you've given them and the toxic environment that they've been surrounded in and lived in for several years, confidence will be nowhere to be found cause y'all broke them down so much they don't have any.

[@azratambunan2587]

Nice point

[@erickroman4723]

I’m glad I stopped to read the comments, I really don’t wanna see anything worst of what I’ve already saw (I’m in 36:23 and I had enough already)

[@nondescriptbeing5944]

like my childhood lol

[@lexlixatkwa7nelson3]

he literally went out to shop for a replacement member that was so gross

[@BleachBlue04]

“Not all members can be good singers.” They damn well can if the industry wasn’t sexist and nitpicked every woman for the slightest bodily flaws. Tons of women can sing. The industry doesn’t pick them because they’re deemed “ugly”.

[@desertmoonlee6631]

None of them are naturally pretty all of them has at least nose done, there is many beautiful and talented people but probably studying their ass in school for years and still won’t get paid like celebs.

[@galactic_spectator6409]

Then you dont understand the reason for this kind of music. They were picked for their looks, very similar to girl and boy bands of the 90s. You don't need to go around life looking making low quality sexist claims.

[@balthiersgirl2658]

@@desertmoonlee6631 that is lies

[@dramaqueen465]

And if they’re aren’t ugly, they might not fit the very narrow criteria of that is acceptable in K-Pop. They are so nit picky when it comes to people’s looks that it’s crazy. Legs are too short, not thin enough, lips too thin or thick, big forehead, too dark, flat chested, weird nose, etc. People that most of us would look at and think are gorgeous are being told those things. Then there are the people that are beautiful and talented but aren’t ridiculously thin like a kpop idol. And they wonder why they struggle to find good singers. Maybe if they loosened up their physical criterias it would be a lot easier

[@darkapaul]

it's not what the industry wants. It's what the public wants. You can't blame the industry, it's only catering to the modern beauty standard.

[@iWetPaper]

I remember exactly when this video came out, I was not really into Kpop, and this documentary popped up as recommended, out of curiosity I watched the entire thing, and started becoming much more curious about the Kpop industry, and how it really is. Me now being a listener of Kpop, I have random moments where I remember this video, and think about how we really don't know what Idols of Kpop groups are going through, since Idols only present what they want us to see, as well as say what they want us to hear. Of corse not every Kpop group you see or hear may have gone thru stuff like this, but who really knows the ones that do; It's just sicking.

[@TheJuliefrom]

They look so hungry, lack of nutrients, tired, exhausted

[@m.egan53]

They were teaching them the basics AFTER debut because the company was cocky and didn't bother training them, just depended on the sexy concept

[@lilgoldenlotus]

I think the guys are to strick they should go to jail for that they treat the girls bad

[@andynonymous6769]

OR the girls HAD to debut then because they were going too much into debt and the only way they could make it back is by performing

[@hih2430]

this is how they act in front of the cameras imagine what happens behind

[@lvnsuji5672]

very true omg

[@nakamotoyuta5636]

Yeah. This explain so much why depression is a big thing in Kpop Industry

[@ralsie4724]

The most REAL and hurtful kpop Documentary

[@Bibi-J]

That last song in this documentary... OMG... That was breathtaking beautiful. What a fantastic voice she has! If anybody is saying No, needs to get his/her ears checked. The only thing is, when she started to cry at the end... I wanted to put my arms around her and tell her, how wonderful she is,that her voice is marvelous.. And that she's gonna be fine.... That she has to believe in herself.

[@wearetriggerhappy7495]

ryu sera actually opened up about this on her youtube channel. She cried on that video just remembering how hard it was for them. Imagine after almost a decade and it still affecting her that much.

[@jahdeer505]

In which video? Could you give me the link please

[@Kitoito-hf2mj]

@@jahdeer505 you can search her name.

[@christianjudefernandez3647]

@@jahdeer505 ryu sera

[@julianna6847]

She also talked about it in Miss Back, a show with former members of ggs, you can watch it with subs on yt

[@diva80]

She is suffering from self esteem or probably PTSD that’s horrible it happened not just to her but for every singer that went through it. 😢😢😢

[@odearflannery7781]

The gaslighting and mental abuse is insane. "They need to have confidence and think nothing is impossible" they faced years of being told they weren't good until they were famous, that they lack effort, that none of them were special and all but one were good singers. And yet, they are still expected to show strength. When the psychologist said they were all depressed and anxious the manager used it against them and was ready to change the line up. They say the problem is with the girls, they should take some responsibility. Even someone with no training can be good when given care and training. Just because they spent 1 million on the group does not mean they did enough, when the girls still can't sing well after years of lessons check on the instructor too. You don't think the instructors slack after seeing the same girls day in and day out?

[@annettegenovesi]

It is all necessary to become a real artist. Baptism by fire - the only true way.

[@Justyn_Lim_]

Let's be real, if the girls can't handle the harsh criticisms from their managers and coaches, who's job is to train them, then they definitely cannot handle any public criticisms who simply want to tear them down.

[@whenu8688]

@@Justyn_Lim_ well, because of all of that public criticism they should have someone to rely on them and give them support. A good teacher isn't a harsh and rude teacher. It is a strict teacher who knows what is too much.

[@offsewingdragons9142]

@@Justyn_Lim_ no. Its true, constructive criticism is necessary and needed, but all of my favorite teachers make it a point to compliment what i did well and what i could improve on and HOW i can improve. This builds confidence along with teaching me exactly what i need to do. Long term it makes me not feel shitty about my abilities, and helps me improve immensely. I believe this is how everyone should learn. These poor women are given cold criticism and no compliments-ever. The ones who do well are barely praised and the ones who do less well are ruthlessly torn down. You can see it in all their faces, they all believe they’re terrible, all their hard work is for naught, when most of them have done well despite the awful environment they’re in.

[@methosimortal]

the lack of accountability, particularly when they started saying they hated the choreography and the song. I'm sorry , sir, but you were there every day for months overseeing both the choreography and the song. all of you made those choices. the girls just executed what you told them to. and now somehow they're at fault that the choreography and song were bad?

[@ericchan6343]

This documentary has been very eye opening. The amount of hardworking, emotional turmoil, stress they had to go through, being lectured, scolded like little children, it was very bizarre and mind blogging. These girls, they are a soul. Even after being put down, they still had to put up a smile in front of the cameras. Watching them, it was as if they were slowly losing the shine they originally had. It was quite hard to watch the whole thing without shedding a tear. Nevertheless,I wish these angels well, good health and forevermore, joyful life ahead

[@N1nxy]

i know it's horrible, but I watch this to stay motivated to be skinny and do my job, seeing how kpop girls work hard behind the scenes and that they're not born with perfect looks and skills

[@chocolatecow]

me too!!

[@listenpromiseonsoundcloud5376]

Imagine being a minor and several grown ass men are beating down your self confidence and worth. I hope the girls are happy now.

[@cinnamonpirate5294]

@@trollrat2828 Look into a company that smiles to your face & sells you the lie that they're not as bad... why don't you blame the local cashier for harassment from the manager, too?

[@auroramadariaga4081]

Fun fact: people don't magically become more confident by just telling them so. Confidence is built through experiences that reinforce your self worth, your place in the group, your decision making process. Scolding girls every other day like they're in school or the army, never congratulating them for what they do right, constantly focusing only on what they lack will *never* work. On the contrary, through that attitude you're only robbing them of their dignity, shaming them before the others, leaving them vulnerable and too aware of their low position of power within the company. That's basic psychology, something these producers clearly lack. Then again, it may also have to do with the Asian way of being. That attitude to life to suffer in silence, to think of the others before in yourself, to sacrifice for the others, to be able to solve your own issues on your own (as if we all have by default the tools to do so at any given point in life,) not to pest the others with your whining, etc.

[@garyking6365]

Right on

[@nohdrickjamiewesley420]

Thanks for help me I love 🥰

[@btsmochimi7924]

very well said

[@usagifelton]

Right? I mean even the assistants and managers were talking to them like they were trash, like, tf?

[@h.s.6269]

The constant berating really bothered me. How hard is it to reassure them about what they are doing right and encourage them where they lack? The constant negative comments about every little thing causes so much mental damage, especially in a society where standing up for yourself is shamed and you are instead expected to always take verbal chastising from your elders/superiors with grace. There is a happy medium in respecting your superiors and feeling valued enough to speak up against bullying of yourself or other members... I can't get over how nonstop the criticisms were, they are obviously working so hard, compliment that effort. Positive reinforcement does wonders to the psyche.

[@lianosh_hamalka]

1:11:07 "before the debut there was humanity, or something humane among us. to be honest, we don't have them anymore. wow

[@offsewingdragons9142]

as someone who has a professional vocal coach, has been in theater, choir and the musical/performing world for over 3 years now, this is infuriating. im not a dancer, so I can't criticize that beyond how passionless and miserable these poor women look, but, concerning the vocals, I have some professional complaining to do. first of all, being a singer isn't a god given struck by a bolt of electric talent the second you're divested of your mother's womb kinda thing. sure, some of us have gifts that help with musical ability, some aren't musically minded, but in general, singing is more comparable to athletic ability than a blessing. you have to work at it and train yourself with experienced singers and vocal coaches in order to slowly improve your vocals. therefore, there is NO REASON WHATSOEVER TO NOT TRAIN YOUR SINGERS!!!!!! I AM SO FRICKING ANGRY AT THESE PRODUCERS. don't give me the "but they're professionals" nonsense, most of these girls haven't been trained (or at least, not well) and it shows. to start with, the clip shown early on in the video (around 11 minutes in) showed a muse singing. she seems to be attempting to force notes out of her system by tensing and clenching muscles in her throat. her useless producer who hasn't had a day of actual training either also encourages her to yell it out. no actual vocal coach would ever do this. it will actually damage your voice to sing like this long term. if you have ever had an ounce of professional training you would know the first thing they get you to do is relax, unclench your voice and just have a good, relaxed time with it. my own coach would be outraged if he watched this lol. I don't know how these girls came to be in this group. I don't know If they once enjoyed singing and dancing, but the joy and passion is so far gone from these bedraggled, poor women. I feel deeply for them and im enraged at their training situation. I mean SERIOUSLY, who the HELL thought it would be a sMoRt idea to NOT TRAIN PROFESSIONAL PERFORMERS THE BASICS OF SINGING?????? GAH! And also, to clarify, I am not mad at these girls. they're trying their best. four years ago, I sounded no better. im angry at the people who should be teaching them not to rip their larynxes apart from strain.

[@davestridr]

i dont know if youre a kpop stan or not but, most idols are just taught to be competent at singing and dancing. not like actual good technique but just… competent. of course there are exceptions with idols who are genuinely good at it (id say kyuhyun from super junior is the kpop idol with the strongest vocal technique). but really at the end of the day the goal is just to entertain the audience

[@Augustbeauty69]

I've never seen an unhappier group of "pop" stars or performers. Constantly being yelled at, constantly working, and when they're not working they're hanging around looking like they need a good night's sleep while trying to keep everyone supposedly doing this for them happy.

[@nohdrickjamiewesley420]

Thanks 🥰

[@gg.youlubeatube6249]

These products (not musicans or artist ) are mirror to current society. In my generation we took a guitar, friends and smash it. It was fun. These kids are not having fun, they are employes. As result they performance has no spirit of joy. Thats is how you kill the music, generation made of plastic.

[@ajorbista]

As a Mine, I know the girls had it rough at the start, they did disband a few years ago, but on a high note. They had a farewell concert, a farewell song, some of the girls were married, members like Sungah had kids, so I feel like it’s a great thing they’re free from Star Empire.

[@gursakhi1787]

i hope more people, especially foreigners, who want to become kpop idols see this. the industry is horrible. kpop is just a way for the korean government to showcase/popularize their culture to other countries. the way these idols get treated is very scary and strict and its so sad to see kids as young as 13 debuting.

[@falsubliminals3983]

I want to be a kpop idol so bad and I’m black I think I have a chance but for so reason the harder it seems the more I want to do and I know I’m putting my self in harms way

[@GWSNtheworld]

There should be a law where minors cant be in the kpop industry...

[@gursakhi1787]

@@GWSNtheworld yes, totally. it would prevent a lot of problems and help the mental health of so many children, but it's kind of unrealistic, considering so many people think that if someone who is over the age of 19 debuts, they are "late".

[@notting2640]

@@falsubliminals3983 please don’t… native asians are generally very racist and they WILL eat you alive in the worst possible way

[@baebae1916]

true. As much as i want to experience the fame idols get, i know its only gonna stay in my fantasy world since idols go thru soo much behind the stage

[@louisepalmer9877]

Omg she sings beautifully

[@brookierex4223]

I just think the tactics that the team used to train 9 Muses was horrible and lackluster. Leadership isn't dependant on a group member, it starts with the mentor. Their mentors, managers, & trainers absolutely sucked!

[@ajburgess6843]

The Vocal Coach seemed to be the only one that was on their side. Shame.

[@ThuNguyen-hi2ll]

How much stress Nine muses had to suffer and they are still underrated. I hope people will understand more about Kpop idol’s hardship and stop judging them.

[@buzzy33]

Thu Nguyen if Twitter was super active like now back in 2009, the 2nd gen groups would soar so well. 9muses could be unfazed

[@sunnybrightskies]

They where popular in Japan and Korea, but not so much international

[@EpicThe112]

They're going to get Twitter fans but most fans remembered them as the tallest kpop girl group. In the Eastern US and Canada it might be Miss A > 9 muses. This means Fei February 1987 > Sera October 1987

[@EpicThe112]

@@buzzy33 absolutely correct but in 2015 you have Twice

[@myungheeyun8295]

9muses were moderately successful in SK and Japan. KPOP back then was not as global as today.

[@perfectgamerkitty4717]

A year ago, I desperately wanted to be a kpop idol. I starved myself and I tried to look beautiful, tried to dance well and sing well because I know I don't have talents at all. I thought I could handle whatever the industry threw at me. Turns out what I did to myself was only a tiny molecule of what real trainees and idols go through. I was so delusional, thinking I could handle all that. My heart goes out to all trainees and idols out there, thank you for trying so hard ❤

[@SauronsEye]

The best performance of the whole documentary was the girl at the end. No dancing, no fancy costumes. Just someone who can hold a tune and believes in the song they're singing.

[@mariamadanae]

i wish sera trained with another company she's so well rounded

[@alexisaspy2429]

I truly feel like every kpop stan should watch this doc. I remember I cried the first time watching this. It says a lot about the kpop Industry.

[@Metube9569]

But not WM entertainment (an entertainment where Oh My Girl is from)

[@jarlhenrik]

I step in the right direction would be for the fanbase, especially in Korea, to stop calling themselves and acting like stans. Stan: "Stalker fan", those that idolize and pursue a person to the edge of criminal behavior and psychological stress for the person stalked. The entire stan mentality is directly harmful, both to singular people and their societies.

[@idorus]

@@jarlhenrik its just a word no one actually means theyre a stalker when they say it. it just means a fan that is serious and supports the group no matter what. in korea i dont think they use stan but they do have a word for the stalkers saesangs and most people know that is not ok.

[@mt6897]

Absolutely! To bad the stans will just say that the company their favorite group is from is completely different and they do not treat their idols these way, I guess some propaganda truly is too strong

[@ArtIsDrawing]

dude, it happens in every entertainment industry not just kpop!!!

[@allthatkaz]

I gasped when I saw the composer smoking inside the studio 😭 secondhand smoking will ruin your voice and lungs, it happened to me. Are they not concerned about their singers?! so unprofessional.. I mean sure, the vocal booth is separate but that could still seep into other rooms.. *watching the rest of the docu..*

[@markaprill6501]

The pop idols are mind bogglingly beautiful.

[@RonomanRpper]

How dare that guy tell this poor girl that she's an "ugly duckling" when he can win a competition for being ugly....

[@insomnia20422]

he said "why are you walking LIKE an ugly duckling" it was meant to encourage her to have more confidence i guess

[@crashiecorbashie]

@@insomnia20422 i think their CEO has no concept of positive reinforcement, seriously. constant negative reinforcement leads people to depression or even worse.

[@Amarah4600]

Similar happened to members of 2ne1

[@lixusactor7513]

@@insomnia20422 how can this encourage her for more confidence? these girls, back in the days of training, were very stressed, did you not see how in the video they viewed the girls kinda in a sexually way, the managers and the other people..-

[@alexandraselesi]

@@insomnia20422 defending that piece of crap puts you at the same level as his.

[@DestinyOpfa]

You get 9 ex-supermodels who have little to no singing/dancing/idol experience and debut them in a group just because they're all above 1.7 metres. And then you wonder why the group doesn't do well and blame the girls for lack of talent

[@strqwbxrryicecreqm.8693]

Srsly? So thwy expected the girls to do smth that is out of their expertise?? That's weird

[@DestinyOpfa]

@@strqwbxrryicecreqm.8693 Not exactly. Imagine you're a supermodel, and one day you're scouted and invited to try out for this new supermodel K-PoP group whose focus is that you're all tall and beautiful (subjective). All of them couldn't resist.

[@idiasweet8191]

@@strqwbxrryicecreqm.8693 I really liked some of their music but I get what your saying

[@fanaydreamer7510]

@silly but nice why what happened to Sara?

[@devvv4616]

thing is, it worked for other groups. but not everyone can be at the top

[@heeseungiedeungie]

the ending is so sick…

[@nmjr547]

Thank you for documenting this. Even though it's tough, it helps people know how the industry works and be prepared. Definitely not for the faint of heart.

[@kathecamargo]

That was like watching them passing through emotional torture ...

[@honeybunch5765]

I think it is exactly that, now you get why these performers do drugs.

[@sailormoon8922]

it's just depressing to watch this

[@nohdrickjamiewesley420]

Yes know what thanks I love 🥰

[@nohdrickjamiewesley420]

Yes❤️ sometimes ❤️ Kn ❤️ thanks ❤️ so mach I ❤️ Iove ❤️❤️❤️💝💖💘💖💘💕🥳💕💘🧡🥰🤍💙❤️

[@mind-wont-ize9702]

If you look at how Sera is living rn, you know that this woman is really something else. She lives and breathes music and all she wants to do is sing but the industry is giving her so much stress that it's causing her breathing problems. Like??? I wish Sera all the best.

[@lamilagrosa3412]

The sad truth behind Kpop idols and the industry. The sadness of it all. It def isnt all glitz and glamour. They suffer alot, and sacrifice even more just to be in the spotlight. I couldnt finish watching it all the way through, because I FELT ABUSED just by watching...

[@roundsdm]

They should be able to talk to and see their families more… i heard sometimes they cant see them at all…

[@Beanjuicemom]

They got the girls into a car accident and then expect them to practice?! Wtf

[@honeyleetisoy9861]

The company is crazy how can they let the members practice when they have so many injuries.

[@kevinswift8654]

Which were also their fault, for driving so damn fast (in the video they reach 160km on the freeway = 100 mph.)

[@myungheeyun8295]

This is kpop, the major league of girl groups, where 50 top tier groups are performing at cut throat pace. If you are injured, then you are out of the industry.

[@babylionssirenblack1595]

Thats the reality, thats why EXO at one time said, they would rather fight with words, because its a team, if someone gets injured, they need to change choreo, or take each others parts. Also, then, each member has a role as center or main danxse etc. Now, most groups are training to be a ll rounders just in case something happens.

[@xazenx]

@@babylionssirenblack1595 thats expecting to much this company didnt give af about them at all they wouldnt have listened

[@limousinecar230]

It's normal to get injuries, that's part of training

[@Giosdailyvlogs]

These types of documentary’s are so true and I think that if some people that would like to ever be trainees to become kpop idols will probably end up going through this but I think it’s sad that they are too rough on them and mostly when they get sick I think that it is normal for the kpop industry whenever you are about to debut you will have a lot of stuff on your back for example: dance practice,health,sleep,receiving feedback etc their is much more to become a Kpop idol it’s not just about the dancing and singing it’s also about facials and how skinny or pretty you are.It’s honestly heartbreaking how these people (kpop idols b Trainees) are so strong to go through this.

[@Lonilogo]

These poor girls are stressed, exhausted, no pay, and NO freedom. Unlike the celebrities in the U.S. makes millions and lives in luxury homes while these are cramped in a small apartment like sardines. These directors, CEO, trainers, and cohorts should be in that damn apartment and see what’s like….and no pay.

[@lovetocraftlovetocraft241]

I happened upon this video and decided to watch the whole thing. No one seemed to care about the health and emotional well being of any of these girls. They were so dispensable as if they held no value. Nothing in this world is worth this kind of scrutiny and abuse. One girl put it best when she mentioned working so hard only to feel empty. The cost of a little fame (which is fading) is not worth dying for. I never heard of this group before. The documentary was well done in that it exposed the dark side of fame.

[@vaimoylan7197]

This boss does not look happy himself. The girls worked so hard and yet, still finding faults whether how they moved or singing. These girls need to rest, and given positive feed back. Good luck , girls, hope you can reflect back on your rehearsal and know that you all have given everything to be the best you all can be. You are all young and beautiful. Believe in yourselves. Maybe find a New Manager?

[@evawilhelm5113]

they actually did not have any value to these horrible men. They were a commodity to be used and abused.

[@sarahwhite4906]

I only watched because I was curious (and know nothing, about about kpop)... I realize Western treatment of popstars is different. Even when we assume U.S. popstars have agency (or, when they don't: i.e. Britney Spears) they still must adhere to a strict "this, that, and then" part of their lives. But this is on a different level.

[@mayc8674]

Lovetocraft, making it to the top is not about being weak and having others constantly baby you. It's about self discipline and self love and tough going bc you care about winning for yourself. Otherwise don't need to be there bc 1000 others want that spot.

[@GoodwillWright]

Of course they were dispensable. The sad thing is, despite the conditions there are probably hundreds of other girls on a waiting list eager for an opportunity. Probably all thinking, "I know what being an idol entails and how crappy it is, but I'm gonna be the one that becomes famous".

[@lijemayne4287]

Funny how they wanted the girls to be confident in the latter half of the documentary; when all they did on the first half was burn their confidence to nothing... Edit: I dont know 9Muses, but I ended up rooting for Sera. :'

[@JaxiXD210XD]

She has a youtube channel!! I believe its Ryu Sera(?) she is doing so much better now

[@nohdrickjamiewesley420]

She is ///beautiful 🥰 sera

[@bsways]

This video should be called ‘why negative reinforcement never works’

[@onThestreets439]

The song was produced by JYP!!!!