Reported 9 months ago
The number of idol trainees in South Korea has dropped by nearly 38.3% from 1895 in 2020 to 1170 by the end of 2022, signaling a potential talent shortage in the booming K-pop industry. Trainees undergo harsh training, strict schedules, and long contracts with little to no income until their group's earnings exceed training costs, leading to an increasing dropout rate. As dreams of debuting as idos diminish, youth preferences shift towards becoming social media influencers where profit and fame are more attainable in the short term than the high-risk, low-return investment of pursuing K-pop stardom.
Source: YAHOO