These Ex-Kpop Idols Open Up How They Were Pushed to Meet the Korean Beauty Standard

Anthony Padilla, an American YouTuber and co-founder of Smosh, has just released a video with ex-Kpop idols, including After School Bekah, Boyfriend Jeongmin, and Blady Tina (now known as Soobin or Christine). They talked about how the companies pushed Kpop idols to meet the requirements and expectations as stars, including the Korean beauty standard. Although there have been some Kpop idols who break the Korean beauty standard and make their own standard, some companies still push them.

Table of Contents

Kpop Idols Were Pushed to Meet the Korean Beauty Standard

1. Gaining weight is your fault

Having a slim figure, thigh gap, and small face are some of the Korean beauty standard Kpop idols have to keep in their minds. So the companies will manage your daily diet to keep your body in the way they want. Besides, the idols have to check how much they weigh every single day! If the companies found out that the idols were gaining weight, they’d be in big trouble.

“I remember we would be in trouble if we gain weight. You know, ‘We’re feeding you guys, like the salad, I got you personal trainers, why are you guys gaining weights?’ This not healthy.”
Christine

“I became a person that I wasn’t. I was on a diet a lot and trying to fit that model. We’re rookie group, and everything has to look the part.”
Bekah

Kpop idols strict diet to meet the korean beauty standard

2. Korean beauty standard makes Kpop idols face difficult situation

Christine revealed that the companies want the Kpop idols to meet the Korean beauty standard as a slim lady, but they also wish the idols to look curvy. However, it is pretty hard to have both at the same time.

So, some of the companies will use body padding to change their figure forms during their videos. In this way, the Kpop idols could create curves while still meeting the ‘slim figure’ standard.

Kpop idols are expected to have slim but curvy figure

3. Skin color can be a matter

Hair removal and plastic surgery have been talked about all the years in the Kpop world. Nevertheless, Christine brought up another controversial topic. Her company had an issue with her skin color and even recommended white-tanning for her.

“I remember at one time, they actually wanted me to do white tanning. ‘You could do white tanning or lighten your foundation shade or you can get the vitamin C shots.’ Although I am a Korean-America, I was a bit darker and it made me feel like an outcast.”
Christine

4. The blood type defines you!

Blood type is sometimes comparable to horoscope in Western countries. One of the Kpop idols revealed that blood type was important for her group, although it is not one of the Korean beauty standard.

“Blady was meant to stand for “Blood Type-B Girls.” I remember at the time, they asked me what blood type I was, and I was like, ‘I am blood type A.’ Then they were like, ‘Don’t tell anyone your blood type because our concept as a group is blood type B girls.’ I guess blood type-B girls are really chic, confident.”
Christine

5. Backstreet dating

This is not the Korean beauty standard, but there are unwritten rules that Kpop idols can’t be in a dating relationship.

“We barely have time to eat, so dating would never fit our schedule. We didn’t have any pressure from the company about this, but mostly our career and position are based on our fans, so we were a bit cautious about this issue.”
Jeongmin

Kpop idols don't have time for dating — Kpop idols don’t have time for dating

“I remember that the company said, ‘Just don’t get caught by us’.”
Christine

Kpop idols mostly date at night because they have a busy schedule and avoid catching the attention of fans. There are lots of consequences when people talk about Kpop idols dating issue.

“Kpop idols are products. You’re their biggest assets, you’re their money makers. So, if you start dating, and sometimes fans will leave you. And I think that’s the thing that the company was the most scared of.”
Christine