Unreported World goes inside the K-pop dance schools of South Korea, investigating the hidden cost of becoming the next big idol.

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Reporter Krishnan Guru-Murthy follows the artists training for years in an industry that demands perfection.

The Korean Wave is taking the world by storm and K-pop is no exception with the industry estimated to be worth $8billion thanks to its 200 million global fanbase. In the South Korean capital of Seoul, performing arts academies and schools are training the next generation of idols. But in reality only around 1% will make it big.

In the Hanlim School of Arts, one of the country’s most prestigious dance schools, Guru-Murthy meets 16-year-old Heesu Chung and her classmate Sui who have been training and auditioning for months to get noticed. Following these K-pop hopefuls Guru-Murthy learns how these teenagers are crafted to be idols with relentless training regimes, scripted answers and picture-perfect looks.

But is it all worth it? Guru-Muthy discovers the power K-pop fans have over their idols, and the aspects of life stars must give up in order to conform to the industry’s expectations. For some the pressure of K-pop life is too much. Artist Min Su quit the successful boy band Teen Top after fans complained about his tattoos and smoking. And in a country with one of the highest suicide rates in the world, he explains that two of his friends took their own lives. “This is the dark side of the industry”, he explains.

Producer/Director: Katie Arnold
Series Producer: Andy Lee
Executive Producer: Ed Fraser
Production Company: Channel 4 News

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