K-pop idols halt, quit careers over health concerns while agencies post record revenues

SEOUL – With the number of K-pop concerts and music awards growing both at home and abroad, agencies are reporting record sales, yet more idols are stepping back due to mental and physical health concerns. Many work relentlessly until a serious injury forces them to stop.

Yoon Ji-yoon of girl group Izna, managed by CJ ENM subsidiary WakeOne, recently left the group citing health issues, just six months after halting activities in February.

Monsta X’s I.M also took a three-week break starting in late July, before resuming group activities. Starship Entertainment said he had been receiving treatment for back pain and required rest to ensure a stable recovery.

Earlier in August,

Park Bom paused her activities with girl group 2NE1

after doctors advised her to take a break. Having resumed full-group promotions last year for the band’s 15th anniversary, she had been active on multiple stages.

D Nation Entertainment announced on Aug 6 that she would not participate in upcoming group engagements, following medical advice to prioritise rest.

Exhaustion-related leaves of absence are not new to K-pop. However, with social media amplifying the workload and global popularity requiring extensive overseas engagements, idols find themselves increasingly strained.

Meanwhile, concert and event revenues are driving record earnings for agencies.

Leading K-pop company Hybe reported a historic second-quarter revenue of 705.6 billion won (S$650 million), up 10.2 per cent on-year from 640.5 billion won. Revenue directly tied to artist activities reached 447.9 billion won, with concert revenue surging 31 per cent to 188.7 billion won.

JYP Entertainment posted the largest growth, with second-quarter revenue of 215.8 billion won, up 125.5 per cent from the previous year, marking the steepest rise among the top four agencies. SM Entertainment achieved a record quarterly revenue of 302.9 billion won, up 19.3 per cent on-year, while YG Entertainment saw an 11.6 per cent on-year increase to 100.4 billion won.

Financial results contrast sharply with the worsening working conditions and health issues that K-pop artistes face.

An executive at a midsized agency acknowledged that idols have little downtime outside album production, but said most prefer busy schedules and cannot be persuaded otherwise.

“Artistes don’t always work because they want to, nor can they rest when they want. Once a song becomes a hit, there’s no break. I’ve never met an idol who wanted fewer activities – most achieve their goals by staying busy,” an industry executive said on Aug 26. He added that agencies provide regular medical check-ups and medical support for artistes.

However, Professor Lee Jong-im, adjunct professor at Kyung Hee University’s Graduate School of Media and Communication, said Korean idols rarely challenge poor working conditions.

“Korean members, having trained since childhood, are accustomed to long hours and do not raise concerns. Foreign members struggle more,” she said. “Major agencies like Hybe, JYP and SM operate in-house counselling centres, but smaller firms often lack such systems. Idols rarely have the time to seek outside mental health support.”

She added that while psychiatric counselling is available through the Korea Creative Content Agency, busy schedules make it difficult for idols to access these services on their own. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK