The Korean pop music (K-Pop) industry has garnered fame in the recent years and has had a great economic impact on South Korea . It is best known for its music, performances and content creation but behind the glitz and glamour of the idol industry lies the dark truth if exploitation of its artists particularly minors. This paper examines the exploitation of artists, the trainee system, debut process, sexualization of minors and the impact of sasaeng fans. The unfair contracts, long working hours, the toxic beauty standards, limited rights over their craft which often leads to physical and mental health issues for these young artists’. The K-pop industry has been under scrutiny for its treatment and sexualization of minors. The intrusive and obsessive behaviors of the sasaeng fans further exacerbate the situation leading to concerns over the well-being of the artists. It also covers the government’s role and intervention in protection of minors and the protection of artists. However, more needs to be done to address these issues within the industry and strong measures need to be taken to ensure the well being of the artists and protection of minors within the industry.
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