There are multiple reasons behind the fact that the actual age of Korean girl group members is generally younger, and here are some of the main ones:
1. Idol industry model
- Trainee system: Korean entertainment companies generally adopt the trainee system, which selects and cultivates potential children from an early age, and makes their debut after several years of rigorous training. This system makes the girl group members tend to be younger when they debut.
- Young debut tradition: The Korean idol industry is largely influenced by the Japanese entertainment industry, especially the tradition of debut at a young age. As early as the 70s of the last century, there were Japanese artists such as Yamaguchi Momoe who debuted at the age of 13, and this trend also spread to South Korea.
2. Market demand and audience targeting
- Teen audience: The main audience of Korean girl groups is teenagers, so companies tend to choose members of similar age and youthful vitality to attract fans.
- The attraction of young idols: Young people are usually more malleable and energetic, and are more likely to be loved and sought after by fans. In addition, debuting at a young age can also allow idols to maintain their attractiveness and commercial value for a longer period of time.
3. Economic and cost considerations
- Trainee cost: Trainees need long-term training, and the company needs to invest a lot of manpower, material and financial resources. If you wait until the year after the practice generation year to make your debut, the company's cost will increase accordingly.
- Age structure optimization: In order to maintain the vitality and diversity of the team, companies often select younger members as "busy" (the youngest members) to balance the age structure within the team.
4. Socio-cultural factors
- Aesthetic preference: Korean society has a high aesthetic preference for young, innocent, and cute images, which also promotes the trend of girl group members generally getting younger.
- Education system: South Korea has a strict education system, and students are usually required to spend most of their time in school. However, some potential children will choose to participate in trainee training in their spare time in order to succeed in the entertainment industry.
About the envy of the Korean chaebol
South Korea's chaebols have played an important role in economic development, but they have also brought many social problems. Here are some thoughts on South Korea's chaebols:
- Economic Contribution: South Korea's chaebol has made significant contributions to the Korean economy through technological innovation, industrial upgrading, and internationalization strategies. They are highly competitive in the international market, attracting a lot of investment and advanced technology for South Korea.
- Social problems: However, the excessive concentration and monopoly of the chaebol has also brought many problems, such as the squeezing of the living space of small and medium-sized enterprises, the imbalance of resource allocation, the low production efficiency, and the collusion between government and business. To a certain extent, these problems have hindered the long-term development of the Korean economy.
Therefore, while South Korea's chaebol has made remarkable economic achievements, we should also be aware of the social problems and challenges behind them. While we envy its success, we should also pay attention to its negative impact and seek a more equitable and sustainable development path.