I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how common it is to see certain idols being constantly busy, and how fans (and companies) treat that like something admirable. But when you actually look at the amount of work some of them are doing, it starts to feel more like overexploitation than “dedication.”
Take Jaehyun from BOYNEXTDOOR, for example. He debuted less than a year ago and has already been booked non-stop: music shows, brand events, magazine shoots, variety, and more. He’s done work for Musinsa, Beanpole, multiple editorial covers (GQ, Arena, etc.), and solo appearances, all while still being an active rookie. He’s only 21. At what point do we admit that it’s just too much?
Then there’s Mark from NCT. He’s probably the clearest case of overwork in K-Pop. NCT 127, NCT Dream, NCT U, SuperM, solo content, features, tours… it never stops. He’s been on a near-constant loop of comebacks and promotions since like 2016. There was a point where he had multiple back-to-back world tours in a single year. It’s impressive, but also concerning.
Other examples come to mind easily:
- Heeseung (ENHYPEN) coming back from injury without proper rest.
- Karina (aespa) with endless schedules in Korea, the U.S., and China. Even mentioning sleep deprivation in livestreams.
- Hoshi and Woozi (SEVENTEEN) working as performers, choreographers, producers, often at the same time.
- Bang Chan (Stray Kids) constantly juggling production, tours, and weekly livestreams, even when he looks completely drained.
We’ve kind of normalized this. Fans often praise how “hardworking” these idols are, or joke about how they “don’t sleep” but none of this should be normal. It’s not just hard work, it’s a system that pushes people until they burn out, and then replaces them when they do.
I’m not saying idols shouldn’t be ambitious or take opportunities, but there should be a line. And a lot of companies, and honestly, fandoms, seem to ignore that line entirely.
Maybe it’s time we stop glorifying non-stop hustle and start asking whether this level of output is actually sustainable. Because if idols are constantly tired, injured, or mentally worn out, what are we really supporting?
submitted by /u/Seesawey
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