K-Pop: he kissed a girl and was fired – twice
The Korean boy band singer Seunghan (at left on photo) has been fired a second time from the band Riize. The reason? A leaked photo of him kissing a woman.
The unusual case underlines the incredible intensity that fans show for K Pop bands in Korea, manifesting itself in an obsessive level of attention to the behaviour and morals of the singers.
The K Pop phenomenon is one of the most manufactured genres in the history of pop. Competition to join bands is fierce and the performers often go under gruelling coaching to ensure they are up to the mark and stay that way.
“I am not paying money to see you dating other girls”
The unrelenting attention has created an atmosphere where fans exert considerable power over the performers. When Seunghan was seen kissing a woman last year, the reaction was one of shock. Many believe their stars should not date.
“If you want to be an artist, you should have virtue,” Riize fan Yuki Shu told NBC News. Fans spend a lot to support their idols, “and I am not paying money to see you dating other girls,” she added.
After being fired a first time, Seunghan was brought back again recently – which provoked further reactions from fans and led to his resignation from the band. A petition has since been set up to support his return. Again.
(Michael Leahy. Source: NBC News et al. Photo : Bugaboo TV/YouTube. Creative commons 3.0.)