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The trainee process lasts for an indefinite period of time, ranging from months to years, and usually involves vocal, dance, and language classes while living together with other trainees, sometimes attending school at the same time, although some trainees drop out of school to focus on a career as an idol. This whole process may includes "scouting, auditioning, training, styling, producing, and managing" which first created H.O.T, a boyband of S.M. Entertainment in late 1990s. Among trainees in the same company, the elimination mechanism decides who earns the chance of settling in "the company-owned dormitories" and continue fighting for the ultimate goal to debut in new idol groups, while those who cannot show their company the potential to become an eligible idol artist will no longer be able to stay in the company. Once a trainee enters the system, they are supposed to be regulated in multiple aspects ranging from personal life (for example, dating) to body conditions and visual appearances, etc.. The whole point of trainee system is to survive this process of training and regulation of companies, which somehow one's talent does not play a relatively important role in the production of Korean idols.

The investment on a potential trainee could be expensive. In 2012, The Wall Street Journal reported that the cost of training one member of Girls' Generation under S.M. Entertainment was US$3 million.

Personal image
When trainees are finally chosen to debut in new groups, they will face a new setting of personalities created by the company to cater the entertainment market. Each member of an idol group has his or her own character to play and therefore an important part of their job duties is to maintain that temperament in any kind of exposure they may get. One way to build personal image of idol groups is through social media services with contents taken care by the company to make sure the consistency of these personal characteristics. Especially when idol groups are building relationship with their fans, this consistency seems more important.

Relationship with fans
The relationship between Korean idols and their fans can be characterized as "parasocial kin", which means to rather than simply admire or perfect Korean idols, fans more often at the same time create a familial connection with their idols, in some cases even between fans themselves. The one who facilitate this kind of relationship could be production companies or community of fans through various ways such as social networks services, fan sites, offline meetings in occasions like concerts or fan meetings etc.. The nature of this "parasocial kin" relationship can be seen in the proactive participation of Korean idol fans in production of idol groups. Fans have their own unique ways to show their attitude and opinion on issues concerning "unfair" actions of management companies, and under this situation they more often appear to be protecting idols from exploitation of companies due to the familial connection built between both sides.

Working conditions[edit]
See also: Slave contract

Several Korean idol groups and solo artists have resented the contracts issued to them by their management companies, claiming that the decade-long contracts are "too long, too restrictive, and gave them almost none of the profits from their success". A director of South Korean entertainment agency DSP Media stated that the company does share profit with the performers, but often little is left over after paying costs. Korean entertainment companies such as S.M Entertainment have been called "factories" for their unique method of mass-producing stars. Members of groups are frequently retired and replaced with fresh trainees when their age or musical inclinations begin to pose a problem. Dong Bang Shin Gi charged S.M. Entertainment for unreasonable terms in their contracts with the company in 2009.

Recognition[edit]
The Korean Wave has led to a global rise in interest in Korean idols, along with other aspects of Korean culture including Korean films and K-dramas being exported to other parts of the globe.

As BTS (band) finished their sold-out show with about 40,000 fans at Citi Field stadium in New York City on October 6, 2018, the overseas popularity of K-pop music represented by Korean idols has proved its ability of attracting people on the other side of the globe.

Symbol of K-pop
Different than idol music in other parts of the world, Korean idol pop basically dominates the genre of Korean popular music, forming a monopoly power as a mainstream business in its domestic market. First of all due to the substantial number of teenagers who are willing to become idols, there could be up to more than 100 groups being debuted in around 10 years. Also, in Korea, idol groups has its exclusive platform when it comes to promotion of their music: music programs on TV like Inkigayo or Music Bank (TV series), as well as various entertainment shows and reality shows tailored for a single idol group. It cannot be denied that the presence of idols in Korean culture is overwhelming. As Lee said, that is probably why in most cases they are the ones responsible for bringing both the bright and dark side of K-pop and its cultural capital system out into international perspective.