Shinhwa

Different from Hallyu 1.0, which was led by Korean technology such as Samsung products, Hallyu 2.0 blossomed from the popularity and global spread of Korean dramas and Korean pop music. Korean pop music, more widely known as K-pop, has been a driving force in the Hallyu 2.0 wave since the late 1990s. The Korean idol pop aspect of K-pop, in which performers sing and dance simultaneously, has grown into an international phenomenon, winning the hearts of countless people, both native and foreign to South Korea. These Korean idols are perceived as healthy and happy by the general public. However, due to their contracts, this may not be the case. Although Korean pop idols, both male and female, must agree to the terms of their contract before debut, oftentimes the conditions are too unnecessarily restrictive and limiting, causing problems in health and financial aspects during their careers. In order for a chance to debut, potential idols must first go through the idol training system following several rounds of auditions as trainees. The idol training system is known to be quite intensive, both physically and mentally. Trainees are trained in singing and dancing, which is the “basis of trainee program”, as well as foreign languages, acting, public speaking, rapping, and other skills they will need as pop idols (Jung). Trainees work on perfecting their skills every day from morning to night. If they are a student, the trainees will “start training after school” and their hours…

yet again another K-Pop concert. HISTORY: S.M. Entertainment, a leader in the globalization of K-Pop and the Korean Hallyu Wave, has successfully pioneered the genre into what it is today, a global phenomenon. S.M. Entertainment also known as SMTOWN or simply S.M. was founded by Lee Soo Man, a former singer turned businessman, in 1995. Lee has since stepped down from being CEO in 2010, but is it active in the company and is the largest shareholder with a 21.3% stake. S.M. Entertainment has…