BTS star RM exposes the truths of K-pop perfectionism

K-pop star Kim Nam-joon, aka RM, the leader of the boy band BTS, exposed the dark side of South Korea’s high-pressure training culture across all sectors, including the K-pop industry.

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Known for speaking his mind, without really mincing or sugarcoating his words, K-pop sensation BTS’ frontman RM has once again won the hearts of ARMY as he shared his very honest thoughts about South Korea’s intense work ethic and K-pop’s competitive survival trainings, aiming for nothing but ultimate perfection.

Speaking about intense training systems, to constantly push the artists to their limits, RM said in a new interview, “My company doesn’t like it when I answer questions like this, because I do acknowledge parts of it.”

“Some reporters are going to write headlines like, ‘RM calls it a horrible system that destroys young people!’ But I think that system has, in its own way, played a role in shaping this unique industry,” he continued.

“A lot has improved over time, too; things like contract terms and training methods have changed significantly for the better,” RM added.

When asked about the country’s cultural obsession with perfection, the singer explained, “Westerners don’t understand. Korea is a country that was invaded, devastated, and then divided into two. Just 70 years ago, we had nothing. We were a country that needed help from the IMF and the UN. But now, we’re a nation the whole world is watching. How was that even possible? How did this happen? It’s because people worked like crazy to move forward. Then people from countries like France or the UK, nations that colonised others for centuries, come here and say things like, ‘Wow… you guys are way too hard on yourselves. Life in Korea is so stressful.’”

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Notably, the K-pop septet is currently on a self-described hiatus, for all seven singers to fulfil their mandatory military duty.

Jin and J-Hope, the first ones to start their mandatory military service, have completed their duty, while the remaining five members are still enlisted for the service. RM, along with Jimin, Jungkook and V, was the last one to start the service on December 11.

For the uninitiated, South Korea requires all able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 28 to serve between 18 and 21 months in the military or social service, but it revised the law in 2020 to let globally recognised K-pop stars delay signing up until age 30.