Dating ban in k-pop?

It is not common to k-pop artists to have a boyfriend or girlfriend. Moreover, when an information on idols being in a relationship leaks to the press, Korean fans are often outraged and feel betrayed. Exactly – Korean. Of course, international fans behave in a similar way; although, this attitude seems to be typical of the Korean people.

An example of this can be the situation of September, 2018, in which a relationship between HyunA and E’Dawn was announced, which caused a big fuss in the industry. In the same year, they was kicked out of their company, Cube Entertainment. It’s a fuss over nothing, isn’t it? Well, not to the Cube Ent.; the trust with these two artists was “broken beyond repair.”

HyunA and E'Dawn

 K-pop industry is a business where profit is more important than privacy, and relationship status has a direct impact on one’s popularity. Agencies expect a lot from their artists – they have to be focused on their carrier, rather than dating.

You may have heard of dating bans imposed on k-pop idols, which have been confirmed by some of them. For instance, JY Park, the CEO of JYP Entertainment affirmed that “there is a have three-year dating ban at his company, during which trainees are encouraged to focus on practising and refrain from dating and meeting idols.” After these three year, trainees and idols can date.

LINK to the tweet

The issue on dating differs in other Korean Agencies. “Trainees [...] practiced in a separate studio segregated by gender until 10 and 11 p.m., depriving them of an opportunity to mingle and leaving them with no time to meet anyone.” This is a harsh, but real example.

What do you think of the dating ban – should it be or not?

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