Korean netizens are reacting to VCHA's KG filing a lawsuit against JYP Entertainment.

As reported, KG has sued to terminate her contract with JYP Entertainment, citing systemic abuse and mistreatment. These claims highlight issues such as extreme measures leading to eating disorders and self-harm among members.

In response to this news and KG's social media post, Korean netizens are debating the potential differences in how Eastern and Western trainees handle the same conditions in the K-pop industry.

Opinions among Korean netizens are deeply divided. Some argue that KG's actions are justified and a necessary step toward addressing systemic issues. They believe that even Korean trainees, particularly underage ones, should begin calling out these systemic abuses in the K-pop industry to prompt meaningful change.

Others, however, claim that the rigors of idol life, such as constant surveillance, limited sleep, and strict weight maintenance, are inherent aspects of the profession. They suggest that Western trainees may struggle to adapt to these norms, reinforcing skepticism about forming Western-based K-pop groups or groups with Western trainees due to cultural differences.

Some netizens frame this as a cultural clash, emphasizing that Korean culture tends to value collective responsibility, while Western culture prioritizes individual rights. Yet others argue that the problem lies within Korea itself, as public pressure and fan expectations perpetuate harmful practices like body shaming and perfectionism. Critics, however, also point out that body image pressures are prevalent even in Western countries, showing that this issue transcends borders.

Many comments reflect on the past, noting that Korean trainees historically accepted these conditions without raising objections. However, there is growing support for reform to prevent artists from enduring suffering in the name of art or perseverance.

Comments highlighting cultural challenges for Western trainees include:

"Westerners could never handle this. I had a feeling something like this would happen."

"This seems to be why K-pop groups rarely have Western members."

"Korea, China, and Japan—or Asia in general—share somewhat similar sensibilities, but Westerners can't endure this kind of thing."

"People outside of Korea probably can't understand this."

"The K-pop system is incomprehensible to Westerners because their mindset is so different."

"It seems unlikely that Westerners could endure this... For us, performing in front of a senior idol group is seen as support and encouragement, but they see it as just work."

"Westerners wouldn’t be able to endure it."

"We (Koreans) see idols as part of a well-thought-out plan, but these trainees see their companies more as managers rather than creators."

"Did these idols not know what they were getting into when they decided to try this?"

"It reminds me of Hong Jin Kyung’s story about giving up on doing business in the U.S. lol."

"The Western mindset can’t comprehend the Korean idol system."

"Why did they even try to apply the K-pop system to Westerners? People already said they wouldn’t be able to handle it."

"Maybe they should stop trying to form local groups overseas. Just focus on creating groups in Japan and China and let them promote there."

On the other hand, comments deeply supporting KG and demanding systemic change include:

"The comments saying that 'they didn't realize it was like this' are absurd. The real problem is that in our country, as long as money is involved, violating and infringing on basic rights becomes acceptable. If this was a group being prepared for localization, the agency should have been aware of these issues and adjusted the system accordingly. Since they failed to do so, it led to a suicide attempt, and now people are blaming the overseas member? That's truly disgusting lol."

"The reaction of blaming a member who couldn't adapt to such a bizarre and unreasonable system is also bizarre. K-pop, which has thrived on abusing and gaslighting young people, shouldn't grow any further. It needs to change, and if the system can't change, it should collapse."

"It's actually the public that encourages such an environment, so we can't solely blame the entertainment companies. The industry structure is indeed abnormal, but the comments suggesting they should only pick Koreans, Chinese, or Japanese because foreigners can't endure it—how can anything change with that mindset?"

"What is there to defend about the company? The blind fandom is too much."

"The system doesn't make sense to begin with, whether in Korea or abroad."

"Is this simply a difference in Eastern and Western sensibilities? No, it's a difference in awareness of labor rights. This is clearly a problem."

"Isn't it wrong to endure something even in Korea that shouldn't be endured, like child abuse?"

"Moreover, in K-pop, when idols gain weight, even fans create anonymous accounts and cause a fuss."

"I think Korea needs to change too."

"From the start, such practices are far from normal. Who would have expected it to happen? Some comments subtly blaming the member are just ridiculous, haha."

"Even in Korea, this shouldn't be acceptable. While it's true the system has led to success, it's time to start considering basic human rights."

"I hoped KG would do well because she was pretty and sang well, but it's sad to see it end like this. This is a system that only our country can implement."

"There’s a reason K-pop only developed and thrived in Korea. The culture doesn’t see the abuse of teenagers as abuse but treats them as parts of a machine without recognizing how strange it is."

"We're just used to it, but of course, it's abuse. Even our education system would be considered abusive by their standards."

"The idol environment is honestly on par with child abuse."

"The same harsh training system that Korean idols endure from their trainee days was imposed in the U.S., so problems were bound to arise. K-pop localization in the West is unrealistic and doesn’t make sense because the cultures are fundamentally different."

"I hope this strange culture can be improved with this opportunity, but will it actually happen?"

"Westerners probably think the Korean training system is a violation of human rights. And they’re not wrong—it is. Trying to enforce it outside of Korea was a crazy decision."

"It’s not that 'Westerners can't endure it,' but that the system itself is bizarre and abnormal. It’s something that needs to be fixed."

Meanwhile, JYP Entertainment has also responded to the lawsuit, claiming that "there has been differences in opinion."

What are your thoughts?

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