2015 was the year I discovered the south Korean boy group (K-Pop group) BTS and was mesmerized by the countrie's loud and colourful entertainment sector. Though I quickly realized that there were many grievances the industry tries to hide (like in other entertainment branches, of course). Those negative sides are usually ignored by the fans, or quickly pushed aside. After many years of research and keeping up with news, I chose to use my bachelor’s degree as a chance to name things specifically and point them out in an enticing way. 

The 246 page diary tells the fictional story of Kim Minjee. A 16-year-old South Korean teenager, who dreams of becoming a star in this industry herself. She herself metaphorically wears the rose-tinted glasses many of the fan communities wear, at the beginning of her story. She is naïve, utterly excited and successfully ignores many of the red flags happening before her eyes. The diary - referencing different real experience reports - showcases Minjees experiences in the trainee industry, that are seldom mentioned in reality. With passing time and heavy happenings, the protagonist starts to realize how hard most things are weighing on her and that her dream is far from reality. Standing in for an experience many idols live through during their time in the K-Pop industry.

Having to fit a certain image of stage-persona, that does not align with her own personality, she starts losing her own identity. The industry she put so much hope into broke her, without Minjee realizing when it's too late. 

My work offers a view into parts of the K-Pop industry, that are almost never discussed and where change happens too slowly. Its goal is to inform and remove those rose-tinted glasses of fans and bystanders. We must pay attention to grievances as such, rise to support the young people in systems like this and consume consciously.