**Your Life as a K Pop Idol โ€” Transcript & SRT | SozAI** Source: https://sozai.app/transcript/your-life-as-a-k-pop-idol-transcript/ ## Full Transcript โ€” Download SRT & Markdown 00:00 Speaker A You're 12 years old, humming to yourself in a Soul shopping district. 00:03 Speaker A When a man in a designer suit taps your shoulder. 00:06 Speaker B Have you ever thought about being an idol? 00:08 Speaker A His business card gleams, talent scout from a major agency. 00:11 Speaker A Your heart explodes, this is it, the dream. 00:15 Speaker A Your parents signed the papers that same week. 00:18 Speaker A You don't read the fine print. 00:19 Speaker A Nobody does. 00:20 Speaker A Congratulations, you're a trainee now. 00:21 Speaker A Childhood is over. 00:22 Speaker A You're happy, but you'll regret it within a month. 00:25 Speaker A The agency building towers above you like a glass cathedral. 00:29 Speaker A Inside, fluorescent lights hum over marble floors where hundreds of kids wait, all beautiful, all desperate. 00:35 Speaker A You're herded into a practice room. 00:37 Speaker B Dance, they command. 00:38 Speaker A No music, no warm-up. 00:40 Speaker A Just dance. 00:41 Speaker A Your legs shake. 00:43 Speaker A A panel of executives sits behind a table, faces carved from stone, judging every breath. 00:47 Speaker A Three minutes later, you'll hear from us. 00:49 Speaker A You walk out into the Seoul heat, legs trembling. 00:52 Speaker A Replaying every mistake, that stumble in the second eight count, that breath you took too loudly. 00:57 Speaker A You check your phone obsessively for two weeks. 00:59 Speaker A Your friends text about school. 01:01 Speaker A You can't focus, can't eat, can't sleep. 01:03 Speaker A Every notification makes your heart stop. 01:05 Speaker A Then the call comes. 01:07 Speaker B You're in. 01:08 Speaker B Training starts Monday. 01:09 Speaker A You scream, you cry. 01:11 Speaker A You call everyone you know. 01:13 Speaker A Your mom makes your favorite dinner, Samgyupsal. 01:15 Speaker A Extra fatty. 01:16 Speaker A It's the last real meal you'll have for years. 01:19 Speaker A Monday arrives. 01:20 Speaker A They hand you a contract. 01:22 Speaker A 73 pages of legal Korean you barely understand. 01:25 Speaker A Your parents skim it, dazzled by promises of fame. 01:28 Speaker A Nobody mentions the debt clause buried on page 47. 01:32 Speaker A Nobody explains you'll owe them for everything. 01:35 Speaker A Vocal lessons, dance training, housing, food, even the bottled water you drink. 01:39 Speaker A You sign with a pen that feels heavier than it should. 01:42 Speaker A The ink is permanent. 01:43 Speaker A So is everything that comes next. 01:45 Speaker A 5:30 AM. 01:46 Speaker A The dorm alarm screams. 01:48 Speaker A You're wedged into a bunk bed in a room designed for two. 01:51 Speaker A Now housing six trainees. 01:53 Speaker A The walls are so thin you hear the girl next door crying every night. 01:57 Speaker A You used to ask if she was okay. 01:59 Speaker A Not anymore. 02:00 Speaker A Everyone cries here. 02:02 Speaker A Breakfast is four scrambled eggs. 02:04 Speaker A Plain, no salt, no oil. 02:06 Speaker A A manager watches you eat, counting every bite. 02:08 Speaker A On the wall, a chart tracks your weight. 02:11 Speaker A The target is brutally low for your body. 02:14 Speaker A And if you're over it, you skip meals. 02:16 Speaker A Last month, a girl fainted during practice. 02:19 Speaker A They carried her out and brought in her replacement by afternoon. 02:23 Speaker A Lesson learned. 02:25 Speaker A Your body is never yours, it's company property. 02:28 Speaker A And property needs maintenance. 02:30 Speaker A 6:00 AM, weigh in. 02:31 Speaker A You step on the scale. 02:33 Speaker A The number flashes. 02:35 Speaker A 46.2 kg. 02:37 Speaker A The trainer's eyes narrow. 02:38 Speaker B Lose two kilos by Friday or you're cut from the evaluation. 02:41 Speaker A You nod. 02:42 Speaker A You always nod. 02:43 Speaker A For the next four days, you eat nothing but ice cubes and air. 02:46 Speaker A You run an extra hour after midnight practice. 02:49 Speaker A You wear three layers of clothes to sweat more. 02:51 Speaker A You stop drinking water on Thursday. 02:53 Speaker A By Friday morning, you're so dizzy you have to grip the wall to stand. 02:59 Speaker A 44.1 kg. 03:01 Speaker A The trainer smiles. 03:02 Speaker B Good girl. 03:04 Speaker A You smile back. 03:05 Speaker A Then you go to the bathroom and throw up nothing. 03:08 Speaker A 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM, dance practice. 03:10 Speaker A The mirrors cover every wall, reflecting your flaws in triplicate. 03:13 Speaker A The choreographer screams in your face when you miss a step. 03:16 Speaker A Your knees ache. 03:18 Speaker A Your feet bleed through your socks, but you don't stop. 03:21 Speaker A Can't stop. 03:22 Speaker A There's a line of kids outside waiting to take your place. 03:26 Speaker A And they're younger, prettier, hungrier. 03:28 Speaker A 12:00 PM, lunch. 03:30 Speaker A Six pieces of steamed chicken, a fistful of lettuce. 03:32 Speaker A You dream about pizza. 03:34 Speaker A You love pizza. 03:36 Speaker A You used to. 03:37 Speaker A The afternoon blurs. 03:39 Speaker A Vocal training until your throat is raw and every swallow feels like glass. 03:45 Speaker A Media training where they teach you to smile through anything. 03:48 Speaker A Language lessons where you memorize phrases in three languages you'll never actually learn. 03:54 Speaker A By 10:00 PM, you collapse into your bunk. 03:56 Speaker A Exhausted, you scroll through social media. 03:59 Speaker A Watching your friends at school dances, at birthday parties, normal life. 04:03 Speaker A They tag you. 04:04 Speaker B Miss you, when are you visiting? 04:06 Speaker A You're not. 04:07 Speaker A You haven't seen them in two years. 04:09 Speaker A You aren't given time to. 04:11 Speaker A You put your phone down. 04:13 Speaker A Stare at the ceiling. 04:14 Speaker A Wonder if this is worth it. 04:16 Speaker A Then your roommate whispers from the bunk above. 04:18 Speaker B Don't even think about quitting. 04:20 Speaker B My friend tried. 04:21 Speaker B The company said she owed them 300 million won for training. 04:24 Speaker B Her family almost lost their house. 04:27 Speaker A Your blood goes cold. 04:28 Speaker A You didn't know. 04:29 Speaker A Nobody told you. 04:30 Speaker A But now you understand. 04:32 Speaker A You're not a trainee. 04:34 Speaker A You're an investment. 04:35 Speaker A Investments don't get to leave. 04:38 Speaker A Once a month, they line you up like cattle. 04:41 Speaker A One by one, you perform for executives who decide your fate. 04:45 Speaker A Sing, dance, look pretty. 04:47 Speaker A Convince them you're worth the investment. 04:49 Speaker A You're 15 now. 04:50 Speaker A This month, they announce a surprise. 04:52 Speaker B We're debuting a new girl group next year. 04:56 Speaker B Top five trainees will be selected. 04:58 Speaker A Your heart stops. 05:00 Speaker A Three years of starvation, exhaustion, debt, and there's finally a finish line in sight. 05:05 Speaker A But then they add. 05:06 Speaker B We're bringing in external auditions to fill the roster. 05:09 Speaker B You're competing with new talent now. 05:11 Speaker A Translation. 05:12 Speaker A You're replaceable. 05:14 Speaker A The new girls arrive. 05:15 Speaker A They're younger, prettier. 05:17 Speaker A Their families paid for private training. 05:19 Speaker A They don't have your exhaustion, your desperation. 05:22 Speaker A They're fresh. 05:23 Speaker A You're breaking. 05:25 Speaker A One girl is told she's not ugly, but not pretty enough. 05:28 Speaker A She's 14. 05:29 Speaker A You watch her cry in the bathroom afterwards. 05:32 Speaker A But you don't comfort her. 05:34 Speaker A Comfort is a luxury. 05:35 Speaker A You're competing for five spots in a group. 05:38 Speaker A She's your rival, not friend. 05:41 Speaker A One night you pack a bag. 05:43 Speaker A Get as far as the dorm entrance. 05:45 Speaker A Then you remember, if you quit before debut, you owe the agency for all training costs. 05:50 Speaker A Plus a penalty fee. 05:52 Speaker A 800 million won. 05:54 Speaker A Over half a million dollars. 05:56 Speaker A Your parents don't have that. 05:57 Speaker A Neither do you. 05:59 Speaker A You unpack your bag and go to practice. 06:01 Speaker A The system isn't designed to train idols. 06:04 Speaker A It's designed to trap them. 06:07 Speaker A Three years, eight months, 19 days. 06:11 Speaker A That's how long you've been a trainee when they finally call your name. 06:15 Speaker B You're in the group. 06:16 Speaker B You made it. 06:17 Speaker B You're debuting. 06:18 Speaker A The other trainees congratulate you, but their eyes are empty. 06:21 Speaker A Some have been training for six years. 06:23 Speaker A They're too old now. 06:25 Speaker A 22, 23, and in K-pop years, that's ancient. 06:29 Speaker A They'll be released soon, sent home with nothing but debt and a gap where education should be. 06:35 Speaker A You don't think about them. 06:36 Speaker A You can't. 06:37 Speaker A You've got a week to learn 20 songs, 12 choreographies. 06:41 Speaker A And smile through press conferences where reporters ask if you have a boyfriend. 06:46 Speaker B No, you say laughing. 06:48 Speaker B I'm focused on my fans. 06:49 Speaker A It's a lie. 06:50 Speaker A Your contract has a dating ban. 06:52 Speaker A Three years minimum. 06:53 Speaker A Fall in love, get caught, and you're out. 06:56 Speaker A Your debut showcase is in 72 hours. 06:58 Speaker A You sleep three hours a night. 07:00 Speaker A During rehearsals, you collapse from dehydration. 07:03 Speaker A They hook you to an IV backstage and send you back out. 07:07 Speaker A Debut day. 07:09 Speaker A Lights, camera, a thousand screaming fans. 07:12 Speaker A You bow, you perform, you smile until your face hurts. 07:15 Speaker A Afterwards, your manager says, good job. 07:17 Speaker A Now you just have to pay off the debt. 07:19 Speaker A The debt. 07:20 Speaker A Right, the 600 million won you've racked up. 07:23 Speaker A Now that you've debuted, that debt is yours to repay. 07:26 Speaker A Every album sold, most of the profit goes straight to the agency. 07:30 Speaker A You're working for free until the red number turns black. 07:33 Speaker A For some groups, that's two years. 07:36 Speaker A For others, it's seven. 07:37 Speaker A Or never. 07:38 Speaker A 3:00 AM, recording booth. 07:40 Speaker A You're redoing the same line for the 40th time. 07:43 Speaker A Your voice cracks. 07:44 Speaker A The producer sighs. 07:46 Speaker B Again. 07:47 Speaker A You sing it again, and again, and again. 07:51 Speaker A By dawn, your throat feels like broken glass. 07:54 Speaker A 6:00 AM, hair and makeup. 07:56 Speaker A They bleach your hair for the fourth time this year. 07:59 Speaker A It's falling out in clumps. 08:01 Speaker A 8:00 AM, dance practice. 08:02 Speaker A Your ankle is swollen. 08:04 Speaker A You sprained it last week and never let it heal. 08:06 Speaker A You pop three painkillers and keep dancing. 08:09 Speaker A 12:00 PM, fan meet. 08:10 Speaker A 200 fans screaming, crying, wanting a piece of you. 08:14 Speaker A You sign albums until your hand cramps. 08:16 Speaker A You bow, you thank them. 08:18 Speaker A You mean it. 08:19 Speaker A But then you check your phone backstage. 08:21 Speaker A The comments. 08:22 Speaker B She looks fat. 08:23 Speaker B Her face is puffy. 08:25 Speaker B She gained weight. 08:26 Speaker B Disgusting. 08:27 Speaker A You ate a full meal yesterday, your first in a week. 08:30 Speaker A And they noticed. 08:32 Speaker A Your manager pulls you aside. 08:33 Speaker B No dinner tonight. 08:34 Speaker A That night you scroll through social media. 08:37 Speaker A Another headline. 08:38 Speaker B K-pop Idol Found Dead at 27. 08:41 Speaker A Another suicide. 08:43 Speaker A Jonghyun, Sulli, Goo Hara, Moonbin. 08:46 Speaker A The articles talk about mental health awareness for a week. 08:50 Speaker A Then everyone moves on. 08:52 Speaker A You put your phone down. 08:53 Speaker A You're exhausted. 08:55 Speaker A You're breaking. 08:56 Speaker A But you can't stop. 08:58 Speaker A And then there's footsteps in your stairwell. 09:01 Speaker A The calls at 3:00 AM. 09:03 Speaker A The stranger who knew your flight number. 09:05 Speaker A Your seat. 09:06 Speaker A A sasaeng fan. 09:08 Speaker A They grabbed your wrist outside your dorm. 09:10 Speaker A Your agency filed a report. 09:12 Speaker A The stalker was fined 80,000 won. 09:15 Speaker A About $55. 09:17 Speaker A Then they came back. 09:19 Speaker A You're 21, sitting in a hospital room at 4:00 AM. 09:23 Speaker A Your groupmate is hooked to an IV. 09:25 Speaker B Exhaustion. 09:26 Speaker A The doctor says. 09:27 Speaker A That's code for, she tried to hurt herself. 09:30 Speaker A The agency releases a statement. 09:32 Speaker B She'll return when ready. 09:33 Speaker A She never does. 09:34 Speaker A They replace her with a new girl, younger, shinier, cheaper. 09:37 Speaker A Nobody talks about it. 09:39 Speaker A You're on your third album cycle. 09:40 Speaker A The group's starting to fracture. 09:42 Speaker A One member left. 09:43 Speaker A Another was caught dating and the fans turned on her overnight. 09:47 Speaker A Overnight, she became the villain. 09:49 Speaker A The agency didn't defend her. 09:51 Speaker A They released her quietly and acted like she never existed. 09:53 Speaker A You're still here. 09:55 Speaker A Still performing. 09:56 Speaker A Still smiling. 09:57 Speaker A But the industry is already looking past you. 10:00 Speaker A Fourth generation idols are everywhere now. 10:03 Speaker A Younger, more polished, more profitable. 10:05 Speaker A Your last album underperformed. 10:08 Speaker A The company's losing interest. 10:09 Speaker A Your manager calls you in. 10:11 Speaker B We're not renewing your contract. 10:13 Speaker A Just like that, seven years of training, five years as an idol, and it's over. 10:18 Speaker A You're 25. 10:20 Speaker A No college degree, no savings. 10:22 Speaker A The debt, paid off. 10:23 Speaker A The agency says. 10:25 Speaker A Though you never saw the accounting. 10:27 Speaker A Five years as an idol and your bank account has 12 million won. 10:31 Speaker A About $9,000. 10:34 Speaker A Less than minimum wage would have earned you. 10:37 Speaker A The skills you have, singing, dancing, looking perfect, are only useful in an industry that's decided you're too old. 10:44 Speaker A What now? 10:45 Speaker A You're working at a coffee shop in Hongdae now. 10:48 Speaker A Customers sometimes recognize you. 10:50 Speaker B Weren't you in that group? 10:51 Speaker A You smile, nod, pour their latte. 10:54 Speaker A Late at night, you see your old music videos. 10:57 Speaker A That person on screen, smiling, dancing, glowing, feels like a stranger. 11:02 Speaker A She was a product. 11:03 Speaker A A fantasy for millions who never knew the girl behind the makeup. 11:07 Speaker A You think about the kids auditioning now. 11:10 Speaker A Signing contracts they don't understand. 11:12 Speaker A You want to warn them. 11:14 Speaker A But you don't. 11:15 Speaker A They wouldn't listen anyway. 11:17 Speaker A You didn't. 11:18 Speaker A You survived. 11:20 Speaker A But at what cost? 11:29 Speaker A You survived the glitter and the grind. 11:31 Speaker A But what if the show didn't end on stage? 11:35 Speaker A Click here to step into the life of an Oiran. --- This is the markdown twin of https://sozai.app/transcript/your-life-as-a-k-pop-idol-transcript/ โ€” the same content, without the markup. 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