In lieu of the Billboard Music Awards recently, I wanted to bring viewers attention to the kpop industry. If you haven’t been living under a rock, you would know for the past year a Korean pop group called BTS has been taking the world by storm, specifically America. Many people look at the fandemonium that surrounds BTS and are appalled. They don’t understand anything that is going on, all they know is that they’re pretty good dancers and they’re probably not lip syncing. Most people judge before they know the hard work that kpop artist put in, so I wanted to bring it to the surface.

The kpop industry is wildly different than the American boyband industry. Every artist you find has spent years as a trainee of a company that they auditioned for. A newer group that I adore, Stray Kids, has a member that moved to Korea at the age of 13 on his own to pursue a music career under the label JYP. He spent seven years as a trainee watching all his friends leave him to become successful members in other groups before he finally got to have his turn. And he’s a lucky one. Many trainees never see a stage in their life and are sent back home. Now you’re probably wondering what being a trainee means, right? As a trainee you spend your days being trained in dance, singing and sometimes acting while going to school. Sounds fun right? You would think so, but there are many ‘horror’ stories surrounding trainees and even the popular artists.

Former 2PM group leader, Jay Park, said in an interview once that he watched his bandmates get beaten for not getting their dance moves right. Jungkook, BTS, use to sneak out of their dorms and collect food from the convenience store in the middle of the night because he, and his bandmates, were so hungry. Jimin of BTS starved himself for years alongside many other artists. Jungkook also has collapsed from exhaustion at concerts; he was so bad off they had him on a respirator. Felix, Stray Kids, got kicked out of the group for a short period because his Korean wasn’t good enough, even though he had just moved to Korea a few months prior. Tao, former member of EXO, left the group because he hurt his ankle and SM Entertainment would not let him rest, therefore his injury got worse. Hyunjin, Stray Kids, gets up at four in the morning to go to school and may not get back to sleep until midnight or later. Suga, BTS, released a whole mixtape about how he was depressed and suicidal for a period of time. Chanyeol, EXO, didn’t get home until seven in the morning after filming all day, as well as Bom from 2ne1. As a kpop trainee and artist you are expected to be at your best always and if you’re not then you’re told you’re not going to make it. Artists take this to heart and become okay with being hit, starving, barely sleeping, collapsing and so much more. This has become the hardest thing to understand as a fan.

Despite the hardships they face, which I’ve barely touched on, kpop artists persevere and become the amazing spectacle that you see when they perform. If you’re new and you’ve only seen BTS at American award shows, then you’re missing out on all they have to offer. Yes, you heard me right. America never does BTS justice because they’re not given the tools to put on these massive award show performances like they do in Korea. Watch any kpop group give a performance at the MAMA’s and you will understand exactly what I mean. And these artists, not just BTS, spend hours upon hours perfecting their dance and their singing. So no, they don’t lip sync, they’re just that good at dancing and singing at the same time because it’s what they’ve been trained to do. And while we’re on this topic, yes, kpop artists write their own music. A lot of them also produce the music for their albums as well. Chan, Stray Kids, actually produces and writes all of the songs that Stray Kids put out.

Korean artists are so talented and just by watching BTS in America, you would never guess how much they put into their work and all the trials they have gone through, and continue to go through, to become so amazing at what they do. However, when you take the time to pull back the veil and look at what really is going on then you begin to understand all the hype about kpop after Psy.