What are idols lives like after KPOP???

So I came across this video on youtube of a former girl group member (crayon pop) and I'm honestly shocked at HOW famous they were, but now a few years later they roam the streets without even being recognised???

I was under the impression, as someone who's a month into KPOP, that once they disband they still remain famous, become hosts or continue solo singing careers, but then I tried searching for some idols that turned into acting etc and there weren't even that many? Im new to KPOP and I don't even know the members of got7 or much about them and they've already disbanded so to me I dont think I will ever really get into them, since Im into their successors SKZ and ITZY, even TWICE Im not that familiar with yet

I was just wondering what are the actual odds of these current groups remaining as popular as they are now? I have a feeling BTS and BP are kinda the "lucky" ones - as in I dont think every single group will reach that level of popularity especially abroad

So what do they do after?? A lot of members I think only work well with a group, so I cant imagine every single member of current groups continuing their success

Also dont the boys have to go into service?? Does this hinder them in any way? Can they maintain their life as an idol with that in the way? What generally happens? Im just super surprised about this video and how she's unrecognisable now and rowing the streets like normal???

The girl in the video literally does youtube now, which reminds me of how I think one go the got7 members are going to do youtube? I think thats super cute and probably what I'd do lmao, but yeah what is generally the usual outcome of idols? I just couldn't imagine my current favs ever being usual normal non-famous people again really - especially stray kids, but may cos Im a fan I say that

Quote from silver25

Actually, they weren't. They had one popular song. And even during that era no Koreans could recognize them without the helmets.

Ohhhhh okay this makes more sense then :D

Quote from amalyas

I mean, it obviously depends how famous you are.

It's not very different from western boys and girls band - some of them will get a solo career, others will do something else in the industry, and some will just return to anonymity.

Which, I think, for some of them, is a choice.

Ya ngl I feel like it’s deffo a choice but I could imagine it would be hard to continue the idol life, they’re so exhausted in their 5-7 years I could imagine most being burnt out

Quote from keaji

A lot of group members stay active in music industry, it depends on a person what they want for their future. About success - it depends a lot on how successful they were before of course and how loyal are their fans. If the fans are there for them for their music and other contents and understand they have their own live and thoughts and want to develop further, fans are still going to support their solo activities.

And about GOT7, they haven't disbanded, they left previous company and now joining the companies that suit them. They can all make music (their styles are different of course) and are passionate about it + intend to stay in this field, but try other things too. The one doing Youtube is Mark and he's also releasing new song on February 12. They intend to have comebacks as a group again, when it's going to be possible (of course some will have to go to service soon etc.). They even joke about how they are going to promote if the group and one of the solos are coming back at the same time.

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Yeah I feel like definitely their success as a group is a main factor, but I feel like the general trend is companies just push out group after group rinse them and then forget them once their contract ends

And omg that’s so good I’m glad they’re still a group!!! I don’t know why I assumed they disbanded!!!

Quote from Alex_Murphy

There are too many former idols for them all to find a new job in the entertainment industry. Only the most renowned ones will find opportunities.

Plus, as long as they're an idol, their agency does a lot of the work for them; namely making or finding songs for them. Once they're out, they're on their own. Unless you have solid songwriting skills, how are you gonna do? Even then, most of them are not interested in doing idol music anymore; so it's even harder to retain a fraction of the audience your group used to have.

Yeah it’s pretty saturated, there’s so many I can hardly keep up, i would also like to think those who go into acting have the skills, but I feel like in K-dramas they prefer looks over skills??

Yeah I have a feeling the fate of groups is not the best, a lot of which I don’t see them working outside of a group setting, only very few idols I could see actually working for themselves creating music writing etc, the rest at a push could go into modeling

But this is how the industry works I guess, they don’t provide these skills, or encourage self creativity, they just make them practice 24/7 for 7 years and then move on to the next group

Sad honestly

Quote from sleeplessnights

Even some idols in considered top groups could go to a convenient store or shopping with a low key look and not get much attention if you follow their vlogs and vlives (yeah even with the rabid fans and Dispatch on their tails).

Idol life is just very short and hectic. I don't think many wanna keep it up after hitting big or not. That's the nature of celebrity life. Some just transition to acting or variety shows if they wanna keep this life style. Keeping fame is hardwork too.

Just watch Sugarman and see what past singers and groups with similar one hit wonder situation do after their short lived celebrity careers. You can see what happened to some of the first and second gen who are in variety shows. They talk about it all the time. Very few still try to keep up after past their prime like Shinhwa. Most just move on.

I think another member of Crayon Pop is a streamer/BJ. Lot of ex-idols just become streamers at AfreecaTV. Ex-idols and current idols are kinda late at the YT game, but yeah it's an option. I imagine some could eventually go to Twitch and try reach some non-Korean audience like with YT.

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Interesting! So they go into online forms of entertainment to keep contact with fans, but other than that unless it’s acting or a job in the entertainment industry, they resume life like normal? But how? Won’t they still have fans that will want to follow their every move and stalk them etc?? When does that even stop even after disbanding and moving on with solos

Hmmmm I guess it’s a trial and error for each group and their members, what each one wants to do, etc but to me they all look like they love their jobs and being an entertainer but I could imagine that is so exhausting especially after dedicating so many years - but what can they even do after?? They have no degrees or real life skills to get even a normal job

Quote from JiminieKookie

I remember after Kiseop left U-KISS all people had to say about him was as he 1 year after leaving the group opend up a TikTok account and people were like "his normal live as a husband and father seems to be boring huh? He is trying to get his non existent relevancy back by going on TikTok ..."

Just cause he left the group dosn't means he has to stay away from social media... so what the fuck is wrong with some people?

Besides the fact that some idols still use social media and mostly still have their fans on that websites you often only hear of these people when their fans find something special wich ends in these posts like "former (name of group) member got married" or something like this ...

I saw a video of a girl some years ago who was in a group and as they disbanded she said in the video she was going back to school cause she never finished school and than opend up a yoga-center where she teaches yoga lol and she said her other members got married and have kids and are housewifes besides one who is married and has kids but works in a normal office job now

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Wow so they literally just get forgotten and replaced just like that That’s actually kinda sad

Because what I see in the idol groups I Stan, is that their whole existence is dedicated to their careers and their fans and their life as an idol

Even hyunjin from skz broke down crying saying STAY is all he has and for then to not leave them cos of the woojin situation So I could imagine most idols feel like this too, i just couldn’t imagine them all integrating into normal life again