The Unit highlights a lot of what happens with lesser and even mid tier groups once they disband
Also stan got7 they aren't going anywhere 
Well, actually most of them choose to stop working in the industry. After years of strict diets, tons of rules, stress, exhausting schedule, it's natural for them to want a normal life, where they can actually...live. Most of them invested already in business by buying stocks or starting a small family business like opening a cafe, or they bought apartments and rent them to have a stable income monthly. Which are smart moves. The ones that complain about money after they hit the success and gained some money, shows that most probably spent their money in a stupid way, like on expensive cars or clothes.
But yeah, for those who want to remain in the industry is still hard. Some people can't shine individually, they need a team with them, that's the reasons some of them never receive solos or they aren't asked to act. Even if they have popularity, acting is not for everyone because it can ruin the entire production if their acting is fake. For solos, well, you would be surprised to see how many of them can't sing and always make playback.
For variety shows, if you don't have the power to talk properly and maintain a good atmosphere is pretty hard. They need good speaking skills, a good memory, and other things.
Some idols are relevant even after disbanding, they can be models or DJs or, if they have skills, they can produce/write songs.
They weren't famous at all though. And in Korea K-pop isn't that relevant among the general public. Unless you are huge like BTS generally actors are more relevant. The K-pop industry is driven by fandom and now mostly by international fans. A better example are the SNSD girls and I'm sure most of them are recognised on the streets.
there's not much that hasn't been said already so I'll say this
all celebrities whether they'd be kpop or otherwise should learn basic financial management either through the company or otherwise because one they won't get screwed over by the company not paying them enough (or at all) and they can mange their finances so they can survive post idol life if they make money at all.
So many times celebrities blow their money earned during their fame (sports starts, models, singers etc) because they don't know how to save and invest their money when they are making it then go bankrupt once their career plateaus
Youtube
Acting
Other variety gigs?
Music
It depends. Like I use Sistar as an example, Hyolyn still focus a lot on music, setting up her own company for it. Soyou still does music she had a comeback last year, singing OSTs and does Youtube. Dasom is mostly acting and modelling and Bora does acting/modelling/variety gigs.
Usually they kinda want to take things slower and relax since after that 7 years of idol life they must be pretty tired too. However, not everyone can take things slow. Sistar members can do this because they all earn quite a substantial sum during their 7 years, and they all have their own individual popularity. That is they made a name for themselves that people know who they are even if they aren't promoting as an idol group anymore
I heard that if the payment is short (especially for smaller companies) then after a career as an idol they have a hard time. But for more popular and well managed and paid idols are pretty popular but I guess it depends out on the direction they take. Like there has been some who chose to focus on school or step out of the limelight to spend time with family. There are many who start solo projects like modeling, acting, or even solo releases.
it depends if they ever managed to get known by the general public. Some of them do become staple figures on variety shows, because their groups were/are so well known. Others get married and live a good life with the money they made.
However, the more recent, the more saturated the market has become. Ever since around 2013 there has been a new group debuting every single week on average, with the exception of 2020 (due to a global pandemic I'm guessing). That is 250+ new idols every single year (if ou take an average of 5 members per group). Realistically speaking, most of these groups will not hit it big, especially not in terms of public recognition by the Korean public.
However your group getting recognition isn't what you need as demonstrated by crayon pop. What you need is individual recognition, when talking about a career after the idol life. Groups like SNSD, in which all members re known, don't come along every year. You'll more often have groups like Miss A (Suzy), EXID (Hani), After School (Nana), from which one or two members are really well known. These are usually the members who will end up with an active career when their idol career is ending.
Of course if you're in one of the absolute top groups in terms of sales and have the good fortune of actually seeing some of the money you made the company (honestly B.A.P got screwed over so badly), you basically just have to make sure not to end up in some kind of crazy none scandal or turn out to be a criminal and you're pretty much set for life.
tl;dr: most of your faves will end up living pretty average lives after their careers are done, cause the market got to saturated.
honestly tho, they weren't rlly "famous". having a viral one hit wonder and a few loyal fans does not make you famous. kpop groups are not known by the korean general besides bts and prob bp. even twice, i doubt the gp would be able to recognize all members individually. the genre as a whole is still highly looked down upon. idols turned actors get shit on, idols turned tv personalities have it a bit better if they stay relevant like dara or heechul. most idols just go back to being regular people after their group is done.
I disagree. They were one of the first kpop groups I discovered because their songs were a big deal back then.
Imo you're confusing fame and popularity, they were indeed never popular, they didn't have a big fandom and people didn't really know or care for the members. But their hit songs and group name were widely known even amongst the general public : they were famous.
A good comparison would be Carly Rae Jepson, everyone has heard her name and knows her hit song "Call me maybe": she was famous. But she wasn't particularly loved and never grew a fanbase: she wasn't popular.
Fame doesn't stick without popularity.
Display MoreI disagree. They were one of the first kpop groups I discovered because their songs were a big deal back then.
Imo you're confusing fame and popularity, they were indeed never popular, they didn't have a big fandom and people didn't really know or care for the members. But their hit songs and group name were widely known even amongst the general public : they were famous.
A good comparison would be Carly Rae Jepson, everyone has heard her name and knows her hit song "Call me maybe": she was famous. But she wasn't particularly loved and never grew a fanbase: she wasn't popular.
Fame doesn't stick without popularity.
meanwhile the members literally said back then that no one recognized them when they didn't have their helmets on... my point was more about the individual "fame" of the members. if they were famous they could have made careers for themselves in the entertainment industry after the group. but they couldn't. they were neither famous nor popular imo. they had fans, and they had people who knew one trendy song by them. and that was it.
most are probably happy not being under the thumb of a company anymore. 2ne1 Minzy still has her dance studio going strong, now she is the CEO of her own label. Same with Baek Yerin. Up
meanwhile the members literally said back then that no one recognized them when they didn't have their helmets on... my point was more about the individual "fame" of the members. if they were famous they could have made careers for themselves in the entertainment industry after the group. but they couldn't. they were neither famous nor popular imo. they had fans, and they had people who knew one trendy song by them. and that was it.
? Did you read what I wrote, because I perfectly explained everything you just said. You're still confusing fame and popularity, just look up the definitions.
Like I said "people didn't really know or care for the members, but their hit songs and group name were widely known" that is fame. The fact that people didn't care for the members just means they weren't popular.
And sorry but the rest of your logic doesn't make sense, do you think fame is ever lasting ? There's plenty of exemples to show that is not the case lol many many people have fell off. Just because someone isn't famous right now doesn't mean they were never famous.
Display More? Did you read what I wrote, because I perfectly explained everything you just said. You're still confusing fame and popularity, just look up the definitions.
Like I said "people didn't really know or care for the members, but their hit songs and group name were widely known" that is fame. The fact that people didn't care for the members just means they weren't popular.
And sorry but the rest of your logic doesn't make sense, do you think fame is ever lasting ? There's plenty of exemples to show that is not the case lol many many people have fell off. Just because someone isn't famous right now doesn't mean they were never famous.
dude...i could honestly care less. i already said they didnt have either imo. believe what you want about a disbanded group tho.
this is a forum if you leave a post anyone has the right to quote it to share their opinion. so again, if you "don't care to discuss semantics" stop replying.
and for the record a "one hit wonder" literally means they were famous at one point so i see you still can't differentiate fame and popularity, let's leave it at that lmaooo
honestly tho, they weren't rlly "famous". having a viral one hit wonder and a few loyal fans does not make you famous. kpop groups are not known by the korean general besides bts and prob bp. even twice, i doubt the gp would be able to recognize all members individually. the genre as a whole is still highly looked down upon. idols turned actors get shit on, idols turned tv personalities have it a bit better if they stay relevant like dara or heechul. most idols just go back to being regular people after their group is done.
SNSD still exists too though remember they don't even need to wear name tags because the GP already know all of them
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