SBS On Demand Heesoo Chung has her eyes set on an unlikely goal: becoming a K-pop star. "My dream is to be an idol star … that’s my only dream," the 16-year-old said. The South Korean teenager is one of thousands dedicating their lives to the hope of being idolised by millions. "I go to an academy every day after I finish school and I practice there from 6pm until 10pm. But I think I need to work harder," she said.
"As observers from Australia it can be very confronting to us, seeing how much work goes into being a K-pop idol. " For Bang Min Su, formerly from K-pop band Teen Top, the scene got too much. He has now quit the industry, lives above his mother's cafe and is pursuing a new career in art. "I thought I’d get to do cool things on stage but in reality … I just had to act like a doll," he said.