The road to becoming a K-pop idol is a physical and emotional journey that demands a number of sacrifices.
The battle to become South Korea's next pop idol is a fierce one, in which few make it to the end and those that due face a punishing schedule to ensure they hit the jackpot.
For many though it is a controversial career choice that makes the X Factor process seem mild in comparison.
While boy band BTS is now one of the biggest pop acts in the world, getting there is out of reach for a lot that start the journey.
Here is the controversial route to becoming a K-pop idol;
Years of training from very young
Becoming an idol in the K-pop industry involves making a decision to give it a shot while still a youngster.
The only way to have a chance is by signing to one of South Korea's entertainment companies but that involves an audition process.
The routes on offer are straight auditions in front of company executives or by being 'street casted' by one of the many spotters around the country, trying to find the next big thing.
The young hopefuls that sign up become known as trainees and the grueling process begins in earnest.
The K-pop industry demands very high standards and the trainee is given lessons in singing or rapping, depending on the the aptitude shown.
There are also lessons in dancing, acting, foreign languages, and even how to 'act funny on TV'.
With regular evaluations of performance, the trainees can find the process extremely stressful, especially as they can be dropped from the process if they do not show constant improvement.
Forming a K-pop band
A K-pop band is as manufactured as they come and each member is chosen for a specific skill, so that as a whole they have all bases covered.
Each spot on a boy band is fiercely contested, with those not chosen either thrown back into the traingin process or cut completely.
It has been known that some have been stuck in the training programme for up to ten years but it is more likely that if the hopeful hasn't been chosen for a band after a few years, then their time in the process is ended.
Looks as well as voice lead to physical changes
South Korean society is known to have 'high beauty standards' and it is not unheard of that idol trainees will have plastic surgery to ensure the 'perfect' look.
Before their debut in a band, the trainees may look to features on their face 'fixed', with nose, cheeks and jaw among the most common to go under the knife to give the trainee an edge.
It has been reported that the more 'beautiful' the trainees look, the more chance they have making the band, and preferential treatment given to those looking 'aesthetically pleasing'.
It is not a democracy
Being a K-pop idol does not mean that you have a choice as to where your career is heading.
Executives at the entertainment companies carefully plan the rise of the bands, with ever more elaborate pop videos and personal appearances being demanded to ensure the acts stay relevant in the crowded K-pop market place.
One attribute that is rarely given to a K-pop star is an opportunity to show individual creativity, with the idols purely there to carry out the vision of the entertainment companies.
Heo Chan of K-pop group Victon recalled that he had to bleach his hair lighter and decided to take a stand as the bleaching was becoming painful.
After one release in which he had his natural black hair, executives gave him an ultimatum of dying his hair blonde or facing being cut from the group.
So Heo Chan took on the pain of dyeing to ensure he stayed a K-pop star.
It's not a 'get rich quick' scheme
While the top K-pop bands, the BTS of this world, might be coining it in, the reality is that many idols struggle to make ends meet.
This is mainly because while their training and career path is plotted, all the money invested in the idol reaching the goal is seen as a 'loan' by the entertainment companies.
From development to housing the idols, feeding them and footing the bills along the way all needs to be paid back as soon as the money rolls in.
Thousands of dollars are funded up front by the companies and this has to be paid back before any profits are made for the idols.
Christine Park, a member of the disbanded girl group Blady, said: “The amount of money that’s put into you is so much more than” can be expected to earn during a career.
A K-pop boy band usually will have a music video, an album and plenty of promotional performances.
This can wrack up a debt of up to $500,000, which is then split between the band members.
To meet the payments, it is often the case that idols have to take on a second job, like waiting tables or construction work.
While the bands that breakthrough can demand huge advertisement deals and wipe out their debt quickly, for the most part it is a slog with many idols earning less than $7,000 a year for their efforts.
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