'K-pop Idols' documentary looks at how the K-pop industry is embracing diversity

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — An Apple TV+ documentary series, “K-pop Idols,” premiering Friday, offers an intimate look at how the K-pop industry is embracing diversity while grappling with challenges in a field that demands perfection.

The six-part series features Korean American star Jessi and up-and-coming K-pop bands like Cravity and Blackswan, documenting the highs and lows of their careers.

K-pop is known for its blend of vocals with precise choreography.

Blackswan members Fatou and Nvee told The Associated Press they practice up to 10 hours daily, including choreography and vocal sessions before the “comeback” season which refers to a string of events to promote their latest songs.

The grueling practice starts early.

Once under contract, K-pop trainees enter a system that includes classes in manners, language, dance, and choreography. As of 2022, there were 752 K-pop trainees under entertainment labels, according to a Korea Creative Content Agency report.

Despite recent pushback against the perennial “dark side of K-pop” narrative, the documentary shows that some industry problems persist.

Former Blackswan member Youngheun said members had a curfew and were not allowed to drink or date. “We even had to report when we were getting our nails done and going to the convenience store in front of our house,” she shared in the documentary.

Rigid control extends to diet.

Blackswan member Gabi is seen eating a meal of egg, chicken breast and what resembles sweet potato sticks during her trainee period. “I am dieting because Mr. Yoon (the label’s head) told me I need to lose weight,” Gabi said.

The pressure applies to boy bands, too.

Cravity member Wonjin shared that he was given two weeks to lose weight to join the label. “I would eat like one egg a day (...) I lost about 7kg,” he said in the documentary.

Bradley Cramp, one of executive producers of the documentary, noted that such restrictions exist in other competitive industries as well.

“I honestly don’t know one idol or elite sports athlete or entertainer that doesn’t deal with the issue of diet and self-image and mental health to some degree or another,” he told The Associated Press.

The documentary also touches on K-pop’s new challenge: embracing diversity.

Following BTS’ international success, K-pop labels have been actively recruiting foreign talents, which sometimes brings unfamiliar challenges.

In the documentary, Yoon Deung Ryong, the founder of Blackswan’s label DR Music, struggles to settle internal conflicts among members, which later escalated to online clashes between fans.

“If the company says, ‘don’t fight,’ they won’t fight,” he said, referring to traditional K-pop groups. He added that he can’t control a “multinational group” the same way because of language and cultural differences. There are currently no Korean members in Blackswan after member changes.

With K-pop’s global expansion, fundamental questions about the essence of K-pop remain.

“In a K-pop group, if there are no Korean members, I feel like it’s just a K-pop cover group, isn’t it?” Blackswan’s former Korean member Youngheun said in the documentary.

However, Cravity’s Hyeongjun disagrees. “If foreigners come to Korea and sing in other languages, I am not sure if I can call that K-pop, but since they (Blackswan members) are active in Korea and use Korean, they are K-pop.”

Cramp said social media has impacted K-pop’s ecosystem in various ways, including creating a “symbiotic relationship” between K-pop stars and fans, and forcing stars to live their lives “under a microscope.”

“There’s a desire to be real. But on the other hand, you have to obviously keep certain things kind of out of the public spotlight,” he told the AP. “You want to be famous, but yet at the same time, you still want your privacy and you want to be able to go and have dinner with your friends and have a good time and not be filmed doing it.”

“K-Pop Idols” is now available on Apple TV+.

In this undated photo provided by AppleTV+, K-pop band Blackswan members have their photos taken. (AppleTV+ via AP)

In this undated photo provided by AppleTV+, K-pop band Blackswan members perform. (AppleTV+ via AP)

Members of K-pop group Blackswan pose during 2023 Newsis K-EXPO in Seoul, South Korea, Aug. 23, 2023. (Kim Myung-nyeon/Newsis via AP)

In this undated photo provided by AppleTV+, K-pop band Blackswan members practice a routine. (AppleTV+ via AP)

In this undated photo provided by AppleTV+, K-pop band Blackswan members are seen. (AppleTV+ via AP)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — If it seems like the Emmys just happened, you're not wrong.

The 76th Emmy Awards are Sunday, roughly nine months after the last celebration of the best television. Last year's Hollywood strikes delayed the show's 75th edition until January, when “Succession” and “The Bear” dominated the show.

“The Bear” will factor heavily in this weekend's show, but January's “Succession” celebration was for its final season, clearing the way for a new drama series winner.

Enter “Shogun.” The FX series about feudal Japan enters the show with 14 wins thanks to the Creative Arts Emmy ceremony last weekend. That makes it the record-holder for most wins for a single season, and it will likely extend that lead.

Here’s what you need to know about Sunday's Emmys, including how to watch and stream the red carpet and show, and who’s nominated.

The show begins at 8 p.m. Eastern and is being shown live on ABC, which is available with an antenna or through cable and satellite providers.

The Emmys can be streamed live through live TV streaming services that include ABC in their lineup, like Hulu+ Live TV, YouTube TV and FuboTV.

For those without the service, the show will be streaming Monday on Hulu.

Lots of folks from “Shogun,” including actor Néstor Carbonell. Maya Rudolph also won a trophy for her work on “Big Mouth,” and Jamie Lee Curtis claimed her first Emmy for her guest appearance on “The Bear.”

The Creative Arts Emmys honor many of the craft workers who make shows work, leaving the top prizes for Sunday's ceremony, which will be hosted by actors Eugene and Dan Levy.

The Emmys are watchable in dozens of countries. The Television Academy website has a handy list of broadcasters and in some instances, air times. You can access that at https://www.emmys.com/watch.

“Live from E!” will begin airing its red carpet coverage at 6 p.m. Eastern on the cable network E!. Laverne Cox, the first transgender person to receive an Emmy nomination, will host the coverage along with comedian Heather McMahan and E! News' Keltie Knight.

People magazine and Entertainment Weekly will also host a live red carpet show on their websites and YouTube, also starting at 6 p.m.

“Shogun” is the leading nominee with 25, while “The Bear” has 23, including best comedy series and best actor in a comedy series for Jeremy Allen White — both awards it won at January’s strike-delayed ceremony. Ayo Edebiri, who won best supporting actress in January, is nominated in the best comedy actress field this time.

“The Crown” with 19 nominations and “Hacks” with 16 each return to the Emmys after their own years off. Elizabeth Debicki is nominated for best supporting actress in a drama for playing Princess Diana, while Imelda Staunton is nominated for playing Queen Elizabeth II.

Two-time Academy Award winner Jodie Foster is a good bet to win her first Emmy as best actress in a limited or anthology series or TV movie for her role in “True Detective: Night Country.”

Reigning best supporting actor Oscar winner Robert Downey Jr. could also become a first-time Emmy winner. He’s up for best supporting actor in the limited series category for playing five different roles in “The Sympathizer.”

For a list of key Emmy nominees, check out the AP's list.

For more on this year’s Emmy Awards, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/emmy-awards

Nestor Carbonell with the award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for Shogun attends night two of the Creative Arts Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

This image released by FX shows Hiroyuki Sanada in a scene from "Shogun." (Katie Yu/FX via AP)

FILE - Eugene Levy, left, and Dan Levy appear at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on Sept. 22, 2019. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - A crew member sweeps the stage during Press Preview Day for the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on Sept. 19, 2019. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)