(2016/2025 update): This paper provides a nuanced look at women's migration trajectories into the sex and entertainment sectors, exploring the complex balance between voluntary choice and systemic exploitation.
The lifestyle of a South Korean entertainment icon does not begin at debut; it begins five, six, or even ten years prior in a sub-basement practice room. This is the "pre-debut" phase, and it is the most grueling part of the model.
(2016/2025 update): This paper provides a nuanced look at women's migration trajectories into the sex and entertainment sectors, exploring the complex balance between voluntary choice and systemic exploitation.
The lifestyle of a South Korean entertainment icon does not begin at debut; it begins five, six, or even ten years prior in a sub-basement practice room. This is the "pre-debut" phase, and it is the most grueling part of the model.