On May 17, Doi, who is now active as a YouTuber, shared a video in which she talks about what she experienced before debuting as an idol. His confession now draws attention because it exposes the darker side of Korea’s internship system.
Doi revealed that he spent around 9-10 years as an intern and visited 4-5 different agencies during that time. One of the most painful things she remembered was being told that interns were not treated like people. “At the time, the company told us, ‘You are not people, you are products.'” he said. She added that she is deeply hurt by the idea that interns only have value if they can “sell well.”
Monthly ratings looked like “hell”
In her opinion, the monthly evaluations were not moments of encouragement or growth. Instead, these were tough sessions where dozens of staff members only observed and pointed out the trainees’ weaknesses. “It was a place where only our flaws were criticized” he recalled. He described the experience bluntly, saying: “Every day felt like hell.”
For many fans, his words were particularly heartbreaking because they revealed how much young trainees might have to endure before they even get a chance to debut.
Spectators shocked by extreme weight pressure
The most shocking part of Doi’s confession was about weight management. Doi, who is 170cm tall, said her company pressured her to reduce her weight to 42kg. As the debut approached, he said the pressure became even more extreme, with demands to go below 40kg.
She revealed that the pressure pushed her body into a dangerous state, saying she once dropped to 38kg and suffered serious physical damage. Doi also said that during that time she developed harmful eating behaviors and was eventually taken to hospital after deliberately consuming spoiled food.
His confession sparked concern and anger among viewers, many of whom highlighted the need to improve the training system and protect young artists from extreme physical and mental pressure.
Verbal abuse and physical punishment
Doi further said that verbal abuse and even physical punishment were part of his experience as a trainee. He said the trainees couldn’t cry even when they were struggling. After her debut, she felt forced to hide her emotions due to her public image. “Even when it was hard, I couldn’t cry,” he said.
His comments have led to renewed discussion about the emotional toll of idol training, especially for young artists who spend years preparing for a debut that may or may not happen.
Doi is currently mainly active in Taiwan. After her video was published, several Taiwanese media outlets reported her story. The discussion has since expanded beyond Doi itself, with more focus on structural issues in the K-pop internship system and calls for better treatment of aspiring idols.
FANATICS debuted on August 6, 2019 as an 8-member multinational girl group under FENT. However, due to several difficulties, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the group actually started moving towards disbanding around October 2022.
Sources: Daum | My daily newspaper
