There’s no denying that the K-pop industry can be a promising field for idols to gain instant popularity, with more and more new and fresher groups debuting almost every month. At the same time, fans have also witnessed a trend where a number of experienced idols have ventured into acting.
More often than not, this happens after these stars have already established their name in the industry. In case you don’t know, some of the many well-known idol-turned-actors include 2PM’s Taecyeon and Junho, SNSD members Yoona, Yuri, Sooyoung and Seohyun, former miss A’s Bae Suzy, and also Astro’s Cha Eun Woo, just to name a few. Most of them began their career as members in idol groups, before transitioning to acting.
Recently, a netizen took to the online community platform Instiz to discuss the reasons why K-pop idols decided to venture into acting, which had since been flooded with numerous comments from netizens. According to them, idols have shorter career span. In this case, idols are mainly active for only a few years, and would only have a brief peak.
On the other hand, netizens pointed out that actors have a longer lasting career as compared to idols. By having this added avenue, they can continue their acting career regardless of their age. According to some netizens, “They can act even when they get older. There is no age limit to being an actor.”
Another reason explained by Korean netizens is that in general, actors are held in higher regard, as opposed to K-pop idols. Some of them brought up about the different ranks among celebrities. To quote one commentator, “People in the industry respect actors way more than idols.” “The actors receive better treatment in the industry, as compared to idols,” another netizen added.
In addition, netizens pointed out that being an actor brings better work-life balance and more breaks. According to them, idols need to constantly keep up with their hectic schedules. Meanwhile, actors and actresses can still maintain their popularity, even with appearing in only one or two projects a year.
Do you agree with the netizens’ point of view?
