The K-Pop industry, a global powerhouse, often presents a glamorous facade. Yet, beneath the polished surface, artists frequently grapple with immense pressures and an imbalance of power against their agencies. Former Teen Top member Bang Min-su, known as C.A.P., bravely stepped forward to challenge this dynamic, aiming to establish Korea’s first labor union for K-Pop idols. His groundbreaking effort, however, encountered significant hurdles, ultimately stalling despite a clear vision for artist empowerment.
The Dream of an Idol Union Takes Shape
Bang Min-su, better known as C.A.P. from his days in boy band Teen Top, met Democratic Party of Korea youth policy researcher Seo Min-seon last year, when she approached him with an idea to form Korea’s first labor union for K-pop idols.
The 33-year-old former idol had already been a vocal advocate for artist rights. In September 2024, he testified at a National Assembly forum, highlighting labor and human rights issues for child and teenage K-pop artists, advocating for fair compensation and a minimum wage-like system. Seo revealed that Bang was the sole attendee at the forum to embrace her union proposal, leading him to become the head of the Idol Labor Union Establishment Preparatory Committee.
By September, Bang and Seo formally submitted a union establishment report to the Labor Ministry’s Seongnam office. However, despite a year of dedicated effort, the ambitious plan fizzled, attracting only two members: Bang and Seo themselves.
“The purpose was to improve treatment,” Bang told The Korea Herald, emphasizing that this extended beyond just pay. He cited harassment, unequal treatment, and a lack of support in disputes with agencies as critical areas where collective action could bring about meaningful change. This vision mirrored established overseas organizations like SAG-AFTRA in the US and Britain’s Equity, which collectively negotiate for better pay, working conditions, and protections for performers. The Korean initiative sought to arm individual artists with a collective voice, giving them much-needed bargaining power against powerful agencies.
Obstacles Mount: Why the Union Stalled
Bang said one of the reasons that the plan was aborted was the reluctance of established entertainers to publicly join the effort, which further drained its momentum.
While several active performers privately expressed support after media reports emerged, they cited an inability to participate publicly. This exposed a crucial paradox: rookie idols, whose careers are entirely dependent on their agencies, faced significant professional risks by joining a labor organization. Conversely, successful idols, with greater independence, felt less immediate need for union representation. “Those who are already successful don’t need to do it,” Bang explained. “Those who aren’t successful don’t have the power to participate.”
Negative public perception also played a role in discouraging potential supporters. Bang noted that comments questioning “why idols needed a union” contributed to hesitancy, alongside a “difference in values” that emerged between him and Seo.
Doubts were also raised about Bang’s suitability to lead the union efforts due to past controversies. After his departure from Teen Top, fellow member Niel alleged in a YouTube video that Bang, then the group’s leader, had once hit him, requiring stitches. Bang also faced criticism for past remarks during his idol days, including a controversial statement on Mnet in 2012 about raising a daughter, and later in 2023, for swearing, smoking, and complaining about fan criticism during YouTube livestreams, where he also named TVXQ’s Yunho in an alleged berating incident. When asked about these past remarks, Seo Min-seon, who was a Teen Top fan in elementary school, admitted she hadn’t followed Bang’s career closely by the time they met, noting he “had somewhat faded from the public eye.”
Compounding these issues was a lack of clarity regarding the union’s funding model, particularly problematic given that trainees and rookie artists often have little to no income. One audacious proposal even suggested that fans might be asked to cover the costs.
The Critical Need for an Idol Union
Why union for K-pop idols?
On paper, the union’s goal was simple yet profound: to empower newer and lesser-known idols by giving them a stronger, collective voice when negotiating with agencies possessing vast financial and legal resources. As Bang articulated, “If it is a company against an individual, the individual is at a disadvantage. That’s true across society.”
He cited the ongoing dispute between former NewJeans member Danielle and Ador, NewJeans’ label under Hybe, as a prime example of this resource imbalance. Bang highlighted how lengthy legal battles can be devastating for young entertainers, potentially costing them crucial career years, even if they ultimately win. For rookie and lesser-known idols, whose careers are often fleeting, such delays are particularly detrimental. Research by Sungshin Women’s University professor Kim Jeong-seop shows the precarious nature of idol careers: an average of 39.4 groups debut annually, yet the average group remains active for only 4.12 years.
A significant legal gray area also complicates idols’ status as workers. Lee Jong-im, a lecturer at Kyung Hee University, explained that contracts for child and teenage artists “are often not regarded as employment contracts, meaning the Labor Standards Act often does not apply.” This issue gained national attention in November 2024 when the Labor Ministry dismissed a workplace harassment complaint filed by then-NewJeans member Hanni, ruling that she did not qualify as a “worker” under the act, thereby lacking protections tied to that status.
Several entertainment agencies contacted for comment declined, with one official stating unfamiliarity with the concept of an idol union.
Lessons Learned and the Path Forward
Lee agreed with Bang that getting active idols and trainees to participate remains a major hurdle.
She suggested that the effort went public prematurely and was driven by too few individuals. Lee advised that organizers should have first cultivated broader interest among idols, trainees, and fans, and initiated more public discussion before seeking formal union status. Furthermore, Lee emphasized the government’s role in establishing clearer standards for determining idols’ worker status and strengthening legal protections for agency-artist relationships, including making contracts more enforceable and bolstering protections under existing labor and cultural industry acts.
For Bang, however, the immediate focus isn’t on idols’ legal status as “workers,” but rather on building sufficient membership to form a viable union. He contended that the need for an idol union surpasses that of actors, who already have unions and generally enjoy greater autonomy, often choosing projects and working with various production companies. Idols, conversely, are typically bound to a single agency that controls their work and professional activities, making their case for collective organization even stronger. “With idols, the company has the initiative,” Bang asserted. “There is clearly one side bringing them work and telling them what to do.”
In Bang’s estimation, the attempt fundamentally lacked stronger preparation. “More participants, legal advisers, political support and, above all, greater involvement from established performers would be needed,” he concluded.
When asked if he would attempt it again, Bang expressed a reluctant willingness. “I would, under enormous stress,” he admitted. “But if there were people who wanted to do it, I would.”
