"There's not much time for individuals, but that's what makes K-pop shine," says BTS member RM in response to a question about the "K-pop system" from a foreign media outlet. It implies the enormous amount of investment required to become a top K-pop artist and how such investment creates a unique industry called K-pop. Even for those with innate talent, it reflects the harsh reality of reaching the top in the globalized K-pop world without this level of investment.

BTS member Suga appeared on the YouTube channel 'Ddun Ddun' on the 11th, talking with Yoo Jae-suk, confessing that "for about 5-6 years, there hasn't been a single time when I slept for more than 3 hours." Suzy, who debuted as a member of Miss A, also said that she never had a day off in the first two years after her debut, sleeping less than three hours a day. BLACKPINK member Jennie revealed that during her six-year trainee period, she prepared for solo, dance, and group evaluations at the end of each month.

The world's top-ranked groups, BTS and BLACKPINK, were born this way. Suga, who had never danced before, invested all of his time, except for sleeping and eating, in dance practice, resulting in BTS's trademark perfect performance, even matching eye levels. It shows how much effort he poured in, not just relying on his talent, to reach his current position. This is not only true for BTS but for all top K-pop idols.

Most K-pop idols start training at a young age as trainees within agencies. From elementary or middle school, they are already affiliated with companies, building their skills and star quality through practice. Some debut relatively quickly, but many more spend 5-6 years laying the foundation. To survive as the "best" in fierce competition, continuous effort is essential, not just innate talent.

Of course, their efforts continue even after their debut. The competition is fiercer, and as K-pop is receiving attention on the world stage, more perfect preparations are needed. The era of relying solely on innate talent is over, and it's difficult to guarantee the "top" position without such effort in the cutthroat competition. Persistent effort is needed to hone talent and not become a fleeting star in the global competition.

It is because of these efforts, added to innate talent, that K-pop has been able to expand and globalize.

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