Volume 1 2009 Chapter 32: A Trio Date (Part 2)
"Rabbit, what do you think is the most important thing about being an idol? Or in other words, how can you get a chance to debut and become a successful idol?" Yi Haoyan looked at Enfei who was full of confidence and asked with interest.
"Hmm~ Let me think about it?"
This question stumped Quan Enfei.
"What do you think, Pudding?"
"First of all, they have to be good-looking and have outstanding looks." Eun-jeong recalled the characteristics of the idols she knew.
"Hmm! What else?"
"Singing and dancing must be good."
Enfei answered with certainty.
"Anything else?" Yi Haoyan asked with a smile.
"You need popular works and good songs to become famous," Eun-jeong added.
"We must practice hard and bring the best performance to our fans."
"These are all correct, is there anything else?"
"We have said so much, what do you think, Brother Umbrella?"
Eun-fei and Eun-jeong were obviously interested in this topic.
"I like idols, too," Yi Haoyan said with a smile, "I feel that nowadays female idols, especially girl groups, are becoming more and more the center of attention. Cute, pure, handsome, energetic, charming, contrasting cuteness, all kinds of charms can be found in different members, which is very attractive."
"Haha, it turns out Brother Umbrella is also a fan."
"I've followed the Korean entertainment industry. The Korean wave has a significant influence in China. I know HOT, SES, Finkl, and Rain."
Yi Haoyan added: "However, the current positioning of idols has begun to change. With the intensification of competition and the development of the industry, it is becoming increasingly difficult for solo idol singers to succeed. The tastes of the market audience have begun to become more complex. It has become difficult for one person to attract fans. Idol singers have begun to show a trend of younger age and group formation. Currently, the most popular idols are all group groups, right?"
Eun Fei thought for a while and said, "Yeah, apart from Lee Hyori and Rain, there aren't many solo singers who are very popular."
Eun-jeong swallowed a mouthful of shaved ice and said, "The most popular ones recently are all groups. BigBang, TVXQ, Girls' Generation, and Wonder Girls are all groups."
Yi Haoyan took a few bites of shaved ice to moisten his throat and continued, "Compared to a solo, debuting as a group is safer. Group members have their own characteristics and charms, which can meet the different needs of fans."
"At the same time, the group can also make up for the shortcomings of each member through complementarity. Group members do not need to be perfect in all aspects. As long as they have one or two specialties that can attract fans and are average in other aspects and do not lag behind, that will be enough."
"For example, Girls' Generation's Yoona, Hyoyeon, and Yuri are not good at singing, but they are all like ducks in water in the group. Yoona is the face of the group, and Hyoyeon and Yuri are the main dancers. These are their specialties. They are all loved by fans."
"Groups can expand the audience market and make the fan base more stable. In the future, companies will promote idol singers mainly as a group. Are you ready, Bunny?"
"Prepare? Prepare for what?" Enfei was a little unable to keep up with the pace.
"As an idol singer, you will most likely debut as a member of a girl group in the future. Have you thought about your own positioning and personality ?"
Yi Haoyan smiled and looked at the rabbit with a confused expression. He thought she looked very cute and felt inexplicably happy.
"Positioning? Personality?" Zhao Enzhen couldn't find the direction for a moment.
"Idol singers are not singers after all. Singing is just a way and means to attract fans and exposure. How to increase exposure and attract fans is the model for idols to survive and develop."
"Look at the music shows on the three major TV stations in South Korea. Even though there is no appearance fee, all the management companies are still flocking to them, and some even pay for it themselves."
"It's because this is a great way to get exposure. It has a stable audience group. If you perform well in the music show, you can attract more fans' attention." Yi Haoyan explained to Enfei seriously.
"Idol singers are not pure singers. Pure singers have much less demand for exposure . The age span of their fans is wider and more stable, and the strength requirements are also at a professional level. Their careers are generally very long."
Yi Haoyan specifically analyzed the characteristics of current idols: "Idol singers are different . They are extremely dependent on exposure and topicality. Most of their fans are students, so the requirements for strength are relatively low. The idol profession is a job for young people, and the lifespan of an idol group is generally about five years. It sounds a bit cruel, but this is the reality. Bunny, you should think about it carefully."
Quan Enfei didn't expect that the path to stardom she had chosen would sound so difficult, and she suddenly felt a little depressed. She buried her head in eating shaved ice in small bites, without saying a word.
When Yi Haoyan saw that the atmosphere was not right, he immediately realized what the problem was.
I seemed to have only talked about the negative aspects and not the good aspects, which affected the girls' emotions.
He changed the subject and said with a smile: "Of course, being an idol singer is not easy, and naturally there are advantages that other professions cannot match. These advantages are unique to idols, and other artist professions do not have them!"
This sentence caught the girl's attention again. Enfei raised her head and looked at Yi Haoyan with suspicion.
Seeing that the rabbit was interested again, Yi Haoyan took a bite of shaved ice and said with a smile: "The first advantage of idols is that they become popular quickly! It's easy to become popular! Often, once a song becomes popular, they can cross over to the status of a first-tier group. Compared with pure singers or actors, idols don't need to go through a long period of rookie and unknown period. If they develop smoothly after their debut, they will soon attract the attention of fans and form a stable audience market group."
Zhao Enzhen's interest was also aroused, and she urged, "Yes! That makes sense. What other advantages are there? Tell me quickly!"
"The second advantage," Yi Haoyan raised two fingers and made a V sign, "is that the threshold to becoming an idol is relatively low, and it is easier to debut and become famous than other ways."
"Idols essentially manage their personas, and are relatively lenient in terms of ability. For example, Wonder Girls' Ahn So Hee's singing ability is not up to par, but she has won the love of fans with her adorable bun-shaped face and the cute expression during the 'Oh, Mona' part of the dance to 'Tell Me'. Not being able to sing does not affect her popularity. A similar example is Girls' Generation's Yoona, who is a very popular member of the group. Her strength is not singing, but her outstanding innocent appearance and contrasting boyish personality are her selling points, and she is also very popular."
"Fans like idols not just because they have certain skills, but often because of other reasons, such as they look cute, they work hard, their nervous but persistent look is unforgettable, and other complex reasons. Idols are often the carriers of fans' beautiful aspirations. As long as fans like them, other things are not so important!"
"Yes, Yoona is so pretty! But she doesn't seem distant at all, and her occasional playful look makes people easily like her." Eun-bi dragged her chin and said enviously, "I wish I could be that pretty. It would be nice to have a face like that for just one day."
"The last point is also the most important one. Because idols can easily attract popularity, once they become famous, their income is also considerable."
Yi Haoyan added.
"A few years of being famous can earn enough money for a lifetime."
"But the prerequisite is that you have to be popular enough!"
