Female Idol Accidentally Exposes “Bleak” Working Conditions Of K-Pop Idols

A popular female idol has sparked a fierce discourse about the K-pop industry’s working conditions with her workday vlog.

NMIXX’s Haewon, the idol in question, recently posted a short vlog documenting her work schedule on the first day of the group’s “Heavy Serenade” promotions. Her day started at 3 am and stretched for over twenty hours as she finished multiple commitments, including filming schedules, performances, and rehearsals.

Haewon didn’t get to have her first meal until 1 pm, and she finally clocked out at 11:10 pm.

While these short vlogs are becoming a trend among K-Pop idols, with idols like aespa’s Karina also joining in…

karina’s vlogpic.twitter.com/Rb0LurxJdw

02:54 – woke up (she only slept for 1 hour 🥺)
03:18 – arrived at KBS for pre-recording
03:51 – getting my hair & makeup done
05:55 – eating bread for breakfast
06:52 – staff prepared cake and flowers for aespa
06:54 – ningselle punching…

— Sunshine (@sunshine_080507) May 15, 2026

They have ended up highlighting the grueling working conditions of idols and sparking a heated discussion about the need for better worker rights and protections in the K-Pop industry.

Reminder that labor laws in Korea don’t apply to idols and that’s why they’re getting away with this. Kpop companies are evil and JYPE doesn’t get criticized nearly enough for overworking their artists

— lys 🖤🎼 (@kkuraluvr_) May 14, 2026

the way the girls were trying to do a trend and ended up showing everyone how bleak working conditions for idols are 💀

— jey 🏁🪞⚔️🥂 (@jidh_) May 15, 2026

shes up almost the whole day 😔 asked her once in vc during promo if she got any sleep, she said there’s no time to sleep and that she only slept for an hour 😭 then the entire call turned into her telling me what happened that day

— 🎼rj (@solacesrj) May 15, 2026

working for 21 hours out of the day let’s kill every company overworking idols

— ْ (@eterniniz) May 15, 2026

20hr day and folks wonder why idols mental health in the toilet and everyone should be nicer, especially during high stress promotion periods

— J (🍏) (@j3ybias) May 15, 2026

This routine isn’t normal!!! Also they do not even get paid for every hour they work extra + There are zero protections of the labor they provide.

— gaykitten 🎼 (@gaykittenlord) May 15, 2026