Thai K-pop Trainees: Docile Bodies of the Korean Idol Training System
Keywords:
K-pop trainee, Korean idol training system, Docile bodies, Biopower, DisciplineAbstract
This research aimed to understand Thai K-pop trainees’ transformation into docile bodies of the Korean idol training system by using Michel Foucault’s concepts of biopower, discipline, and docile bodies. This qualitative research gathered data from indepth interviews with 3 former K-pop trainees and 2 K-pop fans along with watching related videos. The results of this article were that biopower operates through the
discipline of Thai K-pop trainees in the Korean idol training system, which is designed to create knowledge of positive K-pop trainees and Korean idol normativity. This knowledge concludes contract, losing weight, hard training, idols’ age normativity, etc. Besides, knowledge about Thais, which is derived from the success of Thai K-pop idols, also helps make Thai K-pop trainees common to be in the K-pop industry. Consequently, Thai K-pop trainees become docile bodies under the K-pop industry’s regime of truth. Although they still cannot transcend the regulations, Thai K-pop trainees have selfconsciousness and can realize that they are becoming docile bodies
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