‘K-Pop Idols,’ Apple TV+’s new docuseries, captures pitfalls and triumphs of a secretive industry

K-pop’s upbeat music and imagery contrasted with rigorous training systems for its artists makes stories about the “dark side” of the industry irresistible.

Apple TV+’s new six-part docuseries “K-Pop Idols” does a good job balancing the narrative, touching the darker aspects of strict beauty standards and a fanatical pursuit of perfection as well as its joyous flipside: dreams realized against near-impossible odds.

Pulling back the curtain on an often mysterious and misunderstood genre, the series gives glimpses into why fans around the world continue to be captivated by K-pop’s fandom, high-octane performances and stimulating cross-cultural experiences.

Not only are the brutal schedules, endless rehearsals and interpersonal dramas of its stars a focus, but so are their inner lives: their drives, fears and ambition. They are humanized as artists in their own right as opposed to robots in a moneymaking machine.

The series, which premiered Friday, is produced by Boat Rocker Studios’ Matador Content, with several veteran producers on board, including Emmy-winning executive producer Todd Lubin, who captured the precarious pop star life with “Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry.” Rounding out the large team are co-executive producers Chris Kasick of “Citizen Sleuth,” Bradley Cramp (“Lord of War”), Elise Chung (“Bling Empire”), Jack Turner (“War Game”), Eric Yujin Kim (“Undoing”) and Sue Kim (“The Speed Cubers”).

Read the full article at https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2024-09-04/inside-apple-tv-s-new-k-pop-idols