Labor in Idol Survival Shows
By: Linda Kuo
Tags: Produce 101, Reality TV, Fandom, Celebrity, Kpop

Hard Work, Success, and Failure.

Another effective way that labor is constructed is through the storyline of failure. In Produce 101 Season 2, Jonghyun was one of the trainees that did not make the final lineup, to the shock of many fans. His group, Nu’est, had already debuted but participated in the survival show to generate more publicity because they were not doing well. He already had fans and showed his image to the public, which makes a unique case and sets the scene for a popular “underdog” story. However, because this is a reality show that depends on voters and other factors, viewers did not get a triumphant ending. Jonghyun was praised as the “Nation’s Leader” by many fans throughout the course of Produce 101 Season 2, and displayed a helpful and moral attitude like Wang Ziyi and Kim Sejeong by supporting many other trainees, taking on the leader’s responsibility.

This is a fan-fiction that addresses Jonghyun’s elimination:

In this fan’s perspective, Jonghyun is dealing with not receiving results despite working hard in the show, challenging the rhetoric pushed forward that hard work won’t betray you. This transformative media gives more agency to the trainees in the world of its fandom. The celebrity is further humanized by the details about his physiological responses to the competition, “heart races, palms are damp…”. However, in this attempt to humanize this celebrity, the fan assumes that the celebrity has higher and more rigid moral standards that allow him to “give up his opportunities for others” depending on who is more “deserving,” conforming to the problematic justifications of success and failure in the survival show system. This text argues that Jonghyun should have made it, because of his diligence and desire. The fan’s desire for their idol to achieve re-centers the idol’s desire and inner mind, simultaneously fleshing out the celebrity while contributing to the construction of labor and performative emotion as a measure of character, which is an arbiter of success.

Kim Sohye in Produce 101, Season 1 has the opposite storyline as Jonghyun. She lacked many skills and was helped out by other trainees. She did not have prior training in dancing and singing because she came from an acting agency. In her final ranking announcement where she joins the debut lineup, she cries and acknowledges her lack of skills.

Produce 101, Season 1:

Sohye:

“Here, I lack the skill. Going up to this high position, I’m really thankful. I will try harder for all you have believed in me.”

Sohye herself recognizes her limitations, but the public insists on her popularity, making her vulnerable to criticisms that say she doesn’t deserve her ranking because of her objective inabilities. In contrast to Jonghyun, who was so proficient in singing and dancing skills that he could take care of other trainees, Sohye succeeded because her lack of skills enabled her to show a hard working image. It’s impossible for all viewers to be satisfied with either outcome, and the nonlinear relationship between labor and results facilitates the confirmation bias that any outcome can be explained by the fluid construction of effort.

When Jonghyun experiences failure, his fan challenges the traditional portrayal of hard work as a definite route to success but when Sohye reaches success, her fan maintains that working hard is the answer. Another trainee introduces a fork in the path. Dong Yanlei is a trainee from Idol Producer that is also inexperienced, having only trained for 10 days before coming to the show. When he gets eliminated, there is a montage of him practicing in the dance studios.

Idol Producer:

Ding Zeren (talking about Dong Yanlei):

“I also hope Citizen Producers (viewers) can see the process of him working hard.”

Viewers can feel better about him not getting good outcomes, because his character is still praised through the upholding of hard work.

The reasons why fans believe Sakura achieved success in Produce 48 also reveals how hard work and other associated traits play a role in the industry. Reddit user bambii00 commented on a thread asking “Why is Sakura so Popular?” that:

“she’s incredibly hardworking — i think the majority of sakura-stans can admit that she’s just average in dancing/singing, but seeing her put her all into every stage is incredibly heartwarming and every win for her feels like a win for us…

Again, Sakura’s lack of skills is redeemed through showing a hard working image, which generates emotional investment from fans. This quote also offers insight on why: because the public audience aren’t idols, we don’t have the perspective to judge based on technique but we can understand and relate to the process of working hard for a goal.