It's impossible to have lived in the last few years and not heard passionate cries about Game of Thrones and Euphoria. These two shows have defined the current era of television, and with their new show, The Idol, HBO is undoubtedly hoping to replicate their success. From what we've heard so far, what makes The Idol unique is that it's written by and stars singer-songwriter Abel Tesfaye (better known by his stage name The Weeknd) and is led by showrunner Sam Levinson, the creator of Euphoria.
The show will follow an aspiring pop star (played by Lily-Rose Depp) who gets involved with a self-help guru and cult leader (played by The Weeknd). Judging from the two short trailers we've seen so far, it appears that a number of pop star hopefuls are drawn into a commune by The Weeknd's character and pressured into wild parties, drug use, and orgies. On-screen text in the first teaser promises “the sleaziest love story in all of Hollywood” to come “from the sick and twisted minds” of its co-creators, Tesfaye and Levinson.
In addition to Depp, the show features an ensemble cast, many of which are real singers: pop singer Troye Sivan, singer and actor Debby Ryan (Insatiable), Rachel Sennott (Shiva Baby), Steve Zissis (Baghead, Togetherness), Hari Nef (Transparent), and first-timer Juliebeth Gonzalez. However, one of the show's other actors is getting particular buzz. Jennie Kim, a member of the South Korean pop mega-group BlackPink, is confirmed to play a major role.
Who Is Jennie, and What Is Her Role in the Idol?
Jennie Kim (who sometimes goes by Jennie Ruby Jane) is one of four members of the South Korean pop group BlackPink, one of the most popular bands in the world. As of writing, BlackPink has six songs with over a billion views on YouTube — more than The Weeknd, who only has five. BlackPink has broken multiple world records for song views and record sales, won more awards than can be counted, and have the largest number of subscribers of any musician on YouTube — almost three times as many as The Weeknd.
It will not come as a surprise then that Jennie's role in The Idol, her first in a dramatic television series, is generating buzz. However, since there have only been two short teasers for the show so far, we don't know much about her character. It appears that she will play a recurring role as a member of The Weeknd's cult of popstar wannabes. As such, she will likely have a decent amount of screen time and can be seen in several scenes throughout both trailers.
Despite the lack of information about her character, if you go to YouTube and read the comments on The Idol's trailer, you'll see that more than half of them are about Jennie. Not about the show's co-stars, Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd, but about one of its side characters, played by Jennie. For this and other reasons, The Idol very well could mark a turning point in both U.S. and Korean media.
K-pop’s Popularity in the United States
For South Korean musicians, penetrating the U.S. music market (the biggest in the world) has long been a dream. Since the earliest days of modern K-Pop, groups have tried to break into the United States. In 2012, Girls' Generation became the first Korean act to ever perform on television in the U.S. when they performed their single “The Boys” on The Late Show with David Letterman. In the decade since, it's become increasingly common for bands to travel to the U.S. to appear on talk shows like The Late Late Show With James Corden and Good Morning America.
K-Pop record sales increase yearly, their TV appearances get more mainstream, and they garner more awards from U.S.-based awards shows. The high point of K-Pop on U.S. TV was probably when boy group BTS gave a press conference at the White House in May 2022. Because the band is so large (with seven members), they were given the entire stage, humorously appearing as if they had taken over the presidency.
Idol Appearances in Korean Media
One of the unique aspects of South Korean music and television culture is that idols are expected to be jack-of-all-trades. Not only do they sing, but they are also expected to be world-class dancers, actors, TV personalities, and models and to sometimes have other talents such as drawing, playing musical instruments, doing impressions, gymnastics, and so on. This is because the idol's management studio wants them to become culturally ubiquitous. They must perform at concerts, of course, but they also must appear on talk shows, variety shows, fashion magazines, TV commercials, and often in films and TV shows as well, so that fans never stop talking about them.
It is not uncommon for K-Pop stars to appear in major films or television shows. For instance, this year's acclaimed Korean-Japanese film Broker, which will be a major contender for Best International Film at the next Academy Awards, features pop star Lee Ji-eun (better known by her stage name IU) in a major role. In fact, it is relatively common for high-profile movies and shows to feature pop stars as a marketing tactic.
For example, two of the most popular Korean TV series this summer, Extraordinary Attorney Woo and Cafe Minamdang, star former singers Kang Tae-oh (from the band 5urprise) and Kang Mi-na (from I.O.I. and Gugudan).
How The Idol Could Be the Start of a New Trend
What is unique about The Idol is that a K-Pop star has never before had a role in a dramatic U.S. television series. Because the show is quite literally about pop stars-in-training, Jennie's involvement feels natural. However, it very well could be the start of a new trend. The overwhelming fan response to Jennie's presence, which comprises the majority of all online discussions about the show, is certain to get the attention of Hollywood.
If The Idol is a success, other U.S. productions will likely follow suit. In today's age, major Hollywood properties are designed for international audiences equally as much as they are for domestic audiences. For example, in the past ten years, Hollywood movies have commonly placed Chinese characters in flattering roles in order to open the doors to the massive Chinese film market. In films like Arrival, The Martian, and of course, The Great Wall, China comes to the rescue and saves the protagonist when all others have abandoned them. Given the enormous global popularity of K-Pop stars, it's only a matter of time before film studios start co-opting them as well.
And considering the nature of K-Pop, this would be a natural fit. It is standard practice in the South Korean music industry for management studios to choose members of a group based on, at least in part, what languages they speak. Nowadays, every band has members that can speak English, Japanese, or Chinese, in addition to Korean, so that the band can promote abroad. Of BlackPink's four members, three are fluent in English. Finding idols who can speak English and can act on a TV show would actually be quite easy. There's probably at least one in almost every K-pop group.
It is clear that casting Jennie in The Idol has already proven to be an incredibly successful marketing choice and will greatly increase the show's audience. In all likelihood, then, The Idol will be the start of a new trend in Hollywood. It may take some time, but it is only inevitable that more K-Pop stars will begin appearing in U.S. movies and TV shows in the future.
The Idol debuts on HBO Max in November 2022.