Behind The Scenes | The Life Of A K-Pop Idol Bodyguard
What is life really like for the people responsible for keeping Korean celebrities safe?
Today let's take a look at the lives of the people who keep K-pop idols safe from harm.
I'm sure many of you have wondered what it's like, so without further ado, let's get into it.
Perceptions Of Bodyguards
Source: 뷰티한국
Bodyguards protect clients from external risk, which can include other sorts of high profile individuals aside from idols such as politicians and other public figures.
Their appearances are depicted in various ways in the media, so people have different ideas of what a bodyguard is like. Sometimes they look like intelligence officers, people who are on standby for politicians if a problem arrises, or people who monitor and control the audience at concerts.
Just as these different images exist, real life bodyguards are very diverse.
Types Of Bodyguard
Source: HUFFPOST
Bodyguards are largely divided into two different types.
First, there are Blue House bodyguards who protect the President and his family.
They also protect foreign presidents and prime ministers when they come to Korea.
Source: 서울경제
The other kind are bodyguards who belong to private security companies or work as freelancers. Idol bodyguards would fall into this category.
Music companies will contract private security guards from agencies to handle security during concerts or fan signs. There are also exclusive long-term contracts where a specific bodyguard is assigned to a particular group or artist.
출처: Newsen
The term "Gangchin" (강친), which can be often seen on K-Pop Twitter, is an abbreviation of "Ganghan Chingudeul" (강한 친구들), the name of a well known private security company. The name means "Strong Friends".
It is so well known now among fans that "Gangchin" has become a slang term for idol bodyguards.
Fans who go to a lot of concerts often become familiar with the bodyguards and will greet them.
One such bodyguard is Park Geun-woo who does security detail for IU. He has been her bodyguard since 2012 and is well known as a member of her team.
The Role Of An Idol Bodyguard
출처: Newsen
There are times where fans can flock towards celebrities, making it impossible for them to move forward. To prevent this, bodyguards are there to manage the crowds.
If you look at interviews with bodyguards, you can often see anecdotes about sasaeng fans (extreme fans). They will stalk artists, sneak into places where they are not allowed such as green rooms. The bodyguards are there to protect the idols from these overly obsessed people.
출처: 헤럴드 경제
Bodyguards monitor the surroundings carefully to avoid safety accidents due to crowds, such as at concerts and fan signs. It is their job to maintain order in the lines or audience.
출처: 파이낸션 뉴스
Many concerts often prohibit filming for copyright reasons; however, some people try to sneak in cameras, so the bodyguards are also in charge of checking bags and pockets.
Of course though, cameras can still make it in and people can film with their phones, so the bodyguards also monitor the crowds for illicit filming.
If you continue to film even after being warned several times, you may be told to leave.
출처: Newsen
Bodyguards protect not just the artists, but also the fans.
They are the ones who manage the crowds so they don't become dangerous and also distribute water during the performance so that fans don't get overheated and dehydrated.
Also, if fans want to leave during the performance, the body guards will help with crowd control so they can safely exit.
Becoming a Bodyguard
Source: EBS 뉴스
As the professionalism and importance of bodyguards have increased, more and more people are learning professional skills at universities and specialized schools. Companies prefer people who are certified in related fields.
Commonly, people pursuing a career as a bodyguard will study security and get a security instructor's license or bodyguard's license.
With systematic training, they can get field experience and work part-time jobs related to security, gaining practical experience for a future career in private security.
Qualitites Of A Bodyguard
1. Physical Characteristics
Source: SBS 시티헌터
Due to the nature of the work, people with good physical conditions are preferred. Generally men must be at least 175cm and women must be at least 165cm, though it can vary from company to company.
Agility and athleticism are very important traits, and it is especially helpful to have training in martial arts such as Taekwondo or Judo.
2. Foreign Language Skills
Source: MBC every1 비디오스타
Even if you are a bodyguard who protects Korean celebrities, foreign language skills are becoming increasingly important as Korean celebrities' overseas activities have increased.
In addition, foreign language communication skills have become very important because bodyguards can often be tasked with guarding foreign celebrities when they come to Korea.
3. Personality
Source: newsinside
As there have been problems in the past with bodyguards using excessive force and injuring fans, security companies have begun to evaluate personalities of applicants when hiring bodyguards.
Personality traits such as consideration for others and a strong sense of responsibility have become very important factors. The priority is for everyone to remain safe, so bodyguards must be patient and sensible.
Bodyguard Salary
According to Worknet job information, the average annual salary for a bodyguard as of July 2019 was 29.64 million won; however, since many do freelance jobs or are paid per job, the pay varies widely and some bodyguards earn more than 100 million won per year.
Grievances & Controversies
If you work as a bodyguard, you get to see a lot of famous people and wear cool uniforms; however, as with all jobs, there are some drawbacks.
1. Fan vs. Bodyguard
Source: 스포츠조선
Fans can be overzealous and obsessive in trying to get closer to their favorite idols. The bodyguards are seen as enemies to them and emotions can run high when these so-called fans swear and yell at them.
This can cause emotional stress for the bodyguards.
2. Excessive Use Of Force
출처: 영화 범죄와의 전쟁
There have been issues in the past with bodyguards assaulting and injuring fans. These problems came down to companies hiring cheaper gangster bodyguards, rather than the pricier private company guards.
Recently, security companies have been improving problems by providing customer service training to bodyguards to escape from this stigma of gangsters and over-suppression.
However, the issue of over-suppression is still constantly being raised among fans. These issues are often raised because the physical difference between professionally trained bodyguards and ordinary fans is quite large.
There was a video recently talked about in which an NCT bodyguard can be seen blocking fans rushing at the group with his shoulders, and a fan appeared to have bounced off of him pretty hard. While some said he acted appropriately, still others said it was over-kill.
3.Physical Searches & Misunderstanding
These issues are often raised in the process of searching fans before entering concert venues. There were fans who expressed that they felt uncomfortable to the point of sexual harassment when being searched for hidden cameras.
To help solve this issue, female bodyguards are used for the physical search, but there are fans who still feel uncomfortable with this process.
Famous Bodyguards
Park Geun-woo
Source: 스포츠투데이
Park Geun-woo, who is IU's bodyguard has received a lot of attention for his warm appearance, but also gained a lot of popularity among fans for his chemistry with IU.
Source: IU's IG @dlwlrma
He may be her bodyguard, but it seems they have a genuine friendship and will even post on his personal IG messages of support for her.
Ko Seok-jin
Source: MBC에브리원 비디오스타
Ko Seok-jin, a bodyguard dedicated to Wanna One and known as "Dear Ahjussi" (디어 아저씨) among fans is often called the 13th member.
Source: 서울경제
He is loved by fans for taking good care of Wanna One members, and a fan account for him was even created on Twitter, @DearAhjussi_W1.
Bae Eun-kwang
Source: KBS WORLD WE K-POP
SF9 members Inseong and Dawon, who appeared in WE K-POP, kissed the bodyguard on the cheek to win the "Make the Guard Laugh" game.
Source: 헤럴드 POP
He is a guard from the Strong Friends company mentioned above and very familiar to K-Pop fans because he has been in charge of security for Show Champion, Music Core, and M Countdown, so fans have come to be very familiar with him.
TWICE Bodyguard (Name Unknown)
Source: KissAsian
The TWICE bodyguard received a lot of attention after appearing in fancams. She has a blunt expression when working as a security guard, but takes care of the members carefully, earning the title of "Unnie" among fans.
Source: koreaboo
You can see how carefully she takes care of the members through seemingly small acts like putting an arm out to prevent them bumping their heads getting out of the car.
BTS & TXT Bodyguards (Names Unknown)
Source: koreaboo
There are bodyguards who often appear in photos of BTS and TXT, attracting a lot of attention from fans, almost as much as the idols themselves.
Source: news1
The bodyguard who escorted Jimin on his way back to the Gimpo Airport from Japan after the Love Yourself: Speak Yourself concert in 2019 received tremendous attention from fans for his idol-like appearance.
Choi Young-jae
Former bodyguard Choi Young-jae is not an idol bodyguard, but he is one of the most famous bodyguards in Korea, so I wanted to include him.
Choi Young-jae, a former bodyguard and special forces guard, was photographed while guarding President Moon Jae-in during his campaign for office and garnered a lot of attention. Due to the nature of the job, once his face became well known, he had to leave.
Source: 채널A 강철부대
However, after quitting his job, he set up a hair salon, which was his original dream, and recently, has gained huge popularity after appearing on Steel Troops, a "military survival program".
Today we learned about bodyguards in Korea, what it takes to become one, what they're paid, the challenges they face, and also learned about some famous bodyguards.
If you've attended a K-Pop concert or event, you've probably seen these security guards, but it's nice to see behind the scenes and see that they're just humans like us who work tirelessly to protect the artists we all love.