KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 — You may have heard of the reference of ‘idols’ in the media due to the global popularity of K-pop around the world.

But did you know that the term ‘idol’ actually originated from Japan, as creators of the training system as we know it today?

Idols are entertainers or celebrities who are singers, dancers, or rappers in the J-pop or K-pop music industry, according to BBC.

The origin of popular K-pop groups today such as BTS, Blackpink, and NewJeans can be all traced back to its connections with idol history from Japan.

Many young Malaysians are fans of idols from Korea, Japan, or even China where the system has been emulated and further developed, and many aspire to be like them one day.

Those dreams will come true for a group of Malaysian girls who will be unveiled today as KLP48, a sister group to the popular J-idol group AKB48.

What exactly is the ‘idol system’? How did it come about and how does it work?

Malay Mail is presents: a brief guide to Japanese idol culture.

A brief history of idols in Japan

In 1962 Japanese record producer Johnny Kitagawa founded the first male idol group called Johnny’s, a quartet of members Hiromi Maie, Osami Iino, Ryo Nakatani, and Teruhiko Aoi.

Kitagawa would also go on to form Johnny and Associates, an entertainment company that would pioneer the idol system that exists till today, as reported by The Japan Times.

The late music mogul is regarded as the creator of the idol trainee system which takes talents into an agency at a young age and puts them through singing and dance training until they are ready to debut.

The term ‘idol’ would not be used in Japanese media until a 1963 French film Cherchez l’idole (The Chase) starring actress Sylvie Vatarn became extremely popular in Japan.

Many Japanese were charmed by Vatarn’s singing and youthful cute looks and many regard her as the inspiration for the first generation of idols in Japan.

In the 1970s, the spread of television turned idol girl and boy groups into a cultural phenomenon, with fans able to watch their favourite artists at home instead of going to a concert or theatre.

Idols were cast through audition programs at a young age and were debuted with the intention of fans watching them become adults, a practice which exists till today.

Physical beauty became an important factor as male idols portrayed charming princes and female idols were perfect, innocent, and feminine starlets.

Idols at the time had short lived careers and became popular as they gave the public a break from the political violence and student protests of the time.

The 1980s became known as the ‘Golden Age of Idols’ of J-pop with the emergence of city pop which used elements of funk, R&B, and disco and Japan’s economic boom, reported The New York Times.

Founded in 1985, Onyanko Club (Kitty Club) was the first girl group to be portrayed as schoolgirls who gain experience in order to ‘graduate’ from the group, the beginning of the graduation idol system.

The 1990s and early 2000s would be a slump in the idol world as more idols chose to focus on solo careers and create an ‘artist’ image, with many of them transitioning into acting.

But the Korean wave bringing in the first and second generation of K-pop idols in the 2010s has revived idol culture in Japan and many new groups have been formed.

Today, J-pop and K-pop reigns globally with fans around the world, with frequent crossovers taking place.

It is common for K-pop groups to promote in Japan, release Japanese singles, or have Japanese members, with recent examples being NewJeans, Twice, and Aespa.

How the ‘idol system’ works in Japan and Korea

An idol’s role is to entertain fans with singing and dancing and maintain a perfect and friendly image, reported Korea JoongAng Daily.

This starts with the trainee days where recruiters often look for young talent, who can be aged 12 to 18 who can sing, dance, or have beautiful features.

After being scouted they are to attend auditions where they will showcase their skills in front of a panel of judges.

Once they are accepted as a trainee, they are to perform in groups for monthly evaluations where weaker members will be eliminated until the company settles on the final group members.

It’s rare for a trainee to debut solo as many trainees will debut as part of a girl or boy group, due to high standards set by the companies, especially K-pop labels.

This creates an environment of stress and constant competition where the trainees must improve themselves with extended practise hours and studying to survive.

Once they debut, the idols are expected to keep a ‘perfect image’ where they are to be at their best behaviour when in public or meeting fans.

Idols used to communicate with their fans through fan mail or emails, but with social media, fans can maintain a parasocial relationship with idols through fan platforms such as Weverse.

While K-pop idols are expected by Korean fans to perform at a high level, J-pop idols are admired for their creative concepts and charming personalities, according to Language Academia.

Idols are usually aged from early teens to over 30s and are strictly not allowed to date, must control their weight, and avoid drinking and smoking in public until they are of legal age.

AKB48 and the graduation system

The graduation system is unique to J-idol groups as it was started with girl-groups like Onyanko Club and carries on today with AKB48.

AKB48 debuted in 2005 with the concept of ‘idols you can meet’, the group is known for having many members, currently at 75.

The large group of girls are split into several teams (known as subunits in K-pop), each with their own concepts, with some bold and confident while others more youthful and ‘idol-like’.

This way, they can perform at their own theatre as well as promote their music at fan events simultaneously.

The group named after Akhibara, Tokyo, has a unique system where members progress from trainees to idols, and eventually ‘graduate’ from the group.

Upon graduating they usually pursue solo careers in music, acting or, in the case of former member Sakura Miyawaki, join K-pop groups.

Fans can also vote for their favourite members or songs through the ‘selection general election’, where the highest voted members are promoted more and used as the ‘centre performer’ in concerts.

AKB48 has sister groups created in Japan and overseas in Jakarta (JKT48), Bangkok (BNK48), the Philippines (MNL48), and now Malaysia (KLP48)

KLP48 is expected to debut today as the latest sister group, consisting of four Japanese members from the current AKB48 lineup and the rest being Malaysian talents.

AKB48 last performed in Pavilion, Bukit Bintang in Kuala Lumpur as part of the Japan Expo Malaysia in 2019.