What is a method to stay alive in this idol-saturated industry? To make yourself look different by putting in extreme effort to sing or dance well? Or maybe use a marketing technique to put forward your eye-catching good looks? It's true these methods have an effect to an extent. It's a good method, especially for male idol groups, whose good looks capture many female fans.
But methods like these are now considered old, and many rookies can lose everything with just one mistake. Out of many methods, it seems that the best method nowadays is to appear on variety shows and differentiate yourself from others. The popularity gained from good looks doesn't last long, but the popularity earned from starring on variety shows keeps on going and leads to even more popularity down the road. For that reason, it can be said to provide continuous popularity. This can be proven by just taking a glance at Big Bang's DaeSung and 2AM's JoKwon.
Who is the next male idol who looks the most likely to gain the kind of explosive popularity that Big Bang's DaeSung and 2AM's JoKwon received? Right now, the most likely candidate looks to be BEAST's KiKwang, who is currently starring in MBC's 'Hot Brothers'. Although he didn't deliver huge laughter in 'High Kick Through the Roof', he did give small laughs and received a lot of love from many people for his role of Kang SaeHo. KiKwang stands to be the male idol who has a lot of potential to become the next DaeSung and JoKwon. The possibility of this happening is also rising thanks to the increasing popularity of 'Hot Brothers', which will raise interest for Lee Kikwang along with it.
DaeSung and JoKwon are recognized as the best variety-dols right now, but at first they were in a similar position as Lee KiKwang. Big Bang's DaeSung, though in one of the most popular male idol groups in Korea, did not have the level of popularity he should have been receiving, and 2AM's JoKwon was an unknown idol group member whose name was only recognized by a few manias before he began making people laugh on variety programs and gaining the nickname 'Kkap Kwon'. DaeSung, too, showed a great deal through Yoo JaeSuk's program 'Family Outing' and rose from being the least recognizable member in Big Bang to one that even older people knew. JoKwon used the nickname fans gave him, 'Kkap Kwon', to go on to dominate variety programming. The result was that he has now become a representative of a modern Korean idol.
There is no one saying that Lee KiKwang cannot become like Big Bang's DaeSung and 2AM's JoKwon. Although he had a late start, the potential definitely exists. 'Hot Brothers', in which Lee KiKwang is participating, is in the midst of gaining great popularity, and MBC, which is the network 'Hot Brothers' is under, seems to be willing to support the program and keep it alive in order to put it into competition with KBS's Happy Sunday, which features '1 Night, 2 Days'. All these factors increase Lee KiKwang's chance of becoming the new representative variety-dol. Big Bang's DaeSung had the guaranteed ticket that was Yoo JaeSuk.
Another point is that Lee KiKwang has been seeing success by showing off his own charm in 'Hot Brothers'. Unlike many other idols, Lee KiKwang does not act in the obvious ways and is infamous for not attempting to hide his annoyance. To the masses who are sick of idols who act the way they are expected to, this image of Lee KiKwang can become a breath of fresh air. Big Bang's DaeSung got his popularity for his bright talking skills that made up for his looks, and 2AM's JoKwon used his body and frivolity to show his own color and catch viewers' minds.
Of course, some people may think that some parts of 'Hot Brothers' may bring him down rather than up. The most noticeable is his short time on-air. Although it is true that he has been showing his abilities through 'Hot Brothers', it is also true that for now, the majority of air time goes to Park MyungSoo, Tak JaeHoon, and Kim GooRa.
But taken into another perspective, this small airtime may be helping him. The short airtime may block him from recent criticisms of idols consuming too much time to display their image. Also, the fact that he is at a place with celebrities who represent good talking abilities in Korea should also be taken into consideration. Instead of trying to compete with them and receiving the reaction that he is being annoying, it may be better to just appear in the avatar corner where he controls Kim GooRa and bring people laughter in that way.
The situation right now is Lee KiKwang's golden opportunity. He should not kick away this opportunity that has rolled towards him only to regret it later, and work hard to become the new variety-dol.
CREDITS: MEDIAUS (SOURCE); ilovepocky@B2ST RISING (TRANS)