A Day in the Life of a K-pop Idol

K-pop has for sure captivated audiences worldwide with its catchy tunes, mesmerizing choreography, and charismatic idols. But the strive to stardom doesn’t stop after their trainee days, it goes beyond that. 

Ever wonder what goes on a KPOP idol’s day? Well, same. But what happens when the cameras are not rolling on stage? What does a typical day look like for these global superstars? We have gathered bits and pieces of an idol’s regular days. 

Once an idol debuts, the intensity doesn’t let up – it often increases. During active promotion periods, a K-pop idol’s day might start as early as 2-3 AM and include:

• 6-12 hours of practice for upcoming performances
• Multiple TV show appearances
• Radio interviews
• Fan meet-and-greets
• Music video filming
• Photoshoots for magazines or advertisements

But let’s break down further some of your faves’ day to day activities.

Table of Contents

• Morning Routine
  • Skincare
  • Breakfast and Nutrition
  • Exercise / Workout
• Afternoon Routine
  • Dance Practice
  • Vocal Training
  • Recording Sessions
  • Media Appearances
• Evening Activities
  • Additional Practice
  • Personal Activities and Hobbies
  • Fan Engagement
  • Late Night Activities
  • Rest and Sleep

Morning Routine

For many K-pop idols, the day begins before sunrise. During comeback seasons or promotional periods, wake-up calls as early as 4:00 AM are not uncommon.

BTS’s Jungkook has mentioned waking up at 4:30 AM during busy promotional periods to prepare for music shows.

BLACKPINK’s Lisa shared in a documentary that she often starts her day at 5:00 AM when filming music videos or preparing for performances.

Stray Kids’ Bang Chan is known for his early rising habits, often waking up around 5:00 AM to hit the gym before his group’s activities begin.

As we can see that the early morning hours are crucial for hair and makeup preparation, especially on music show days where idols need to be camera-ready by 6:00 or 7:00 AM.

Skincare

K-pop idols are famous for their immaculate skin and appearance, which requires dedicated skincare routines but some of them are not as complicated as we thought they would be (or maybe most of their routines remain a secret)

TWICE’s Nayeon revealed her 10-step morning skincare routine includes double cleansing, toner, essence, serum, eye cream, moisturizer, and sunscreen.

BTS’s Jin, nicknamed “Worldwide Handsome,” maintains his complexion with sheet masks and intensive hydration products, often applying them even in the early morning hours.

aespa’s Karina shared that she uses vitamin C serum in the morning to brighten her skin and combat the effects of heavy stage makeup.

For male idols, makeup typically takes 30-60 minutes, while female idols’ makeup can take 1-2 hours for a full stage look.

Breakfast and Nutrition

Maintaining energy levels is essential for K-pop idols’ demanding schedules, making breakfast a crucial meal.

Red Velvet’s Seulgi has shared that she starts her day with oatmeal, fruits, and a protein shake to maintain her energy during dance practices.

TXT’s Soobin mentioned enjoying a hearty breakfast of rice, soup, and side dishes prepared by their group’s nutritionist.

Many entertainment companies employ nutritionists who create meal plans tailored to each idol’s specific needs, considering their body type, activity level, and upcoming performances.

Exercise / Workout

Physical fitness is paramount for K-pop idols who need stamina for performances and to maintain their appearance.

ATEEZ’s Jongho regularly starts his day with strength training, contributing to his impressive ability to lift members during performances.

NewJeans’ Hanni incorporates morning yoga into her routine, sharing that it helps her mental focus as well as physical fitness.

Afternoon Routine

Afternoons are typically filled with a variety of activities depending on the idol’s schedule.

Dance Practice (2-5 hours)

LE SSERAFIM members practice choreography for up to 4-5 hours daily, with Chaewon mentioning they sometimes review dance footage frame by frame to ensure synchronization

ITZY’s Yeji leads her group’s dance practices, often starting with a 30-minute warm-up before diving into intensive choreography training.

Vocal Training (1-3 hours)

BTOB’s Eunkwang maintains his vocal abilities with daily exercises and practices for at least 2 hours, even after years in the industry. MAMAMOO’s Solar has shared her vocal warm-up routine, which includes 30 minutes of exercises before any singing practice or recording. And aespa’s Winter spends around 90 minutes daily on vocal exercises to maintain her distinctive tone and range.

Recording Serssions

G-DRAGON is known for spending up to 12 hours in the studio during album preparation, perfecting every detail of his recordings.

IU typically schedules 3-4 hour recording blocks, mentioning that she prefers afternoon sessions when her voice is at its best.

Stray Kids’ 3RACHA (Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han) often spend afternoons in their company’s studio, producing and recording new music.

Media Appearances

BLACKPINK members may film multiple interview segments in an afternoon, with Jennie sharing that they sometimes change outfits up to 5 times in a single day for different media appearances.

BTS has filmed up to three variety show appearances in a single day during intense promotional periods.

NMIXX members balance radio appearances, photoshoots, and video content filming in their packed schedules.

Evening Activities 

Evenings are often dedicated to additional practice, personal activities, or continued schedules.

Additional Practice

Stray Kids’ Hyunjin is famously known for practicing dance until late hours, sometimes staying in the practice room until midnight to perfect new choreography.

TWICE’s Momo has mentioned practicing difficult dance sequences for 2-3 additional hours after group practice ends.

TXT members often stay back to perfect synchronization, with Yeonjun frequently being the last to leave the practice room.

Personal Activities and Hobbies

When time allows, of course, idols pursue personal interests:

BTS V and SVT’s Wonwoo are both doing photography on their spare time.

While you can see Jungkook and Hoshi hanging out with their dogs as much as possible (oh how we luv to see it).

Fan Engagement

Some of your faves are silent lovers but some can’t even go a day without checking up on their fans. Some socially active members drop random updates on Weverse posts and some…… randomly opens weverse live and just hangout with fans.

Night Routine 

The maximum info we’ve gathered for idols’ routine is the fact that they all share the same habit of doing their skin care (which is not a surprise especially with the glass skin trend they’ve started). Some idols has a complex set of skin care essentials such as oil cleanser, foam cleanser, exfoliation, toner, essence, serum, ampoule, sheet mask, eye cream, moisturizer, sleeping mask, and lip treatment. While others don’t want to go through all that process and just finish their nights off with a sheet mask after cleansing.

Late Night Activities (11:00 PM – 3:00 AM)

For many idols, work continues late into the night or safe to say that these are their way to fall asleep:

G-DRAGON is known for his late-night creative sessions, sometimes working until 3 or 4 AM on music production.

BTS’s RM often writes lyrics late at night, mentioning that he finds inspiration during quiet hours.

SEVENTEEN’s Woozi has converted a portion of his living space into a small studio where he works on music production until the early morning hours.

Rest and Sleep (Typically 4-6 hours)

Sleep is often the most sacrificed aspect of an idol’s daily routine but as times go by, their body get used to it (or not).

SHINee’s Key has mentioned getting as little as 2-3 hours of sleep during comeback periods. SHINee’s Back Documentary 

MAMAMOO’s Hwasa tries to maintain at least 5 hours of sleep to preserve her vocal condition. I Live Alone Episode 

BTS members have shared that they often operate on 4-5 hours of sleep during tour periods, catching additional rest on flights or in vehicles between schedules. BTS: Burn The Stage 

***

The daily life of a K-pop idol reveals the extraordinary dedication and sacrifice behind the polished performances we see on stage. From pre-dawn wake-ups to midnight practice sessions, these artists commit themselves fully to their craft, often at the expense of personal time and adequate rest.

While schedules vary based on seniority, company policies, and current activities, one thing remains consistent: the unwavering work ethic that defines K-pop culture. The next time you enjoy a perfectly choreographed performance or marvel at an idol’s flawless appearance, remember the intensive daily routine that makes such excellence possible.

Behind every three-minute performance lies countless hours of practice, preparation, and perseverance—a testament to the passion and dedication of K-pop idols around the world.