South Korean pop music is a global commercial force with a factory-style star system, and the K-pop industry's big record labels have come under increasing scrutiny for their insanely exploitative business practices. K-pop labels find talented kids, put them through intense rehearsals, arrange them into groups, and work them hard without giving them much money or artistic freedom. Some have died by suicide. The story of the K-pop girl group NewJeans is some of the most downright evil shit I have encountered in all my years covering this stuff. Now that a New York Times piece has revealed some of the terms of the group's contract, that story has become even more nightmarish.

When NewJeans debuted in 2022, they were the most exciting thing to happen to K-pop in a long time. The group arrived with a fully formed aesthetic, a take on the fizzily twee but futuristic dance-pop sound of artists like PinkPantheress. Singles like "Super Shy" and "OMG" were major international hits. Great songs, too.…