Over the past few years, some bodyguards of Korean celebrities have managed to garner their own fandom as more fans pay attention to how hard they work to protect their clients. But how much money does a job like this earn them?
Choi Seung Hui, a female bodyguard who has been working in the industry since 1998, recently sat down with Asian Boss to talk about various aspects of being a bodyguard in Korea. As a bodyguard, she has worked with elite clients, including Yuna Kim, one of the most celebrated Korean athletes.
According to Choi, the clientele of private security agencies almost always consists of VVIPs, like uber-popular athletes, singers, actors, or chairpersons of huge businesses. Bodyguards are responsible for their security, whether it is among a crowd full of people or in a one-on-one encounter. Given the intensity of the job, however, Choi revealed a shocking amount of pay that most professionals receive.
The price of a bodyguard service varies based on different factors, but according to Choi, it ranges somewhere between $75 USD to $120 USD. For a longer duration of one-on-one service, or in case of additional duties like driving the client around, even the highest range of pay falls within $100 USD per day.
Choi honestly confessed that considering the long working hours of bodyguards, they don’t get paid well enough. But given the chance, she wants to start her own security agency and solve the issues of low pay in the profession.
You can watch the full interview here:
Professional K-Pop Bodyguards Reveal Why The Relationship Between IU and Her Bodyguard Is So Unique
When it comes to the relationship between a bodyguard and an idol, there is a huge amount of trust and respect that needs to be present. Not only are they around each other all the time, but the bodyguards are necessary to ensure that idols feel safe when they are out and about.
Fans always love seeing the interactions between bodyguards and idols. However, one has particularly always caught the attention of netizens, and that is between IU and her bodyguard, known as Mr. Park.
In a recent video with AYO, K-Pop bodyguards Jeong Seung Min and Yang Tae Il sat down and discussed what it was like being a bodyguard, the best-looking idols, and some of the harder parts of the job.
One viewer asked the bodyguards whether their job can be seen as babysitting, and they were shown a picture of IU being helped off the stage by her bodyguard.
When it came to IU, both of the bodyguards revealed that Mr. Park had been her personal bodyguard for many years and, because of this, their relationship was very different from others.
“He’s been a personal bodyguard and escorted her for a long time. He guards IU as if she’s his sister, so they can be comfortable like that.” — Yang Tae Il
Jeong Seung Min added that this long-term relationship between the two enabled both the bodyguard and IU to feel more comfortable around each other. If it wasn’t for the history between the two, IU might not have felt able to be so reliant on Mr. Park.
“She wouldn’t reach out her arms if she felt uncomfortable. She does it because she feels comfortable, and her bodyguard can hold her like that sometimes.” — Jeong Seung Min
Although the bodyguards explained that this relationship is rare, they emphasized that they will help idols down from the stage because their main goal is to protect them, even if it means treating them like a child.
“I always tell my team, ‘Don’t view them as a celebrity, but as a child.’ A celebrity should be safe, so if there’s a bump, we get rid of it.” — Jeong Seung Min
It isn’t the first time that netizens have noticed the adorable relationship between IU and her bodyguard. As well as always being there to protect her, IU also has some fun with Mr. Park. Fans have loved seeing him help her with flower crowns, and she even made him get up on stage with her to dance.
Netizens even love Mr. Park so much that one fan even went to an IU fansign and just hugged him instead of the idol!
There is no denying that the relationship between IU and her bodyguard is special, with the two being very comfortable around each other. It seems that even professionals see that dynamic as special and love it as much as fans!
You can watch the whole video below.
