Wonder if it's coincidence that, on my YouTube feed, a suggestion came up of a video clip supposedly featuring "the dark side of Japanese Pop Idol Culture".
I'm holding off from checking it out, as I just might see something which cannot (easily) be unseen.
And for all we know, something like this story might be featured in that clip ... only "the names have been changed to protect the innocent". 🤨
It really shouldn't be called the "dark side" of being an idol but instead called the cost of being an idol. If a young woman is going to gain fame and fortune off her purity, then it makes sense that there are rules she must either be pure or make a good appearance of purity. The further cost to fame is that you will be known and loved by people you would not want to deal with. Idols choose that life, and the real tragedy is when learn too late that they didn't really want to be an idol or couldn't handle becoming an idol.