You'd probably never heard of K-Pop sensations Blackpink before the King honoured them...but here we reveal how starvation diets, daily weigh-ins and pressure to have plastic surgery have left a dark spectre behind the world's biggest girl band

Behind the unspoilt facade of Korean girl band superstars Blackpink, who last week received an honorary MBE from the King, there are deepening concerns about a 'dark side' to K-Pop. For band members Lisa Manoban, Rosé Park, Jisoo Kim and Jennie Kim, this latest honour represents a mere footnote in a career sprinkled with accolades: numerous top ten albums and No1 hits, global sell-out tours, music awards by the bucketload and collaborations with international superstars including Lady Gaga. But bullying, abuse and exploitation are said to be commonplace in the world of K-Pop, with youngsters subjected to gruelling training regimes and daily weigh-ins, as well as being pressurised into plastic surgery and made to sign contracts that mean their every move is controlled.