Debt-ridden girls launch insolvent Japanese idol group The Margarines

While some idol groups make a lot of money, the idols themselves are not getting rich per se. The management companies keep them on salaries representing their worth and this is a policy reflected across the Japanese entertainment industry.

That said, this is the first time we’ve heard of a Japanese idol group deliberately launched in poverty.

Japanese idol culture has been accused of moral bankruptcy in the past but The Margarines have a combined debt of ¥127.7 million (over $1 million). Aged from 19 to 30, these ladies are floundering in financial woes due to student debts, a failed family business, moving costs, and other problems that have left them in the red. The idea is that if you’ve got nothing left to lose, you can dream big.

In another novelty, the nine-member group even has a non-Japanese member, Marie Christine Krause, who is 22 and from Germany (and similarly in debt).

The concept for the group was announced in July and now the actual insolvent members have been finalized. “Goodbye Shakkin Tengoku” (Goodbye Debt Heaven), the band’s first single, will come out in December but will it be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Don’t worry, these girls are allowed to date. The only problem is whether they can afford to! You may end up paying for everything.

Still, we can think of one way that these nine girls could raise money quickly… by offering fans much more than just music releases.