music has no boundaries
An International Phenomenom
kpop hits throughout the years
Wonder girls | Nobody (2008)
Super Junior | Sorry Sorry (2009)
girls generation | gee (2010)
shinee | lucifer (2010)
Bigbang | Fantastic Baby (2011)
2NE1 | I Am the Best (2011)
psy | gangnam style (2012)
exo | growl (2013)
bts | blood sweats & tears (2016)
Topics
Table of contents 1 Introduction | What is Kpop 2 How Kpop groups Are formed 3 Big 3 Entertainment Companies 4 Lawsuits & Scandals 5 Idol’s Schedule 6 Personal Lives of Idols 7 Emphasis On Physical Appearance 8 Music & Lyrics | The Language Barrier? 9 Kpop Fan Culture 10 Activity in Asia & Abroad 11 Influence in America 12 Criticisms of Kpop 13 Social Media Content by Fans 14 Final Thoughts | Why Do People Like Kpop?
chapter 1
what is kpop? Kpop stands for Korean pop, a music genre that is taking the world by storm with idol groups and artists touring in nations all around the world, their concerts selling out within minutes. As Kpop expands, so are the rest of the Korean music genres: R&B, hip-hop, rap, etc. So what exactly does Kpop consist of? The
Super Junior
Ailee
interesting thing about Kpop is that it is not only a music genre; it isn’t even solely music. Yes, Kpop is music, but it is also dance choreography videos, variety show content, livestreams, fanmeets, fancafes… It’s a whole other culture (both figuratively and literally) that’s almost like a lifestyle.
bts exo
Girls generation
chapter 2
making a group Kpop groups consist of members referred to as “idols.” Most idols are not considered “artists” because they do not produce their own music or any music at all. Idols are the members of groups who can dance and sing, and usually have an aesthetically pleasing visual (visual usually refers to a pretty or handsome face, a good physique, and/or anything about their physical looks that appeals to the public). However, there are also many idols who are considered “artists” since they do produce their own group’s music, while often also producing music for other idol groups at all. So now the question is, how do you become an idol in
a Kpop group? Aspiring Kpop idols either need to be scouted by an agency or need to audition into an agency. In addition to singing and dancing abilities, age and appearance also plays a big role in being selected. For the most parts, agencies and scouts seek out younger people since idols in training go through several years, sometimes even a decade, of training. During this period before debut (if they even end up debuting), they are referred to as trainees. Once they do debut, they are considered rookie idols or rookies. In South Korea, the culture has a big emphasis on hierarchy. Thus, the rookies have to treat their sunbaes
(seniors), who are the groups who have debuted longer, with respect. Kpop trainees go through years of training. Even after debut, they are practice for hours a day. Many idols go through years of training, and never end up debuting; many often give up on their dreams of becoming idols. There are also many survival shows to become a Kpop idol. though these help people gain popularity, not all winners end up gaining a lot of fame after debut. Nonetheless, there are still groups who come out of shows with a huge following and continue their success after debut.
Kpop idols train for hours a day before and even after debut. They often use a dance practice room where they also film their “dance pratice videos� for their comebacks.
There are many survival shows to become a Kpop idol. Produce 101 is a popular and successful show that created the group I.O.I. They are currently in a second season with male trainees.
Another one of the many surivival shows is Win; however this one was hosted among the company YG Entertainment. The company had their trainees in two teams compete, and only one group would debut. Ultimately, both debuted due to the following both teams gained through the show.
BGA is a parody group that popular youtuber Ryan Higa (Nigahiga) made in response to Kpop’s huge popularity. Their song gained mass popularity and they even made a second song due to the fan demand.
chapter 3
big 3 entertainments There are three major entertainment agencies in South Korea: SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment, and JYP Entertainment. SM Entertainment was founded in 1995 by Lee Soo Man. Though in the Kpop fandoms, SM is typically known as being one of the worst entertainments in terms of treatment of their artists, they are still one of the lead entertainment agencies in South Korea. Along with the other three agencies, SM is known to debuting groups that almost always gain instant fame. Due to that guarantee, the competition to being selected as a trainee is tougher than smaller agencies. Within SM, there has also been many lawsuits from previous years. YG Entertainment is another one of the “Big 3” entertainment industries in South Korea. Founded by Yang Hyun Suk in 1996, YG is known for debuting more Korean hip-hop and rap genre of music. They are also often times said to be the best in regards to releasing “quality music.” While
SM is known for having more attractive artists (though they do have a good balance of musically skilled idols), YG is known for having more musically talented artists. Many of their artists can actually sing, produce their own music, and have been said to have more input in their works. However, YG is also known not to focus too heavily on dance, so when compared to idol groups from agencies such as SM, YG artists aren’t the strongest dancers; however, they do have a few skilled dancers within the agency. However, in the eyes of many fans, YG is going through a bit of a slump in artists as two of their biggest groups have been inactive and even disbanding. More recently, YG has been expanding on its involvement in the field of acting. Since many celebrities break off to work in different fields-- models go into acting, idols go into acting, idols go into modeling, etc.-- YG has just created a new label under their company made to
strengthen their ties in the film and television world. Two of their models turned actors, Nam Joo Hyuk and Lee Sung Kyung, have been gaining mass popular due to their recent drama “Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo.” Due to YG’s success with his actors in the industry, this label was created to further support future actors under his agency. JYP Entertainment is also considered an agency in the “Big 3” due to its historical success and ability to create popular artists. Compared to SM and YG though, JYP is arguably much less successful. Founded by Park Jin Young in 1997, JYP is in charge of famous groups such as Wonder Girls and 2PM, who are both older and less popular now, and newer, popular groups such as GOT7 and TWICE. Though JYP has several successful groups, they also have groups that have not been doing as well such as DAY6. Though DAY6 has a much larger fanbase than groups that debut out of small agen-
cies, compared to the popularity of other JYP groups such as TWICE, DAY6 could almost be said to be a failed group by some. Though I personally think their music is amazing, DAY6 follows the band format for their group, and thus aren’t as flashy as idol groups who dance and all sing. There have been previous band groups that have been relatively successful (which will be mentioned with FNC Entertainment), but throughout the history of Kpop, that style hasn’t ever achieved mass popularity.
There are also several up and coming agencies that are catching up to the “Big 3.” FNC Entertainment has recently been recognized as an expanding industry due to having signed several of the biggest celebrities in South Korea under their agency. Variety celebrities such as Yoo Jae Suk, Jung Hyungdon, and Lee Guk Joo are also under FNC. Their group AOA, who in the past was not as popular but recently amassed a large following in the Kpop industry, also plays a major role in increasing the agencies recognition as a whole. AOA’s member Seolhyun has specifically amassed a massive following in South Korea, being selected by many businesses to do “CF’s” (Commercial Film) for them. FNC also has “bands” such as C.N. Blue and F.T. Island (AOA formerly was a band before becoming an idol group). These bands were more popular in the past, but idol groups that danced were more flashy and is what some say to be one of the reasons why the band style isn’t as popular. Thus, as mentioned before, AOA changed up their style and recently gained a large following.
Strangely, other companies have still taken up the band format of a group; JYP recently debuted a band called DAY6, and they even gave their group Wonder Girls a band style comeback. Sadly but unsurprisingly, both DAY6 and that specific Wonder Girls comeback did not do as well despite having arguably good music video production quality and music. Another agency that is in fact very small, but has achieved great recognition is Big Hit Entertainment. At the moment, they only have one idol group in their agency: Bangtan Boys, who are better known as BTS. BTS is currently one of the hottest groups in South Korea. Through they are a top group now, the position at the top is constantly changing, with some groups staying there longer than others. BTS may be one of those groups who maintain their spot at the top for a longer period of time as they have been fortunate enough to reach their peak at a time when the Kpop fanbase is internationally group, and thus this group has been able to gain more popularity around the world. They have recently made history as being the first
Kpop act to not only be nominated, but also to win an award at the Billboard Music Awards. Due to BTS’ huge success, their agency has also caught the public’s attention. One may think the agency a group is under doesn’t make a big difference, especially when considering artists in America. In America, most people don’t have a clue what agency their favorite artists are under. Personally, I do not know the name of any entertainment agencies at all. However, in South Korea, the agency can determine the instant fame a group may achieve. Groups debuting from YG, SM, and JYP automatically gain a lot of fame and a larger following. Though some groups under these agencies end up being much less popular than their labelmates, compared to groups from small, unknown agencies, these small groups from these large companies still have way more popularity than the others. Even a small agency like Big Hit Entertainment will get to ride with their group BTS’ popularity as the public will have their eyes on the next idol group the agency debuts.
An easier way to understand the importance of agencies in South Korea is to think of political parties in America. YG, SM, and JYP can be compared to the Democratic and Republican parties as their groups will be automatically more recognized like the nominees from the respective parties. FNC would be similar to the Libertarian party, and Big Hit would be the underdog that arguably came out from nowhere. Overall, agency size and recognition plays a big role in Kpop idol group success and popularity. Thus, even though the training is more tiresome, strenuous, and longlasting, if a trainee debuts, it will ultimately be more worth it in the long run. Unfortunately, the status of an agency also does have it’s downsides as the power at times can allow the company to take advantage of its artists, as we’ll read about in the next section covering lawsuits and scandals.
chapter 4
lawsuits & scandals
There have been many lawsuits and scandals between idols and their companies, as well as scandals involving idols and their actions. There is an imfamous lawsuit involving SM Entertainment and their group TVXQ. Three of the members, who now promote as JYJ, filed a lawsuit against SM claiming there was a slave contract. Ultimately, the three members left the company. Similarly, SM has other problems with their popular group
EXO. EXO consisted of 12 members, 4 of whom are Chinese. Three members sued and left the entertainment, claiming various reasons ranging from mistreatment to health concerns. This is one of the most well-known lawsuits since EXO is an extremely popular group. YG Entertainment’s artists have also had their fair share of scandals. 2NE1’s Park Bom was accused of smuggling drugs, and more recently, BigBang’s TOP has been found guilty for smok-
ing marijuana. Other lawsuits between companies and idol groups tend to be due to mistreatment or the big issue of “slave contracts” in the South Korea Entertainment industry. Many of these contracts are decadelong agreements that have been often rumored to take advantage of artists. The Kpop industry is not without drama, as there are constant releases of new lawsuits and scandals involving companies and their artists.
Weekly Idol Variety Show
v Live Streaming Platform
Photoshoots
Dance Practice Videos
Music Show Performances
Concerts Idol Olympics Competition
chapter 5
what Idols
“schedules” do
CF’s (Ads)
Music Shows TV Appearances
Fanmeets Kcon
chapter 5 continued
what Idols Idols have a packed schedule, regardless of whether they are popular or not. Trainees and rookie idols train for hours a day, often time not getting much rest of sleep. There are many videos of trainees and rookies dancing in their dance room for entire days. Popular idols who have full schedules that include music show performances, television feature filmings, and many other forms of content recording have to partake in all of that in addition to rehearsing and preparing for their next comeback, which is the next song or album they will be releasing. Some popular idols even have an individual, solo schedule that has to work with the group’s schedule as well. Sometimes, things overlap which result in missing members on television features and such. These idols who make it big on their own often get chosen to act in a new drama as a minor role; after a few minors roles, these idols end up getting lead roles over even
“schedules” do
experienced actors. There are those who complain claiming these idols acting skills are not up to par, but their popularity causes the production staff to select them nonetheless for the sake of the drama’s popularity. The more popular the idol, the more they have to do due to high demand. Televisions shows want guest appearances, businesses want them to model for their advertisements, and all the while the groups have to prepare and practice for their comebacks; once they have a comeback, then they have weekly music shows to perform on and multiple promotion events. Idols often have to partake in CF (Commercial Film) filmings and promotional photoshoots. there are even fan-made “titles” such CF Queen(s) or King(s) for the Idol(s) with the most CFs in a year, or overall. Fans are also very willing to buy products that the idols sponsor, whether or not they really need or use them. It’s a way to support their idols,
so they are willing to pay. During comebacks, idols also have to hold showcases and fan meets to promote their new album and songs. Something fun and unique that fans enjoy is the annual Idol Olympics. Idols from all entertainments big and small send their groups to compete in olympic-like sports competitions. Some sports covered include archery, track running, high jump, routine gymnastics, and more. Fans also come out to support in designated seating sections. This is also a good chance for idols to interact with their fans. Since Kpop consists of so many differnet types of media, content, and eventing, idols are always kept busy to the point that they often don’t get sleep. Especially if they are promoting abroad, they are constantly flying back and forth between countries, but this is part of the normal idol life.
chapter 6
personal lives|dating Similar to celebrities in the U.S., there are multiple publications that follow the personal lives of celebrities. The fanfavorite stories tend to be about celebrity relationships. Unfortunately, there are also many fans who disapprove of their idols dating; nonetheless, there are still supportive fans. These entertainment publications also write a lot of scandals and lawsuits. Just like paparazzi in other countries, paparazzi in South Korea are no different. Popular publications read by international fans are Allkpop, Koreaboo, and Soompi.
Dispatch is imfamous for revealing celebrity relationships. January 1st is the day Dispatch usually releases all the news of relationships; fans always make jokes about idols being on their toes on New Year’s Day. More and more celebrities are becoming less secretive about their relationships; however, they are still careful due to public backlash.
Unfortunately, dating as a celebrity is not an easy task. Due to the public spotlight constantly on them, it is difficult to maintain a relationships and many end u breaking up.
chapter 7
Physical Appearance There is a huge emphasis on physical appearances in South Korea as a whole; thus, celebrities like idols and actors are especially criticized for their appearance. Gaining enough visible weight receives criticism from the general public; there are many female idols especially who end up having eating disorders since the celebrity dieting methods in South Korea are insane. Celebrities have openly revealed their diets used for before a comeback; popular singer IU lost 4 kg in 4 days by eating one apple, one sweet potato, and one protein drink a day along with an hour of aerobic exercise. Celebrities are criticized for not looking perfect, but also criticized for be-
ing fake when they get plastic surgery in an attempt to look better. Even as a fan, I do not think the importance placed on physical appearance is physically or emotionally healthy for celebrities or the general public. In South Korea, it is proven that looking better will help you get further in life, such as when applying for a job. Thus, many high school graduates ask for cosmetic surgery as their graduation gifts, while in the U.S., the dream gift would be something like a new car. However, it is not just females who are facing these pressures. Males similarly are expected to look pretty. Even the more “manly” celebrities have some type of more feminine
This is a photo of Teen Top’s Chungji wearing makeup. However, almost all male Kpop idols wear makeup, so this is not a surprise for Kpop fans.
quality to them because that is the trend in South Korea. The “flower boy” look is more popular among the general public, and that is where the common criticism that “they look like girls” was formed. Male celebrities, and common people, also wear makeup, both for performance needs and general daily use. Again, due to the emphasis on appearance, even males need establish a routine look. Though this may not be the best quality of the Kpop and Hallyu industry, this is a part of South Korean culture that many do not know about; thus, many foreigners do not understand that looking more feminine is actually a good thing.
The different signature Kpop looks thatpopular idols wear are often made into tutorials since many fans like the look. The popular Korean makeup style is very different from American makeup styles.
This is a pictures of Girl’s Generation’s Seohyun with makeup and bare-faced. Barefaced photos are rare for female idols, so when they are found or released, articles are often written about them.
Idols receive a lot of criticism for their imperfection, and thus some resort to plastic surgery. Despite trying to please the fans, idols still receive criticism for getting plastic surgery, so there really is no way to win.
There were several articles written about the meaning behind “Red Light” because it was so conroversial.
Song Ji Eun’s “Don’t Look at me Like That” was less publicized on more famous Kpop publications since she is not as popular of an artist. Nonetheless, many fans enjoyed the message she was promoting through her song.
chapter 8
music & lyrics One aspect of Kpop music that many fans appreciate is the lyrics. This may come as a surprise since many fans cannot speak Korean. However, fans look up translations and after a while, even start picking up phrases and words. Compared to American music, a lot of Kpop lyrics have very philosophical or meaningful lyrics. Yes, there is also the type of music that focuses on sex, money, and drugs, but for the most part, since South Korea is a still more conservative, the lyrics often focus about more innocent love, youth, and even social issues. Even songs that have no explicit terms, but imply more adult material, are not allowed to be broadcasted. But, good things do come out of this such as the fact that many songs that address important issues are created. Kpop group
BTS releases albums in trilogies, each covering different periods in life. Their first was about school and young love, the next was about youth and growing up, and their most recent comeback was about the temptations of youth; all these albums have songs that relate to their listeners on a personal level. F(x) released a song titled “Red Light” criticizing the Sewol Ferry Incident, which was a tragic incident that ended up becoming a topic of political debate due to suspicious of mishandling and corruption. Nu’est’s debut song “Face” focused on social media and general online bullying. Song Ji Eun released a song “Don’t Look At Me Like That,” which focused on love between people of the same sex, of different races, and in general prejudiced relationships. This was
especially controversial since again, South Korea is still on the more conservative side. However, this highlights the impact of Kpop music and lyrics for the listeners. For many, music is a form of escapism from daily life and stress-relief from societal pressures, and thus, it is especially important for listeners to be able to relate. Though international fans may not understand at first listen, after learning the lyrics and meanings of them, the songs have an impact every time they listen. This is not the only reason, but one of the big reasons why many people enjoy Kpop despite the supposed language barrier. What Kpop fans, and anybody who is a fan of foreign music, realized is that music really does not have boundaries, not even if it is in a different language.
chapter 9
Kpop Fan culture Kpop Fan Culture truly is another huge aspect of Kpop that a page cannot do justice for. The best way to described Kpop fans would be dedicated. There are so many different things that the industry and it’s idols do to create closer bonds between idols and their fans. Each Kpop group has a fandom name (name of their fans), and their own color for their lightsticks to represent their group. For example, BigBang has VIPs, BTS has Army, A Pink has Pink Pandas, and it goes on and on for every group. The fandom color is mostly used for fan merchandise and the color of the light stick, which is used at performances and concerts; most fans have these so that they can create an “ocean” in the group’s color to show support. Many fans also create fan groups where they raise money to support the group by buying advertisements for each member’s birthdays, or for the group’s comebacks, or
by sending extravagant cakes to the idols, and buying expensive gifts. Recently, there was even a Chinese fan of BTS who paid to get a Youtube advertisement for the group. A less expensive but popular thing that fan groups do is the “banner” project where they print hundreds of paper or fabric banners to give out at concerts to show support for the group and even individual members. Idols also have official fancafes where they interact with their fans through. They also have official fanclubs that you can pay to join; members receive perks such as early access to concert tickets, raffles for fanmeet passes, and many other benefits. However, not all fans are support. There are also “sasaeng fans” who are really just stalkers who are obsessed with these idols. Some sasaeng fans can be referred to as even anti-fans as there are those who have even tried kill-
ing the idols, such as in the case of TVXQ Yunho who was given a poisonous drink. These sasaeng fans are those who stalk idols in their hotel rooms, in public, and find their numbers to constantly call them during all hours of the days. Many idols have even publicly asked for these fans to stop, but they rarely do. Despite the sasaeng fans, for the most part, Kpop fans are extremely supportive of their idols as solely fans. Most fans know their limits and never resort to these type of actions. Fans are also extremely supportive of fellow fans. Many Kpop fans meet other Kpop fans for the first time, but can end up becoming great friends afterwards through social media. Fans also start group chats with fellow fans to bond. Kpop Fan Culture is extremely loving and supportive towards not only the idols, but also fellow fans.
chapter 10
Activity in Asia & Abroad
Kpop really has become a global phenomenon. Especially in Asia, it is becoming increasingly popular. Many Kpop groups that cannot gain enough popularity or fame in South Korea, due to too many groups debuting, often go to Japan to promote. Many groups that are not popular in South Korea end up becoming huge in Japan.
There is also a large following in China for Kpop. SM Entertainment is specifically involved in China, having their own label in the country. For the most part, SM artists are not as involved in Japan for this reason, and tend to make more Chinese versions of their songs. On the other hand, YG Entertainment is heavily in-
volved in Japan, often promoting some of their groups more in Japan before those groups even promote in South Korea. Many of the idols end up learning several languages since they have to sing songs in the countries’ respective languages, and also for interviews and press releases in that country.
chapter 11
Influence in America Kpop is also gaining a lot of popularity in America, which is often mentioned since America is one of the leading countries for entertainment. Many would say that Kpop is currently at its peak of popularity, and executives back in South Korea realize this, and have been more recently sending many groups to the U.S. for tours and fan meets. In 2017 alone, Shinee, BTS, Hyorin, Hyuna, Monsta X, B1A4, DEAN, G-Dragon,
Seventeen, GOT7, KARD, EXO, and many more have or will be visiting the U.S. this year. Many of these performances have even sold out in tickets. BTS was able to sell out both nights for their Anaheim Honda Center venue, which even American artists still struggle with. BTS was also nominated for and won a Billboard Music Award for Top Social Artists beating out artists such as Ariana Grande, Shawn Mendes, and even
Justin Bieber who has won this award the last few years. This highlights the huge popularity of Kpop; however, BTS also faced backlash for not necessarily being untalented, but rather for being Asian. Despite the huge popularity in the U.S., there is still criticism since they are “foreign,� which proves to people as a whole that there is still a lot of work to do socially.
chapter 12
criticisms of kpop Kpop fans are criticized for many reasons. They are often called “koreaboos” because many fans are not Korean, but adore the culture. This terms is similar to the term “weebs,” which refers to those who are big fans of Japanese pop culture. This is probably one of the more controversial criticisms that Kpop fans receive since there is some underlying racism since people typically criticize fans for trying to “be Korean,” simply for liking Korean culture. As mentioned earlier, another criticism is that many non-Kpop fans often call the male idols gay or say that they look like girls without realizing that that look and style is
popular in South Korea. These statements also highlights social issue as many of these critics are implying that just because these idols look feminine, they are gay. Kpop is also criticized for copying American music. Though this may be true, it also shouldn’t be a surprise from a business and marketing perspective. The U.S. is renown for it’s entertainment industry, so why wouldn’t other countries create their own versions of music that sells. However, just because some Kpop music gives off similar “vibes” or “feels” as American music doesn’t mean they are outright copying it. Kpop fans like Kpop for more reasons than simply because the mu-
sic sounds American. To some fans, Kpop music doesn’t remind them of American music at all. The biggest problem is that critics make comments before doing their own research to understand what Kpop really is. They make assumptions based off a few popular Kpop songs, such as Gangnam Style. They see “pretty boys” and assume they are gay rather than realizing that it’s a cultural difference. They criticize fans for liking music they can’t understand before asking the fan why. These comments still anger the fans, for but the most part, Kpop fans are so used to many of these comments now that they don’t even phase them anymore.
chapter 13
Social Media Content By Fans Kpop Fans are very involved online on various social media platforms, creating their own memes and digital content. Many fans have fan accounts where they solely post about Kpop, specific groups, or even specific idols they like. Fans make their own photo edits, and even their own fanmade music videos. Tumblr is one of the most popular platforms for fans to post their content. However, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are also super popular since many idols have accounts on the latter two platforms. Many of these fan-made memes and such end up becoming popular inside jokes within the fandom. Kpop fans as a whole have a lot of inside jokes that most fans would know. the fan involvement is so supportive that Kpop groups are even winning social media related awards in foreign countries, including the U.S., which we will talk about later on. Kpop fans spend a lot of time creating the content to support their idols.
chapter 14
Final Thoughts
Why Do People Like Kpop? There isn’t one specific reason why people like Kpop. There may not be any explainable reason at all; the answer “I just do” wouldn’t be a surprising answer if you asked a fan why they love this genre of music. However, there are some aspects that may stand out. In general, Kpop is something different. People who are tired of the popular genres from their country may seek out something new at some point of their lives. Kpop is something that appeals because it is so different and involves so many more things than just music. It’s something you truly have to dedicate yourself to to truly understand the culture. There’s always something new with Kpop-- new content from different groups, TV appearances, variety content, etc. It’s something refreshing if people are looking for a change from their usual playlist. Kpop fans are extremely inclusive. If people comment on a Kpop music
video on Youtube asking questions, so many fans would take the time to answer thoroughly. As long as you don’t outright criticize on a video, one would get positive responses from fans, because Kpop fans are always trying to get new people into their fandom. Since Kpop was once unpopular and unknown in the past, Kpop fans are accustomed to teaching new viewers about what they’re watching. There are so many more reasons why people enjoy Kpop, and it’s different for every fan. However, I want to end off this project with a few of the reasons why I like Kpop because sometimes the reasons are more personal and as I mentioned before, unexplainable. In terms of music genre, the “I just do” answer would fit perfectly. I don’t know what it is about Kpop that appeals to me more than other genres, but it really never gets old for me. As for the what Kpop has done for me, the impact is huge. Kpop was what I listened to at 3 A.M.
when things were tough, school was stressful, and when my overall life was a mess. Kpop honestly kept me sane and kept my going. Many of the idols give up everything, sometimes even their family, to pursue their dreams as an idol. Many of the idols were the top of their class in school, with grades that could probably get them into top colleges, yet gave up all that to pursue a career with no guarantees of success and a tiresome schedule. When I listen to Kpop songs, especially by groups with members who have shared their story and personal hardships with the public, I feel as though I can relate to them. Yes, Kpop groups aren’t always formed because of talent and many times they are “built” through training, but it just goes to show that it’s not always luck and natural talent that gets you places, and that hard work can lead to success as well. The fellow Kpop fans I have met have also had a big impact-- many of the
people I met because of Kpop ended up becoming close friends in life. Despite our relationships stemming from simply a similar interest, these friends I made ended up being people who supported me through tough times. Maybe to some fans, Kpop is just music, but to fans like me, Kpop is more than music. It’s the idols you love, it’s the fans you meet, the concert atmosphere comparable to no other. It’s the variety content they broadcast, the covers they make, the memes shared by fans. Kpop is the world you can escape to when you feel suffocated with no way to breathe and no other way out. To me, Kpop is… life. It’s what makes me laugh, what makes me cry, what makes me shout, and what makes me absolutely speechless. Maybe one day, I’ll move on from my Kpop days, but even then, Kpop will always remain a pivotal part of my life.