(Warning: Strong Languages and Full-blown rants ahead)
At this point, you are probably wondering, “Why the hell is this guy keep writing on K-Pop fans? Does he have anything else to write about?” To be honest, I’m kind of stuck in a rut, with nothing else to write. Besides, with so many trending topics around all social media channels are revolving at either the imminent threat of world war 3 (Yeah, I know, Trump brought this to himself. He deserves to be impeached anyway) or the current state of world music scene, particularly the one from the Korean Peninsula, such as the recent inclusion of BLACKPINK and BTS on the iHeart Radio Music Awards and the recent disbandment of X1, It seems like I have to write this. But instead of a simple explanation, this is just going to be my thoughts and my thoughts only.
I explained to you many times about fans of a certain musical genre that is kind of like two opposite ends of the spectrum. At one end, there are these matured, well behaved and civilized fans, who loves the genre because of the music itself, and at the other end, well, if I want to elaborate it in a nutshell, it's like stepping into a gang fight while only armed with a single camping knife, while everybody else are armed with either baseball bats, machetes and even sledge hammers. One small false move can spell the end of the road. I can totally feel the emotion and dedication of these fan bases, but like I said in previous articles, shoving your own taste to everyone’s throats would only causing more hate towards you and your fan base, effectively dragging everyone, even those who aren’t even remotely responsible with those events. Sure you are doing this on the basis of “defending your idols” but come fucking on! Even those who only point out the smallest of details about the flaw of your supposed “boys and girls” are greeted with nothing more than hostility and toxicity. You actually have the audacity to attack those who just merely said, “I don’t really enjoy K-Pop.” If someone doesn't really enjoy it, then just move the fuck on! You don’t have to be like a swarm of insects just to defend your idols. It’s basically pointless anyway. The world is not revolving around K-Pop, and not everyone is interested in your taste.
I recently noticed a specific pattern about how these K-Pop fans make themselves known on every social media platform. If there is a post about their groups or a news involving one of the members of the group, then it is almost certain K-Pop stans will swarm that thread and make it their own appreciation post. Not so long ago, I encountered a Twitter post by FIA Formula E (my favorite racing series today, beside NASCAR and Formula 1) who post their collaboration with none other than BTS, who coincidentally also campaigning on climate change, as well as welcoming Seoul as one of the cities hosting one of the races. And what did I encounter at the comments section? A swarm of ARMYs being annoying just because of 7 Korean men was chosen to be global partners of an FIA sanctioned racing series that will have a World Championship status on their name starting next season (2020-2021). From fancams to pictures of their biases,they are effectively turning a thread from a highly competitive form of motorsport into a BTS appreciation. No wonder some motorsport fans are not happy about this. It maybe for a good cause, but all these fans are doing is solidify a legacy, but as the most cringe-worthy fandoms ever existed. On other topic, I’d really want to see those guys drive that car around Seoul Olympic Park and see how long they can last, because those Formula E cars can generate G-force on cornering that is so big, it can put a massive stress on the neck, possibly snapping it. And also those cars don’t have certain driving assistances either (Traction Control and Anti-locking Brake Systems). I also need to point out, between Tool outsold Taylor Swift on Billboard charts (with lots of Swifties fanbase being mad because of it) and Queen’s resurgence thanks to Bohemian Rhapsody (the movie, named after THAT 1976 eternal masterpiece), when Chart Data released Billboard’s Top Album Sales of 2019 based on pure sales, ARMY swarmed the post with all they got, without taking a consideration that a legendary English Rock Band whose frontman is already dead and doesn’t release any albums since is above them on pure sales (BTS came at number 3, with Queen at number 1). And Tool might only get the 7thspot, but they just don’t really care.
When it comes to dedication, nobody tops these fans. Yes, these fan girls and fan boys are so dedicated to their respective groups. But sometimes, at one point, they stan these groups to the point of actually became disgusting. I did mention about sasaeng fans before, didn’t I? While not being a sasaengthemselves, some of these fans just simply whack jobs. There is one thing common across all fandoms of the pop culture, and the element I’m referring to is the one called “shipping.” “Shipping” basically means putting two characters (either from the opposing gender or same-sex) together and fantasizing about the two having a romantic relationship, usually presented in a written form (fanfictions) or drawings (fanarts). And the way this works on K-Pop fandoms are no different either. But what makes me horrified about this element is sometimes they put it on bands like BTS and EXO, and write a fanfiction story like some kind of a love story between two guys! (I am personally not against the LGBT Community; I have few friends who are representing the community itself) What makes me even more mortified; they didn’t hesitate to make it a sexual one either, like a full-blown sexual relationship (like, I don’t know, FUCKING EACH OTHER?). Some of these fanfiction writers portrayed themselves (usually written by fan girls) married to one of the members and having sexual and intimate life with their chosen bias(I read one out of curiosity, and let me tell you one thing: my eyes are scarred for life). Let me tell you one thing. Despite all they did is singing and dancing, these guys are MUSICIANS! Not some kind of a play doll that you can exploit with your heart’s content. And don’t get me started on the “No dating rule.” These guys and girls are humans. They have their own rights to fall in love and start a relationship of their own. So if you are blabbering the lines of “he should not date anyone”, then congratulations, you have been fooled.
Many would say that during a band’s tenure in the music scene, the fans are the most important to have. And K-Pop fans are no exceptions either. It's just that sometimes, just for the sake of breaking every record on every chart, these fans would do ANYTHING to ensure that their idols are at the top, even if it means to encourage them to be more productive on their promotions and comebacks. For these fans, their idols are everything. If a band didn’t release an album, a single or even making a single appearance, the fans will be going absolutely berserk. It’s not the case when Progressive Metal giants Tool released Fear Inoculum, their first album in 13 years. Tool fans were absolutely chill, but occasionally post memes about “Tool not releasing a new album for centuries.” They can be in denial too; despite initially it was their wishes in the first place. Back when the vote manipulation scandal rose in the aftermath of Produce X 101, I’ve already sensed that X1 is bound to be disbanded, even some of the fans thought so too. But when the daunting announcement came, every single One Its (Their fan base, but I have no fucking idea how the hell they can come up with that lame name) went crazy, demanding the managements to keep the group and its members. They even took to Twitter to express their distress with various hashtags, basically wanting to tell the management to keep X1 or at least rebooting the group. I know what militant fans are, but (to quote Vegeta of the Japanese animation series Dragon Ball) the level of obsession is over 9000.
Okay. Enough ranting. I personally think that although the music itself is enjoyable (But honestly, I can’t enjoy it as much), it’s always the one who devote themselves as fans that sometimes grinds my gears. To think about having to endure a conversation about music when a K-Pop fan is around kills me slowly. I can only guess that each of us has that one friend who is obsessed with this music, all they wanted to do is to bother everyone else about how amazing these guys are (when you think about it, it’s equally hard to sing and dance at the same time, not much less ripping a guitar solo while growling at the same time), but please. And they are not hesitate to bash, even get pissed if their idols are treated like a big hunk of shit, whether talking trash or flooding someone’s social media account with hate remarks, these Neanderthals will stop at nothing to ensure that their “idols” are pure and untouched (Yeah right, but I believe you are currently fantasizing about being married and having intimate relationship with one of those guys huh? What a bunch of hypocrites). Now I have an urge to just blast Slayer or Dying Fetus to these crazed fans, just to see the reaction. Hell, let’s put Mayhem or Behemoth albums o the loop. If I can get at least horror or scared reaction, that would be enough for me. And I’m saying this one more time, this is written without dismissing a large portion of fans that are more civilized and open-minded. I’m just pointing out some of you that can be really annoying most of the time. I guess no wonder why people hate more on the K-Pop fans lately.
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