Sunday 20 November 2016

K-Pop fandom as one unity


I've been thinking of writing about this topic for a while now and now hopefully after writing this post I hope a lot of you can relate or learn something as K-pop fans. Whether you just got in K-pop or you've been a fan of it for a while, you probably have faced (or heard about) this issue , that is a fan war.

Here's what I first think of when it comes to fan wars. I hate it. It's like the online version of World War II. People would just storming down the comment section with hatred on K-pop groups aside from their favourite ones. I especially feel hurt or annoyed when I see non SuJu fans saying that Super Junior doesn't deserve to be in the nomination list on an award event or in even win in an award event. It's like they think that the K-pop group/ artist they love is the best in the world and the others have to run away or bow down before them. Yes, there are competitions but you don't have malign on the other artists who have worked as hard as your group.

In fact,  I see fan wars as a form of cyber-bullying.

I see some negative posts from fans of a certain K-pop group who criticize (more like insult) on other K-pop groups. How did this happen? Why can't they just respect one another? Just because the K-pop group have achieved something doesn't mean they're the one who should be blamed for. You can't even blame the fans because they've worked so hard voting as many times as they can to support their favourite Korean stars.
I was indeed in shock when I saw this screenshot.


There's even "black ocean" that has happened to Girls' Generation, Lovelyz, and Seventeen.
Girls' Generation talks about their infamous 'ten minute black ocean' incident
Seventeen were the victims of the notorious 'black ocean'during their 'MAMA' performance?
Lovelyz fall victim to the 'black ocean' during their performance at the Pepsi concert?

0.0 What on earth happened to these groups??? It's like a blackout! Don't you love them in the first place? Don't you want to light up your sticks till the end of the the concert? What? What the heck? D:

I mean every star in the K-pop industry has given everything they got to create new, unique and entertaining content for us to enjoy. And this is what you're giving in return? Is this what you want? Is this what they want? Both K-pop groups and fans don't deserve to be treated like this! Every one deserves a chance to win something! To get credit! To make history! Why would you create an anti fan group to destroy other talented artists? That's just immature and disrespectful! K-pop stars, young and old, have looked up to one another as role models and mentors. They like to see one another climbing to the peak and carve their names in the sky so that people can know them and cheer for them.

What's even worse is that negative criticism can hurt the celebrity himself/herself and eventually his/ her spirits will be torn apart. Bullying other fans can also turn physical. Like what happened with this poor Super Junior fan (ELF) shared online.

"I was scrolling through my twitter and someone re-shared a post about a group of EXO-l at a school who has been physically abusing ELF who said that SuJu is still standing strong in the Kpop world and that they made Kpop that big.
I am so tired of hearing & reading about ELF getting tortured" (Facebook, 2016). 

Seriously?? She's voicing out on what she believes in! She's standing her ground! Why would you beat her up? The K-pop group have good qualities and you're proud of them. Why don't you be happy for others too?

And hey! It's a 100% fact! Without Super Junior, K-pop won't even exist today!

K-POP FANS. WE HAVE TO STOP THESE KIND OF BEHAVIOUR. EVEN IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, THE KOREAN STARS WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH THICK AND THIN WON'T BE HAPPY IF YOU TREAT OTHERS LIKE GARBAGE. 


Instead of finding out that we've lost a competition, we should be happy for the winner. We should show good sportsmanship. Like the video above when Super Junior carried Huh Gak, the soloist, and bounced him up and down happily. This is what we are missing nowadays.

I've come across a recent article on Kim Heechul and this quote touches me.

“I don’t pay attention to the number of people who like or hate me, and I will continue to show my candid nature like I have up until now,” Kim Heechul firmly stated. “I believe this is the basis of how I can bring joy to everyone" (Kang, 2016). 

Kim Heechul Talks About How He Approaches Fame + Increasing Number of Fans and Haters

Damn! That's some wise advice there! He loves doing his job and he knows he has fans who love the things he do.
Yeah! That's right! You go, Cinderella! Just be you! :D

I figure that those who start a fan war are those who are afraid of letting their favourite K-pop artists down. I mean, we all do, right? We all want the best for the Korean singers we choose to love and cheer for. But, what I mean is that those who plan a fan war are hating on other K-pop stars to the extreme. They would fight for which K-pop star(s) is the best and attack each other with spears of malice. What's next? Presenting a Korean sensation's comeback with a blanket of darkness?What happen to the colour of pride and harmony? If fan wars affect someone, what happens to the unity of K-pop stans who share their interest, passion, enthusiasm, and curiosity in Korean culture?

Instead of being cynical, we should at least say congrats to the winner. And don't be sarcastic when saying it! That celebrity has been on a rocky journey, undergoing a transformation from a clump of gas into a shining star. And if the artist you're rooting for didn't win, there's loads of opportunities ahead with the trophy waiting for him or her to have. You don't have to bad mouth about the winner.

In fact, not all people in this world choose K-pop as their kind of music. You should be blessed that you got introduced to K-pop. Whether you got to know about this music genre from friends or YouTube, you should be happy that you're welcomed to the K-pop fandom.

So, let's stop the hate. And spread love. 
Yes. Love. 

And I do not mean by cupid-shot, intimate love. I'm talking about a simple, positive gesture or attitude that puts a smile on a person's face and ease at heart.
In fact, here's a crazy idea.
Try saying "I love you" or "Saranghae" or any other languages translated from these three English words to a fan from another fan club. You may have said "I love you" before to your friends or fellow fan-mates or even to your favourite K-pop group or even your bias, but I don't think not many of you got to say "I love you" to fans of a different K-pop group or solo artist. The reason why you can do this is because those people commit their time and energy to love a person who was once a nobody. Thanks to a large group of people called fans, that person is recognized and respected in the K-pop world. That person represents Korea as hope for the future of music.
If "I love you" is a little too mushy for you, then "thank you" would be a better phrase to say to a different fan. K-pop fans should be thanked for being with the artists all this time, just like how they've thanked us fans for believing that they can achieved something.



Yeap! You say it, Shindong!


Toes curling! But hey, it does feel good!

We're humans. We're different. We have our own opinions and preferences. We choose that talent to be a part of our lives. We shouldn't be brainwashed by jealousy or anger or any other negative emotions. Because K-pop fandom is pretty intense, it is guarded by a Libra that will either balance or collapse. Let's not battle. In turn, let's celebrate. Celebrate for more things our K-pop kings and queens, princes and princesses, to come.



Cheers!

***

Works Cited

 J. (2014, March 17). Girls' Generation talk about their infamous 'ten minute Black Ocean' incident.           Retrieved November 20, 2014, from http://www.allkpop.com/article/2014/03/girls-generation-             talk-about-their-infamous-ten-minute-black-ocean-incident 
 J. (2015, December 6). Lovelyz fall victim to the 'black ocean' during their performance at the Pepsi         Concert? Retrieved November 20, 2016, from http://www.allkpop.com/article/2015/12/lovelyz-           fall-victim-to-the-black-ocean-during-their-performance-at-the-pepsi-concert 
 Kang, E. (2016, November 17). Kim Heechul Talks About How He Approaches Fame Increasing             Number of Fans and Haters. Retrieved November 19, 2016, from                                          
      http://www.soompi.com/2016/11/17/kim-heechul-talks-approaches-fame-increasing-number-fans-       haters/ 
 S. (2015, December 4). Seventeen were the victims of the notorious 'black ocean' during their                   'MAMA' performance? Retrieved November 20, 2016, from                                                                   http://www.allkpop.com/article/2015/12/seventeen-were-the-victims-of-the-notorious-black-               ocean-during-their-mama-performance 
[110930] Huh Gak WIN Super Junior Celebration Kyuhyun Sing Hello(Huh Gak Song) @Music              Bank [Video file]. (2011, September 30). In YouTube. Retrieved November 20, 2016, from                  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd1ejlbGrj0