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K-pop fans and raising awareness for worldwide issues

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K-pop fans and raising awareness for worldwide issues

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The Kpop Fan community does not back down when it comes to taking responsibility and striving towards the welfare of their nation. The fellow fandoms have joined hands and come together to do as much as they can to fight the battle against COVID-19.

#1 SHINee World India - Kim Jonghyung's Birthday Project

@shineeworld_india has launched a donation drive in dedication of the willful soul Kim Jonghyung and his love for humanity. It is a known fact that every fandom goes out of their way to celebrate their Idol's birthday by doing a special project. Taking the current situation into consideration Indian Shawols decided to distribute hand sanitizers, tissues, masks and sanitary napkins to chosen orphanages or old age homes in India.

#2 Bangtan_India And Regional Associates - #IndianBTSARMYCoronaFunds

The BTS ARMY has never been the one to shy away from showing their immense support and dedication for their boys. Keeping the current situation in mind, @mumbai_bts , @bangtan_india (Instagram) and multiple regional associates came together and lead to the start of #IndianBTSARMYCoronaFunds donation drive.

The Project post's gained attention by a fellow ARMY who's a doctor at Nair Hospital, and she reached out for help. F or which they showed their support by spreading awareness about the hospitals donation drive, in order to help them tackle the situation of shortages of masks and other personal protective equipment in their hospital.

#3 Team Exo India - 8th Anniversary Project

Exo's Indian fans also stepped up to do their best in reaching out and assisting those who are in need. They collected funds to combat COVID - 19, which will be contributed to the Prime Ministers Care Fund under EXO's name.

#4 Kpop Merch Stores - #YOU_NEVER_WALK_ALONE

19 Kpop Merch stores from India have come together and took up a donation project namely #YOU_NEVER_WALK_ALONE. There is no minimum amount for donation, the drive is open until, 21st April, 2020. The donation will be done in the name of Indian K-pop Fans and to "PM CARES Fund". Also, as a token of appreciation the stores will each give away merch from their stores!

Most idols have at least one cause they publicly support, and that support can result in their entire fandom following through with donations and fundraising projects.

The giving power of Kpop fandoms is a factor that will always set them apart. Apart from the following donation drives in India, we have all witnessed Kpop stars and fandoms coming together at such a time of distress.

Kang Daniel, BTS' Suga, Astro's Cha Eun-woo, IU, Apink's Son Na-eun, Girls' Generation's Yoona, Zico and more have donated generously by offering masks and monetary assistance to Korean charities and NGOs.

After Suga's donation, about 11,000 BTS fans followed suit and donated half a million won. Kang Daniel's fans also donated 5.12 million won for the corona-virus relief.

We shall all do our best to eradicate this pandemic by taking the right preventive measures, by contributing as much as we can and help each other through these tough times. Together we will win this battle! Fighting!

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K-Pop Fandoms In India Fight The Battle Against COVID-19 - KHIGH

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The Kpop Fan community does not back down when it comes to taking responsibility and striving towards the welfare of their nation. The fellow fandoms have joined hands and come together to do as much as they can to fight the battle against COVID-19.

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LONDON, 6 October 2021 - UNICEF, record label BIGHIT MUSIC, and the 21st century pop icons BTS are marking the groundbreaking success of the LOVE MYSELF campaign this week, with the campaign reaching almost every country in the world with positive messages of self-love and self-care.

Since 2017, LOVE MYSELF has generated almost five million tweets and more than 50 million engagements, such as likes, retweets, replies and comments, according to a new analysis* in UNICEF's flagship report, The State of the World's Children 2021, launched yesterday.

"We started LOVE MYSELF as a way to reach young people and help improve their lives and rights," said BTS. "During the process, we also strove to "LOVE MYSELF" ourselves, and we as a team and as individuals grew as well. We hope that many people felt how the love received from others can become the power that allows them to love themselves."

The South Korean band - which boasts 39 million Twitter followers - and its record label, BIGHIT MUSIC, joined forces with UNICEF in autumn 2017 with a collective goal to help end violence, abuse and bullying, and to promote self-esteem and well-being among children and young people globally.

In that time, BTS raised US$3.6 million for UNICEF's work to end violence; addressed heads of state and world leaders at the annual United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York, and released an exclusive music video to support UNICEF's campaign to encourage love and kindness. Dedicated booths at their concert venues worldwide have also provided information on how individuals can protect themselves and each other from violence and bullying.

More recently, BTS' personal reflections have helped children and young people who have felt isolated, disconnected and frustrated, as their routines, education, and recreation continue to be disrupted by COVID-19.

"When it comes to promoting self-esteem and improving mental well-being, one of the most important things you can do is just to start the conversation. The groundbreaking way in which BTS has helped spark a positive message with its ARMY is simply unmatched and incredibly invaluable," said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. "We are thankful for all the work the band has done to lead this important initiative, and for all of their support for UNICEF in the last four years."

Earlier this year, BTS and BIGHIT MUSIC renewed their commitment to the LOVE MYSELF campaign, pledging over US$1million to UNICEF, as well as proceeds from the sale of LOVE MYSELF merchandise, and a portion of the LOVE YOURSELF album sales.

"We hope that the LOVE MYSELF message can continue to serve to invigorate everyone's lives," BTS added. "We will be honored if all seven of us can continue this campaign to return the amazing love that we have received, and give people the strength to come closer to LOVE MYSELF. We hope to keep doing what we are doing and voice what we are voicing, so we can help people find happiness and love."

###
Notes to Editors
*Social media analysis in the report was conducted by Twitter (5 million tweets); source: Internal Twitter Data. 2017-2021. Data retrieved Sept/2021. GLOBAL; and Talkwalker (50 million engagements).

The State of the World's Children is UNICEF's flagship report and the most comprehensive analysis of global trends affecting children. The State of the World's Children 2021; On My Mind: promoting, protecting and caring for children's mental health examines the mental health of children, adolescents and caregivers in the 21st century.

For more information, please contact:
Charlotte Tromans -[email protected]
About UNICEF UK
UNICEF works in some of the world's toughest places, to reach the world's most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone.

The UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) raises funds for UNICEF's emergency and development work for children. We also promote and protect children's rights in the UK and internationally. We are a UK charity, entirely funded by supporters.

United Kingdom Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK), Registered Charity No. 1072612 (England & Wales), SC043677 (Scotland).

For more information visit unicef.org.uk. Follow UNICEF UK on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.

About BTS
BTS, an acronym of Bangtan Sonyeondan or "Beyond the Scene," is a South Korean boyband that has been capturing the hearts of millions of fans globally since their debut in June 2013. The members of BTS are RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook. Gaining recognition for their authentic and self-produced music, top-notch performances, and the way they interact with their fans, the band has established themselves as global superstars breaking countless world records. While imparting a positive influence through activities such as the LOVE MYSELF campaign and the UN 'Speak Yourself' speech, BTS has mobilized millions of fans across the world (named ARMY), topped prominent music charts, performed multiple sold-out stadium shows across the world and has been named TIME's Entertainer of the Year in 2020. They have been nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for the 63rd Grammy Awards and recognized with numerous prestigious awards like the Billboard Music Awards, American Music Awards and MTV Video Music Awards.

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UNICEF and BTS celebrate success of 'groundbreaking' LOVE MYSELF campaign - Unicef UK

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6 October 2021 - UNICEF, record label BIGHIT MUSIC, and the 21st century pop icons BTS are marking the groundbreaking success of the LOVE MYSELF campaign this week, with the campaign reaching almost every country in the world with positive messages of self-love and self-care.

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How far does the influence of K-pop fans span?

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How far does the influence of K-pop fans span?

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K-pop fans often use their large social media presence to make people more aware of political and social issues around the world

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Amid ongoing protests in America against racism and police brutality, a global legion of K-pop fans has emerged as an important ally for the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement.

Fans of South Korea's popular music industry have raised funds for BLM and mobilised to overload social media hashtags used by its opponents, earning appreciation from protesters for their political activism.

Some may have been surprised by their impact, but K-pop observers note fans have long organised support for social and political causes as well as their favourite artists.

This support has, however, also raised questions about systemic racism in the industry and fandom, leading to calls for K-pop to address its own complicated relationship with race.

Fancams to the rescue

Following the outbreak of protests in the US, sparked by the death of black man George Floyd, the Dallas Police Department asked people to share videos of "illegal activity protests" through the iWatch Dallas app.

K-pop fans worldwide responded by inundating it with fan-recorded videos, known as fancams, and memes of various K-pop artists, in an effort to prevent police from tracking protesters' actions.

Barely a day later, the app was reported to be experiencing technical difficulties though Dallas Police would not say if it was due to the fancams.

K-pop fans also spammed hashtags used to oppose BLM on social media, such as #AllLivesMatter, #BlueLivesMatter and #WhiteLivesMatter.

Though this made such hashtags trend higher, it also made it harder for their original messages to be seen.

K-pop fans, who have previously been derided online and criticised for "fancam spam", were celebrated as valued allies of the protestors.

It's going to take all of us to win in November. We love seeing K-Pop Twitter fighting the good fight online and drowning out hate, and right-wing propaganda.

Lets see those Fan Cams! pic.twitter.com/IV4IrNcGPD
- Biden War Room (Text UNITED to 30330) (@BidenWarRoom) June 7, 2020

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. View original tweet on Twitter

Many K-pop artists voiced their support for the movement on Twitter and Instagram, and some donated to the cause.

When popular boy band BTS announced a $1m (£784,000) donation, fan group One In An Army (OIAA) organised its own fundraising drive and matched the amount in less than 24 hours.

History of political activism

To many outside K-pop fandom, this political activism and co-ordination was a surprise.

However, those who follow K-pop closely consider such fans' organisation and impact perfectly natural.

Fans in South Korea and worldwide routinely run well-co-ordinated campaigns to promote their favourite artists and propel them to awards and charts success and greater visibility. These skills are now being applied to the BLM cause.

As Hyunsu Yim, a pop culture reporter for The Korea Herald, has noted in a Twitter thread, this is far from the first time K-pop fans have made a political or social impression.

He illustrated his point with previous examples of activism: donations to a London charity to fund over 35,000 meals; calls for safer roads in Bangladesh; and Chile's government in 2019 blaming K-pop and other "international influences and media" for domestic protests.

i just think ~some people~ wouldn't be so surprised by k-pop stans' organisation and activism if they had actually recognised (predominantly) young women's dedication to their interests as legitimate in the first place instead of accusing them of being bots or cheaters :)
- ellie⁷ ☁️ (@eleanorbate) June 3, 2020

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. View original tweet on Twitter

K-pop and racism

But while many have praised K-pop fans for their involvement in the protests, some are highlighting the longstanding abuse and harassment of black fans, many of whom have left fandoms as a result.

I really do love the fancam activism, but it's frustrating to see the widespread praise without a single mention of the pervasiveness of racism & doxxing towards black fans in kpop spaces happening this week (& always) by outlets. Editors need to assign stories not trends.
- Tamar Herman (@TamarWrites) June 3, 2020

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. View original tweet on Twitter

Hashtags like #BlackARMYSMatter and #BlackARMYSEquality trended on Twitter in 2018 after black members of the BTS ARMY complained of racism within the fandom. Fans of other artists have also complained of racism in their communities.

9) The story shouldn't be "#Kpop fans currently care about social issues and are activists!" - it should be "Mostly white Kpop fans get to be the face of issues when they want to, and often ignore/harass/exclude fans of color from the conversation along with media coverage."
- Miranda Larsen (@AcaOtaku) June 6, 2020

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. View original tweet on Twitter

Observers also question why K-pop idols - many of whom have expressed support for the US protests - are often silent when it comes to discrimination in South Korea.

This may partly be to avoid a backlash from their more conservative fans.

Many female idols have been criticised for expressing feminist views, and many who speak up for LGBTQ rights abroad shy away from such issues at home.

Agencies may also exercise control over what the performers say.

After Denise Kim, a member of rookie girl group Secret Number, expressed her support for BLM on Instagram, her Instagram and SoundCloud accounts were deleted and her agency's Instagram account deleted its latest photo of her.

Fans criticised Kim's agency and are now increasingly voicing their outrage about such censorship, as well as calling out idols for hypocrisy.

When Amber Liu, a member of girl group f(x), called for George Floyd's killer to be charged with first-degree murder, some pointed out that in 2019 she said that a black man - seen being harassed and arrested in a viral video - "deserved it".

For K-pop, a multi-genre industry heavily influenced by black culture and music, the Black Lives Matter movement has highlighted the need for artists and fans to do some soul-searching.

But as these protests have shown, their impact on society cannot be underestimated. When harnessed for a cause, K-pop has the potential to make a difference.

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K-pop fans emerge as a powerful force in US protests

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Amid ongoing protests in America against racism and police brutality, a global legion of K-pop fans has emerged as an important ally for the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. Fans of South Korea's popular music industry have raised funds for BLM and mobilised to overload social media hashtags used by its opponents, earning appreciation from protesters for their political activism.

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Home > Blog > K-pop merchandise Twitter & Instagram top influencers

Table of Contents

Like no other, Korean pop or KPOP, a fandom culture continues to make the global music industry envious. The support of KPOP fans through voting, buying merchandise, and just simply streaming idol’s music and videos is unparalleled. It makes you question the HOWs of the KPOP entertainment industry. Having extraordinary artists will give birth to fans that would be willing to do everything for their idols. That is why fans mostly manage social media KPOP influencers. Here are the most prominent influencers on Twitter and Instagram.

KPOP Fan Support on Public Ads like New York Times Square, Source: Korea Herald http://kpopherald.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=201808121252476243412_2

Twitter KPOP Merchandise Influencers

Twitter is considered the common social media platform for a huge part of the KPOP community. Almost all KPOP fandoms are gathered there stemmed with different accounts running on different purposes. A term was even created to identify it, and that is “Stan Twitter” For some, it may have a negative connotation, but it is just a term that describes how a community of fandoms in Twitter unifies and bonds to support their favorite artists or celebrities in more ways than one.

KPOP Stan Twitter Starter Pack, Source: reddit.com Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/starterpacks/comments/8v38qp/kpop_stan_twitter_starter_pack/

With hundreds or even thousands of Twitter accounts related to KPOP, it might be hard to distinguish which ones are worth following. But first, you must identify your fandom and your purpose in following them. In this case, Twitter accounts will help you be updated and influence your interest in KPOP merchandise. To help you, here are some classifications:

Official Idols or Entertainment Company Accounts

Twitter is occupied with official accounts from your favorite KPOP stars. It can be personal or handled by entertainment companies. For 2020, the top 3 most followed KPOP Twitter accounts all belong to BTS or Bangtan Seonyeondan. So let us take them as an example.

BTS Group Account, Source: @BTS_twt Link: https://twitter.com/BTS_twt

The top 1 is @BTS_twt, with 34.6 million followers as of writing, used for BTS members’ personal posts. On the second spot is @bts_bighit also known as BTS_official with 28.9 million followers as of writing. This account is used for important updates, news, announcements, and previews of BTS activities. If you want to be the first to see BTS merchandise notifications and design sneak peeks, this is where you will find them. And the top 3 is @BIGHIT_MUSIC which the entertainment company controls. This account is similar to BTS_official but also gives updates on other BigHit Music artists like TOMORROW_X_TOGETHER.

Promoting Concept Photobook, Source:@bts_bighit Twitter Account Link: https://twitter.com/bts_bighit/status/1384703442053128192

You can also see similar accounts of other KPOP artists with similar purposes. For example, you can check out merchandise releases of GOT7 at @GOT7Official, BigBang’s G-DRAGON at @IBGDRGN, and SMTown artists at @SMTOWNGLOBAL. Just search for your bias KPOP artists and groups, and you will indeed find an official account for them.

Big FAN Accounts

They may be just fans, but they could gather followers with their active and valuable presence on Twitter. One example is ‘mes #TeamPinky’ with the account handle @OH_mes2. As of today, her follower count is 473.8 thousand. She is an avid fan of K-culture as a whole, so she posts news about KPOP, K-dramas, K-variety shows, and more. With her dedication, fans from different fandoms supported her Twitter account. Her account is inactive due to some issues, but hopefully, she will come back with more KPOP news.

Source: @OH_mes2 Twitter Account Link: https://twitter.com/OH_mes2

Let us take a closer look at another big Fan account supporting one of the most prominent KPOP girl groups of this generation, BLACKPINK. With 617.2 thousand followers, BLΛCKPIИK GLOBAL (@BLACKPINKGLOBAL) fan account continues to serve BLINKS, or BLACKPINK fans, with rich content. They post news, organize fan events and fund-raising activities, plan voting strategies, and support all the members’ activities, even the solo ones. Having this vast following, BLΛCKPIИK GLOBAL also helps spread information about orders for official BLACKPINK merchandise like albums and DVDs.

Update of Rosé Album Sales in Hanteo, Source: @BLACKPINKGLOBAL Twitter Account Link: https://twitter.com/BLACKPINKGLOBAL/status/1384403294240444416

Local Fanbases

The KPOP industry has a global reach that stretches to America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Joining a local fanbase would help you find KPOP updates exclusive for your area. One example is this EXO’s Pakistan fanbase account, @Pakistaniexols. EXO-Ls in that area hold fundraising activities for official EXO merchandise to support the group, especially during the comeback season.

Local EXO-L Fanbase @Pakistaniexols Purchasing EXO Albums Link: https://twitter.com/Pakistaniexols/status/1384586008734408713

Group Orders

Group orders are a common thing in KPOP culture. KPOP merchandise can be expensive sometimes, especially to international fans. Shipping and its whole process can be daunting to fans who are not familiar with how things work in online shopping. That is why some fans took the initiative to organize GOs (Group Orders) called GOMs (Group Order Managers). During the comeback season, they will take physical album orders from many followers and process the shipping as a group. This way, fans will pay less for the shipping fee. The only downside to this process is the late arrival of items as they take time to prepare a single huge order.

Group Order Twitter Account for ONCEs, Source: whatislovemina Twitter Account Link: https://twitter.com/whatislovemina

Twitter is the best place for group orders. Information about it is simple to disseminate because of retweets, and it is also easier to find local fanbases where you can join GOs near your area. You can take this TWICE GO account @whatislovemina as an example. They hold GOs in the USA and Canada area. Another one is @KpopGroupOrder which has GOs in Europe or Italy area. Most of these GOMs are already connected to popular KPOP online shopping sites like Ktown4u and KpopTown.

Fansites

Fansites are known for following KPOP idols in their official schedules and taking high-quality pictures of them. These pictures are then used to create good quality fansite merchandise like posters, photobooks, fans, and slogan banners. According to the kbizoom website, the top 10 most followed fansite accounts on Twitter include mostly BTS and EXO members’ fansites. The top 1 is @JUNGKOOKcokr named SNOWPEACH with 1.8 million followers, next is EXO Sehun’s fansite @iridescent_boy with 1 million followers.

SNOWPEACH Jungkook Fansite, Source: @JUNGKOOKcokr Twitter Account Link: https://twitter.com/JUNGKOOKcokr

Goods sold by fansites are considered unofficial merchandise. But since fansites are mostly Koreans, they help GOMs and some huge Twitter fan accounts in purchasing official merchandise for their group orders like lending a Korean address. With this process, the shipping may be fast, but the cost is expensive.

Instagram KPOP Merchandise Influencers

Merchandise influencers on Instagram are primarily a part of the fashion industry. KPOP idols endorse many fashion items like clothing and shoes, and they also have their fashion merchandise like accessories. Besides fashion, the KPOP community on Instagram enjoys posting memes, funny gifs, and unboxing pictures and videos. The platform is perfect for aesthetic images; therefore, it is easier to entice fans to purchase goods. Here are some of them:

KPOP Idol Cha Eun Woo, Source: @ireneisgood Twitter Account Link: https://twitter.com/ireneisgood/status/1075924688700768256

Founded by famous Korean fashion model Irene Kim, IRENEISGOOD Label is one of the fashion clothing brands used by KPOP idols. You can see Cha Eun Woo and BTS wearing her clothing pieces. The style showcases bold colors to represent one’s individuality. Check out the hashtag #GOODFORYOU to see more of her designs.

TWICE Jihyo wearing STYLENANDA, Source: Stylenanda.com Link: https://en.stylenanda.com/article/press/15/1000134897/

Shessododo Unboxing Vixx Album, Source: @shessododo Instagram Account Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/BbDTGA0B_k4/

It is just one of the many KPOP meme accounts on Instagram. Interestingly, fans love seeing these kinds of posts where they can laugh at and enjoy their KPOP idols. Shessododo also posts unboxing photos from different KPOP artists as she is multifandom or part of more than one fandom.

Ktown4u Unboxing Red Velvet Repackage Album, Source: @Ktown4u Instagram Account Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/B6h1NV7pWy1/

Ktown4u is one of the biggest KPOP online shopping sites on the internet. But to promote their KPOP merchandise, they had to widen their reach through the Instagram platform, where they have 72.6 thousand followers. The account is worth following as they have satisfying and creative unboxing clips that you will surely love.

About Delivered Korea

DELIVERED KOREA Website, delivered.co.kr

The internet is now a place full of many options, in this case, online KPOP merchandise shopping sites. There are more ways and steps to purchase them, but the most critical question a customer should ask is the cost, safety, speed, and overall quality of the buying process. Stan Twitter and Instagram may help you find what you are looking for, but you also need a trustworthy delivery system. KPOP merchandises are often expensive, and it would be better to get the value of the items for their worth.

Thankfully, there is DELIVERED KOREA which would help not just KPOP fans, but also K-culture fans get precious items from its home country, South Korea. With warmth and cheerfulness, they wanted to connect Korean sellers to international buyers in an easy and less expensive process. You can make use of consolidating, personal shopping, global drop shipping, and worldwide shipping services through their website. Being an active receiver of KPOP influence on social media, buying goods is one way the K-culture!

© 2020-2022 Delivered Korea. All Rights Reserved.

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KPOP Merchandise Twitter and Instagram Top Influencers | Delivered

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KPOP Merchandise Twitter and Instagram Top Influencers Home > Blog > K-pop merchandise Twitter & Instagram top influencers Table of Contents Like no other, Korean pop or KPOP, a fandom culture continues to make the global music industry envious. The support of KPOP fans through voting, buying mercha…

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BTS vs EXO: The competitiveness  between fandoms

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BTS vs EXO: The competitiveness  between fandoms

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Day two of this year's Billboard Fan Army Face-Off has seen several musical fan armies rise and fall, and a few are fighting fiercely to advance into the second round.

One of the most competitive races in the first round is between two K-pop boy bands, with BTS' ARMY and EXO's EXO-Ls currently in third and fourth place, respectively. There's nearly 100,000 votes dividing the two, and BTS is currently in the lead with 430,884 votes at time of publishing.

See latest videos, charts and news

Two of K-pop's strongest fan armies of the moment, each of the boy bands has dedicated online fanbases: BTS took home the Top Social Artist award at this year's BBMAs, while EXO's brand-new Twitter account set off a flurry of millions of impressions earlier this month ahead of the release of their new single "Ko Ko Bop."

Both EXO and BTS are heavyweights in K-pop when it comes to the U.S: Not only did each act hold solo Stateside tours this year, but their albums have also charted extremely well. EXO's newly released The War spent several days at No. 2 on the U.S iTunes album chart this week, while BTS' Wings became the highest-ranked Korean album on the Billboard 200 last October when it debuted at No. 26.

There are still a few days left for EXO-Ls and ARMYs to vote their fave into the second round of the Fan Army Face-Off 2017. Voting for the first round closes July 26, so head over to the bracket and vote now!

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Fan Army Face-Off 2017: BTS' ARMY Goes to Battle Against EXO-Ls

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Day two of this year's Billboard Fan Army Face-Off has seen several musical fan armies rise and fall, and a few are fighting fiercely to advance into the second round. One of the most competitive races in the first round is between two K-pop boy bands, with BTS' ARMY and EXO's EXO-Ls currently in third and fourth place, respectively.

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Justin O'Toole/The Review
Dread it. Run from it. The K-pop fandom arrives all the same.

Editor's Note: A previous version of this article stated that BTS did not issue an apology, when they in fact did. This has since been corrected.
Korean Pop - also known as "K-pop" - is not something new but has begun gaining fame on a global scale in recent years, becoming popularized in the West thanks to groups such as BTS, Blackpink and Exo. There are many important aspects of the K-pop genre, but one of the most important is the relationship between fans, idols and media.

Fandoms are a large part of K-pop fan bases and what comes of fandoms in general is a relatively large load of "toxicity." Over the last two decades, social media, especially Twitter, has become more popular among fanbases. These sites and apps have become places where fandoms seek out others that share the same interests. The K-pop fandom is extremely prominent on Twitter, and there are some with accounts as old as the platform itself.

Cancel culture, a form of online shaming that shuns problematic celebrities and/or fans, has become ingrained in online culture. Marjorie Taylor Greene, for example, blamed cancel culture for her removal from government office. Online bullying and harassment is a direct result of cancel culture. K-pop fans do not shy away from this idea; cancelling idols and fans alike has become very common on Twitter. In some cases, fans go as far as sending death threats over song discourse or directing massive pile-ons for innocent opinions.

Idols - the men and women who perform in groups or as soloists under the K-pop title - face constant criticism from fans and Korean media. They undergo training before facing the public eye and subjecting themselves to the intensity of the media and super-crazed fans, often called "sasaengs" - fans who stalk and harass idols daily. The same criticism that idols receive can be directed at their fans as well, but they don't have the training to handle it.

Toxicity found in K-pop fans seems to go above and beyond what I've seen from other fan bases. I've been a part of many fandoms on Twitter since I was 13, but I started getting into K-pop only about two years ago. Since Twitter introduced a function recently where anyone could read the quote retweets on a tweet, it's made the toxic mental attitude worse. Typically, viral tweets tend to have more likes than retweets, but when those numbers are flipped, fans call it "ratioing," a part of the act of cancelling. Whether the criticism is constructive or negative, a large number of quote retweets circulates that criticism more than a like or reply would. Oftentimes, this fuels anxiety in some fans, triggering panic attacks over the harassment.

Much of the negativity also stems from K-Pop fandom superiority. Fans fight with each other over whose group is less toxic. Fans who seek to defend harmful actions perpetuate the idea of "K-pop over morals." One recent example is Sowon , a member of K-pop girl-group GFriend , who posted a picture posing with a Nazi mannequin from a museum and received heavy backlash from fans all over the world. However, some of her fans came to her defense, using her nationality as an excuse for her ignorance, but many Koreans disputed this and affirmed that Nazi Germany is part of their schools' history curriculum. Regardless, other criticisms noted that Sowan is a college educated adult and should know better.

Similarly, years prior, BTS did a photoshoot at a Holocaust Memorial. While Big Hit Entertainment issued an apology following the event, some of their fans still defend the group and their actions. These fans choose to look past the ignorance and the chance to educate others to support someone who possibly hurt others.

Rather than settling on "canceling" both groups, many fans instead engage in "fanwars," arguing over which group's actions were worse.

Age is something that is brought up often as an excuse; however, I believe that age might just be to blame. Twitter's policy is that you must be 13 years or older in order to make an account. K-pop fans' ages range from young teens to well into someone's 30s, creating a wide variety of experiences. Younger fans are much more impressionable and are more likely to spread misinformation and bandwagon hate. An example of this would be that kids morals and values are shaped as a child throughout adolescence. Political beliefs can be altered and manipulated at these ages because of the developing brain and the impression these situations make on them. There is a lot of misinformation on Twitter in general, but there is a visible impact on the thought processes within the K-pop community.

Selective exposure, a psychological theory related to media communication that involves individuals' tendencies to favor information that reinforces their pre-existing views while avoiding contradictory information, also plays a role. Fans oftentimes will ostracize an idol for a situation solely because they don't like the idol or group based on their own personal views. It doesn't matter the situation, but they will do anything in their favor to "drag" the idol, creating an uncomfortable online environment.

Fake stories, panic and incorrect quotes spread rapidly and make fans and idols alike create bad online personas. Na Jaemin of NCT Dream was a victim to this back in May of 2020 when a translator account mistranslated a quote from him, claiming he had called a member of his group a slur. This created a significant blow to his image, and many of his non-Korean fans revoked their support for months even after it was cleared up.

However, K-pop isn't always bad. I've had many positive experiences where I haven't felt judged, and I've made many friends through my fandom. There are some deeper rooted issues that repeat themselves and get worse over time, but I believe that this stigma of intimidating K-pop fans, while intense at times, will dwindle away. The toxicity will leave as people grow and mature and fandoms on Twitter just might become enjoyable again.

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Editor's Note: A previous version of this article stated that BTS did not issue an apology, when they in fact did. This has since been corrected. Korean Pop - also known as "K-pop" - is not something new but has begun gaining fame on a global scale in recent years, becoming popularized in the West thanks to groups such as BTS, Blackpink and Exo.

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Stan Twitter is the powerhouse behind the commercial success of the world's most popular artists. But how did these cultish followings originate and at what cost?

On October 30 2020, days before the US Election, Twitter feeds exploded with a late entry to the presidential race: Ariana Grande had dropped her new music video for Positions and stan Twitter were losing their minds.

Images from the video of Ariana Grande wearing a Jackie O-inspired pillbox hat and strutting through the White House replaced news updates about early voting. Tweets ordering people to "#StreamPositions" drowned out the "#VoteBlue" and "#MAGA" comments.
RELATED: What Does 'Stan' Mean? A Simple Guide To The Slang Internet Term Everyone's Using​
Grande's album of the same name opened with 174 million streams, entering the Billboard chart at number 1 - that's more streams than people who voted in the election with the highest voter turnout in history.

Ariana Grande fans, or "stans", aren't the only group doing the work of PR teams for free. Twitter is rife with multiple subcultures devoting themselves to various celebrities who may never know their names.

What is stan Twitter?

Stan Twitter are the dedicated superfans who have made pop-culture fandom a competitive sport.

Fandoms are in an almost constant competition with other groups, seeking to knock each other's favorite artists off streaming charts and beat one another out for award nominations.

Commercial success for their favorite artist is at the heart of stan culture. These fans persuade and shame one another into attending multiple concerts, buying several copies of the same album, and owning merch.;

Fans of K-Pop group BTS - who call themselves ARMY - have their own "Ultimate ARMY Streaming Guide" that details exactly how to stream, loop, and share BTS music in excess without looking like a bot.

There seems to be a kind of pride that comes with having your idol move up a few notches on a Forbes rich list, even though the stans themselves will never see a piece of the pie.

When did stan Twitter begin?

The name originates from Eminem's 2000 track "Stan" about a homicidal stalker-fan. Eminem was writing to the fan culture of the late 1900s that existed primarily on dedicated fansites or internet forums.

When MySpace was founded in 2003 it marked a shift that put fandoms on a more public stage. Suddenly, fans could connect more directly with artists than ever before creating more competition as they vied for attention.

By the time Twitter and iPhones rolled out, fans were becoming increasingly comfortable with devoting large amounts of time and energy into supporting artists.

Out of quiet online forums and on to a shared public stage, fans also began competing with other fandoms throughout the 2010s. This gave rise to what we now know as stan culture.

If Beyonce's "Beyhive" got to boast that she won the most Grammys of any other artist in 2010, Justin Bieber's Belieber's were going to make "Baby" the most viewed YouTube video the same year.

The kind of feverish excitement exhibited by fans pushes them to want to outdo one another. Stan Twitter has found its way onto Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube where fans are awarded "top comment" by commenting the most outrageous thing possible in order to get likes or be noticed by their idol.
RELATED: Why We Cry For Those We Don't Know Personally
When does "stanning" go too far?

While 2020 stans embrace the term as affectionate rather than insulting, today's stans often exhibit some of the same concerning obsessive tendencies as Eminem's fictional superfan.

Pure, unadulterated devotion to one artist is mandatory in stan culture. When Taylor Swift publicly feuded with Scooter Braun, fans went as far as to stop supporting other artists who were still in contract with the music mogul.

For these fans, this is the least they could do for an artist that has touched them on an emotional level throughout many albums. But this relationship is ultimately one-sided and rooted in a system that places celebrities on an unwarranted pedestal.

Just like how Eminem's "Stan" was inevitably disappointed by his idol's lack of response to his letters, most fans will never see a return on their investment into an artist.

Then there is the toxic side to stan culture that sees fans spread hate to anyone who expresses anything but adoration for their idol. In 2018, When writer Wanna Thompson shared a hateful DM she'd received from Nicki Minaj after she expressed her dislike of the rapper's music, Nicki fans sent death threats and to Thompson and her daughter.

Ariana Grande fans are known to aggressively shut down any of the conversations around her appropriation of black culture. Meanwhile, Cardi B stans refused to relinquish support for the Latina rapper even after she publicly refused to stop saying the 'N' word back in 2017.

The pressure within stan culture to always be unwaveringly supportive of artists prevents fans from holding their idols accountable for obvious wrongdoings. This God-like status given to artists free them from maintaining any kind of moral standard.

Instead of having room to challenge artists and look for more from the people we idolize, stans must blindly support or risk a backlash from their own fandom.
RELATED: When Celebrity Fandoms Become Idolatry & Why It's So Toxic Alice Kelly is a writer with a passion for entertainment, trending topics and celebrity news.

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What Is Stan Twitter? How Obsessive, Cutthroat Fan Culture Damages Society

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Stan Twitter is the powerhouse behind the commercial success of the world's most popular artists. But how did these cultish followings originate and at what cost? On October 30 2020, days before the US Election, Twitter feeds exploded with a late entry to the presidential race: Ariana Grande had dropped her new music video for Positions and stan Twitter were losing their minds.

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Photo by FlickrStan Twitter isn't just limited to music fans. People that admire artists, movies, and all sorts of culture use Twitter to discuss their interests.

Being on stan Twitter is an experience you can't really understand unless you're a part of it. Luckily for those who are curious about it, I've been on stan Twitter for more than six years, and it's one sub-community on Twitter that frustrates me just as much as comforts me.

Here's a rundown on some of the basics. The word "stan" comes from Eminem's song "Stan," released two decades ago. It's defined as an obsessive fan of something. These "stans" often talk about a piece of media or a celebrity, and sometimes engage in "shipping." "Shipping" is known as liking the relationship between two or more people. The origin of the term comes from the last half of the word "relationship."

At first, these "stans" on stan Twitter can seem really annoying. When someone dies, there are always ridiculous replies under the person's tweets in the form of fancams or fans saying to "stan LOOΠΔ." There are always people fighting over trivial things or love triangles. Either you have "taste" or your "fave" is a "flop."

On stan Twitter, you also have to watch what you say. I see people throw around slurs, and then others rightfully call them out for it. Some people can be outrageously sexist, homophobic, racist, xenophobic or generally ignorant about other cultures or what's happening in the world.

"Cancel culture" was largely birthed on stan Twitter, calling out famous people for the things they've said and done. Sometimes it can be overwhelming because someone is always getting cancelled. How many times has "#blankisoverparty" trended on Twitter? But it's also necessary in order to call attention to problematic people or companies.

I've been using stan Twitter for so long now I forget every fandom I've been apart of. At some point in time, my account was dedicated to a YouTuber, a TV show, a movie series and two separate bands. Each of these fandoms have had its fair share of ship wars and petty blocking. But the community I am mostly a part of on Twitter is arguably one of the biggest and most argumentative out there: One Direction stan Twitter.

There's no doubt about the fact that One Direction fans have shaped stan Twitter into what it is today. When the band formed in 2010, Twitter was the reason word about them spread so fast. Everyone was talking about them and even directly to them. But it's nothing like what it was back then.

Everyone was a bit nicer in the earlier days, albeit extremely cringey. People were just excited to share the same interests and find a community where they could talk about their favorite songs, follow their favorite member of the band and get daily updates on what the One Direction boys were doing together.

Now, it feels like a less intense version of a battlefield. I myself am a fan of the entire band and enjoy looking at content about most of them daily. Some people are "solo" stans, meaning they only like one of the band members. There are others who ship two of the boys from the band and talk about that frequently.

There is a lot of fighting between these "solo" stans and those who like the entire group, mostly because some people think their favorite is superior and send immense amounts of hate to the other members, as well as their fans.

There is a large amount of sexualization of the celebrities occurring on stan Twitter, which can be generally uncomfortable to read constantly. Sometimes, it can be extremely draining mentally to be online.

All of this is not to say stan Twitter isn't at least somewhat rewarding. If it wasn't, I would've left a long time ago. I've made friends from all over the world that I talk to regularly, some who I've known for approximately five years now.

I've been on FaceTime calls with people from several different states, stayed up with people in different time zones and vented to them about things going on in my life. I know about their dogs, their jobs, their schoolwork and their relationship problems. I've met such a diverse group of people who speak different languages or have had so many different experiences, and it's so exciting to learn more about the world every single day.

Without being on stan Twitter, I never would have met such a wide range of people. I think I would still be a huge fan of the band, but I owe a lot to the structure of the online community itself.

People are always inviting you to be in group chats, hyping up your selfies, telling you they love and care about you after only a week of knowing you. If you learn to navigate it, stan Twitter can be so welcoming and opening.

The community has changed a lot over time. It's nothing like the old days, where people just shared their love for a band without hatred or shaming.

Sometimes, I'd do anything to go back to that. But stan Twitter is still an exciting place where I've learned a lot, even if us stans seem to annoy everyone else on Twitter. All I can say to that is I'm not sorry, and, as any stan Twitter user may put it, you better go find some taste.

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Inside Stan Twitter: Online community of various fans

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Being on stan Twitter is an experience you can't really understand unless you're a part of it. Luckily for those who are curious about it, I've been on stan Twitter for more than six years, and it's one sub-community on Twitter that frustrates me just as much as comforts me.

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0:00 / 1:24•Watch full video

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[Global Edition] Learn! KOREAN with BTS Book Package Official Trailer

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How k-pop culture effects ones personal identity, fans are motivated to learn korean.

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Definition of Personal Identity

Personal identity is the concept you develop about yourself that evolves over the course of your life. This may include aspects of your life that you have no control over, such as where you grew up or the color of your skin, as well as choices you make in life, such as how you spend your time and what you believe. You demonstrate portions of your personal identity outwardly through what you wear and how you interact with other people. You may also keep some elements of your personal identity to yourself, even when these parts of yourself are very important.

Have you ever struggled with the question, 'Who am I?' or thought about who you might become in the future? These questions have been thought about and discussed throughout history, in particular by philosophers who have immersed themselves in the search for knowledge about the nature of being human. Such questions as, 'What does it mean to be a person?' and 'Do I matter?' have engaged key thinkers and created conversations that we still grapple with in our society. Most people feel they want to endure in some way, both in their lives and beyond death. The philosophy of personal identity aims to address these matters of existence and how we even know we exist through time.

The Philosophy of Personal Identity

How do you know you are the same person you were as a child? Is it because you remember yourself growing within the same body you have now? Or is it because you perceive that you have the same mind? What criteria can be used to confirm you are, in fact, a 'person'?

When you ask yourself how you know you are the same person you were as a baby, this is a question of persistence. In this context, persistence means our existence across time and how we can prove it. In other words, we perceive that our self 'persists' through our life as the same human being, but how do we know for sure? The philosophers Plato and René Descartes, as well as many religions, have proposed that we persist because we have a soul, a timeless essence that continues in some form even after the death of our living, breathing human body.

Descartes, in particular, aimed to provide a scientifically-oriented argument for this enduring inner self. He used rational arguments and examples to demonstrate that the mind and body are distinct. He promoted the view that the mind can exist and persist without the body. This distinction between a person's mind and body is known as mind-body dualism and has been an influential and powerful theory in our society. Here's an illustration of mind and body dualism by Descartes:

Even today, you may often hear the phrase, 'body and soul'. This way of thinking has evolved from the ideas of religious traditions as well as philosophical ways of viewing our personal identity.

Development of Personal Identity

Personal identity develops over time and can evolve, sometimes drastically, depending on what directions we take in our life. For instance, a person who at 25 identifies himself as part of a particular political party, of a particular faith, and who sees himself as upper-middle class, might discover that at 65, he's a very different person. Perhaps he's no longer interested in politics, he's changed his religion, and he's living on less money than when he was 25. Any variation is possible during a person's life span.

Children developing their sense of self may experiment with different ways of expressing personal identity. This can include various ways of dressing or wearing their hair, and it will also include a variety of ways of behaving and thinking. They might find that some ways of expressing themselves work well and feel right, while others do not last. Throughout life, we have a sense of who we are that continually changes.

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philosophy & development - video & lesson transcript | study.com

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What Is Personal Identity? - Definition, Philosophy & Development - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

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Personal identity is the concept you develop about yourself that evolves over the course of your life. This may include aspects of your life that you have no control over, such as where you grew up or the color of your skin, as well as choices you make in life, such as how you spend your time and what you believe.

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Sociological research on what identity is

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Confessions Of A Former K-pop Idol (ft. Crayon Pop) | ASIAN BOSS

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Source: Mnet, JYP AUDITION Facebook

Has watching a K-pop idol's performance ever made you dream of becoming an idol?

Or have you ever wondered what these idols went through to become the stars they are now?

Today, we'll take a look behind the glamour of successful idols to explore the hard work and struggles they had to go through to make their dreams come true. Let's get started!

Aspiring Idols

Source: Mnet

Currently, it is estimated that there are about a million aspiring idols in Korea.

According to a survey of elementary, middle and high school students conducted by Maeil Economy in 2018, about 70 percent of the students answered they wanted to become celebrities.

This shows that being an idol who puts on amazing performances to good music with great choreography and receives so much love from fans is an admired profession. So, what kind of steps do you really have to go through to become an idol?

Becoming An Idol Trainee

Source: ET News

In order to become an idol, you have to be an idol trainee who has a contract with an agency.

Debuting without being an idol trainee is something that doesn't happen in the Korean K-pop industry. What are the paths to becoming an idol trainee?

1. Street Casting

Street casting is literally being cast on the street. Each agency has a rookie development team that finds and fosters new talent. Casting staff in this rookie development team scouts and casts people on the streets.

They approach someone to cast them if their appearance matches the image of the idol group they are planning.

Just because you've been offered a position through street casting doesn't mean you can become an idol trainee right away. The contract is written after going through a very basic audition and camera test process.

2. Agency Audition

Many K-pop agencies conduct various auditions to recruit new talent. There can be periodic auditions that agencies announce, ongoing recruitment auditions, and national or global audition tours.

There are auditions just for joining the company, and there are auditions especially for choosing members for a new idol group to be launched. This is the case for the global audition that Hybe announced in order to launch a girl group in October this year.

Therefore, it is difficult to get all the audition information for all agencies. You should check the audition announcement page of the agency you want to enter or check the audition announcements posted in online communities of aspiring celebrities.

In this article, we'll introduce you to some of the periodic/ongoing auditions of the main agencies!

HYBE - Online Audition

Currently, HYBE is conducting an ongoing online audition. Anyone born after 2003 can apply for the singer, actor, or model categories.

Submit an application form and a video attachment showing off your talent on HYBE's audition site to complete your application. Only successful candidates will be notified individually within two weeks.

YG - Online Audition

YG is conducting an ongoing audition for vocal, rap, and dance fields until December 31, 2030. There are no restrictions on gender, nationality, or age. However, you can only apply once to this audition.

You can apply online, and within two to four weeks, you will be notified individually and then have a second on-site audition.

SM - Online Audition

SM is always holding email or online auditions. You can send a variety of materials to express yourself, such as a video file of a song, dance, or acting, a recording file of a song or rap, or front-facing and full body photos.

SM - Saturday Open Audition

The Saturday open audition has a long history and is iconic. This audition, which has been held at SM for about 20 years, was held every Saturday at the SM headquarters, or SM COEX Artium.

So many people who dreamed of becoming celebrities lined up in front of SM every Saturday.

There are only 7 SM idols who debuted through this Saturday open audition. They are Heechul of Super Junior, Yoona of Girls' Generation, Taemin of SHINee, Seulgi of Red Velvet, Haechan and Jungwoo of NCT, and Giselle of Aespa.

Recently, due to the Coronavirus, they are conducting the Saturday open audition through Zoom.

JYP - Online Audition

JYP is currently conducting online auditions for vocal, dance, rap, acting and modeling through JYP's official website.

There are no restrictions on age, gender, or nationality, and you can apply online anytime.

JYP - Monthly Audition

Source: JYP AUDITION Facebook

JYP has an on-site audition on the first and third Sundays of every month at JYP's office building. You go to the audition center and apply for an audition in one of the vocal, rap, dance, acting, or model categories.

Those between 12 and 25 years old in Korean age can participate, and there are no other restrictions on gender, educational background, or nationality.

It's temporarily suspended due to Coronavirus, so why don't you try it after the Coronavirus situation gets better?

3. Connection Through Academy

Source: Stage 631

You can also enter an agency through an academy that prepares you to be an idol. They focus on dance and vocal training. Some agencies run their own academies.

Curriculum varies slightly between academies, but they usually cost about 400,000 won to 600,000 won a month (approx. 300 to 500 USD). Surprisingly, you can debut through these idol academies.

If the academy is closely connected to the agency, they recommend talented students to the agency. Or, the agency can contact the academy after watching the student evaluation videos uploaded by the academy.

Also, in the case of large academies, agency representatives can visit the academy to hold auditions. The competition rate is lower at these private auditions held in the academy, so chances of become a trainee are a little higher.

Idol Trainee

Source: Korea Herald

Getting through the fierce competition and finally becoming an idol trainee through street casting, auditions, or academies is only the beginning. It takes months, at most, years of rigorous training to debut.

To become a perfect idol, you take classes in various fields, such as dancing, singing, acting, media training, foreign language, personality, etc.

The trainees are never asked to pay the training costs. The expenses incurred by the trainee throughout training are settled with the profits earned after the trainee's debut.

Source: PD Note

As a warning, if an agency asks a trainee to pay for training, it's highly likely the agency is actually fake. IU says she lost quite a lot of money because she was fooled by these scammers a few times before her debut.

Even now, fake agencies that are not officially registered often take advantage of aspiring idols. So, if the entertainment company you're supposed to sign a contract with asks for money, run away!

Source: PD Note

Also, there are many fraudulent agencies that try to connect trainees who dream of becoming girl group members to 'sponsors' (people who buy their time). This is because they are pretty like celebrities but not famous, so they are less likely to cause a problem.

The trainees can be exposed to sexual harassment and even prostitution. Trainees are lied to that that they will make their debut if they accept this sponsorship offer. That's how they manipulate them with their dreams of becoming an idol.

In these situations, the trainee should definitely break the contract and leave the agency. In the past, if the exclusive contract with the trainee was broken, the trainee was asked to pay a penalty of 100 to 150 million won (approx. 85,000 to 128,000 USD).

However, as of 2017, the Fair Trade Commission has reviewed trainee contracts of Korean entertainment agencies and stopped these unfair transactions.

Source: Mnet

If you've joined a good agency that's not a scam, it will train you consistently and sincerely.

They have a monthly evaluation to see your progress. These evaluations accumulate to determine whether the trainee can debut or not.

Idol audition programs, such as the Produce series, Idol School, and Girl's Planet, show a condensed version of this long training system.

Source: JoongAng Daily

As you've probably already seen in audition programs, it's not just effort or skills that let a trainee debut. Of course, it takes a lot of effort, but just because they work hard doesn't mean they will succeed.

Even if they practice really hard for almost 10 years, they might not debut if you don't fit the image of the idol group that your agency is trying to launch.

Then, when they reach their early to mid-20s, they give up on becoming an idol. Most idols make their debut in their late teens to early 20s, so after that age, they realize that they can't become idols.

Source: PD Note

However, many people who have spent most of their lives preparing to be an idol can't find other jobs easily. From a young age, they went to the agency's practice room rather than going to school, so there are few options for them.

MBLAQ member Thunder started his career as a trainee at 17 and debuted at 19 years old and said in an interview that he didn't even know how to buy things online and transfer money between accounts.

Idol trainees and idols often miss out on learning how to do things that ordinary people regularly do. That's why preparing to be an idol is risky.

Debut

Source: SM Rookies

If the agency decides to launch a new idol group, the debut group will be formed. It has to fit the image of the planned idol group, and the members have to be at a certain skill level.

Also, the members should have good chemistry. In other words, skills are skills, but luck is very important too. Even if you get the chance to debut, very few succeed afterwards.

Source: Busan Daily

For example, according to the Korean idol music critic webzine "Idology", there are a total of 60 new idol groups made up of 324 members who debuted in 2015. But among them, there are only a few idols that we know and are still active.

There is probably less than 0.01% chance of becoming a trainee, entering the debut group after the training period, getting to debut, and becoming successful afterwards. That's why being a successful idol is less likely than winning the lottery.

Working to become an idol like this is like running a race without a finish. The idols we love and adore threw themselves into this hopeless race, and were part of the minority that were able to make it to the end.

But if you really want to be a K-pop idol, you can risk everything and challenge yourself.

Just don't let the glamour you see from the outside make you forget that it's a difficult road to go down and don't blame yourself if you fail!

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Creatrip: The Process Of Becoming A K-Pop Idol

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Creatrip: What Do People Go Through While Trying To Become An Idol?

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An interview with CEO of BigHit Ent. (The company worldwide Kpop stars BTS are under)

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An interview with CEO of BigHit Ent. (The company worldwide Kpop stars BTS are under)

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Bang Si-hyuk is known among fans as the mastermind behind K-pop superstars BTS, but he is a veteran of the Korean music industry who has worked as a producer, executive and entrepreneur. His accomplishments are continuing to grow at a global scale as CEO of Big Hit Entertainment: The company is expanding its reach into ecommerce, gaming and tech to create a cohesive eco-system for their consumers - and just this morning announced that its label, Source Music, is holding a global audition to launch of a new girl group. During a short stop in Los Angeles, Bang sat down with to discuss the importance of storytelling, the ideas behind his new tech platforms Weverse (which follows a social networking model, where artists can share updates with fans, and fans can create content for the artists) and Weply (an ecommerce app), as well as the core differences between BTS and TXT.

How do you see yourself as a company leader? What is your management philosophy?
I don't see myself as a great businessman, but more as a good leader. There are certain qualities that a manager should have, whether it's a drive, or maybe an aggression, but I am fundamentally an artist, and I am not too results- or performance-oriented. "Why are we doing this?" and "What are we doing?" are questions I ask, and I think this is reflected in our mission statement, "Music and artist for healing."

In the Corporate Briefing, you also emphasized the importance of brand IP and storytelling. What made you want to double down on that?
Storytelling is a bit complex in K-pop - or perhaps I should say with BTS in particular. We didn't necessarily start with a grand plan, but we wanted to convey a message to the audience through BTS, and this was the best way to do so. We also received a more passionate response than we had anticipated. There are some people within the BTS fandom who dislike the storytelling and expansion of our universe. However, many people also enjoy the narrative and we can't let go of this opportunity to expand the business.

Personally, I love storytelling and following expanding narratives into a universe. Fans might think the universe is just for my sake since I enjoy them, but I would not be that foolish. (Laughs) We see the overall potential as a business in storytelling, so it is not just my hobby.

BTS is one of the first K-pop groups to have a large following overseas, and these consumers were not able to use our existing networks. For consumers outside of Korea, it is difficult to access our products. They are paying the same amount of money and should receive the same level of service.

The second moment was when we were preparing their 2017 tour. We prepared for around 18 months, which is longer than the K-pop standard. We were very lucky because the shows in South America had explosive success and even the local news was covering BTS' airport arrivals. With that start, when BTS landed in the East Coast, people were curious about them, and by the time they reached the West Coast, even Hollywood stars were saying they needed to get BTS tickets.
This interview has been translated from Korean and edited for brevity and clarity.

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Big Hit Chief Bang Si-Hyuk, Mastermind Behind BTS, Talks Music, Fans and New Ventures

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Bang Si-hyuk is known among fans as the mastermind behind K-pop superstars BTS, but he is a veteran of the Korean music industry who has worked as a producer, executive and entrepreneur.

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Research paper on Kpop Fandoms & Twitter

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Research paper on Kpop Fandoms & Twitter