Sunday, March 29, 2015

KPOP Fan Confessions



Being a KPOP fan is not just any other Justin Bieber or 1 Direction die-hard but full-blooded and dedicated individual whose heart is more loyal than any other fandoms.
I admit I am a full-time KPOP fan and my entire pastime is listening to KPOP songs, uttering the said “alien lyrics” which we, KPOPstans enjoy the must and dancing my heart out just to know the choreography of my fandom’s new MV release.
People sees me as a quiet, introvert person with book-minded and a heart engaged to reading novels of J.K.Rowling, Veronica Roth, Stephenie Meyer, James Patterson, J.J.Tolkien, Rick Riordan and Suzanne Collins but they never knew the different side of me. Well, beside of indulging myself in the fictional world, I have a vice which I can escape reality.
Some says it just a waste of time doing this crazy spree but I believe that doing what makes you happy brings out the best of you. It’s like a drug to me. It’s already in my system that every time I hear those KPOP songs, I can help myself sing along and dance to the beat. Others see me as a hyper-deponent and some ways crazy-headed but pfft! I don’t care.
Others had antagonized my addiction which they said may lead to my destruction, but duh! Even their criticisms don’t get an A+ for being constructive. Well, they just misjudge my vices and misunderstood how I am dedicated to my KPOP life.
Well, KPOP is my lifestyle and no one can ever take it away from me. My veins had been invaded by KPOP culture and the blood that runs through my system dances the KPOP beat and follows the hymn of a KPOP music. KPOP is the crayon to my life, without it, my world would dull-boring and I can even imagine life in white and black colors. Well, I guess this addiction is terminal but it doesn’t bring any negative effects but it really dries my purse though, being attracted and buying those K-Merch is the only headache my ‘rents bear with this KPOP madness. J

Living A KPOP Fandom Life.

I thought of a fandom life as a lame, dull-boring but my perspectives brought out to be corrected when I engaged in such way of living. I never thought of having such musical-realistic way of celebrating life's diversity. At first, I hesitated to step inside the circle, I jumped to conclusions that I will be out of the range and will never ever relate their style. Well, as a first-timer in the scene, there is always a feeling of weirdness and discomfort but when you get in the flow and learned to to blend in, you'll be able to catch up.
I used to be normal back then. It's not that I became abnormal but a colored life to be describe in a simple manner. No posters in the walls of my room, just plain white and black t-shirts, family photos  hanged and displayed at my study table and music with the same genre and beat. I hesitated in decision-making and can't stand my beliefs and easily influenced by other people's debatable opinions.
As I learned to study and adapt the Korean pop culture, I found my self reborn as a new persona as I embraced my new way of living. I entered the doors and didn't limit myself to learn and interact with other co-stans and together, we had embrace and adapt the culture despite of our racial differences. That then my life shifted. I now collect stamps, posters, ballers and stickers. Lighters had been replaced by light sticks, family photos had been kept in the drawer and those new boy bands in black and white suit made its throne at the top of my table, t-shirts are no longer lame black-and-white but had been shouting those fandoms and bias. The music I used to listen in the same genre had been crossed out from the playlist and all those KPOP songs made their spots on my phone. Everytime I have a favorite song, I played it a million times before I go to the next to be played.
Being under the influenced of KPOP, I met amazing and open-minded people. Despite of the continental and language barrier, we still manage to link our hearts and mind as one in supporting our favorite KPOP groups in their concerts and tour. We had our commonalities. We never discriminate races. As long as you have lived and embraced the Korean culture, we considere you as family. That's what make us, fandoms, very solid and still. We build bridges beyond the gaps. We destroy the barriers that set us apart. We never judge nor stereotype people, instead we embrace them. As what a psychiatrist said, he address his opinion to all KPOP fans.
“Don’t underestimate those children who chase after Korean celebrities, their hearts are purer than anyone else, they love courageously, they will want to try their best to tackle difficult obstacles, the language and cultural barriers. They symbolize peace, they don’t discriminate based on race, they befriend people with the same interest from different countries, they’re more passionate and warm than anyone else. They don’t betray the ones they like easily, they are persistent and don’t give up easily. They are stronger than anyone else on the inside, because when they are loving these Korean stars, they experience the setbacks they’ve never experienced in life. They are all sensitive children, easily touched to tears for a long time because of one incident. Their memory is very good, they can easily remember the korean lyrics they don’t understand, and their coordination skills are also very strong. Most of them are cheerful children, not the kind who keep to themselves. Their will of determination is also very strong, they are able to persevere all the way just to buy something related to the celebrity they like. In short, the way these children think is vastly different from others, and their thoughts are not easy to understand. Generally, only those who have similar interests are able to enter their world."
That then I have a strong believe in whatever decision I make cause I have the power. Those KPOP group taught us how to build ourselves and grow in accordance of what we are. Living with a KPOP fandom may be weird to anyone else but for us, it is the empowerment of our inner selves. It is our motivation to do what we want to do and break the chains that bind us and limit us to try new things. It is our freedom. The culture. The music. It lift us up and bring us out the new personality we have that we thought we never have it. It is our libido to dream and believe we can achieve it. As I grow in to a mature being, my system lived the fandom life I had and it had been part of me since then. The KPOP fandom  molded me in some ways which I thought at first as dull-boring, but as it turned out, it became the crayon that added rainbow to my black and white perspective.

KPOP is Lifestyle.

"What's your music?" my classmate asked me. Well, some of them knew that I'm a fanboy and really adore the Korean pop music but some of them just really don't understand my genre.
But how it started? Well, I am just at my grade 9 years when I first heard a song titled "Fire" sung by a Korean pop group called "2ne1" or simple called as To Any One. My impression was, well it sounded weird because of the beat and unusual lyrics. I even translated the lyrics into its English version to know the song's meaning and, oh men! it really moved my bones. I mean the lyrics really describe the situation I'm going through and I was like, waw.
My ever first fandom was the all-girl group 2ne1 followed by the Super Junior, EXO, SHINee, Boyfriend, Girl's Generation, BoyFriend, VIXX, B.A.P, Wonder Boyz, Sistar, iKon, f(x), Infinite, and BTS.
My parents are going crazy while I volume up the speakers and start singing along the the lyrics as if I'm the singer. The find me weird but, yeah, they held no arms on my vice.
As a fanboy, I dedicate myself to join any group and fan meetings. I went to regional KPOP Conventions and have some ultimate fandom bondings with co-stans. We do bias and KPOP spazzing and hallyu. Everytime there is a newbie which shares same interest and fandom, we have this KPOP-inspired initiation to welcome such neophyte. We all go crazy when someone plays a kpop song that was sung by our favorite group and we sing along. we even call ourselves according to the fandom we belong. As for me, a 2ne1 fan, we call ourselves the "BLACKJACKS".
KPOP also influenced my choice in fashion. I admire their style since however simple the linens are, they always make it really pleasing and those mix and match outfits that you never thought it could will be like *puff* there they have it. They all wear it.
for a dedicated fan, KPOP is not just a genre. It's not just a music. It's a way of living. A lifestyle. KPOP is just an instrument in bridging the gap to every nations that has cultural barriers. We are building bridges and rejecting those cultural hindrances that clogged our means to share our same interests. We embrace differences. That's how the KPOP lifestyle molded my being. To be an open-minded individual. :)