The Dark Side of K-Pop Fandom
When Pop Culture Fascination Turns Fanatic
Being a K-pop fan myself, you might say I’m pretty deep into this whole scene. I mean, who can resist the catchy tunes, the visually-striking music videos, and the immaculately coiffed boy and girl groups? Not me, for sure.
But the thing is, as much as we love our favorite K-pop stars — I mean, I’ve got posters of BTS plastered all over my walls — there’s a side to K-pop fandom that’s a little less like a candy-colored dream and a little more like, well, a bad acid trip.
Fan Obsession: It’s Not Just A Hobby Anymore
Now, I’m not talking about casual fans here. We’ve all got that friend who’s a casual K-pop fan — they’ve got a couple of favorite songs, maybe a favorite group or two, but they’re not losing sleep over it. What I’m talking about are the hardcore fans — the ones who spend hours, days, weeks even, scouring the internet for any hint of information about their favorite idols.
They’re the ones who have every single album, know every lyric by heart, and who can rattle off their favorite idol’s birthday, blood type, and favorite color at the drop of a hat. Some of them even make a pilgrimage to South Korea, visiting their idols’ favorite hangouts or even their homes — which, let’s be…
