Op-Ed: Why are you interested in K-pop?
I’ve been covering the ins and outs of Korean Entertainment news for about two years now and I can’t help but to get bored. It’s the same ole news everyday. Either it’s one out of the five most talked about K-pop groups coming back with a new song (although they never left), the grand talks of American debuts, some anticipated drama or movie that fails to live up to expectations, some awards ceremony or some crazy fans participating in the most idiotic deed of the century. And yet, I continue and I ask myself why.
What’s so great about Korean Entertainment that despite all these complaints, I continue to write about it? Is it because of my love-hate relationship with Rain, Se7en, Super Junior, Big Bang or just about any K-pop group? Or is it because I secretly hope that I can quit my day job to blog full time? Or perhaps because I want to out-do an ex-friend who did me wrong.
I guess these are the possibilities, but deep inside of me, I know that it’s because I secretly hope that someday, Korean Entertainment will develop into something big and great and I want to make sure that I do everything in my power to help, even though I can’t help but to insert my catty remarks on anything and everything I get my hands on.
Or perhaps I was simply wired to like it because I was born Korean, but I was curious as to why you, our readers, are interested in Korean Entertainment?
So what makes you want to check in to read about the latest in K-pop news? Is it because of Rain’s Engrish, Sohee’s dumpling face, Big Bang members average height, DBSK andSS501’s pretty faces or simply because you have too much time on your hands? Share your thoughts and yes, I know, today is a super slow news day, hence the op-ed.
I think the reason why I love KPop so much is because I’m already so bored with Western music who show nothing but skin on TV [too much skin for my own good, I must say].
And let’s admit it; Korean Pop Business is THE MOST SERIOUS BUSINESS in the world. I mean, 5, 6, 7, 10 years of training? Come on! And you don’t have to look good, but sound good, dance well, act a bit maybe, and the like. They’re the whole package. Good Lord look at TVXQ! Dang, Korean Pop is so exciting! With all the fan wars, crazy fangirls, netizens scrounging for the most random thing about their idol-slash-rival of their idols.
For me, there’s never a dull moment in KPop. May it be live performance blunders or simply KPop acts topping almost every chart in Asia, there’s always something new to look forward to.
KPop acts by far are the most dedicated artists I’ve seen in my life. Working their assess off until they faint makes you appreciate them more. And the good thing is, THEY NEVER COMPLAIN IN PUBLIC. Heck, one false move and they’re erased from the madness that is KPop. I betcha they’d rather be followed by crazy fans than live boring lives.
KPop is so good it’s recognized all over the world, with the KPop acts not even trying too much to promote themselves. The power of the internet and fans. :) I’ve never seen so much connection among (crazy) fans and their idols. Glow sticks, balloons, shirts, name it, KPop has it. :D
Lastly, KPop is love because I love TVXQ. Enough said. <3
except artists, who really can sing (most of them), and boybands (I was surprised that they still have), and great songs(and I love artists singing live), k-pop is like a different world. everytime you find out something new (at least I do), like how they get crazy over some nakedness, or showing abs, or how some of songs are being banned, and how truly devoted fans are, and how far they can go for their idols (really scary).
always make me want to know more about it =)
but I was curious as to why you, our readers, are interested in Korean Entertainment?
My reason: I’M OBSESSED. NATURALLY OBSESSIVE. Old habits die hard, y’know?
It’s sad, I have no clue. All I know is every few hours I must check dramabeans, seoulbeats, Allkpop, and popseoul.
[...] Op-Ed: Why are you interested in K-pop? I’ve been covering the ins and outs of Korean… [...]
Hmm. Reposted? Okay. I don’t think I ever replied to the other one. haha
For me, I found myself drawn to the ASIAN entertainment industry over the American one because you could kind of feel like you “knew” the celebrities. Like, will you see people at the peak of their career in America right now whoring themselves out on variety shows, cracking lame jokes or getting coupled up with other stars? And plus the music in itself is different. Nowadays in America, the top 30 usually has the same kind of digitalized music, with stifling synth beats and mostly the same kind of voice over and over.
The reason why I’m into kpop more than jpop or cpop is probably because of gossip blogs like these. hahahah. The community for kpop is so much more, well, ACCESSIBLE? I guess. And it’s relatively smaller. I can read your stuff without getting the same people over and over, usually, and yet know who you’re talking about most of the time.
And speaking of the community. There are also, like, less people into it? But at the same time enough for me to be able to meet people and enjoy talking to them. Kind of like, it’s a tighter community. If it wasn’t for one fan forum that I’ve joined in particular, I probably wouldn’t have felt the same way about kpop at all. You can kind of get swept up by everyone around you so that you end up knowing what they know, y’know?
That’s probably part of the reason why Korean fans are so obsessive and stuff, too. looool. They feel CONNECTED with the industry. They know that it hinges on their money, but at the same time some of them take it just way too far. And it’s amusing for me, sitting half the world away, to read it and laugh at their silliness. But deep down I know that I’d probably be just like for them for the Wonder Girls. Actually I think I already am. =_=;; lmao.
agreed with Andrea. i had NO IDEA how i can simply waste my time checking on blog roll what about which i never cared much and even response to the article.
maybe its just part of what plays being fun.
and not forgetting through one of those blogs that i came to realised that koreans disrespect others with cultural and to what matters being insensitive when the composer or director or whoever that is during the remixes of 3 k-pop group for mkmf’08 which had first the rocked brown eyed girls, too much reaped clothes for stripper show jewlry and last by jaurim when the remix for the first opening song uses azan “hayyaalalfalah” a caller prayer for muslims. eventhough the meaning is more being optimistic going onwards for future.
this is offending. as what the phase goes ..”i wasnt born yesterday’.. HELLO!?”, im sure those people are not either.
and what does global stands for if they never to know any?
and thats it for me upon watching that i am limiting those levels at which being ‘over’ at of anything relating kpop be it dramas, movies, musics whats there they got to present, now. the people no not that im denying the honesty and comfortability they reveal the truthful of their own. shade the stage image and still live a normal quiet humble life. and this isnt what it seems to be i think hyori is a good woman and i like her. she is more than what she has to show.
its sad actually that it is true as we asians doesnt care about other asians ourselves. just how it feels like being unwelcomed when im in my home country shame is, felt home now residing in the southwest of asia. if you recalled doha asian game’06, there it is. i always going around talking about how proud it is being one asian. that now as ive seen things goes and matured more i would reconsider not only the asians all that great the humanity,sensibility the people on that side are offering and show more such cases of israelis brutality on assaulting gaza for more than 70 years, not admiring personally it’ll be easy to lose your beliefs, faith thats bounded with you all along.
relating events whats been happening i recalled reading an article of which during that time of beijing olympic game the Princess of United Arabs Emirates, H.H. Sheikha Maitha Al Maktoum has requested an autograph from hyunbin. The princess, who led the United Arabs Emirates Karate team is in fact being one girl fan herself and many more with every comes of addictive dramas and loving it.
recently theres a korean guy who is being loved by showtime when its always had been him promoting whats new on channel and subscribe not because he speaks english but arabic the mother language fluently like any regular arabics. not us who once had chance learning can hardly make up a conversation. but this regular guy put himself in the heart of every people there. it would be hard to try the tolerancy with the arabs but one you could make yourself treated as family, -speak the language. youre welcomed everywhere and being loved lucky enough to be invited to their homes and live how they do too . because hey its once-in-a-life time opp. you can dream only if youre not rich as they are. -sadly.
I think i like kpop because,
1) its interesting to check out other types of music
2) Ive got bored of american music -_-
3) Almost all the singers i like are HOT^_^
I love K-pop because it’s an entirely different species from American pop or even other Asian pop. I initially was in it for the boy band fan-service (which, I might add, is EXCELLENT — and k-pop boybands are pros at it), but I stayed because I fell in love with the routine of it — a routine which I think is missing in American pop especially. I love that there are boy-bands and girl-bands as well as trios, duos, and solo artists, even though they all sound the same most of the time. I love that the groups have cleverly named fanclubs with their own special color and such. And I love that even big stars in the industry would willingly show up on variety/game/reality shows and be silly. I won’t say K-pop isn’t plastic and fake, because it is — all popular entertainment is showy and shallow — but K-pop is different.
I don’t know either.
I could have done a whole lot of better things with the time I spent over kpop stuffs.
For me, I have become like a fan of 2 groups.
So I always look forward to seeing them in the future, and hope that they do good and outshine other groups. (Big Bang & Wonder Girls)
Honestly I love Big Bang’s songs so much I listen to them all the time.
& Guys are hot! I would date everyone if given the chance except DaeDae and V.I.
For WG, i know the group itself lacks this singing ability and dancing ability and all that. but i still stay as a true wonderful fan.
I guess it is favoritism that keeps me there.
For WG, if Sunmi wasn’t in the group, I would stop paying attention to WG.
She is just too adorable, and dorky 4d. my fav. member-singing and personality wise.
Well, i like K-pop simply because i am attached to the songs. I personally like the boyband SOMEDAY. Great vocals (with R&B and soul touch) I think, “SOMEDAY” is one thing that draws me to K-pop. All the boybands are great! I love T-max, A’St1, SS501, SHINee, etc.
*Btw, everyone, PLEASE support SOMEDAY.Haha ü
toodles!
ALL ABOUT EVE…CHAE RIM ESPECIALLY….