Media
20111023_seoulbeats_chatbox

SB Chat Box #18: Scary, obsessive fan culture

28
Written by On February 23, 2012

One thing that inspired this chat box: idols behaving badly. Two specifics? Yoochun‘s fan incident and Block B‘s questionable ability to not goof around.

Patricia and I dive into a discussion on fan culture as it manifests itself in all different ways in K-pop: from the charitable fans who mobilize on behalf of their idols, to the obsessive and possessive fans that make up a large part of the sasaeng culture (who have inspired events like the one Yoochun was caught on video for), to the ones that mobilize in acts of aggressive on behalf of their idols. It’s crazy stuff.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Download the podcast here.

Congrats to chunface for guessing all the songs from the last podcast. I think it’s time you win a medal, buddy. Leave your guesses below for this week.

We’d love to hear more about your thoughts on fan culture in general, so feel free to leave your thoughts.

Until next time…!

Related Posts

TAGS:
  • http://twitter.com/denzelwynter アシュリ// 애쉴리 (Ashley)

    The relationships between the idols and the public in Korea is actually unhealthy. You loose fans because you’re dating someone…. When these people are supposed to support you and supposed to want you to be happy. -___-

    Obviously as fans you’re the reason why they have risen to however high they are, but you don’t own them and they are human.

    • http://twitter.com/doramachan Mara

      Even more weird is their acceptance of a show like We Got Married. 

      • http://colourmesplendid.wordpress.com Ree

        Haha, I think We Got Married is one of those shows that only works for K-pop. Can you imagine if it had an American TV Show counterpart? Pairing up like Taylor Swift and Kanye West or something.

        • Anonymous

          Haha TS and KW. Too funny.

      • Anonymous

        WGM…personally, I believe that show is a bit of a waste of time really. Which reminds me, there’s even fans that actually somehow end up believing that the ‘couples’ in WGM are actually couples.

        Delusion at its height.

        • http://twitter.com/denzelwynter アシュリ// 애쉴리 (Ashley)

          Like Jo Kwon and Ga In… lol babe he can rock heels better than you.

      • Anonymous

        Got it right, Mara.
        I watched the performance of MuBank in Paris, and surprised seeing “Khuntoria’ . While even the agency stated that WGM was just a show and specifically asked fans to stop. 

        In one side, I know that means the members have successfully acted in the shows and it gave us happiness/warmth/what-ever-you-want-to-call-it. But, after that, just leave them alone. If the couple becomes a real time couple, then give them support & blessing. If not, pray for their happiness in success, no matter who they date. 

        It will be an awkward situation, if actually they want to continue the relationship as best friend, but due to the stress their fans give, they can’t do so.

        Yep, delusional at its height and no respect to one person’s personal live.

  • Anonymous

    Super Junior – She Wants It
    SNSD – Show Show Show
    SM The Ballad ft. Henry Lau – Don’t Lie 

    • Anonymous

      I have a question. 

      Do you use Jedi mind tricks to influence Amy to put those songs thus allowing you to win every week?

      You’re nearing magical with your speedy responses ;)

      • Anonymous

        Heard about inception? Hehe

    • Anonymous

      Obviously I’m a Yoochun fan, but I won’t be like those fans who would deny that it was indeed Yoochun in that video. I really think that an idol hitting a fan is unacceptable, but if it was the fan who pushed the idol into doing that, then I must reconsider things. I think Yoochun, if he indeed hit the fan, has a reason why he did that. 5 years in the business (by that time), I think he knows what are the do’s and dont’s in the industry, and I believe that hitting a fan is one of the dont’s. Not that I condone what he “did”, but as I said he has his reasons, and he’s a grown-up man already, he knows what he’s doing. Sadly, his reason for doing whatever he did on that video will remain unveiled to everyone.

      Shipping..sometimes its fun, I mean the context of shipping your favorite idols is fun but going further than that…Uhm…that’s kinda bothering already. Like noticing some little things that Idol A and Idol B both did and connecting those with each other, creating scenarios and stuff, that will then lead to fanfiction..oh my. I wonder how idols feel when they read about fans shipping them with another idol, and if they ever read those fanfiction stories. Especially the boyxboy or girlxgirl ones. Ugh. 

  • Anonymous

    Dear SB,
    can I write what I think is good this week in Chat Box or do I have to wait till Five Thing we Love this week?

    It just Miss A Live Performance for Touch was (Say) A Kill.. 
    And couldn’t wait to hear from you… 

    Thank you, ME

  • https://twitter.com/#!/LimaCake LimaCake

    Awesome podcast as usual. I listened to it on my way home through shitty Los Angeles traffic. I agree that there’s an awkwardness between fans and the artists they love. And idols a lot of times feel annoyed by needy fans. But I wonder how much idols genuinely do love their fans. Just watch any awards show and you’ll see all the artists thanking their fans. I wonder how much of that is genuine, and how much of that is just expected of them to say. I think there is an awkwardness but also love–or at the very least, a mutual dependency on one another.

  • Anonymous

    Super junior she wants it
    miss a touchSNSD show show show!
    SM the ballad ft henry lau dont lie

    • Anonymous

      I missed Miss A’s Touch! I thought it was just a random sound effect. Hehe. Congrats KIMGINA. ^^

      • Anonymous

        Thanks.  

  • Anonymous

    Although I’m neither liberal or conservative, I think the sasaeng culture really needs to be kept a bigger eye upon – idols need to make more efforts to keep their fans in line and with those obsessive/possessive and aggressive ones, they need to be dealt with by the police.

    Idols seem to think their agencies and the cops will deal with everything or at worst, underestimate the scary bottom pits of fandom.

  • Anonymous

    What’s worse is that news like “Kim Won Joon falls for WGM wife Park So Hyun” makes news on Allkpop or some Kpop related news site, and then the next day, he says he was joking. ——> Fans take this kind of ENTERTAINMENT way too seriously when obviously these people are doing it for the media buzz.

    Believing these people’s dating claims is like the equivalent of believing dating rumors between the cast of Jersey Shore… On one hand, stars/idols will do anything for more publicity, including “fake” relationships that break up like a month later with their costars (Lee Minho and Park Minyoung anyone?). And on another, it’s nobody’s business anyway – in high school I didn’t give a crap who was dating who (rarity I know).

    If anything, if you really loved someone you would keep it a secret to protect each other from the news reporters that are often greedy and exploitative. Although I have to say that the majority of “news” in the Kpop world is made by netizens and fan paparazzi photos, and to that, I have to say that it’s a huge invasion of privacy… I mean would you want photos taken of you while you’re enjoying some cute couple time with your partner? There’s this stupid argument that celebrities should just deal with the fan mobs and lack of privacy (including people invading their homes and such) because it comes with the territory/job and at the end of the day, why are they complaining because it makes them more famous…

    I, for one, go to the movies to watch a certain actor because of their past repertoire of films and/or skills & talent, or buy Big Bang albums because I like the music – NOT because of who they are dating. It should be about the art, that is why they are in the business (or that’s how it should be). Sure, Britney Spears is very famous and that alone could get her movie roles, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to enjoy her movie (or go see it)!

  • Anonymous

    Dear SB writers & SB readers,
    OK, Block B got it wrong and deserved some discipline and respect. 
    But to go as far as death petition or disband the group is a bit too far.

    We are young once, being careless and stupid and speaking without thinking + want the world to revolve around us and label as the most rebellious or carefree or whatever you want to be known to the world and act accordingly (who hasn’t?).

    Their management also one to blamed. They are supposedly more mature and more experienced in entertainment business, one as different as Korea. They should cut the interview once they saw the attitude and correct that on the spot. They could if they would, even if it was being live-show. 

    Some of the comments from Philippines themselves said that they had forgive and wished the group to show growth and success in years to come. 

    So, isn’t it time to move on?Sorry, I am a bit heartbreaking over this out of hand situation.
    And reading all those negative comments and harsh judgements really put me off KPop.

    As a media, shouldn’t they have the edit button, or at least the heart to stop for being too far?
    It will be the first time and the last time I talk about it, just too heartbreaking and I don’t have the stomach to face it.

    Thank you for being neutral and always put the issue on the right perspective.
    Hopefully, we are grow up and grow wiser as well.
    Truly yours, 
    ME

    • Anonymous

      Lol its like that time MBLAQ thought they were disbanding because Joon took off his slipping vest and bared his chest on a music show! Even Jay leaving 2PM was for such a lame reason, lots of netizens seem to jump at a suicide petition or disbandment petition so quickly…. 

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/Em-Jahay/100000672446316 Em Jahay

        I find it sickening that people even believe they have the right to  decide that someone should die since when were they god? no one has the right to  say someone has no worth or value and should kill themselves everyone has the right to life .

  • Anonymous

    I appreciated the fact that you guys talked about how the Block B incident blew up because of Khun’s tweet.  It was something that didn’t occur to me before.  I don’t disagree with what was discussed.  I think more idols need to bring attention to questionable topics in K-pop.  But this podcast discussion got me thinking about some other things.  My concern is, if you are going to call out a hoobae group or fellow artist/entertainer, is the social networks the proper medium, especially in such an unstable and volatile industry such as K-pop.  Do you take responsibility for the backlash/firestorm that takes place after your comments?  It makes me question how much idols are aware of the fan environment/social culture that surrounds them.  Are they as ‘delusional’ about these fandoms, for a lack of better words, as their fans?  Do they understand what “idol” really means?  And most importantly, do they realize how much ‘influence’ they are because they are an idol? 

    For me, I think Block B needed to take responsibility for their actions.  They are very public figures representing themselves and S. Korea in a foreign country.  They need to learn how to find that balance between ‘being themselves’ while maintaining professionalism.  At the same time, Khun and party (2PM) also need to realize that they too have a very impressionable fan base and they too are very public figures.  Yes, it was a very passive aggressive comment, but it was very apparent who the target was.  I don’t know if Khun realized it, but he fed fuel to a embers that can seal the fate of his hoobaes.  I can’t help but feel that 2PM especially should have a sense of how much a comment said in a moment can affect the outcome and how scary the fan culture is in S. Korea.

    I’m not blaming Khun and 2PM for calling out Block B for their actions.  They should, in fact they are the perfect sunbaes to teach hoobaes about the foot-in-mouth disease, just not the way that they did.  I’m not making an excuse for Block B for acting like immature brats in a foreign country either.  It was disrespectful to the situation.  What I am saying is, the tweets that these other idols tweeted in regards to Block B’s actions set forward  a fire in motion that is quite scary especially in camp Block B.  Do they even realize that it’s happening at all?  Are they going to condone the reactions of their respective fandoms?  Are they going to speak out about the death and disbandment petitions?  Are they going to console their hoobaes?  I don’t know, I just feel like kpop is a self consuming machine at this point.  It grew so big and allow the fans so close into the world/livelihoods or artists that it has become its Achilles’ heel.

    Maybe the SBers could talk about the meaning of ‘idol’ in kpop vs ‘idol’ in Webster’s and all the delusions that comes with ‘idol’ on a future Chat Box.  To me, it seems like the more these social networks are prevalent, the less these public figures are remembering to choose wisely their words/actions.  “With great power comes great responsibility.”

  • Anonymous

    For sociologists and psychologists this is definitely a very interesting phenomenon but for me it´s just little too scary and I feel very uncomfortable about the idea of people who are living through someone else´s life like they own him/her. It´s like some kind of a twisted cult.
    And I don´t think that some phrase like “culture difference” can explain it or more precisely justify it.

    • Anonymous

       I was trying to think of a word to describe the craziness but twisted cult fits, people are drinking too much of the kool aid (Jim Jones reference).  I don’t know what the stalking laws are in South Korea, but I think these companies and Idols need to start putting their foot down.  Yes you may loose some fans but people adapt to situations, especially if it causes harm to folks.

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/Em-Jahay/100000672446316 Em Jahay

         there are currently no stalking laws in Korea sadly  and there will not be until next year so many people are grouping up to try their best to bring awareness about Sasaengs/PRIVATES/ Stalking fans in hopes to  put an end to their one track minded fanatic ways. https://www.facebook.com/groups/241956989231090/

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000733800778 Mary Noona

    I’m not sure how often the writers read comments here, but I’m currently stationed here (Korea) for missionary work and I wondered how I would be able to provide insight to this site for better insight?

    • Anonymous

       At the top of the page to the right there is a tab called share your Insights.

  • Anonymous

    I think all this stems from a lack of role models and “heroes” or people to look up to. Its sad that most people look up to idols because these guys should not really have any credibility as people, the focus, I think, of being an idol is that you make good (sometimes not so good) music and perform. I love them but its not fair for me to expect them to act like a Mother Teresa or an Anita Roddick.