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The Good Fan: A Rational Person

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Written by On February 8, 2012

Stars are not stars without their fans.

It is thanks to the fans, the loyal supporters, that somebody can become a well-known singer, or perhaps even an icon for their country. It is the fans that buy the albums, the fans that attend the concerts, and the fans that are partly responsible for spreading the word about their favourite artist. When it comes to K-pop, with the polished idol groups and the hordes of screaming fans — be they VIPs, Inspirits, SONEs or Wonderfuls — comes some strings that might be better left unattached.

One of the most fundamental aspects of K-pop is to market their idols not only using music, but also through variety shows. Be they variety shows where the idols in question are guests, or where they are the focus, the idols’ personalities are sold through shows like Strong Heart and Sesame Player. This is an aspect almost completely unique to K-pop, where a variety presence is almost essential to the success of a group or soloist. The reason it is still continuously employed though, is because it is an exceptionally strong marketing tactic. Through variety shows, fans are given a different perspective of their favourite idol. They see them off the screen, displaying personality traits impossible to demonstrate effectively in a performance, and that more often than not, fans fall in love with more than the music, more than the performer. They come to have a strong attachment to their favourite idol, not only for their talent, but for the people they present themselves as. In fact, it might not even be a stretch to say that the fans will fall in love with their favourite idols, and their behaviours will reflect that. The main problem though, is that this might not be the best characteristic for any fan to gain.

It’s only too easy for fans to become overprotective with such mindsets and at other times, irrational. And if any fandom has a track record, it’d be ELF. Fans of Super Junior have been involved in several incidents, some which go better unnamed, some which can be justified. Their reactions though, are often overblown and exaggerated, and more than once, ELFs have pushed blame on SM Entertainment for any mistreatment of their boys.

The most recent event for ELF would have been at last year’s SBS Gayo Daejun where ELFs were not notified of the recording times. As such, Super Junior didn’t receive adequate fan support. Naturally, when news of this came to light, ELFs were in outrage and the boys themselves were clearly disappointed. Instead of focusing all of their effort into making the next few Gayo performances for Super Junior spectacular with strong support, a large proportion of ELFs went to blame SM Entertainment for mismanaging Super Junior — even focusing on SNSD more, and putting Super Junior in the backburner when promotions for ‘The Boys’ began.

While the dedication ELF has is incredible, the reputation they gain when they express mass outrage (at times irrational) doesn’t hurt the fanbase alone — it also hurts Super Junior. The reputation a fanbase has is not separate from the group they support. The problem only goes further when the members of Super Junior themselves don’t make a substantial effort to calm their fans down.

All of this begs the question; what makes a good fan? Specifically, a good fan within the K-pop fandom?

We all know that things work differently in K-pop. The emotional attachment many fans develop isn’t the same with artists in the West. The almost fanatical purchasing of merchandise isn’t exactly replicated everywhere else — it’s something people can identify as a K-pop way of doing things. After all, fans realize that the industry is a fast-paced one. It’s a race to get to the top before a group gets lost with the almost exponential influx of rookie groups and fans play a part in it. It’s up to the fans help their favourite artists secure music show wins, the fans buy the albums, the posters and the concert DVDs.

But still, fanwars come to life. Still, we hear about fans doing something inappropriate, a fandom expressing something that would best be left unsaid. We may hear about an flood of negativity when somebody is discovered to be in a relationship. Some of these reactions should be expected, others really shouldn’t be around at all, so what makes a good fan? It’s a difficult question to answer.

To start off, is buying the merchandise an artist puts out necessary for somebody to be considered a good fan? In all fairness, not necessarily — especially for international fans. While buying albums does give an artist income (digital or physical), it shouldn’t be the sole condition for somebody to be considered a fan. Anybody with money can buy an album; money, though, doesn’t entail somebody’s support of the artist. All it shows would be an appreciation for the music that the artist in question has put out, but nothing more. Furthermore, there are plenty of people who aren’t in conditions to freely purchase the music. On the topic of international fans, they could be at a disadvantage, with online sources as their main K-pop shopping centre. There are shipping prices to consider when purchasing physical albums and not all digital media can be bought by international fans.

This leads us to the behaviour a fan should exhibit. It is easy to call yourself a fan of a group. Easy to dub yourself a Shawol, a B2UTY, a Blackjack. As long as you support the group in its ventures, you can call yourself a fan. After all, a fan is simply somebody with a liking or enthusiasm for something. But still, we need to draw a line. As fans, we must realize that as much as we adore our ultimate bias, it’s not up to us to carry their burdens, nor is it appropriate for us to act on our emotional impulses alone.

One of the simplest examples out there would be in the instance that one’s ultimate bias was discovered to be in a relationship, be it with another idol or with somebody outside the industry. The initial response, surely, would be one of betrayal. It isn’t something that one would like to admit openly but it’s a reaction that can only be expected. When a fan has invested so much in their favourite artist, only to find that they ‘belong’ to somebody else, a form of betrayal will be felt. That emotion isn’t anything to be ashamed of. However, it is how we react to those emotions in question that is of importance. The inappropriate reaction is something we’ve all seen before: an expression of anger or disgust — anything disapproving — towards the offending girl/guy/sheep who has ‘stolen’ the affections of the bias. Before we head off and and display our emotionally-charged disapproval to the new couple, we must realize that even though we feel like we know our idols, they are still ultimately strangers. We haven’t met face to face and even if you have (you lucky human), there is no prerogative for us to stake a claim on them and say that they can’t love somebody else.  A good fan would realize this, as heartbreaking as it might be, and they will take a step back and wish the happy couple well.

Moving on, what about the fans that dub their bias a perfect human being? What about the fans that look at their favourite and see no wrong? On the surface, there doesn’t seem to be any harm at all.

It’s fine for me to look at 4Minute‘s Jihyun and say that she is perfect in my eyes. There is nothing wrong about me holding my own beliefs regarding whoever it is I choose to admire — at least, not yet. There might be a problem though, when somebody comes along and states quite logically that the ‘perfect’ human being in question is not a fantastic singer, lacks in stage presence and might have benefited from staying out of the career path of an idol and continuing her dance education. It doesn’t matter who these types of critical comments are directed to, as a fan, it is only expected for one to be somewhat hurt on behalf of the object of their adoration (note how it’s ‘on behalf of’ — we are not obligated to feel those emotions as those comments aren’t directed at us or our tastes).

Then, how is one supposed to react? It isn’t difficult to see that a fairly large portion of the fanbase will react violently, defensively insisting that no, the one that has been criticized is perfect and that anybody who thinks otherwise is wrong. What we should be doing though, is taking a step back and realizing that hey, maybe these outrageous comments are actually right — maybe there is a grain of truth in them. As fans, we must realize that as perfect as they may seem in our eyes, nobody is perfect. And instead of stubbornly refusing that truth and insisting that perfection exists in the universe in the form of your bias, we should look at things above all the brewing, stormy emotions. We should look at the clearer picture and realize that you love your bias, imperfections and all. Furthermore, as a good fan, one may need to look at their bias objectively and see that there are areas in which they could improve. Everybody is in need of some constructive criticism, and frankly, your bias is no different.

In fact, one of the key ways of being a good fan is to reel in our emotions and think logically. It doesn’t matter what problem it is, be it your favourite idol being criticized of being a poor singer, be it the poor performing conditions your favourite group has been subjected to — it doesn’t hurt to keep one’s head straight and in working condition. We should be rational fans, people who can admire the object of their affections while keeping an open mind. We should be people who look around and realize that not everybody likes the same things or sees things in the same way as we do, what’s more, we should accept and respect that. It’s not wrong to feel, but we must not act mindlessly on emotions alone — especially not when we have our bias’ reputation tied to the behaviour of their fanbase.

(Nate, SBS Popasia)

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  • Expiredxmilk

    Amen.

  • Anonymous

    As a fan of one of the more polarizing people in Kpop it’s not always easy to be rational. Because just as there is over-the-top love, there is over-the-top hate- presumptions and accusations condemning character and talent to such degree that sometimes you can’t help but feel indignant on the idols’ behalf. And then there is the crowd mentality, drawing fans into pointless petty squabbles that would otherwise have seemed ridiculous. 

    It’s important not to sink into the pool of crazy. Not just for your bias’ reputation, but for your own sanity and emotional well-being.

  • http://twitter.com/kimberly_cho92 Kimberly 조은진

    agree.
    although i like a lot of kpop groups i refuse to call myself a cassie, a blackjack, an inspirit and so on because of that irrational fan mentality associated with it.
    at certain times though, i can’t help getting pulled into that state of complete adoration for a certain idol.  one time it was jonghyun… which happened to be just around the time that it was revealed that he was dating shin se kyung.  that ripped my heart out and then brought me back to my senses and since then i’ve learned to admire my biases with a certain distance.  
    it’s almost unfair for the idols themselves when fans love them unconditionally. they can’t date, and i think, most importantly, they won’t grow as artists if people continue to tell them they’re perfect the way they are.
    but hey, when was kpop only about the music? but that’s what i don’t like. personally, i like the music but the fan mentality bred from it is just wrong on so many levels.  

  • Demi

    Nice article, but Kpop without delusional fans is so boring, inside seoulbeats disqus I’ve seen them #sometimes I enjoy it too, ehehe

    • L.Chibi

      delusional fans, can’t live with them…can’t live without them ahahahah

  • Anonymous

    Which one was linked to sheep?

  • Arbitrary_greay


     This is an aspect almost completely unique to K-pop, where a variety presence is almost essential to the success of a group or soloist. 
    I think you mean Apop. Most of the references of “only found in Kpop” sentiment should be replaced with Apop. 
    What is unique to Kpop is how the militaristic nature of the fanclubs has much more entitlement sentiment, even actually affording them some measure of influence. Sometimes companies will let the fanclubs organize fanmeet events, etc. Those kinds of things are often for official fanclub members, though, for which I believe there are registration fees.  Whereas Jpop fanclubs are generally more easygoing and happy to follow the directions of the management, unless a scandal is involved. 
    But that whole emotional attachment thing? Modern Kpop(starting from Seo Taiji) took it from Jpop. 

  • Anonymous

    Thanks for a good read! I would like to believe that most fans who frequent seoulbeats regularly (not counting the few crazies that came in cos of the poll) can be considered ‘good fans’ in that we are for most parts rational when dealing with our biases and are open to reasoning and discussion.

    Completely agree with your viewpoint. Reading hurtful and disrespectful comments on some other news sites is personally depressing for me because it makes me realise how awful humans can be to one another and how ugly we can be. Essentially it’s all about having a viewpoint and trying to force everyone else around you to have that exact same viewpoint, and all opposers beware. Rather sad actually if you think about it, and it reflects how close minded our society can be.

  • Anonymous

    i am not a fan of anyone appareantly lol i hope fans of sm artists reads this. some of them need therapy ASAP

  • Meanie

    Living in America and delving into Kpop or Jpop  etc.. I can appreciate the lines that are drawn between celebs and fans, basically “Who gone check me boo.”  Yes you have the STANS who hate Selena G/Justin B together or wondering if Jay Z/Beyonce sold their souls to the Illuminati but guess what, “Who gone check me boo.” And they keep it moving.

    I wish these idol celebs could be free and enjoy a private life.  I wish they could all band together and have like a celeb idol protest march in the streets of Korea or Japan: Bring their significant others holding hands with signs saying and yelling, “Give us, us free.”LOL… Although I am being sarcastic at the same time I’m not.  I mean what is Music without the growth of relationships, breakups, makeups, marriages, children, deaths, world events, oppression.  All these experiences are put into music, let the Idols experience it, believe me you will probably get more great music… Although POP music in itself doesn’t delve too much into the serious since it’s based on a catchy beat or sound, not so much lyrics.At the end of the day the World doesn’t stop because your idol is having sex or G dragon is smoking pot… Step away from the bubble.Enjoy- http://youtu.be/vEjUQ15lyzk

    • Mija

      Amen! i wish they could just be free like western singers too

  • LImpy Limpious

    To be a good fan of a certain idol, I think you need to praise your idol when deserved, and also be able to criticize them when necessary. Also, you should accept opinions of other people in your fandom, even if you disagree with them.
    The bashing of SME from ELFs is well deserved. SME treats their ELFs like total idiots. Firstly, they give shitty songs to Super Junior thus putting ELFs in an uncomfortable position: they can either buy low quality Suju music, or face the demise of their favourite group, because SME would no longer take interest in Suju if they don’t bring profit.

    Why certain fandoms have such bad reputation? Here are my 2 cents:
    1. Some companies, like SME, promote idols way too much through variety shows, creating such state for fans to fall in love with the personality of their idols, rather than through their music. Makes SM get away with giving shitty music to their groups.
    2. Certain individuals who create fanwars and do other stupid stuff, thus giving the rest of fandom a bad reputation.

    3. Idols themselves don’t react when fans get out of control.
    4. Companies relying too much on official fandom for buying their music, instead of trying to make their music appealing to general population. Here lies the need to mantain cult-like fandoms. Suju must rely on ELF to buy their music, but CN Blue can sell their music to general public, thus eliminating a need for strong fandom.

    5. Companies encouraging fanservice, or some other “creative” marketing strategies that only have purpose of sneaking the idols into fantasies of their fans and in that way creating rabid fans who can’t stand their oppa dating a woman.

    My personal favourite would be SHINee. Marketing them as noona jailbaites, photoshoots that don’t reveal something, but not too much, that always leave sth to an imagination, making them look like some forbidden fruit. Imagination of the Shawols went wild, resulting in enormous amount of smut and fanfiction, blind adoration and obsessiveness. No wonder some Shawols 
    could’t stand Jonghyun dating that actress. 

    6. Companies fabricating marketable personalities of their idols, instead of letting idols acting the way they are. If an idol can’t live up to its fabricated image, they can face a lot of backlash.

    If I were to praise the best fandom, it would be VIPs. They have their flaws, but Big Bang can’t be seen much on variety shows. Instead VIP connect with Big Bang primarily through their music and live performances, where Big Bang’s true talents and personality gets into the light. Emotional connection between Big Bang and VIPs seems the most sincere, since it comes from both sides equally: in every performace Big Bang gives 120% to making a memorable show, which their fans really appreciate, not feeling cheated for supporting them. VIPs also stood up for Big Bang when they were going though a crisis, and Big Bang were grateful for that. VIP were probably one of the main reasons why Big Bang didn’t disband because of the scandals they faced.

    • Guest

      This is a beautiful comment.
      Thank you for this article by the way.

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_6NR4CWLS6RLSC6PCXOWJ2HQLJA PasserBy

      ^ Nailed it there.. I wrote about Big Bang on my journal before. I just got to share a part of it after reading your comment.

      “After the Rain-Se7en, the KPop demigods, phase, one song got me into KPop fully, LIES. It’s a great song. It has finesse you can’t find in other KPop songs. The simple chord progression, the bass, the piano, the voices — LIES is Big Bang’s golden song. But I didn’t know that when I was listening to it; I didn’t know that I was listening to BB materials until a year later. I love their music. It’s what mainly makes VIPs stick to them until whenever. Somewhat like a promise of great music… music you can be proud of as a fan.

  • guest

    I agree and disagree. I guess I’m somewhat an ELF in that I’m a super junior fan, but other ELFs may not really consider me one since I only like less than half the members, I’m fully aware that they aren’t perfect, and I didn’t bother buying their albums.

    I think how everyone thinks of ELFs as an insane fandom isn’t fair. There are crazy fans in every fandom, and they are usually just a very vocal minority. The complaints by ELFs for the gayo performances are understandable; there was a mistake made, so of course there will be complaints about it–demonstrating disapproval helps to ensure it doesn’t happen again. And I think ELFs were totally supporting super junior for the remaining gayo performances.

    I think ELFs are put in a bad position because it seems obvious that SM aren’t giving super junior good material. (It may be intentional or SM is just incapable, either w ay their 5th album wasn’t that great.) However, compared to other big Kpop groups with many many fans I think super junior is the one most in danger of disbanding, which the fans also can clearly tell from the group’s diminishing numbers and all SM has said about them originally being a pity group, so ELFs don’t dare to not support them. When you spend a bunch of money on crappy stuff, of course you’re going to complain. ELFs are rather numerous so unfortunately there will be many many complaints, some of which are also sadly misguided and end up creating fanwars.

    ELFs are not that irrational. While you may only know them as such, they’ve also been reported to donate extensively and volunteer for many humanitarian causes, which can only be a good thing. I’ll admit I don’t understand they’re preoccupation with giving their oppa stars (what exactly would one do with a star?), but I think in general ELFs are a perfectly sane group and don’t deserve their bad reputation.

    The fact that there are crazy fans I do agree with

    • Guest

      afaik elfs are the only fanbase that has driven a girl to suicide or has accused another fanbase of rape and other crimes or has orchestrated a black ocean or has a large and very loud movement that openly hates on sub-group members. that is what their bad reputation is based on. it’s not because of the way they support suju or what they expect from sm. their donation to charities does not negate that in any way, neither does their perceived ill-treatment of suju. and their crazy focus on getting suju that stupid gda daesang because they were “robbed” by snsd a year before was also a little loony imo.

      • tiffany

        The black ocean wasn’t just orchestrated by elfs, I’m pretty sure it included other groups (I think it was cassies and whatever SS501 is, but I’m not sure). I think there was also some thing about banas and dal shabet? fans hating on each other and accusing each other of stuff, so again, not just elfs. I think the hate for Henry and Zhou Mi is mostly SM’s fault, since Super Junior was originally intended to be a rotational group, which elfs didn’t want, and having a fifteen member group seems ridiculous (even if I love Henry). Besides, that movement has died down a lot I think. And elf drove a girl to suicide, so what? I guess this is cynical, but South Korea does seem to have a bullying problem and a super high suicide rate anyway, so it’s not as if suicides caused from bullying is that uncommon there. The people who do good deeds probably aren’t the same people as the bullies anyway. I would like to believe that the majority of elfs are regular fans, not the really delusional ones who do terrible acts (it would seem so, but I don’t have numbers). You can’t generalize a group by a minority within it. All fans want their bias to win, elfs just put in some extra effort because it’s probably suju’s last year, and yeah, they were upset that suju didn’t win in 2010. I was mad that my bias group didn’t win, even though their stuff was so much better than suju’s (which is, of course, a subjective view), does that make me crazy? Suju IS ill-treated. So are a gajillion other idols, but that doesn’t give elfs any less of a right to complain about it to stop. 

        It’s not that I don’t agree that there are crazy elfs. I do. Some elfs can be wrong, especially when they start bashing other groups. I just hate that I can’t proudly call myself an elf the same way I call myself a B2uty (yup, I’m a Beast fan), because elf carries so many negative connotations, which I don’t think is deserved. You get crazy fans from all other groups, and fanwars and crazy fans have existed long before Kpop.

        • Anonymous

          Ii love Super Junior, but when you hear about the crazy mobilization of a crazy fc…… It’s usually ELFs. They have done all the crazy shizz that make people think kpop fans are crazy.

          • tiffany

            I do realize that there are crazy ELFs out there, but other groups also have crazy fans, they’re just not as infamous as ELFs yet. ELFs have been alive for a long time, (except TVXQ and SS501, I think they’re the longest living super huge fan group, and come on, there ARE crazy cassies and triple s, like the conspirators behind the black ocean) What I hate is when I say that I’m an ELF, and immediately stop taking me seriously.

        • Guest

          i’m sorry, i refuse to fully respond to any comment that says “so what” to the idea of pushing a girl to commit suicide. that’s the most vile thing i’ve ever heard and you just made elfs look even stupider than they already do.

          every fanbase has crazies but what those crazies do reflect on the fanbase. if a few banas are stupid, it reflects on the fanbase and if a few elfs are stupid, it relflects on the fanbase. one doesn’t negate the other.

          ps the only13 movement is alive and well.

          • tiffany

            I LOVE Henry, but there are things with the only 13 movement that I do agree with, though. I do not think that Henry and Zhou Mi should have been in the regular Super Junior group, especially when there were 13 members. I see nothing wrong with them in SJM, but 13 is a lot of people, probably more than Suju needs, and what would Henry and Zhou Mi add exactly? Henry can dance, play violin, and sing, but a kpop group doesn’t exactly need a violinist, Suju already had three excellent dancers in Hankyung, Donghae, and Eunhyuk and three excellent singers in KRY. Zhou Mi really only sings, because he wouldn’t be able to MC in Korea anyway. If you did a cost-benefit analysis, Suju would not benefit from Henry and Zhou Mi being in their main group much, but they would have to split time from promotions and in their songs with them. Since they were tacked on after the group’s creation (just like Kyuhyun was, except Kyuhyun’s value is much greater, I think), SM’s plans with them were not very certain. If YG decided to tack on non-Korean members to Big Bang so they could promote in China, how many VIPs do you think will be okay with that?

          • lay

            stay with the topic of SJ, no need to drag other groups into your argument.

          • tiffany

            I was just trying to say, with almost all groups, SNSD, SHINee, 2NE1, etc, etc, etc, fans will not be okay with the addition of two new members that don’t seem to serve a purpose, so people shouldn’t blame ELFs for being against adding Henry and Zhou Mi to original Suju. The only reason I mentioned Big Bang specifically, was because I was under the impression that many of the commenters here are Big Bang biased, I don’t mean it offensively!

        • Anonymous

          I would’ve agreed with you totally except about the suicide thing. The fact is that even before the whole ELF incident, this girl was heavily bullied. Her emotional health was already deteriorated. Tragically, the attack that a group of K-ELF gave after she took a picture with Kangin pushed her over the edge and into suicide. :( That is one of the saddest and most horrible thing extreme fans could do a person and I don’t think you should basically say “so what” to a loss of human life. While, yes, the suicide and bullying statistics in Korea are extremely disturbing, it doesn’t take away from the fact that a person was led to suicide because of bullying from fans.

          • tiffany

            Ok, I realize that I trivialized the suicide here, which I shouldn’t have. I do not bully anyone, and I certainly do not approve of it. My point was, though, that SK has a culture of collective bullying, and resulting suicide, even among regular students and their peers. Fans have also banded together and harshly criticized others on the internet (for example that Rainbow? member that rumor had it was going to be on WGM with Yoseob. I understand that she, too, is an idol, and on a different from regular people, but really, how different?) So I think that while the suicide is sad and unfortunate, I think it stems more from inherent problems in Korean society and underlying issues that she already had. I don’t think it means that only ELFs are bullies, that’s ridiculous.

        • CRAZY ELF

          A human life is lost and your response is “So what?” How about I shoot your mother right in her head because she gave birth to a stupid ELF fan then you tell me “So what?”

          “I guess this is cynical, but there are people killing each other everyday anyway, so it’s not as if murders
          caused from irresponsible comments is that uncommon on the internet. ”

          PS: I am a crazy ELF, SO WHAT?

          • tiffany

            If you shoot my mother, I’d enjoy how you’d rot in prison for a long, long time. I’ll apologize for trivializing the suicide, which I admit, is wrong, and was my fault since I didn’t communicate well. I am not okay with personal attacks. I did not personally insult you in my last comment. 

            Your point is ridiculous anyway, because there are cyber-bullies that cause depression and sometimes suicide, not even only in Korea. It’s not just ELFs, it happens in many, many environments. I NEVER said I condone it, although I agree that my “So what” makes me seem apathetic. But your edited quote of mine doesn’t make sense because “people killing each other everyday” does not in anyway lead to “murders caused by irresponsible comments is that uncommon on the internet,” which aren’t even murders, because while cyber-bullying is bad and wrong, the bullies do not actually kill anyone, the person chooses to take their own life (aka not murder), and killing people physically has nothing to do with the internet. (Basically A–/–>B), while what I said does have basic logic. Besides, even though the quote is absurd, it’s not as if  both parts aren’t true anyway. People do kill people everyday. Cyber-bullying (IDK about actual deaths, but it’s not as if suicides only have one underlying cause anyway) isn’t that uncommon. 

            I can understand if you’re not a rational and logical person (yes, I realize that this is an attack, but I’m very pissed off at you, if you can’t tell, and you insulted me first), but if you are, don’t associate yourself with ELFs please, and leave the perfectly sane people on this planet alone.

  • Lizzieheart_17

    Funny I must not be a fan, because when a idol is dating, my oppa, I’m always happy! Maybe because I never really was mad crazy about a singer/idol and imaginated he was mine or that I would marry him. I know is not possible so why think he is mine? LOL Why think he can’t date anyone? I think he dating someone is the best because he is happy… well this might make me angry or sad if the girl is not a nice person but if she is I have nothing agaisnt it…

    Also, I know they have flaws…

    For example, you can love your idol’s voice or way of singing, but please do not say he is perfect and all. I’m tired of blind fans who deny that their idol can sing life perfectly and that he/she doesn’t need any improvement. And when I say they didn’t improve, this is when I’m called a hater just because I talked about true facts.

    I won’t say xxx fandom is the best or most rational because I have yet to met one like this.

    I mean It. I thought beauty/inspirit/A+ was a good fandom but I think they are getting a bit too bigheahed because their  idols are being more recognized.

    • Lizzieheart_17

      Sorry for so many grammar mistakes^^

    • Lizzieheart_17

      who deny that their idol can’t sing life perfectly 

  • Mija

    I’m so glad Seoulbeats addressed this issue in kpop. What annoys me the most are the fans who can’t admit that their biases have flaws. Its ok to say “I love this idol for his/her personality and dancing but he/she is not a strong singer”. But they can never admit to that and instead they resort to defending the shit out of their bias saying that they are perfect in every way. Just fucking admit that the person isn’t a good singer! It doesn’t mean you love them any less it just shows that you are realistic. 

    Then, the fans that verbally attack anyone who disagrees with them are the worst. Your bias doesn’t know you exist so why are you taking on the role of their defender as if your bias’s company is paying you to do it? My female bias is Kahi Park and people say that she is a bad dancer who looks like transexual and of course I disagree with them but I ignore it because I know Kahi slays other idols when it comes to dancing and shes proven herself a million times over. It doesn’t mean I think shes perfect though. Alot of kpop fans need to get a fucking life!

    • Anonymous

       My problem with the antis are not with the constructive criticisms… It’s with the people who come looking for fights on forums or posts using personal attacks like plastic, sluts, fags, gay, and bimbos… These kind of comments go way beyond constructive criticism in to the territory of slander…
      Also, if you are going to post personal opinions on a public forum you should be open to rebuttals from people who disagree with you… As they say “If you can’t stand the heat stay out of the kitchen.”

      Antis go out of their way to go on posts about artists they don’t like or feel are rivals of their stans and bash away maliciously. I personally have artists I don’t care for but don’t waste my time bashing them on public forums. It’s a complete waste of my time…

      • L.Chibi

        I agree. Those people that have the time to just bash and go on negative rants on other groups seriously have way too much time on their hands. Even with groups I don’t stan or listen to, there’s no point in bashing or complaining about the group when everyone’s music tastes are different. Kpop and its entertainment is a hobby and a leisure activity, not a job.

        • Black_Plague

          “Kpop and its entertainment is a hobby and a leisure activity” – I think SM and Core Contents Media would highly disagree, as they see Kpop as nothing more than a way to get big money while selling music that’s at best, atrocious to listen to (T-ara’s YaYaYa, notably, and hell, I’m a fan of that group).

  • Arbitrary_greay

    Lol is this not-so-subtly calling 
    Ghdksd out? 

  • Anonymous

    The result is ….. I´m a good fan :-))

  • RocketSocket

    Hell, I’d pay money to see a major riot at a K-pop concert between fan groups. Let the riot police deal with them XD The fans that are so fanatic about their idols are no different to religious fundamentalists, really. Wouldn’t be surprised if more similar incidents came about as the years go by.

  • scarletdevil

    is this b/c of that DG guy?

    • Anonymous

      maybe
      when tyonge1991 was still around an article about troll also popped up in SB

  • Anonymous

    I clicked on this article for the first picture = = … and since we are on this, quick question for DBSK5/ DBSK and JYJ fans, what is your definition of a good fan? #justcurious

  • Mika~

    Actually, this is one of the few rare times that I disagree with a Seoulbeats writer.

    I don’t think that the ELFs were wrong to call out SM for making such a huge mistake. It would be mismanagement if fans didn’t get to cheer for Suju at one of the weekly music shows (Music Core, Music Bank, Inkigayo), but the ELFs not being notified to go to the Gayo Daejun, that’s MAJOR mismanagement. It’s almost as if SM’s thinking, well, Super Junior’s not going to stay intact for long anyway (considering they’re heading off to the military one by one), let’s not really concentrate our efforts on them. While I do think that it’s unfair to hate SNSD for SM’s mismanagement of Suju, it’s not unfair to call SM out for their mismanagement, and in fact, it was probably necessary! The ELFs needed to show they weren’t going to just take all this mistreatment and let SM step all over them, and Super Junior.

  • boo

    @Guest I’m questioning why some SONE blames ELF because of that black ocean incident. If I’m not wrong, at that time ELF wasn’t as big as right now. cassies, ss501′s fans (I don’t know what their fanbase name), wg, etc. had more fans than ELF. even I read somewhere (in YT if I’m not mistaken) that most audience were cassie.  I don’t deny that some ELF dislike or even hate snsd, but I just don’t get it when some Sone blamed ONLY ELF for everything hate that come to their idol. hey… just open your eyes, that’s not only ELF ok!! ;)

    about why ELF is ‘famous’ with their crazy attitude. I think it’s because elf comes from popular boyband Super junior, and is probably the biggest fanbase right now. you know.. the more people in one fanbase, the more variety of characterisctic in it.

    you may not believe this, last year when SuJu won mubank over infinite, some inspirit didnt accept the result, even they ‘bash’ suju. but no one blame inspirit for this. but when infinite won over suju then some elf ‘bash’ infinite then people judge elf as the most immature fanbase, etc.. etc.. etc. or when cassie, vip underestimate Suju as a boyband no one seems really care about this. but when some elf says ‘I don’t like a certain group’ then other fans will say how immature elf are.

    in this case, Im not trying to protect suju or elf. I just wanna say that every fanbase has their own crazy fans, arrogant fans, mature fans, immature fans, and so forth. so I don’t accept
    that one fanbase is better than other fanbase. because when their idol are on the
    top of their carrier, then mostly fans usually think their idols are
    already on top and no one can beat them, you can see it in every fandom.

    • Arbitrary_greay

      There’s very little information on the Black Ocean because both the Korean fans and media have done a good job hushing it up. There apparently was another Black Ocean during the 2010 Dream Concert that was completely hushed up, and the only reason we know about the 2008 one in the first place is because someone managed to upload a fancam . But yeah, we know that at least Black Ocean 2008 was a multi-fanclub event, exacerbated by the WG chants. 

      • Igbygrl

        What’s a black ocean?

        • Black_Plague

          Google it bub

  • Anonymous

    So… I haven’t been here on Seoulbeats for a long, long time. The last time I came here was probably two years ago and I had vowed never to come back after reading an article that at the time I deemed to be highly critical toward SNSD. I was one of those fans with a closed mind who couldn’t wrap my little head around that someone in this world did not think that SNSD was the most perfect batch of angels that the world has ever been gifted… Boy am I glad that I grew up from that (I still love SNSD btw, I’m just more “rational” about it now) and mustered up the courage to come here again– this was a great article. Well written with many good points and observations. I’m glad that I came across this. It’s a topic is one in much need of discussion and the blind loyalty that the fans have for their fandom has been an issue that has run rampant since the dawn of er, fandoms. 

    I’d like to just highlight the lines that really stood out to me: “The reputation a fanbase has is not separate from the group they support.”– You hit the nail right on the head. Crazy fans do not make the group/solo artist look good. It’s easy to get starstruck and want to get their coveted idol’s attention by pulling their hair as they’re passing by or abducting them off the stage while they’re performing… wait, what? Is this really the best course of action you could have taken as a fan? How does that make the fanbase look to those outside of the hype? Or even to the idols themselves? As much as they love their fans, sometimes I think a part of them is something along the lines of “Oh God, I have to face a rabid fan next morning after a 16-hour flight?” Slight chance of abduction, 20%. Bring an umbrella!

    “We must realize that even though we feel like we know our idols, they are still ultimately strangers.”– It doesn’t matter how many hours/days worth of clips you’ve watched on Youtube or how many times you saw them at fanmeets and concerts. You don’t know them any better than the next viewer!  Truth is, you’ll never know the real Jaejoong or Tiffany. Most certainly not enough to claim them as your “hubby/wifey.” They are personalities that record labels produce that do not necessarily portray anything about the true person behind the flashy stage outfits and designer eyewear. In fact, I don’t think they sanction their idols to reveal anything real about themselves to the fans. They want their idols to look the way they want them to look. Always. So that leaves us fans in the dark, kind of piecing together the little unique things that the idols do (hoping that this is a glimpse at their true selves) amidst the background of Starking or other variety shows when they think the camera doesn’t catch them. Then, using our imaginations and our varying degrees of socializing experience, we begin to build and glue together our own “perfect” image of them… and we just come to love this little creation of ours.

    Our fascination and obsession with idols and our desire to win the hearts/attention of the world’s most coveted peoples is actually pretty weird and really interesting. I think some people even start to forget that idols are people too, just like you and me, only with talent and blessed with good genes! Worth writing a part two on. Again, excellent read. Cheers! :)

  • http://twitter.com/JM7228JW J-MayTan©

    always ELF tis ELF that… yup, blame ELF for everything…it’s not like its a first time… getting bored and tired of it already… -.-

    • http://twitter.com/JM7228JW J-MayTan©

      also…everyone just remember the wrongdoings of ELF…but forget or care less about the good things that ELF did (charities, donations, etc.)… *sigh*

      • Anonymous

        i still remember ELFs’ help to vote for BB in EMAs :)

    • Smiles1471

      Yeah, ELFs have a bad rep, not sure its justifiable thou, are we any crazier than other fandoms? I don’t think so, just think that at the moment, we are the loudest (in our crazy i mean). 
      A few years a back, people had sh1t to says about the Hottest, before them Cassiopeia and the SM lawsuit. But as an ELF even i admit we can be bonkers! 

  • http://twitter.com/cobyness11 coby

    I can write an entire thesis about Kpop or Asian Pop fandom.  My friend is telling me that I am like an addict, but reading into what other “fans” do, I am not even close.  Delusional fans will soon grow up.

  • Capri08

    It’s fine to be a fan of an artist as long as you remember that they are human. Fan groups always criticize the companies and music industry for turning their idols into machine. But they do it as well, and no I’m not saying all the fans do it. Though a good majority of them do. Realize as a fan that your idol(s) are human, they are going to want to date, and they are going to make mistakes that humans do. 

  • Sa

    It was not a good idea to highlight a particular fandom in this article. If you were to cite, it would have been wiser to spread and cover a more expanse range of examples – gearing towards a more neutral/partisan objective. I’m not an ELF (despite my preference to Super Junior) but in their defense, this only gives more ammo to generalize a fandom as a whole (in this case – a negative light) when they’ve also done many good things in the name of their group (Super Junior). In addition, it isn’t a group’s duty to keep their fandom hushed like obedient animals or something of the sort when something happens each time. Most likely, the group themselves are probably unbeknownst to “fandom disobedience”. As much as people can assume that fantoms and their respective groups know what is occurring in the other’s daily routines, it just doesn’t work out that way. Fans do not know the true person of any member of a group, they are not close friends, they aren’t even acquaintances. You’d see that an idol would always put up a happy guard when they are in the presence of the public – for their image. It may not reflect the person that is charging their smiles from underneath. They are people, why does that even need to be reiterated?  

  • Anonymous

    Let’s face it: Some fans need to get a life.

  • Blossemcup4

    I’ve never been able to become completely obsessed with anything. I think the closest I’ve come to it is with Super Junior. I used to search for anything involving them, especially my favorite members. I have wallpapers of them on my laptop and random pictures of them as my screensaver. But all that aside, I can safely say that I am a rational fan. I don’t think they are the best thing ever, but I do enjoy their music and their personalities.
    Honestly, if a member of one of my favorite groups were to get close to a female that isn’t me, I would be a little jealous. But I wouldn’t start hating them or get depressed about it. I am fully aware that we don’t know each other and we may never know each other, but I still kind of wish it was me.
    I have been known to call some of my favorite Kpop stars perfect, but it has always been in regard to their looks. That probably isn’t any better than thinking that they are morally perfect or something like that. But I can’t help swooning over them (especially No Min Woo; how can he be that gorgeous?). I know everyone is entitled to their opinion and what other people think shouldn’t affect how I feel about my favorite idols, but I really can’t help feeling a little upset when people criticize someone I like.

  • L.Chibi

    I believe if I were to compare myself to other fans in the kpop industry…we are miles apart when it comes to dedication. I have heard about fans buying multi copies of albums and all those posts about voting for a group to win a certain award, and even more. Sometimes those more hardcore fans scare the heck outta me, which in turn, makes me not even want to associate myself into a fandom or a fanclub name. It’s hard to find a rational group of kpop fans around here and when I do, it seems like a blessing. I believe a fan is a fan when they are able to criticize the group they like the most. Being a fan does not mean you have to like everything they put out in stores, buy all their merchandise, and push other people to vote for them to win an award. Fans that know when its right to give feedback, good or bad to the kpop group themselves helps not only the fans grow, but the artist grow and mature in their music too. Not to start up anything based on groups, but Super Junior’s title tracks aren’t as great as many make them to be. There are other groups there that have produced better quality music, but since the fans believe that anything their idols produced as a song is great no matter how mediocre it can sound makes it a lost cause. I believe musical awards should be earned by the music, not earned by the fan dedication. Music composed carefully, filled with a good set of lyrics as well as a harmonized beat, sound displays true talent, not gaining #1 in kpop based on those fans that don’t know how to help and improve the artists as a whole. If those hardcore fans would realize that blaming a company for low quality and attention to a group is not because of the company, but the fault really falls onto the fan. If fans just continuously buy, buy,buy without any sign of stopping whether the material is good or bad, why would a company change anything when they’re still reaping the same financial benefits?

    I agree with the think logically as an attribute of a good fan. I really adore kpop, but I don’t allow kpop and fandoms to consume me. I stay out of fanwars, I give constructive criticism, and even tho i can grow to have a favorite bias and attachment with members of a group, I keep it real. They are humans just like all of us. Soon, they’ll need to settle down and eventually have a loved one and maybe even a family with that loved one. Those hardcore fans need to get a reality when their oppa is seen with another girl because get real, it’s not that shocking. and as for the dramas, and acting they do, (ex. We got married), mass dislikings on a youtube video or cut of the “acting” couple, isn’t going to change anything. Kyuhyun from Super Junior was my #1 bias for a long time and when i heard he was on WGM, unlike a mass of girls out there, I was fine with it. It’s work and if he really were to find love somewhere down the path, I’d be happy for him.
     
    As good fans, liking/staning a group won’t be enough, a fan must also help the artists musically grow as a whole also.
    I hope this wasn’t too long of a post, just had to say what I had to say. Thanks for reading.