Socio-Cultural
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The Power of Anti-Fans: Real or Not?

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Written by On March 1, 2012

The definition of an anti-fan, according to Wikipedia is someone who engages in obsessive research about something they claim to oppose, but are still very interested in. When I was a Jonas Brothers fan way back in the day (don’t judge, please…), I encountered these kinds of people for the first time while watching their music videos religiously and reading the comments underneath. There would be users who would post something like “Nick, you’re so ugly and your shoes are so gay” or “Why can’t you sing, Joe? You sound like a dying hippopotamus.” That baffled me to no end–sure, I respected that everyone had different tastes in music and maybe a band of three pop-singing brothers weren’t some people’s cup of tea, but why bother writing these mean comments? I don’t like listening to Nicki Minaj‘s songs, but I don’t go out of my way to find her music videos and comment on them meanly. Avoiding them makes much more sense.  But in the world of K-pop, the anti-fan is a whole different species.

There are different types of anti-fans in K-pop. Firstly, there is the type that I mentioned above: the highly opinionated anti-fan. I consider them relatively harmless, because even though they express discontent toward K-pop, they don’t actually go out of their way to destroy the artist. These types of anti-fans focus their efforts on targeting the artist’s fanbase instead, and even then, most of them don’t do so intentionally. (Warning: the following video contains strong language)

Okay, please don’t go spam that guy’s YouTube page with hate comments after watching that. Personally, I wouldn’t even call him an anti-fan. Or if I did, it would be a very mild one. All he did was express his negative views on K-pop, albeit vehemently. We K-pop fans are opinionated, so it’s only fair that everyone else gets to be as well, right? A video here and there, a blog maybe, no harm done. The artists these anti-fans talk about will most likely never even see the things they post, so it’s not a big deal. Free speech has always been a part of the culture I grew up in, so instead of getting furious over seeing videos like that, I’m usually pretty neutral about them.

But I guess that’s not the case everywhere, because anti-fans in South Korea can get downright vicious. Anti-fans are just as vocal as fans are, and they show it… not only through innocent videos and blog posts, but through actions that can seriously damage an artist’s confidence. The most damaging groups of these anti-fans target specific artists while supporting another. Take DBSK‘s 3rd Asian Tour Concert for example, when fans of the Wonder Girls and Big Bang reserved as many tickets to the concert as possible to keep Cassies out and force the boys to perform to a small audience. A similar incident occurred when SNSD took the stage during the 2008 Dream Concert. The girls faced a quiet, lightstick-less audience as fans of other groups suddenly stopped cheering during their performance.

Anti-fans acting alone to damage or attempt to hurt a K-pop artist can be just as hard to deal with. These people seek to create a physical or psychological effect on the artist. Former Super Junior member, Hankyung, dealt with this kind of anti-fandom when an anti-fan jumped onstage during a birthday celebration for him, cursing and telling Hankyung to “crawl back to China.” The anti was later searched by security guards and a bottle of liquid that may or may not have been sulfuric acid was found on him. Clearly, he intended to harm Hankyung. The member also faced rumors started by antis who claimed that he trades in amphetamine drug injection needles, which led to Hankyung doing a urine test to prove his innocence. That incident was definitely not optimal for his image. And if that wasn’t enough, the poor guy also got a shipment from an anti later that contained a few small bags of blood (where do antis even get all this blood from?), a knife, and a stabbed picture of himself.

Perhaps the most covered incidents of anti-fandom are the ones that involve Changmin and Yunho from DBSK. When Changmin was at the Kimpo Airport in 2008 with the group, he was approached by two angry Chinese anti-fans who hit him on the head. This is clearly a violation of an artist’s privacy, and to be honest, I was pretty indignant after reading about it. I understand that people dislike things, but to go this far and to physically hurt someone because of it is unacceptable. Two years ago, Yunho also experienced a dangerous situation when he drank a soda spiked with glue given to him by an anti-fan. He was rushed to the hospital and wound up okay, but that kind of serious attempt to hurt him left him pretty shaken.

Actors and actresses encounter the same kind of anti-fandom. One of my favorite actresses, Yoon Eun-hye, was shot in the eyes with a water gun filled with soy sauce and vinegar. That’s painful. And it’s also disrespectful and a breach of personal space in a serious, harmful way.

Criticism from these anti-fans can be extremely hurtful. Idols work hard to get to where they are now, and sometimes it’s hard to think of them as normal human beings with their fame and all, but they have emotions that can be hurt as well. Anti-fans of 4Minute have apparently sent them aggressive messages telling them to get plastic surgery at one point, and SNSD‘s anti-fans even have an anti-fan club name: STAND. Which, by the way, stands for Stand Till All Nine Disappear. However, most anti-fans belonging to that club call themselves civil antis, which means that they do not actually wish to go out and physically harm SNSD.

As much as I hate to admit it, anti-fans do hold a significant amount of power over K-pop culture in general. Artists are cautious of what they say and what they do, and their managers are constantly on the lookout for potentially dangerous stalkers during events (leading to alleged cases of violence, even). Antis are known to have caused many artists lots of heartache, especially leaders like Leeteuk who depend on support from K-pop fans, who has openly said that he reads anti-fans’ comments in an attempt to improve.

Like I said before, sometimes we forget that K-pop idols are regular human beings, just like us. I don’t like it when someone puts me down in an unnecessarily harsh way, and I certainly don’t like haters. I don’t think anyone does. Although most K-pop artists brush anti-fan incidents off and carry on with their normal lives, anti-fans have a bigger impact on K-pop culture than what can be seen on the surface. It’s the darker side of K-pop, and as sad as it may be, as long as there are K-pop fans out there, there will be anti-fans as well.

(soompi, myjimmytheasian, kimchilicious, soompi, hellokpop)

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  • Anonymous

    good job Seoulbeats, you’ve some how hit on everything that irks me about Kpop and the world lately -.-

    when it comes down to it, “anti-fans” are a waist of skin and bones, the get their Jollies off by hating on a others.

    I mean I’m not much of a fan of some groups but that doesn’t give me the right to mentally and physically harm them and their fans.

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

    I LOVE this topic! To your question about why anti-fans don’t just avoid what they don’t like, I think I have some insight on that.

    I have a friend that lives in Seoul. She’s a huge 2pm fan. But she said when she moved to Seoul last year, she started to HATE Nichkhun because he was in every billboard, every poster, every CF. She said she couldn’t escape him and it really made her want to go crazy.

    My point is, some people can’t avoid certain artists that they don’t like because they’re everywhere. For example, I can’t stand Rihanna. And the only way I could escape her was to stop listening to the radio ALTOGETHER lol. I can stop listening to the radio, but i’d be lying if I said I never once thought of writing negative things on her youtube vids mwahahaha!

    • http://twitter.com/Laava90 Lava

      Oh my gosh, I was the same with Rihanna and Nicki Minaj and Beyonce, after actually liking Rihanna and Beyonce for a short while aswell, I eventually just got so irritated by them, I can’t even go to the gym to escape them! They’re everywhere it gets really annoying, I can definetly see where you’re friend is coming from, I’ve don’t watch music channels or listen to the radio anymore because every other song is from them X__X

    • Anonymous

      ^nit’s the same for me but with Taylor Swift. I was pretty indfferennt against her and I was a casual fan of some of her songs….Until she got too over exposed. Now her overexposure has she’d light on he for me in a negative way. All het irritating passive aggressive habits about acting like a victim, the way she sings and how immature she comes across with the songs she writes are only half of my disdain for her.

      Her fans make Taylor out to be as some musical prodigy or genius. never mind the fact she can only write songs in 3 chord majors and has the vocals of a dying cat. but since she can write her own music it’s excusable. Her fans reminds me of Avril lavigne fans. both fandoms can’t distinguish what is contrived and manufactured to raw talent.

      Anywayz I’m going off topic so let me bring it back in that if I ever do live in Korea, I think my sanity will go right out the window after living their for a month. if someone as harmless as Taylor Swift can annoy me to no end, just imagine what I’ll do if I lived with SNSD over exposure day in and day out. I’ll take the Chinese water torture over them any day thank you!

    • Anonymous

       This is so true when girl groups with TONS of members *Cough* who have little talent (subjective I suppose) are on every other post on certain “everykpop” websites *cough* with thousands of 14 year old girls praising beauty and superficial qualities, it can get a bit tedious. :D

    • sara devi

      @LimaCake:disqus and the rest of you here: i totally agree!

      it’s difficult to avoid something you don’t like. i’m the same. i used to like rihanna’s music (pre-chris brown issue) but then over the past few years have stopped liking her or her music. but i can’t just “avoid” her music cause she’s just everywhere!

      her songs are played on the radio so often everyday. when i read an online newspaper article, several articles on her are on the sidebar. seriously?! i can’t COMPLETELY stop listening to the radio or reading online newspapers just to avoid her can I. and thoughts of writing negative messages on her youtube vids have crossed my mind more than once.

      and there are kpop groups who are just like that for me as well. overexposed. and @igbygrl:disqus i totally agree. it gets really irritating when fans act as if these people are Gods or something. 

  • Anonymous

    I think it’s one thing to be critical – have an argument of substance – and another to just call names and try to bring people down.

    Personally, I hate idol groups so I just have to stay away from some fans because they just rub me the wrong way. But I try not to be an anti-fan. haha

  • http://twitter.com/simpledm xelo truo

    Netizens and antifans; both are equally scary. 

    • Anonymous

      Ugh, I hate it when people use the term “netizens” like that. Netizens are just citizens of the net. That includes both you and I, and everyone else reading this. 

      • http://twitter.com/simpledm xelo truo

        Should I have said crazy netizens instead .. I guess it’s because I only heard of the word netizen in the kpop and usually it’s something bad. My bad; if you were irritated. 

        • http://profile.yahoo.com/KFOLAJLXYHOCHDRFCSECACDGFI Lisuh-chan

          i agree with you. i know we’re all netizens here, but whenever I’m faced with those kpop articles, I think of them as a whole other group of people on the internet because of all the crazy ones that are lumped in that term..

  • Anonymous

    Leeteuk seems borderline delusional, or at least too deeply entrenched in the K-ent system. 

    • Anonymous

      Yea……. He needs some time in the army to get real. He’s too emotionally invested in “idol”. I fear for his growth as a human being. He’s not maturing as a person at all.

      • http://profile.yahoo.com/KFOLAJLXYHOCHDRFCSECACDGFI Lisuh-chan

         What do you guys mean by delusional? Is it like Leeteuk is becoming so absorbed into the industry that he’s losing his identity of himself and just trying to be godly perfect like an idol-by definition is supposed to mean?

        • Anonymous

          I mean that the things he does/media reports him as doing are completely unrealistic. Like, most people in the “real world” wouldn’t take a comment to heart or “attempt to improve” themselves if they were called gay ass faggot. 

  • Anonymous

    i got a headache trying to follow what he’s saying.. it’s all over the place..

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/WOQED4DEFGB6O6S65KNRKF5TII Lit Ashe

    Bashing = anti. They just are trolling, or they are really showing their anger and disapproving for people. I don’t mind antis. Why would I need to confront them? They don’t like an artist. You like that same artist. So? You may hate Justin Bieber, while a tween-fangirl likes him.

    Criticism = sense. They have something to say, with an opinion backing it up. They may say too much autotune. That is better than saying TOO MUCH FUCKING AUTOTUNE THEY CAN’T SING FOR SHIT GODDDAMN GET OFF THE INTERNET. I may disagree with their opinion. They may think they are right.

    Look at all these fucks I give.

  • Anonymous

    ds

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/YQ53WK5K4DPXQ5DIBKDELB6WPE Camille

    To this day, the whole Yunho-drank-something-spiked-with-super-glue antifan incident makes me rage. It’s one thing to dislike an artist, but entirely wrong to actually go and attempt bodily harm on them. Yunho’s antifan did so because she apparently thought that Yunho was getting arrogant and whatever. WTF?! DBSK’s leader, the guy who is so professional and PC to a fault that he has never done or uttered a single negative thing in all the years he’s been on the spotlight.

    What’s even more horrible was the lasting effect that incident made on Yunho. Apparently, even until now, he’s still wary of drinks being handed to them, always asking exactly who got it and where one got the drink from. Hell, fanaccounts say that Yunho would rather even get his own drink if he could. That kind of trauma is saddening, and the antifan who started it all should keep thanking her lucky stars that Yunho was too nice to press charges.

    • http://twitter.com/__flyawayzxc lifang!

      Not to mention Yunho actually dropped all charges against that anti-fan because that anti-fan is about the same age as his own sister. Honestly, why would anyone want to hurt him? TT He’s such a good person…

  • Anonymous

    Very often crazy fans of someone are someone else´s crazy anti-fans. TBH both groups scare me.

    • Anonymous

      Yeah, fans in generally are one of the worst things about kpop. Both crazy supportive fans and crazy anti-fans are quite annoying. But without kpop’s fans, kpop wouldn’t be as big as it is. We wouldn’t get all the great youtube vids and fanclub photos that we international fans truly rely on. Its such a two-edged sword. For a while, I was just so irritated by fans and their comments and their actions that I quit Kpop altogether, because you can’t have one without the other basically. The culture of Kpop breeds these type of individuals and its quite unfortunate.

  • http://twitter.com/MonicaDBSK Monica

    I think the kid in the video was being pretentious, made me cringe. 

  • http://profiles.google.com/kclee20 kc lee

    Gosh I still remember when that anti sprayed Yoon Eun Hye’s eyes.  They had to bring her to the emergency room.  Then had to perform with an eyepatch for months because her cornea was damaged.  Pic of her wearing an eyepatch http://i41.tinypic.com/2lxfd37.jpg

    I think its ok to express that you dislike someone but just not go overboard psychotic with it.

    Antis are so sick in the head that they just live each day obsessing on how they can bash and harm the artist that they dislike.  Their head is just filled with hatred.

  • http://twitter.com/JustInExistence W.Y. Lu

    I think I never even knew the word anti-fan until I entered K-pop. Back then I was shocked people too so much time out of their day (an/or night) to hate someone. I’m surprised they didn’t get stokes from all the stress to make people’s life miserable. I remember thinking “wow, people sure know how to waste their time.” But I was too naive. As I stayed in K-pop longer I realized anti-fan don’t just hate, they harm! OMG son! Did they really have to go to that extreme? Where are their parents? I would have send my child to see a psychiatrist if I see them writing blood letters or see them stab pictures of anyone. Are the parents antis, too? It seems like they only appear to cry and apologize for their behaviors. How many of these people go to jail?

    But being in Kpop for about 5 years (I know, I’m still a baby), I learned fans can be just as obsessed (and/or dangerous) as anti-fans and they are all scary people. What scares me the most  is that I am starting to see some side affects of being a Kpop fan. Before, when I dislike a band, group, or singer I would just avoid them. Dislike Britney Spears? Change the station. Dislike country music? Learned to zone them out. F4? *shudder* Told my friend to never show me their drama, music, merchandise, etc and I will let her rant about them to me. Now, I feel frustrated whenever I hear Kpop I don’t like, even more so when they are overexposed or given too much prop for their bad music. They might have the right beat, but I sure do not know what message they are trying to give. Also, sometime I cannot tell if they are trying to sell sex (like being clad in little or exposed clothing while singing something suggestive to a bunch of male population who thinks of sex 90% of the time) or talent.

    I finally learned how to deal with it. Focus on one-three good group/solo artist and ignore the rest! HAHAHA. Even though this might make me a Kpop idiot and I might miss out on some good things out there, there are no blood letter being sent to someone I don’t know personally (my friend turned enemy on the other hand…) nor am I shipping myself to Korea to stalk an already probably traumatized idol.

  • IZ M

    Woah never knew it was this serious. These ppl needs to chill. There’s more to life than just hating on other ppl.

  • Anonymous

    I still don’t understand this reserving tickets nonsense w/ DBSK. Does anyone know anymore details about it? 

    Did those anti-fans just pay money for a concert they didn’t go to? Because the concert in question wasn’t just some random university concert or small music program but their 3rd Asian Tour. Did those antis not think twice about throwing away money like that?

    One of my favorite anti tactics is when it inolves them buying CDs and burning/trashing them. Yes I hope they buy more. Feel free to ruin them in any way you like. You’re just raising the idols’ records sold number.  

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001274800940 Erin Giron

      nope see what they did is they reserved the tickets then backed out like two days b4 the actual concert…so they basically cancelled the ticket thing and took their money back or sell it at a high price to fans that want them! if it was worth like 75$ for the ticket, they increased it o like 200$ and even 500$ seriously!

      • Anonymous

        I figured that was the case. Thanks for clarifying, because this was almost too idiotic for anti-fans to do if they really did waste their money like that.

    • coconilla hsu

      LOL YES. Some anti-fans aren’t really that smart. XD
      Anti-fans go to such lengths to try to destroy idols’ lives. It’s pathetic. 

  • erie victor

    I don’t understand the concept of these anti fans. If you don’t like something fine but to go out of your way to cause someone physical harm is another story.

    I think when someone becomes a severe anti, its because they feel cheated in someway. And a lot of it has to do with envy of particular members of a group (IMO).

    And to some degree I actually wonder if some antis are talentless jokes who wished they were good enough to be in a girl/boy group. Or people with talent who had been rejected many times.

    I even wonder if the reason why people become idols is because they want to remind companies that there so called “Idols” are nothing but humans.

    Maybe antis view themselves as nothing but reminders to companies that they have a degree of power like you mentioned in the article.

  • http://twitter.com/NotMyBirthday21 Lakeisha

    I hate SNSD, but I would never physically hurt them. 

    • http://twitter.com/Gaby_nina Gabi Lima

      I hate them too, but I would never say/write anything bad about them, neither try to hurt them in any way. I think it’s really idiot to do this kind of things. If the KPopper doesn’t like a person as an artist, he/she must respect this artist because idols(although some idols, in my opinion, seem robots ^^”)/actors/actresses are human too.

      • http://twitter.com/NotMyBirthday21 Lakeisha

        No one has to respect anyone. I don’t respect SNSD and I never will. Some these super fans are so crazy that if you say one bad thing about their idol, even if it is the truth, they will freak the hell out. SNSD are not Gods that will suddenly take over the whole world. SNSD fans are the worst. They think SNSD will be bigger than the Beatles just for the fact that they were on David Letterman. Someone needs to tell them the truth and if saying the truth makes you a troll and a anti fan then I think anyone who holds this title should be proud. 

        • http://twitter.com/Livi52 Livi

          I still think it’s ridiculous to hate a group of girls you don’t know.

          • http://twitter.com/Gaby_nina Gabi Lima

            If the person have already listened to this groups’ music of course the person can hate them! It is not possible to meet the idols in person to see if they are nice or not! The person must judge them by their music and image. It’s the person’s opinion, by the way, even when it’s extreme.

             ”Some these super fans are so crazy that …” Did you read it right? The person above you said “some” not all of the fans. She was not generalizating, she was saying what most of the fans do, not all of them! Of course there are many nice snsd fans out there.

        • http://twitter.com/Gaby_nina Gabi Lima

          Well, I agree that in the world of KPop, Sones are the worst kind of fans too (I mean, most obsessed with their idols) from what I’ve noticed on the Internet. And I think that you’re not hating on them, trolling, or being an anti-fan when you “tell them the truth”. You are criticising the group, and that’s the right thing to do! Of, course, since you don’t say things like “Ah, snsd are just whores”or something like that. Fans can be irritating sometimes, especially some KPop fans.

  • Anonymous

    Great article!

    • Anonymous

      I completely agree with you. On your first point however, I think the answer to your question is not that simple. I don’t know if you are asian or ever lived in Asia, but most of asian kids are pressured to get the best results at school, to attend the best university and then to have a career. 
      In Vietnam for instance, school starts at 7.30am, and ends at 5. Then you have to attend night classes, or study with a tutor. Usually, you will go to bed after midnight after finishing your homework. There are only 2 weeks of break during summer, because you also have to attend summer class so that means no summer vacation at all. 
      I believe it’s the same in Korea, I watched a french documentary a few month ago about korean kids and Korea’s education system. When the journalist told the little korean kid (about 9years old?) about the french students who only have school 4days/week and how they spent most of their time playing, he couldn’t believe it, and was truly surprised. And when the journalist asked with he studied so much, he answered “to succeed in life”. I was shocked, what does a 9years old know about success and about life?

      And that’s why the “idol life” seems so perfect for them, because it’s another way to succeed in life without having to go through the pressure from your parents, from school, and then from college. And I agree with you, the media is not helping at all.

      I’m not trying to defend their choice, just trying to clarify a little bit. 

      • Anonymous

        Hm, there seems to be some exaggeration here in seoulbeats regarding Korea’s ed system. Yes, it is correct that many Asian kids are pressured to get the best results at school and go to the best uni and get a great career but this isn’t exactly universal.

        Coming from a Korean who’s attended both middle and high school in Korea, things were actually quite lackluster – in MS, more than half the class had few or no extra classes or tuitions after school (school ended at 3:15PM except for Thursdays) and most of them spend the rest of the afternoon doing after-school clubs or hanging with their friends. Hell, my cousin spent more time playing badminton or online games with his mates after school than studying and the number of hardcore study nuts was few – and he went to the typical average school in Bundang, one of the more better-off areas of Seongnam city which in turn is also a satellite city of Seoul.

        My two younger cousins (11 and 9 years old) also attend a private school in Seoul and quite frankly, they spent more time at home playing around than studying (and that, only 1-2 hours tops a day) - yet they still get good grades. Maybe not among the top 20 of the whole school but still above average.

    • Anonymous

      I agree with most of what you said, but to something you said in the beginning, ”
      is studying for exams in Korea really that terrible that you’ll be willing to sacrifice your life as a virtual slave to fill someone else’s pocket?”, the answer is yes. It is also true in a lot of places in China. That’s why the suicide rate is so high. Students literally kill themselves over bad exam scores.

      • Anonymous

        I know that I’m not very familiar with how the Korean education system is really like, so I was just grasping at straws and making guesses. I hope I didn’t come across as too critical or not understanding. Thanks for the extra information :)

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/KFOLAJLXYHOCHDRFCSECACDGFI Lisuh-chan

     I can’t possibly have that much time to spend to hate on another group or person or idol. I already think it’s time-consuming enough to follow the groups I like and keep up to date with their performances, pictures, conferences, and albums! I don’t even understand why Antis do this and on what mindframe  they are doing this on. It’s just so ridiculous. Sometimes I wonder what these antis really look like and what makes them act this way. I think dealing with the harmless Antis that just verbally insult the groups or the fanbases are pretty fun though because if you just reply with a logical/nonbiased answer with a smiley face after every sentence, they’ll end up getting mad and then storming off and shutting up. Anti-fans need to get a life and stop hating on everyone else’s.

  • Anonymous

    I never even thought of the concept of an ‘anti-fan’ until I got into kpop. Before kpop if you disliked someone then you probably didn’t pay attention to them at all. You don’t have to like it, so just leave it alone. But now it’s dislike something and actively spend your time doing ridiculous things to show your hate.

    I guess since the fandoms are so fanatical, it makes sense that they would have such a negative counterpart. We have that in America as well with fans like the Beliebers, Lovatics, etc. They’re rabid. I remember Selena Gomez fans up in arms because she’d received death threats from Beiber fans. (How do I know all this? I don’t even know.)  Is it the name? Is it the youth nowadays? I really don’t get it.

    Yes, I dislike certain artists too, but never to the point where I’d think of poisoning them, abusing them, or threatening their lives. I mean, really. What do you get out of that?

    It’s weird that Korean celebrities know fans and anti-fans go hand in hand and accept that relationship so easily. Females in the industry joke about not being close to the IT guys of the moment because they’ll get antis and vice versa. Regulars on variety shows don’t seriously bag on idols because they’ll get antis. I mean, where did this accepting behavior come from? Is it tongue-in-cheek or do they really just accept it as a part of celebrity life?

    I really don’t get it.

  • Nahla D.

    I don’t get it. These anti-fans are ridiculous. In fact, the word “anti-fan” itself is ridiculous. It’s like saying they hate the fans, and not the celebrities. Why not just “antis”? I just don’t get it.

    • http://twitter.com/__flyawayzxc lifang!

      Probably that just mean that anti-fan is the opposite of a fan, hence anti-fan? o.o

  • Anonymous

    This is why enforcing things like SOPA are a waste of time.

    Instead, there should be something like SOEXAF – aka Stop Online Extreme Anti-Fans. Over the past few years, the number of anti-fan related issues has only risen and with the number of idol groups popping here and there like as if two bunnies went mad with each other, it’s only natural that anti-fan attacks are going to increase even more. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised that in the next 15 years that such attacks would be even more serious up to the point they’ll be using even more deadlier attempts.

    In addition, agencies of these idols should really beef up security against BOTH extreme anti-fans and fans. It’s completely intolerable behavior. It’s sick, it’s ugly and deplorable. As much as freedom of speech should be respected, there are clearly limits on how far it can go to – anti-fans are effectively abusing their own FOS as they’re intently making harmful attempts to cause major damage in any way possible no matter how long it takes.

    That goes to say, fandoms aren’t any better themselves. A fan of Big Bang might as well also be an anti-fan of WG.    

    • Anonymous

      I am a V.I.P and I have absolutely nothing against any other k-pop group out there, I’m also an ELF, shawol, Cassie, B2UTY, inspirit, blackjack and Baby. Sadly it is true I do dislike some wonder girl songs but i’m not an anti-fan of anyone nor do I ever want to be accused of being an anti-fan or anything like an anti-fan. I do not know if you meant for that last sentence to sound the way it does, but it seems a bit unfair to say that because I am a fan of one group I should be considered something like an anti to another.

  • Anonymous

    So it’s a lazy Friday and in response to comments below, I got a major inspiration to write another long comment – skip if you want, I should work on condensing my thoughts and I still think I talk too much XD

    As flawed as the kpop industry is, I think there’s an awkward/even dangerous relationship between fans (anti’s or the fanatical ones) and celebrities, but unfortunately it is necessary for the time being. IMHO I don’t think I would even know about Korean music if it weren’t for the fans. I mean, I go on youtube (which for most people is the ultimate/”easiest access” resource for music, or at least an internet hub where many people from all over the world with different backgrounds gather in ONE convenient place), and search for something like “Knock Out” and after Lil Wayne’s video, I see GD&TOP’s. That alone is enough exposure for someone to go, “Hmm, interesting, maybe I should check it out.” Last time I checked there were a few million views on the MV, and would that be possible for the video to show up so high on the list if it weren’t for the crazy fans spamming with views and posting links all over tumblr and facebook? I look at the more famous Korean bands from the 90′s and they don’t even have a Youtube channel let alone many MVs put up, even if they were arguably more successful in sales, because they don’t have the fanbase that cares enough to spread the word (and also because the digital age was only in its infancy, but I think that’s a minor obstacle as older MVs from artists like Big Bang still get more views than their sunbaes, even when they set up the YT account way after their debut).

    This is just from my personal experience, but I believe a lot of Asian Americans/international fans of Asian descent (which I think are the driving force behind overseas success) don’t keep in touch with their respective countries that their parents come from unless they have family there, and even then they are not really “connected” to the culture and just know tidbits from what their cousins or grandparents say – of course this varies from person to person, but I believe moving to another country forces you to assimilate somewhat to survive. I remember being genuinely surprised that my South Korean-American friend who moved here when she was 6, was still knowledgeable about all the cultural, social and political changes that continued after she left (she’s in college now). I think the main reason or incentive behind it, was because of Kpop. It was interesting to her, attractive, fun and easy for consumption. And naturally her interest in Korean music led to following her favorite entertainers, and then like many international fans, knowing more about Korean culture – and since she is fluent in Korean, it made it ten times easier to keep in touch with her country when otherwise, I believe she would have become more integrated in American culture/music. My other SK friend who moved here at an even later age (middle school), knows nothing about Korean culture of today, and when I asked her if she listens to Kpop, she said no “because it sucks.” So what I’m trying to say is that no matter how imperfect or even disastrous Kpop may be to celebrities, I believe it is the primary force behind the Hallyu wave, even over Kdramas, and that is why fans are so important to the Hallyu/kpop equation. I find it much, much easier to look up a quick video of an artist or even watch variety show clips in segments than to follow a 20-episode drama (with hard-to-find subs) that I usually lose interest in halfway through.

    I want to make my last guess about why celebrities seem so accepting of fans, however crazy they are. I was watching Strong Heart(?) or some variety show where a “1st generation” Kpop idol (from the 90′s) claimed that he didn’t have all the “cool” stuff that the idols have now, and I think most are struggling to continue their career after the first Kpop wave died because they simply don’t have the popularity anymore and their fans grew up. I even saw an article on allkpop saying “1st generation idols: Where are they now?” kind of thing. And now that current idols have the resources, opportunities and success that their sunbaes didn’t have, they want to run with it as much as they can no matter what the cost. I think culturally, they believe it’s okay to “suffer” a little bit as long as Hallyu succeeds to a large degree (whether this happens or not is up to fate?). I read an internet blog that talked about the rapid economic rise of Korea during the “Miracle of the Han River” which changed everything about Korean life after the War from a developing to a developed country in only 30-40 years, which is CRAZY fast. One of the mottos for people in the workforce of that time was “While everyone is working from 9-5, we are working from 5 am to 9 pm.” Men had to put up with 18 hour work days, women had to put up with drinking when their husbands came home stressed from work, and kids had to study their asses off to do well in school and give hope for their family for social mobility through education. And what for? To better Korean society, make this country a better place, determination to move out of poverty, etc. I think a similar motivation is central to the Hallyu wave – SK is known for not really having any significant music history before the 90s besides folk music, and now they want to make a stake in the international realm and be respected for it amongst other countries, when in American history, we’ve gotten mostly Asian pop culture influence from China (Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee, etc.) and Japan (anime through Pokemon, Sailor Moon, etc.). So, even if idols of today don’t enjoy being stalked and threatened, they do it for a “greater cause” and to make their country proud? Whether this is the right way to do it or not, depends on your opinion

    HOWEVER I believe once Korean entertainers can find a way to have widespread success and NOT depend so much on their fandoms (which I guess is not big enough to pay for expenses), they will have more power to say, “Stalking me this way is wrong” without the fear of losing financial stability. Because all in all, fans are money, and right now the Korean industry is not developed enough to be self-sustainable, hence the push for American/Pan-Asian success, and the huge reliance on the crazy fans who bulk-buy and spend $$$ on merchandise (which equals a saintlike and almost unbelievable tolerance from celebrities for death threats). However, I look forward to the day when Kpop artists are successful enough that they have more options and can open another door if a fanbase ditches them. Someone like Adele, Lady Gaga or Beyonce who have fans all over the world and can survive even during bad press – and in most cases, can just live by making music WITHOUT copious amounts of fan service – is something I hope for entertainers in SK.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_L4RJ5GFNR5VV5OYRQ66IUB6UUI Eriol Curberus

    The Power of Anti-Fans is REAL

  • http://twitter.com/__flyawayzxc lifang!

    “Take DBSK‘s 3rd Asian Tour Concert for example, when fans of the Wonder Girls and Big Bang reserved as many tickets to the concert as possible to keep Cassies out and force the boys to perform to a small audience.”

    OMG. I didn’t know fans of Wondergirls and Big Bang did this to Cassiopeia and DBSK.. =.= Even though this is something that has happened in the past…my blood boils. LOL. Opinion changed, totally. ://

    • http://twitter.com/Girlcity France

       Please cassies were quite nasty to vips back then. DBSK and big bang were the only real relevant boy group so they were a lot of fanwars between them.

    • Anonymous

      Cassiopeia were just as horrible to Wonderfuls and VIPs, so no need to change opinions. 
      DBSK, Big Bang, and Wondergirls were the three most popular groups at that time so there was constant fighting between the fanclubs. Kind of like SONEs and ELFs of today. Nothing to get mad over b/c all sides were pretty much at fault

  • http://twitter.com/Girlcity France

      I blame the journalists in sk. They make articles about netizens
    comments. Like who does that? 99% of the thing netizens has to say are
    negative. Yes these stupid journalist keep making articles about. So
    idols and the agency has no choice but to be careful. Look at how the
    media blow up the block b controversie. If they start making less
    articles about anti blowing up shit when their isn’t maybe then antis
    power would fade a bit

    • http://profile.yahoo.com/G4YEZ75723SO7262VEMHAJ4W4M nou

      Yup, I completely agree with you. What happens in the internet, stays in the internet. It’s not necessary to write a completely article based on what a ‘netizen’ said. Like wtf is a ‘netizen’ anyway? When I first entered this world of KPop I had no idea what a ‘netizen’ was. I did some serious research and the definition was simply: a user of the intenet…? Those damn articles that blow things out of proportion just because a measly ‘internet citizen’ said something are seriously dumb. 

      I don’t see a problem with not liking something/someone though, because that’s natural, but to form a group for the sole purpose of ridiculing someone to their pleasure is just bizarre and insane. If that’s the case then anti’s are no different from the KKK’s or like the Nazi’s. I’m sorry for throwing this into KPop, but that’s how I view these so-called ‘anti’s’. It’s sad, and I think their family members should start pitching in money for them to get their brain checked if they’ve got some disease associated with hating a person to this extremity.   

    • Anonymous

      Never saw a negative comment making it in an article, but then again, I have limited experience. I have to say I was half-amused, half-shaking my head at the stupidity of the whole thing, each time I read comments like “You look good, oppa” making it to the article. Oh, Korea. You’re…special…

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/SI5CKTAEQ2T56WP5N4QCEKPTZ4 Ace

    if i don’t like that artist i won’t even go watch her/him related video or etc…….,,so i think anti =jealous…

  • Anonymous

    i diss snsd for pleasure they annoy the hel out of

    • coconilla hsu

      Lol get a life. Stop hating on people.

      • Anonymous

        a sone mad you guys are the worst though 

        • coconilla hsu

          LOL I’m not a Sone, bitch please. I just think it’s ridiculous how you’re trying so hard to hate on SNSD when no one gives a damn about you XD

          • Anonymous

            i am not trying i am and its not  like post something negative on  every post about snsd but bitch please crawl back from that stanky hole came from called your mama

  • Anonymous

    The popularity awards among anti fans in year 2012 goes to EXO K & EXO M.. Congratulations for making 36 annoying teaser and still releasing much teaser..

  • coconilla hsu

    I can’t even begin to understand anti-fans. Why do they hate? Is it jealousy that they are more popular than their own bias groups? What is it they want? What is it that could make them want someone to die, and die in pain?