We posted and you responded.
Here are some of the most hilarious, most insightful, most thought-provoking, and a few of the most random comments left by you, our dear readers.
First, let’s start off with the heavy. Patricia was kind enough to let us into her closeted KPOP fandom history by writing her feature on how embarrassing K-pop can be and many of you shared similar stories of how you came to love K-pop but are now a bit disgruntled by its repetitive and uninspired antics.
From BakeMono:
I’m a slight kpop closet fan. My friends know about it, but I don’t like flaunting it on facebook, etc. because it does get kind of embarrassing. I’m not Korean, so people are always like ‘wtf are you listening to stuff you can’t even understand for?’ And I don’t want to deal with the whole ‘um… why the hell are you listening to our stuff? you don’t even understand it, you dumbass.’ attitude from Koreans either.
I used to love kpop because it was catchy and artists had strong vocals or whatever (BoA, FTTS, Wheesung, Lee Sooyoung, Park Hyo Shin, Se7en, Epik High, Seeya…) – and because Lee Minwoo was the most handsome guy in the world… but now it’s all repetitive and recycled beats filled with autotune, weak vocals, and cutesy which I like less. Fangirling feels so pointless over the majority of these new groups. I find my respect for idols these days growing smaller and smaller despite however catchy their songs can be. ‘Idol’ is now a label used for mediocracy or worse and placed on virtually every new group which speaks volumes. Rarely are these manufactured idols ever artists now. They branch into acting, variety, etc. but they can’t even manage their supposed profession which is singing/rapping. And yet they’re still oh-so-great. Maybe I’m just a fan of the underdogs.
About sharing kpop with friends, it helped that back when I was still way into kpop and spazzing about it in high school, Big Bang came out with their Lies MV and I could use that to ‘explain’ my longtime love for kpop. It was catchy and the MV was decent. And TOP was hot. I also showed them Epik High’s Fan without shame. Oh and Rain’s I’m Coming. Who can make fun of such a hot guy with the right dance moves?
Ironically now that I’m almost entirely over kpop, it’s finally becoming more accepted in the US – friends that used to give me strange looks now list kpop as an interest on FB. I guess it helps that Taeyang’s damn cool enough to flaunt, but it would’ve been a lot more fun if I could spazz over my favorite artists with my friends back then without feeling stupid.
BakeMono, I just want to say thanks for sharing your story and your thoughts on how you feel that K-pop has changed in the last few years. Also, on behalf of the Seoulbeats team, I just want to say that you are always welcome to come to Seoulbeats and spazz here alongside all of us. It’s what we are here for (along with reporting any and all K-pop news, that is). No need to keep it all closeted!
Patricia’s feature got a lot of you, like BakeMono, talking- some of the discourse was light-hearted and fun, while others of you really started to analyze K-pop for what it is, and sadly, what it isn’t.
From lordy:
I am not embarrassed. Embarrassment is enjoying music that is too old for your age. But I will gladly admit I am a kpop fan because of its shallow catchiness.
However.
As I delve deeper and deeper into K-pop and its web of socio-cultural effects, I am ASHAMED and APPALLED of the decrepit kpop.
I am appalled that the kpop industry shamelessly brandishes the word ‘litigation’ at the slightest insult to their brand yet vigorously defends its own blatant plagiarism behind a wall of blind fanatics.
I am appalled that the Korean legal system would dedicate even the slightest time to worthless kpop litigation and idiotic netizens filing against celebrities.
I am ashamed at an industry where three companies have a chokehold on no.1 songs when even the smaller fish are selling the EXACT same tune.
I am repulsed by its international cultural image it promotes – idol endorsements for alcohol when the idol market are teens; that looks are more important than talent (the successful “200 pound beauty” being case in point); that important political events need to be PROMOTED by song and dance rather than to be EDUCATED and INFORMED about (G20).
I am afraid of the fact that Kpop has become so dominant that it even has its own version of Fox News.
I am afraid that the tremendously successful money making formula of kpop will be followed by other countries (Taiwan well on its way already).
I am not embarrassed. I am ashamed, that as a 20 year old I can like something that is at its core – legally, competitively, economically, politically and intellectually oppressive.
Well said, lordy- any interest in writing for Seoulbeats?! It sure seems like you have a lot to say about the world of K-pop- you could be a good addition to our team of highly opinionated and articulate K-pop fans/writers!
Now, for the funny.
Kissari’s interesting theory of the disappearance of f(x)‘s Amber had me guffawing out loud.
If you think about it, she has been gone for around 9 months,right? What does that make you think of? LOL!! If it is really all about her ankle, then why couldn’t she sit on a stool and perform?
And trixie‘s description of Junsu at the JYJ showcase had me grasping at my sides, because I was laughing so hard that it hurt.
i was there. Junsu is superb.
His voice and dance and stage presence are so exceptional.
His stamina is super
I’m pretty sure it was the last line that got me, LOL. I’ll always picture Junsu and his super stamina.
One reader’s comment, however, stood head and neck above all others this week (haha figuratively speaking, duh). It was alex‘s extra effort in further researching the ideal body ratio theorem used to measure Seungyeon of KARA and her perfect proportions that caught my attention:
out of sheer boredom I got out a ruler and measured my head. Relative to height my ratio is 1: 7.95.
1:7.5 is around the the NORMAL STANDARD range (normal people range between 7-7.5, the majority of people have this ratio, so how is it even a big deal? The IDEAL FIGURE is actually 8.
Whether out of boredom or not, you get an A+ for effort! (We could use some of that researcher’s curiosity and gumption on the Seoulbeats team, if you want to put that investigative mind to work!)
Next I just want to thank wartooth for leading me to a synopsis of the script for the upcoming Park Chan-wook helmed Hollywood film, “Stoker”. I absolutely love his work and as such, was already on board. But, when I followed the link you left in your comment, I was hooked! This project is going to be A-MA-ZING. If any of you are interested in reading more about the movie, I would definitely follow the link wartooth provided! No worries- there aren’t any huge spoilers!
There’s a review of the script here:
scriptshadow.blogspot.com/2010/08/stoker.html
And consider me on board. This guy could turn a tampon commercial into a work of art.
And you are completely right wartooth. Park Chan-wook can turn a tampon commercial into a work of art. I wonder if Kotex is looking for a new director?
Lastly, to sum up the week in enlightened comments, our reader Rick came up with the new slogan for K-popland while responding to 2NE1‘s fashion.
2010/11/15 at 6:26 pm | In reply to oh why.
Welcome to hallyuland! it’s like disneyland but weirder.
EXACTLY, Rick. Welcome. And feel free to spazz away!
Seoulbeats wouldn’t be what it is if it weren’t for our readers, so thank you all for your comments! And if you like this feature, let us know below so that we can keep doing it! Until next time…in the land of weirder Disney- I mean, Hallyu.
