January 25, 2014
Because I haven't done a legit rant in a long time (it's K-Pop Ranter! We need more of these!) I felt the need to attack a subject that I witness almost everyday (whether it's subtly presented or wide in the open)...the image K-Pop gives to many (not all, a lot have a good head on their shoulders!) international fans and the ignorance that it causes. Please be aware that none of these are exaggerated or "made up"--I have heard/seen different variations of every single one and frankly, the basically 'generalizations' of Korea and Koreans through someone's knowledge of only K-Pop is quite tiring.
1. All Koreans Are Beautiful.
As of 2008, one in five Korean females have received plastic surgery in Seoul, South Korea. One in five. It's not every single day that you walk down a street in South Korea and see 50 Taeyeons standing there... in fact, you'd be lucky to see even one. Though beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I cannot fathom as to why people put in their heads that every. single. person. in. Korea. looks. like. a. K-Pop. Idol. and. naturally. for. that. matter... People cannot--or just don't want to-- realize celebrities and regular citizens have huge differences in every single country (yes, including the one you live in!)... celebrities having access to anything from plastic surgery, cosmetic products and stylists that enhance and better their appearance, whereas regular nobodies...? Not so much.
2. If you weigh over 50kg, you're fat.
What's funny is that a lot of idols themselves aren't even under 50kg and instead just lie about it on their profiles! I've heard so many fangirls complain about their weight after seeing people like KARA's Goo Hara and Girls' Generation's Sooyoung and hearing about ant waists. They're skinny, but that doesn't mean being in the regular BMI range for the token height isn't acceptable. In fact, as stated by this Korean netizen when anchorwomen Park Eun Young stated weighing over 50kg makes you a pig:
[+111, -28] I think the majority of women are around 55 kg [121lb]. My girlfriend is 56 kg [123lb] and she's certainly not a pig.both over 10 kg (20 pounds) over the typical Korean celebrity profile. Get a grip on yourself! You're fine.
3. K-Pop reflects everything about Korea, therefore, you want to visit or live in Korea.
There's nothing wrong with wanting to visit or live in Korea because of fascination with the culture or simply, just wanting to live there... yet, many international fans I've encountered bitched and moaned about how much they want to live there... and among their reasons as to why they want to live there?
• Because oppar is there.
• Because I want to marry oppar.
• Because I'm addicted to K-Pop which is the only reason I actually give a damn about Korea
• I assume because Korea is home of K-Pop, everyone there loves K-Pop and it's a K-topia filled with bubble tea, lemony sweets and fan service. When they walk to work, they happily skip to Sorry Sorry and when they go to the bathroom, I'm the Best plays from their toilet prior to flush.
4. Korea and Koreans are perfect and innocent because my biases are perfect and innocent.
Korea is a place and Koreans are group of people. Korea won't be the same as you see on variety shows like Running Man and all Koreans won't be always the same as oppar.
5. Buying a plethora of the same album to help oppar and unnir win a music show is rational.
"Let's waste hundreds of dollars we could be saving for something important--college, a car, even a new laptop--on something that has no actual gain... which is buying 1000 of the same album to support my bias who doesn't care about me and the love between both of us is one-sided." It's not going to help you--in fact, in ten years when you lose interest for K-Pop, you're going to look back and think 'what the hell was I thinking?'. Of course, buying one or two albums isn't insane, but spending what seems like a life savings on garbage just so your bias can win #1 on a music show? Pure stupidity.
Sure, sure... you can say, 'it's my money! I can spend it on whatever I want!', but even so... really?
6. If you're not Asian, you should hate yourself because you're not pretty. If you're Asian but not Korean, you should hate yourself since you're not Korean and not pretty. If you're Korean, you're the luckiest person in the world and you're guaranteed beauty.
I cannot even count how many times I've heard someone say "I want to be Korean" as if being Korean is the key to life long happiness. What's funny is that I have never seen a legit excuse as to why that is other than what K-Pop makes you believe.
As said in number 1, Korean celebrities have access to things that make them pretty... but regular people like me and you? It's not possible to walk around with photoshop on our faces. Bye.
7. I want to marry a Korean man because they're all perf [insert fangirl squeal].
Men are men, anywhere, whether it's Korea, America, United Kingdom, Africa, Nepal... everywhere. There'll be some that are sane, there'll be some that are crazy like this one. K-Pop celebrities are basically actors and actresses--they put on a show whether their in a concert, a fan-signing... or a legit show and never truly display their true side... so for someone to base a whole population off of just a few people who aren't real psychologically or physically... man, that is extremely accurate and not stupid.
8. And this:
I can't even begin to explain the wrong in this post. P.S. Nationality doesn't equal ethnicity. Thanks.
Lastly, though this is cliche, mundane and any other word that means 'boring' and 'overused' in the English speaking dictionary, I just want to say there's nothing wrong with being yourself and loving yourself... regardless of your ethnicity or background. Liking just the music and being able to name every single member of a K-Pop group doesn't mean hating oneself is necessary... and not to mention, all these assumptions (ass.u.me makes an ass out of u and me) about lifestyle as if Koreans are some sort of martians are stupid, fangirl delusions which for the most part, are wrong. Take it from me, being Korean is not as 'amazing' as you think.
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completely agree people should stop being so delusional and see the light.
ReplyDeleteYes! Definitely agree with everything on this list! *__*
ReplyDeleteKorean celebrities are just like any other celebrity around the world. And all these idol standards of beauty being pushed onto other "normals" as a result? Gosh, in that case, I wonder how this logic would play out when applied to the USA...
And seriously, why have such an attachment to your oppar if they don't even know you exist (and by god, don't even think about being one of those saesang fans because that's just downright depressing) and if you've only seen their professional side? Almost every other reason to move to South Korea is better than this one. Overwhelming yourself in an entirely new environment and culture just to be closer to one dude (or hey, who knows. maybe even multiple dudes)? That's not dedication - that's just a death trap.
I usually laugh whenever I read some pathetic delusional fangirls rants (which mostly are left by teenagers or adult women with non existing real life, especially real relationship) but after reading this, I realised I should feel sad, and worry too, since I think there is a high chance they destroy their live bcs of this. Plastic surgery obssesion (so they can look like their bias, who ironically also did plastic surgery), being anorexic, Korean obsessed that they reject all nice men in their life since they only want to be with Korean, and other stuff. Tbh, Kpop sells fantasy, not really about music. It'd be so sad for those poor girls to choose living inside their fantasy bubble forever.
ReplyDelete