A few words about Kpop

My involvement in the Kpop world has become a love-hate relationship. And these days, Kpop has been a whee bit frustrating.

Why the love? Because for me, and for many others I can imagine, it can be a great escape from real life. Plus, some of my favorite songs are by Korean artists/idols. I admit that one of my guilty pleasures is watching idols/artists on variety shows because some of it is just too priceless. Oh, and let's not forget sexy spreads of TOP. Why? Because he is HOT.

Why the hate? Well, I'm grinding my teeth at the ever-increasing style of music (auto-tune, repetitive lyrics and beats, fluff, fluff and more fluff) being produced and released en masse. Many songs being performed by our beloved idols are catered to follow the latest trends and increase sales instead of reflecting any dedication to the craft of making good music. And when I say "good music", I'm not trying to sound elitist. It's not about disliking a particular style, it's about hearing the true intentions and feelings behind a given song. Lately, some of Kpop's most popular songs seem a bit empty to me. I'll give any song a listen with an open mind, but I can't imagine listening to today's music 3-5 years from now.

I'm also very wary of the internet culture that comes with Kpop. Many fans and anti-fans take Kpop way too seriously. I am so, so tired of reading self-righteous and hateful comments. I have a growing dislike of petitions for the sake or downfall of an artist or group. It also baffles me how fans spend an obscene amount of money to share their love for idols, and I'm not talking about ordering every single calendar and picture book. I'm talking about buying freakishly expensive birthday and anniversary gifts, and frankly, it makes my stomach churn. I do, however, love how fans pool their money together to donate to a charity on behalf of their favorite idols.

As you can see, there are many factors in the industry I wish would change. I miss fan-girling over the music, not just magazine spreads and variety programs.