I’ve been a fan of wonyoung since the IZONE* days, i genuinely admire her, she’s been my bias for years. But i’ve noticed that lately, if someone says anything that isn’t 100% praise, even in a respectful way, it’s immediately labeled as hate.
under a video where she did a lowkey cringey aegyo, i said something like:
“i love her, but this one was a little cringe ngl 😭”
and that was enough to get backlash. people saying:
“just scroll.” “don’t say that under fan posts.” “you’re just a hater.”
like… what?? i literally said i love her. i didn’t attack her. i just made a lighthearted comment about a specific moment, not her as a person.
since when does being a fan mean acting like the person is perfect 24/7? idols are human. sometimes they’ll do something that feels awkward, and that’s completely normal. noticing that doesn’t mean i suddenly hate her.
So here are some things I want to make clear
➤ Before anyone says “you knew people would be hyping her up, why go there to say something different?”
That is the problem. If fan spaces only allow praise and shut down any other emotion, even respectful ones, then it’s not a fan space anymore. It’s just a worship circle. Saying something like “that moment was a little cringe” isn’t hate, it’s nuance.
And if nuance isn’t allowed… then you’re not defending a person, you’re defending a fantasy.
➤ “But you were in the wrong environment for that comment!”
If we’re now expecting people to “read the room” and say only what the majority wants to hear, isn’t that literally how echo chambers work? Should I only give my opinion where it won’t make anyone uncomfortable, even if I say it kindly and constructively
➤ “You could’ve just scrolled.”
That logic works both ways. If my comment bothers you, you could’ve scrolled too. You chose to engage, just like I did.
➤ “Saying ‘I love x BUT’ is just a shield to hate.”
No. That’s what people say when they actually like someone but are being honest about a specific thing. K-pop fans need to stop assuming every mildly critical comment is an attack. I’m not an anti, I just don’t pretend my bias is flawless every second of the day.
This whole experience made me realize how hard it’s become to even be slightly honest without being shut down. I wasn’t rude, I wasn’t mean. I said something genuine, and suddenly I’m the villain?
Maybe it’s time for fan spaces to stop being allergic to respectful disagreement. You can love someone and still say, “eh, that one thing didn’t hit.”
i think real fans are able to say:
“i love her/him, and that moment wasn’t for me.”
that’s not hate. that’s being honest. and if that’s not allowed anymore, then maybe the problem isn’t the opinion, it’s how fragile some corners of stan culture have become.
submitted by /u/Distinct-Egg-7973
[link] [comments]
