Kind of a weird rant, but I genuinely cannot deal with how horrendous most western kpop fandoms have gotten. Let me preface by saying it has ALWAYS been this way, I’m well aware. But there’s no doubt in my mind there’s been a major shift in the last few years and everything has just gotten worse. I got into kpop in 2018 and comparing fandoms then to now is like night and day.
If an idol fucks up and does something wrong, no one cares anymore. If someone tries to criticize the idol (this does not apply to the people who don’t actually care about what the idol did, and that they just feel vindicated that they can freely trash someone they don’t like. I’m specifically referring to people who can be mature and have conversations regarding idols’ mistakes, even if it’s their favs) they are immediately shut down by their fans. I don’t know if it’s because fans assume anyone saying anything slightly negative/critical about their favorites is always just plain hatred, but it’s becoming more and more unbearable. There’s almost no room to actually discuss an idol’s harmful behavior, words, actions, etc anymore. So many fans write off very serious issues as just people being insensitive or a hater. It’s draining. My favorite groups have members that aren’t perfect and have done some messed up things, and it’s not hard to just admit that. I don’t believe they should have their careers ruined or be shunned from the public, but I absolutely understand if someone doesn’t like my favorite groups or idols because of the things they’ve done.
Even just in 2018, I feel like this just wasn’t AS much of an issue? It was very much a problem and always has been, but it was possible to have nuanced discussions about idols and their mistakes without being called too woke, too sensitive, “just a hater,” what have you. Nowadays, it feels like it’s all just gone completely out the window. The constant defensiveness and writing off people’s feelings about certain situations is horrid. No one is out to get these people for doing something stupid and insensitive, they simply want idols, companies, and even fans who may not be aware to know better.
Maybe I’m talking out of my ass and it’s always been this bad, but I’m not sure. It just feels like it’s getting harder and harder to have civil discussions about these things. No one likes to see their favs get hated on, but trying to drown out the “hadurz!1!1!” simultaneously suppresses any meaningful discussion that isn’t coming from a place of hate. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with being a human and making an honest mistake. However, there is something wrong with downplaying real people’s emotions and disappointment at the expense of parasocial behavior and feeling like a knight in shining armor for protecting grown men and women from valid criticism.
submitted by /u/imsensitiveaubery
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