Saw the other post about someone spending $20K on their faves this year and it resonated with me. Last year, I spent $12K going to various US concerts for my faves with VIP and send off. And I plan to keep doing it and even have done trips in prior years to see them in Korea and Japan. I also buy a lot of merch, albums, and photocards (this one I have scaled back a bit in favour of concerts).
I’ve liked kpop for over 10 years, but it’s only during COVID and starting my first corporate job (one in a very shitty industry and stressful field) that I started buying a lot of kpop merch. Then it started transitioning into concerts and kpop travel trips afterwards.
I know this is not the most healthy but at this point, it’s really the only thing keeping me going. Some things that have played a role:
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Pretty rough childhood with absent parents so I’m not close to them. Lots of family conflicts and money issues so never did much with the family or develop hobbies.
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Not many close friends. Have friends I see a couple times a year and have been open about my depression and mental health, but never got much support. They support the kpop spending if it keeps me going. I get the feeling it’s a topic (mental health stuff) they don’t want to talk about so I don’t share much anymore. I can tell it makes them uncomfortable. Life is getting busy for the friends too since we’re at the stage where most of them are either: getting married, buying a place, or focused on their partner.
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Grew up being told to just work hard in school and work and things would work out. So I was always just working towards that and I think life has been disappointing in that aspect. I have an ok job, but I think the amount of work and effort I put into it, I expected it more. Worked a few shitty jobs, but didn’t get the career progression I wanted and the job market is pretty bad now. Have a better job now, but still not what I expected so it feels like something I had to settle for.
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Stuck living at home since rent and even condos are so expensive in my city. I could afford to move out but it would just be very tight as a single person. So I save a lot by living with my parents (and how I justify my spending since I’m still saving a decent amount) but definitely at the cost of mental health. Trying to hope for the day where I can afford my own place and it won’t be too expensive (keep telling myself this that it’s only a few years…)
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Have tried stuff people do to get better like therapy, medication, exercise, doing new things, etc. Did this long term for years. But nothing much ever happens and I think I’ve just gotten tired in life that I don’t have the energy anymore to keep trying.
I think life has just been disappointing to me in most aspects so my faves truly keep me going. Just watching some silly content can make me smile so easily or just listening to their music helps fill the quiet. I never had much fun in my life and I’m doing that now with kpop.
Just thought I would share this and I know there’s definitely lots others who spend a lot too (met a lot of them in VIP lines lol). I know this won’t last forever so also part of the reason I do this. I know I use kpop to cope, but it’s the only constant in my life so it’s hard to give up. Even my therapists supported this if it kept me going. But I do joke but also seriously know that there will be a hole once enlistments happen and when my faves are less active. That’s the scary part of what do I do then.
submitted by /u/blueberryicecream88
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