a goose's diary: KPOP, just a passing fad?

A walk along the streets of Ximending in Taipei, or Bugis street in Singapore, you can hear KPOP songs blasting everywhere.
2012 isn't just about the rise of South Korea's largest Chaebol, Samsung, but also another cultural aspect of the said country.
Hallyu, an affectionate term for Korean wave, has its strongholds in Asia and is even venturing into the West. And it has been powered by mainly KPOP in the recent few years.
To the public, it seems like the world was suddenly infected with the KPOP virus overnight.
Australia's PM even described it as an apocalypse. (=.=)
Sure, it has definitely gotten big, swarms of people started jamming to Korean hits, going online to learn the language, following Korean fashion.
Suddenly, everything Korean-related are starting to emerge, from skincare products to fashion products.

I'm going to say this straight- I don't like it when people say that "KPOP is a fad, why do you like it so much? It will die off anyway."

There are, many presumptions in this statement.
1. They assume that we like KPOP because it is popular. WRONG.
2. KPOP is a fad. WRONG.
3. KPOP will die off. WRONG.

Am I delusional?
Well, let me try to explain.

Many are puzzled by the sudden popularity. Why, they ask themselves.
Why is this //Asian// culture suddenly well-liked? Why is that so, so many people are in love with it even though they don't speak the language. Why is something not mainstream, not in English, famous in the first place?
Ah... Just a bunch of teenagers going crazy over some pretty males and barbie looking girls baring their bodies. They are most probably plastic, afterall. With no talents. Just an empty vase.
As stereotypical as it seems, it is really the popular opinion held by those who don't know how to appreciate this cultural phenomenon.
They term it "craze", or "fad".
"Something that will be over in one or two years."

A touchy topic, and a broad one, too.
So I will start by addressing the first presumption. That all kpop fans like kpop because it is popular, because it is the "in" thing right now.

Surely, many of us KNOW kpop because of the wave. But the thing that caught our hearts was the story behind it.
The story that started years ago, when our idols were just kids. Kids our age, or even younger.
They were small kids with big dreams. Dreaming to stand on the stage.
They dared to pursue it. They trained hard, real hard.
Fell, injured, cried, missed home, and lesser sleep.
They practically didn't get to enjoy the childhood that other children their age had.
Their hearts are just as weak as ours, but their love for music didn't falter.

Then when they debuted, and became famous, they had to face hatred from people all around the world.
Whereas for those groups that just started, we are here to support their dreams.

Loving kpop includes loving the idols. The tradition, the culture.
The story doesn't end here.
And we want to be part of it.

So think again if you say that they are not singers.
Yeah, they are not singers because they are more than that.

They are singers who can also dance, entertain, perform, and most importantly, touch hearts of people with different cultural backgrounds.
KPOP is not about singers, it is about MUSIC.
Music that doesn't need the words for you to understand the song.
Because you don't read music, you listen, and you feel.

When words fail, music speaks.
--
The second presumption is albeit in between the first and third, but what I can say is that, KPOP has been around for MORE THAN A DECADE.

As the current generation of fans gets older, they don't show their love for the idols that much anymore. Afterall, they have to move on to other things like their careers, family, etc
Have you seen your parents singing along to the oldies?
Yes, that's right.
The love doesn't die. It is just the way we will "fangirl".

And for this, I'm going to bring up H.O.T. They are the first generation idols, debuted in year 1996, just a year after I was born.
KPOP began around that time. Fan support with colours, balloons, fanchants already started.

They were the biggest group during that time. They were the inspiration of the current generation of idols.
Our idols grew up listening to them, and they were one of the reasons why they wanted to be a performer on the stage.
And they eventually did. Becoming the ones standing on the stage now.
And the cycle CONTINUES.

Regarding the part on liking them for the looks- if we like them just for the face, there are tons of better-looking girls and boys out there, why stick to just one group?
Because we kpop fans love them more than we love their looks.
Their personalities they show on variety programmes, the way they look onstage and off.

The support goes beyond the music, the sales, and all; we love THEM.
Some may start calling us crazy, wondering why we love strangers, people who don't even know us.
This part is tricky to answer, and I can only reply, "You will know, once you know what is love."

Last part of this OP-ED. Will KPOP die off?

Look at Girls' Generation. This is their 6th year running, after debuting with Into the New World in the year 2007.

People thought their peak was over. People said 2009 and Gee was their peak.
But year after year, comeback after comeback, Girls' Generation only continues to prove them wrong. Genie, Oh!, Run Devil Run, Hoot, The Boys.
Japanese debut, albums, certified Gold, then Platinum. Concert tour, countries after countries.
And now, 2013, just when people thought they couldn't get any bigger, they broke records once again with their new release of I Got a Boy.
15million views in just 3 days. Faster than The Boys, faster than Twinkle.

Yes, eventually they will grow old. Eventually, they have to walk down the paths of their seniors, to give way to the rising young stars.
But fans will stay.
Because as KPOP fans, we do know the real reason why we like KPOP.

This is it, new blood.
The introduction of new groups,
In fact, look at the new groups these days. Yeah, I agree that it's albeit too many, but, look again, you see that their standards are getting higher and higher. B.A.P, EXO, Ailee, Busker Busker, all with their own style.
They are here to continue the Hallyu, they are here to spread their culture.
And most importantly, dreams.