Posts tagged article

angrykpopfan:

feminoonas:

So, Angry K-pop Fan got an Ask in concerns with the beginning of MBLAQ’s song “It’s War” containing a snippet of a Malcom X speech, the question being whether or not the usage was appropriate. Angry K-pop Fan, while being bothered by the usage of the quote but not knowing completely how to answer, posed the question for followers to write a response.

So to answer: HELL NO.

From white boys using Nelson Mandela quotes to try to derail people from calling them out for their gross racism, to white middle class socialists twisting a Frederick Douglass speech to make it about (more white-friendly) class oppression when it was actually about anti-United States nationalism and black enslavement, there is a long and offensive history of non-black people taking out of context, twisting, misconstruing, and appropriating racialized black radical language and rage for their own benefit, a privilege black folks themselves are hardly allowed to have, given how often civil rights and radical leaders have been ignored, erased, discredited, murdered, or unjustly thrown to rot in prisons.

In comparison, “It’s War” and MBLAQ’s music in general, is far, far from radical or serious in the least. “It’s War” is another typical k-pop concept with love and guns and the girl perpetually being the object, the possession, the target, the catalyst of male aggression and machismo.* Which OK, not the deepest of subject matter sure, but that’s just fine. It’s fun to listen and dance to, the concept is strong & aesthetically really pleasing, and the MBLAQ boys are fine as hell and are obviously talented performers. That’s what Kpop is all about and they should stick to that**. What brings it to another totally-not-cool level is when there’s such blatant appropriation of a quote of this nature solely for a boy band hit single.

Now, are these quotes and people’s works completely off bounds? Not at all. The thing is, it all depends on the context and the people saying it. POC referring to radical anti-racist efforts have every right to be quoting a radical anti-racists, for example.

There’s even a place for usage in pop music. There is a huge difference between say, a hip hop group like Dead Prez using Malcom X quotes in the beginning of a song, and a pop group like MBLAQ doing so. Dead Prez is are an independent, radical, political, anti-white supremacy/Western hegemony & Imperialism African American hip hop duo who hone & create their own music and MBLAQ is a Korean boy band who merely perform and sing concepts and songs created for them, songs and concepts of the most topical, vapid, and inane nature.

Again, it isn’t that I don’t like fun and mindless pop songs. Obviously, I do. I just know there has to be a level of self-realization, acknowledgement, and respect coming from aesthetics-driven, radio hit-making, chart-topping, trend-focused & driven acts and genres.

If a Western artist of equal frivolity or pop culture status as MBLAQ did this, I’d be just as uncomfortable with it. Though, given Kpop’s track record with horribly disrespecting, exotifiying, and appropriating African American culture, I can’t help but feel even more personally affronted and bothered by it.

-Admin Briana

*Tired, basic, sexist concept much?

**Except for that sexism stuff. That can stop, too.

And this is why FemiNoonas exist. I feel ashamed for not being able to think about it deeper. Thank you for a thorough explanation - I definitely learned something today. 

“….the girl perpetually being the object, the possession, the target, the catalyst of male aggression and machismo.” Oh my goodness i couldn’t agree more… not to mention there was alot of plot holes (although this is the same music video with curving bullets …. trolol) though I don’t have any further commentary on Malcolm X’s speech since it’s all been cleverly acknowledged above. 

Seriously though great post, everyone read it.

*Please read on blog for better view and images* Disclaimer: This is my opinion and I don’t claim to be an expert. My writing is incredibly flawed and I hope you can be patient as i’m still learning :) I do not own any of the images. 

The racist representations and stereotypes in KPOP media from Black face to terrorists. This is a definite reminder that what we see on television (well on our computer screens) don’t represent or reflect reality. These sorts of misrepresentations and ignorance may reinforce prejudice attitudes. It was incredibly insensitive especially if the KPOP media promote themselves as being this hyper influential Hallyu Wave that is taking over with internationalfans. If the target audience is not only of South east asians but people with other nationalities it doesn’t make sense why they’re being discriminated against or misrepresented.

SBS’s Star King production team apologised due to the controversy of misrepresenting Muslims as terrorists which involved a segment of a man dressed as an Arab threatening MC Kang Ho Dong. Source

At the 2011 MBC Idol’s Athletic Championship, with Boom’s come back from the military he certainly made a few waves with his black face performance with a few token Super Junior members. This is a televised show that is family friendly which means children and young people are going to be watching their idols celebrate and perform with this type of ignorant ‘skit’. Not only that but there alot of international KPOP fans who would find this offensive and would be extremely upset by this sort of shallow comedy.

Even popular rapper Yoon Mirae responded with “Education is key!! Much love! God bless you and yours! And always ALWAYS hold your head high! You are…WE are ALL beautiful!!! I do not think that their intentions were to make fun or offend anyone… It would be unfair for such a beautiful country as Korea to be judged as a whole based on these incidents!” Source

KPOP isn’t always a euphoria filled with extremely attractive people and dream chasing. There are also flaws such as ignorant misrepresentations and stereotyping. Think about your own morals and personal opinion before slipping out the “Oppa didn’t mean it~” line. 

This is pretty self explanatory. Not only do you have promotions, recording in the studio, photo shoots, dance practice, concerts, travelling overseas but you’ve got variety shows as well.The industry is incredibly competitive with over 30 new groups debuting alone in 2011. To maintain an image, popularity and awareness it’s crucial to stay present on the scene.

Every idol has a crazy schedule and i’m just going to choose the best example : Super Junior’s Leeteuk. Leader of the popular boy band, a husband to Sora in We Got Married, a father in Sistar’s Hello Baby and a regular on Star King and Strong Heart.

It’s not all glitz and glamour as nowadays in the expected idol package you must be a triple threat: talented in dancing, singing and acting. You must also be active and give off a gag-dol vibe in variety shows. All idol groups pretty much endure the same amount of pressure and activity that is physically and mentally tiring (more or less depending on their popularity).

I changed Voltaire’s disapprove to disagree but you get the picture. Okay so it’s no surprise that alot of fans are opinionated, passionate and often downright dim witted with their commentary -> Eg “I have dreams of rubbing barbeque sauce all over her(Jessica) S!B: People might think i’m weird.”  Source

However no matter what fandom, entertainment company you admire or group you idolize, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. This may result in positive discussion, debates or just plain old fan wars and arguments. Not everyone will always share the same opinion as you and you shouldn’t need to conform to everyone’s else’s either. Even if you don’t agree with someone’s opinion that doesn’t mean that they don’t deserve the right to say it no?

Following this, Simon and Martina of Eat Your Kimchi recently did a review on Trouble Maker that involved tagging Hyuna as a stripper and critiquing Hyuna’s promiscuous and sexy moves. 

A minority of people (including myself) didn’t completely agree and were offended with their commentary which resulted alot of fans to voice their opinions against Eat Your Kimchi.  (Insert rambly anecdote of the messy trouble maker situation).  What surprised me though was that people who didn’t agree with S&M opinion were labelled by fans simply as ‘wrong’ or ‘delusional’. Just because one doesn’t agree with a public figure’s opinion doesn’t mean they are wrong, they still get the right to voice their opinion.

This applies to anything really. Some Elfs thought Mr Simple was the best thing since sliced bread and well some didn’t like it however pretended they did and wrote about it on KPOPSECRETS.

“Firstly, this implies some type of stigma surrounding these so-called “secrets”, which are in fact, nothing more than personal opinions people are entitled to hold. This basically discourages individuality and free speech as a k-pop fan, and reinforces the ridiculous rigidity of fandoms.” Source

In the end let’s all agree to disagree. We are all entitled to our own opinion and preferences. This includes Simon and Martina and yourself. Even if i don’t approve of what Simon and Martina said, i’m still going to defend their right to say it. Simon and Martina aren’t supposed to be impressing you, they’re stating their opinion. Opinion is a subjective view or judgment as a result of emotion and interpretation. If you’re too afraid to voice them S!B you will lose followers if you voiced them aloud them you’re not being true to yourself or your beliefs. 

Sex in advertising or sex sells is the use of sexual imagery to draw interest to a particular product, for purpose of a sale… in another words records.

Now in 2011 there’s no denying that 4MINUTE’s Hyuna has been the talk of the town with her suggestive choreography and sexy image. From Bubble Pop to Trouble Maker she’s certainly flaunting what she’s got as a result many fans have publicly question CubeENT’s hidden agenda. 

Hyuna wasn’t the only one who sold CD’s this way as Rania’s debut had similar sexual themes of pelvic thrusting with a blunt suggestive title track “Dr Feel Good.”

Now just because they were more direct with their concept doesn’t mean the other girl groups weren’t guilty of using their body either. Think Sistar with their strategically choreographed hand wave behind their bottoms. 

Coincidence that there’s a close up of their thighs and bottom? I don’t think so. 

Moving unto the men who are just as guilty. 

MBLAQ’s crotch grabbing pelvic thrusting dance move.

Teen Top requesting their noona’s not to spray perfume as they hip thrust.

I’m pretty sure Hyunseung takes the cake for touching himself and Hyuna. 

OH and don’t forget the thrusting…

Let’s be frank using sex as a selling point in KPOP is nothing new and it has always been notable. I mean World Star Bi Rain at his First Rainy Day concert in Seoul back in 2006 had a performance where his shirt gets ripped off… wait for it… then his female back up dancers strip off their shirts revealing their bras and begin grinding him…I’m not kidding watch the video…

Before you make the assumption that KPOP is this aegyo fuelled innocent genre of music think again. Even if it’s not in your face, there are sexual concepts that are subtle and so transparent that you may not even recognise it. 

Is SNSD’s Oh really a cutesy aegyo song like the music video? With lyrics such as Oh Oh Oh Oh I love you, Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah alot alot~ Keep your head down.. I know it’s taken out of context but that sounds hella suggestive to me…

Many Kamilias were distraught upon hearing the news about Kara’s contract dispute and their request for termination due to mistreatment.

It was messy involving lawsuits, DSP entertainment, the members of Kara (including their opinionated families) and many KPOP fans. With a well documented dispute, it was distressing for the idols and fans alike. Fortunately the dispute between DSP entertainment and Seungyeon, Nicole and Ji Young were resolved.  

What did we learn from this? 

Kpop isn’t all rainbows and sunshine. Just because idols run around showing aegyo doesn’t mean that they’re grown adults who are professional entertainers concerned about their income and finances. There are hardships and serious under lying issues behind being an Idol. This isn’t the first time that there was issues with entertainment companies about slave contracts and payments. Source

Following this was a successful comeback with Step winning multiple awards on music shows. 

Even though Shin Se Kyung and SHINee’s Jonghyun split up in 2011 there was new couples the KPOP fandom were granted with. 

BEAST’s Junhyung and KARA’s Hara. 

Funnily enough in a life imitating art scenario, City Hunter co stars Lee Min Ho and Park Min Young are dating aswell!

Lee Hyori and Lee Sang Soon. 

Wonder Girl’s Sunye is dating aswell :)

What did we learn from this?

All the other idols are secretly dating underground.   LOL joke 

Idols are human after all. Humans crave affection and love. If you have a crush, partner or a bias you would completely understand the feeling of your love and attraction towards a certain someone. 

In early 2011 Secret Garden’s Hyun Bin soared to fame after his incredible acting performance in the television drama. However he quickly left the scene to serve in the military. Many fans were disappointed that after discovering such a talented idol it would be awhile before he graced television screens. 

It was a dramatic year for ELFs who were preparing for the long awaited Super Junior comeback combined with Kim Heechul’s last performance before his military service. 

There were tears and embraces as the popular tv personality said his thanks and greeted goodbye before he can years later return to his career. It was incredibly emotional and moving for everyone. 

What did we learn from this? 

Sooner or later male idols are going to serve in the military as it is compulsory. Their hair colour and screen time is no longer important as all you really want as a fan is for them to be safe and healthy. The only thing you can do is support them, wish them well and wait patiently for them to come back. 

To read more I suggest: Idols and Military Service

Hallyu Wave is definitely growing bigger and better every year. More KPOP idols are having concerts overseas including this year Brazil, America, France, England, Australia and Japan. 

The most stand out concert overseas this year would be SMTOWN in Paris. It definitely raised awareness about KPOP in Europe and also about how big KPOP was internationally. 

Since we’re on the topic of SM Entertainment, SNSD made their comeback in 2011 with their hit single “The Boys” which was produced by Teddy Riley who once produced for legend Michael Jackson. The maxi single (7 different versions trololol ? ) included an English Version which was released along with a music video. The Boys (ENG) made it into Itunes Top 100 upon release and has mixed reviews but successfully sold  227,994 albums just within 12 days in South Korea alone. 

The YG ladies 2NE1 have been promoting all year with hits such as ‘Don’t Cry’ (Park Bom) ‘Hate You’, ‘Lonely’ and ‘I Am The Best’. They stand out as a fierce and stellar girl group with their eccentric concepts and choreography. 

2NE1 was dubbed by MTV’s IGGY with the title of 2011’s Best New Band in the World. To celebrate they even performed at New York’s Times Square. This achievement has not only commended their current success but can only potentially bring in more in 2012! Source

2NE1’s CL also graced the stage with a performance of ‘Where is the Love?’ with World Star Black Eyed Peas’ Will.I.Am and Apl.de.ap. 

Meanwhile BIG BANG made South Korea proud by beating out legendary pop star Britney Spears and winning Best Worldwide Act at MTV’s 2011 Europe Music Awards. All the intense voting and support from V.I.Ps certainly paid off as the award definitely gave them the recognition that they deserve.

Kpop is definitely making waves and as a KPOP fan I am certainly happy and proud! Congratulations to all our idols for their musical achievements in 2011! 

TRIGGER WARNING TRIGGER WARNING TRIGGER WARNING

At Number 2 we have two unfortunate events which have been distressing for certain Idols and many fans all over the world. 

In April 2011, SNSD were performing ‘Run Devil Run’ at Lotte World and an unfortunate incident occurred. A male audience member had made his way past security and intruded on stage pulling Taeyeon away by the wrist. Source 

This incident definitely sparked a lot of debate about whether fans were obsessed to the extent of being delusional and mentally unstable. Famous or not, a complete stranger approaching you and dragging you away would be extremely frightening for anyone. (This event followed the previous crazy fan who sent numerous idols blood letters.)

Another unfortunate event would be BIG BANG’s Daesung controversy surrounding the car accident which involved a death of another citizen. I’m not going to go into full detail as it’s overly complicated and emotionally exhausting for not only myself but for readers. 

“Daesung is in great shock and sadness over an accident that he could not avoid. He burst into tears due to his concerns for the injured party.”  For more information

May our prayers go out towards the family of the deceased and hope they slowly recover. Many KPOP fans have also stated their support for Daesung despite the controversy and stood by the popular boy band. 

What did we learn? It’s not all it’s cracked up to be in the spotlight. When frightening and emotional scarring situations such as predators or deaths occur in real life, it’s already difficult to deal with. Imagine dealing with them in lime light with thousands of spectators around the world giving their commentary. 

The number reality check for 2011 would be that Idols make decisions themselves. No matter how controlled they seem or whether they’ve signed a contract, Idols still have the ability to make their own choices. Decisions based on their personal judgement and attitude. Sometimes these decisions may have not been the best ones as they’re only human to make mistakes. 

BIG BANG’s G-Dragon confessed to smoking Marijuana at a Japanese club while being overseas for a concert. He was fortunately given a warning. 

“I smoked a cigarette that someone had given me at a club,” G-Dragon said. “The smell was somewhat different from that of a regular cigarette so I was slightly suspicious that it was marijuana, but it is true that I smoked it,”  G-Dragon(Source)

Although he admitted his error in judgement it opened up a can of worms. As a public figure and an Idol does he need to take into consideration that his actions can influence a whole generation of young fans? Or as a grown man he is at least allowed to experiment and make mistakes? Are idols glamorising smoking? 

Personally it seems to me that GD shouldn’t be seen as the easy way out to blame youth in revolt. Where are the parents and mentors of these young people? Young people aren’t all naive and they TOO can make their own decision and opinion about the issue. However substance abuse is an incredibly dangerous way to damage your mental and physical health. GD has to still be socially responsible. Ironic how BIG BANG sing public service announcements such as the ‘No Smoking Song’ and it’s disappointing as they should lead by example!

(I know i’m very on the fence about this issue, please forgive me as I am only human lol). 

However just because you made a mistake or decided to do something that was out of the norm doesn’t mean that your completely evil. YG even stated that he was given time to reflect upon his mistake. Let’s not forget that this is the same talented man who can sing, dance, rap and act. His unit projects and popularity in the band BIG BANG have been granted a huge success this year not only raking awards from Korean music shows but from the EMAs aswell. 

Now moving unto another alleged smoker is BEAST’s Kikwang. These photos circulated the blogosphere which led to a statement from Cube which was very blunt yet true. 

 “We’re not sure whether it is Kikwang in the picture. Even if it is, he is of legal age to smoke in Korea, so we fail to see the issue”. Source

Smoking is definitely legal in heaaaaaaaaps of countries. In fact we all know at least one person who smokes in our lives. This doesn’t change the fact that it is incredibly dangerous to your health. It also doesn’t change the fact that Kikwang is a talented artist who is a triple threat with amazing abilities in singing, dancing and acting. (You guys are slowly getting my point? .. of sitting on the fence that is LOL )

 Nonetheless the reality is that Idols have the ability to make their own decisions. This can be the clothes they were, what they say or whether they smoke or not. You may not agree with some of their decisions but let’s remember that we are all human. What you think is a totally cool purple dress may be seen as butt ugly by your mum. Similar to people thinking smoking is wrong but others believe it’s acceptable for recreational purposes?

Also just because they are labelled as idols doesn’t necessarily make them one to you. You decide who you admire. You decide what aspects and abilities of an Idol you admire.  

Since it’s New Years i’m going to end on a upbeat note and conclude with the most random and hilarious reality check for 2011 which was hands down UKISS’s Eli getting a tumblr. THERE YOU HAVE IT EVERYONE, THE REALITY CHECKS SUMMED UP IN 2011!

LOL I clearly remember everyone in the KPOP fandom on tumblr flipping out and monitoring his every move HAHHAHAA!! 

Thank you KPOP for a wonderful year in 2011. Despite the ups and downs, the controversies and the excitement… It was amazing to be apart of this fandom. Thank you! Can’t wait for what 2012 brings! 

*Sorry for the grammar/incorrect spelling there’s bound to be some in there XD

Not really a reality check but stumbled across this today and found it interesting! 

With the recent hot topic of BEAST and A-PINK’s endorsement of Skool Looks uniform clothing (to read more about it click Here) here’s another recent example of an advertisement that appeals to the demographic of Korean drama lovers. 

The web series advertisement features over 4 episodes and has Hallyu star Lee Min Ho acting as the main character. It has a storyline that’s dramatic with twists typical of a real Korean Drama similar to City Hunter with it’s love story and face paced action. There’s no prize for guessing that the Toyota Camry plays a crucial role in the web series and appears in many shots designed to highlight it’s aesthetics and car features.

Alot of research and work went into this. The shots are well thought out and the cinematography is stunning. They’ve even helpfully subtitled it in English and Mandarin and also dubbed it in Vietnamese. (Three countries alone already :Vietnam, China and Korea they’re aiming at… not to mention foreigners who speak English….)

With lines in the script as below…

Yeah…. no surprises there, I mean what do we expect… we all know we’re watching an advertisement? The most likely reason we’re watching it is because it features our favourite actor Lee Min Ho (the same reason we watched the Skinny Baby MV in the first place). Although this time the product is a car which majority of the target audience won’t be able to afford until being at least in their twenties.

(Let’s be frank, a family man with 2.5 kids is going to chat with his mates and go see the car dealer. His first move wouldn’t be to stalk and research Lee Min Ho’s promotions activities and then watch 4 webisodes worth of Toyota Advertising to make his decision). Nonetheless I assume a shorter version will be aired and broadcasted on television so the concept in my opinion will definitely succeed with the market of people who are old enough to ponder and purchase a vehicle. 

What about the young people then with and without licenses? Perhaps it’s to create brand loyalty where you associate the Toyota name with romanticised memories of being a KPOP fan girl or a beautiful love story with the drop dead gorgeous Lee Min Ho… eh? Too far?

Then again i feel like i’m abit narrow minded, this is actually the link to the main website and http://www.toyota.com/oneandonly/profile.html the promotion of the advertisement stylised similar of a Korean Drama seems to be everywhere. I’m extremely pleased and i’ll be even more stoked if one day I woke up and saw this advertisements running on my television :D They’ve genuinely used this concept successfully and it in no way feels like a parody or as if it’s been mimicked on purpose. (COUGH FACEBOOK OFFICIAL COUGH)

Toyota is a giant GIANT company and is a well known brand name and for ToyotaUSA to invest their advertisements into the concept of a Korean Drama is a huge risk and they’re taking a very spontaneous step (imo). 

Well I think the concept was extremely clever, upscale and classy. Even the soundtrack sounds amazing! The story was interesting and if you’re a drama lover, you’ll enjoy it! 

2012 Toyota Camry - The One and Only 

Episode 1: Entune

Episode 2: MPG

Episode 3: BSM

Episode 4: Airbags

For more information you may like to read Advertising techniques in endorsements

Disclaimer: My opinion and I am not an expert/professional nor do I claim to be. I am not affiliated with Toyota. 

Hello ^______^ W/N: This is extremely long, it’s been awhile since i’ve written an article for this blog, also if you’re anon, PLEASE REPLY ^_^ a response would be great

FANFICTION: A piece of fiction within a fandom utilizing characters and situations from a pre-existing work including (but not limited to) books, television programs, films, and comic strips. Typically separated into yaoi,rated, romance and general genres. Often used to play out scenarios and/or various romantic pairings not found in the original work. 

Okay for those who don’t know what fan fictions are, they’re basically works of fiction (stories/scenarios) written about characters(or idols in the kpop fandom) by a fan themselves. 

“Fanfiction is what literature might look like if it were reinvented from scratch after a nuclear apocalypse by a band of brilliant pop-culture junkies trapped in a sealed bunker. They don’t do it for money. That’s not what it’s about. The writers write it and put it up online just for the satisfaction. They’re fans, but they’re not silent, couchbound consumers of media. The culture talks to them, and they talk back to the culture in its own language.” -Lev Grossman, TIME, July 18, 2011

(BEAUTIFUL QUOTE I MUST SAY!!)

I have always heard of fan fiction but it wasn’t until I became apart of the KPOP fandom that I actually read one. At the risk of sounding conceited i always thought it was rather bizarre however coming across the concept of fanfics in DBSK’s ‘Dangerous Love’ and SBS’s drama ‘You’re Beautiful’ made me curious, looked it up and have been hooked ever since!

Speaking as someone who reads fan fictions and scenarios on various occasions, I can easily understand where you are coming from and your situation. Fan fictions are fun to read, they’re engaging, they have characters you’re interested in and some writers are down right gifted with their writing. It’s just as addicting as a Korean Drama. Korean Drama fanatics may stay up all night watching it, completing the series of a drama in less than 3 days which can be paralleled to someone who reads fanfics and scrolls down their laptop reading over 100 chapters. The second you attempt to step away, there’s always a catch or a hook of curiosity or desire to know what happens next. This wonderful world of fantasy, romance and adventure awaits you.

kpoprealitycheck: This wonderful world of fantasy, romance and adventure awaits you. THIS WONDERFUL WORLD OF FANTASY, ROMANCE AND ADVENTURE AWAITS YOU. Fan fictions are incredibly popular believe it or not, they’re not disappearing anytime soon! It’s always going to be waiting for you to come back whenever your ready to read and enjoy. Lose the fear that if you don’t read it that second, it’s going to disappear. (On various occasions fanfics may have been deleted or altered or lost BUT the argument for that is, you have your own brain and creativity, use your imagination, make up your own ending!)

kpoprealitycheck: Stop making excuses. Fanfictions are fun to read but they are a contributing factor to why you get no studies done. What you are actually doing is procrastinating. You are actually distracting yourself from what you are afraid to approach, in this case your homework and study. Fan fictions may be a cause of why you get no study done but it have easily been alot of different things such as watching movies, listening to music or social networking.

kpopselfrespect: Change and condition your behaviour and attitude! Deep down inside when you’re reading those fan fictions and getting no study done there’s a chance that you feel ecstatic but also empty and disappointed in yourself. There’s that annoying thought in the back of your head constantly reminding you that you have studying to do. It’s so frustrating especially since your trying to enjoy and immerse yourself in this awesome fanfic. Wouldn’t it be better if you completed all of your homework than could kick back enjoy your reading without a worry in the world about your science assignment? The faster and confident you feel about doing your homework and study the faster you’ll start feeling better about yourself emotionally. Not only that the sooner you finish the faster you get to catch up on some fanfics! With this approach you’re no longer feeling guilty about your study or feeling guilty while your reading fanfics= win win!

kpoprealitycheck: Fanfic writers have lives aswell, constantly sending them imperative messages along the lines of “PLEASE UPDATE!!!” may appear desperate and sometimes alot of pressure for them. Those messages can be motivating and encouraging for the writer but too much to the point of extreme could be harmful. Some writers get writers block from too much pressure and or lack of creativity or control of ideas (as a result of requests). Similar to what was stated in the quote earlier, these fan writers don’t get paid, their work doesn’t get published but as far as the wider community is concerned it’s just another story underneath a disclaimer stating that they do not own these particular characters or concepts. Please look after your writers emotions and wellbeing (write constructive criticism or leave nice comments) as they provide for you a wonderful world of fantasy in exchange. They may have other commitments such work, school/uni, relationships or social life in general, respect that.

kpopselfrespect: Respect yourself, you know that sitting around all day in front of the computer with your elbow on the table and your hand as a support for your chin isn’t healthy nor doing any good for your self. Respect yourself, you are alot smarter than you give yourself credit for, it doesn’t matter whether your an A+ or C average student, the most important thing is that you do your homework/study to the best of the ability. Respect your body, your mind and your soul. (Okay maybe not soul LOL but it was a perfect collocation.)

Further suggestions and tips: If you are really struggling with balancing things out, perhaps try breaking down your homework into pieces. Break it down into achievable pieces so that once you get something done, reward yourself by reading ONLY one chapter of a fanfic. Discipline yourself that the only way you get to read what happens next is to do the next chunk of homework/study. If you keep up this for awhile, you’ll begin to (conditioning yourself) create a habit of having to do your study before receiving a reward. 

Shutdown the computer, close the laptop and step into study mode. It’s just pure temptation if they’re on while your studying. Hand write your notes and use your textbooks. If you really need internet access for your assignment, try doing it in front of your family/in the company of others. That way they can see and watch your every move and you’ll be less likely to be tempted to open a tab for fanfics. Try practicing that self discipline of yours.

Find a different environment, perhaps studying at school or a library will keep you in that learning atmosphere and keep you motivated to do your homework.

If getting the homework done is not the problem but losing track of time whilst reading is the issue, perhaps set a timer or alarm, you could easily do this on your ipod or phone. 

Fan fics are fun! Don’t turn it into something negative by creating a love hate relationship with it. No pain, no gain. Work hard on your study and then you will feel this sense of accomplishment, freedom and that you genuinely deserve to read something to enjoy rather than feeling guilty.

Best of luck to you, I believe in you :D You can do it :D There is never a task that your strength can’t over come. WOO :D Go Team! I hope this was helpful and please send a response! Also if Anon or anyone else is out there and made it to the end of this article, please give me some feedback :D

For previously written articles, please click List of articles

For more articles please click the link-> List of articles. Have a good day guys!

LIKE FOR THE INFAMOUS POST! WHO CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT VIDEO THE INFAMOUS POST IS ON?!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the GIFS. This is just a fun post, this is in no way attacking the people who made the comments or what fan base they are apart of. They are just used as examples. This is not to be taken seriously, it is just a FUN POST! 

For more written articles, please click the link List of articles . Hope you have a nice day! 

kpoprealitycheck:

Korean Idols are so beautiful but don’t be fooled, as they have a strict diet and schedules of vigorous dance practices, vocal exercises, variety show drama recordings, photo shoots and the list goes on and on…

This strict diet is what makes their bodies appealing to the public as Idols. This goes from sculpted abs, nice arms, toned legs and thighs. This not only applies to Idols but to celebrities in general, as they are always under the spotlight and are placed under a lot of pressure to not only be talented but to be aesthetic pleasing aswell. 

However this post isn’t going to focus on dieting but on how (repeat after me) “I can taste what the world has to offer.” Although it’s important to have a balanced diet with all the right nutrients and vitamins, we can at least eat pretty much what we want… or whatever mum makes for dinner. There is no restrictions nor limit, you are in control of what you eat, so enjoy while you can. Ever ate something and felt guilty ? So many k pop fans are under the mentality that they aspire to have great bodies like these idols but missing out on the good stuff which is duh, FOOD! It’s their job to look good which means unfortunately they aren’t able to eat their favourite foods, wouldn’t that suck? Respect your body and respect yourself, as long as you are eating healthily and are in physical activity, ENJOY WHAT THE WORLD HAS ON OFFER OTHERWISE YOU’RE MISSING OUT! 

Kpoprealitycheck: 

To make it simple : KOREAN IDOLS ARE ON DIETS

They are all pulling off the miraculously (ALOT OF EFFORT) effortless look. 

YOU HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OVER WHAT YOU EAT! NO ONE IS CONTROLLING YOU BUT YOURSELF! 

Other: To enlighten you all, if you had a dollar every time you watched a variety show and idols either: 

• want to eat because their starving 
• get excited over food
• one word: beef, need I say more?

Below are images that characterise the above, there many examples and i only chose a sample for you guys to get the idea. Next time while watching a variety see if you can spot it! I am not picking on any idols or groups, these are just mere examples and there are plenty of them out there! 

Above: Kara gives Mblaq christmas cakes - Kara Bakery

Above: Taemin eating alone - SHINee Hello Baby

Above: SNSD shouting Ice cream - Show Unknown

Above: SNSD Sooyoung’s expression about beef - Star Golden Bell Idol Special

Above: Mblaq Seungho, Lee Joon and Thunder, pretty self explanatory - Sesame Player

 

Above: Taeyeon wants to eat her favourite ice cream - HaHaMong

Above: SHINee Key’s expression on beef - Star Golden Bell Idol Special

Remember that one of life’s requirements, is to eat to live. Might aswell make it a good experience. 

For more written articles, click the link -> List of articles

South Korea has mandatory military service of 21 months. The duration of service varies from branch to branch of the military. In general, with very few exceptions, most South Korean males serve in the military. Exemptions are granted to Korean male citizens with physical disabilities or whose mental status is unstable or questionable. When a Korean man becomes of legal age, he is required to take a physical check-up to determine whether he is suitable for military service.

(SHINee freaking out on Hello Baby over conspiracies of going to the army after seeing soldiers)

There are some controversies portrayed in Korean media concerning special treatment given to celebrities. Some celebrities are given exemptions to their mandatory military service, even though they clearly have no physical disabilities. The government has begun implementing tougher sanctions to those who attempt to avoid their military duty. It is considered shameful, undutiful, and treasonous for a man to take measures to avoid his military service when he is healthy and capable of fulfilling his 22 month requirement. In 2002 Yoo Seung Jun, a Korean pop singer, became a naturalized American citizen to avoid his military duty in Korea. For this reason, Korea has banned Yoo from the country and actually deported him. Another recent example is MC Mong, a popular singer/rapper accused of avoiding his military service by having his molar teeth removed. On 11 April 2011, MC Mong was sentenced to a suspended jail term of 6 months, probation for one year, and 120 hours of community service. Source

If you would like to read more about Citizens questioning the compulsory nature of military service, there is a great article on the BBC which is here.

(Super Junior’s Heechul and Leeteuk emotional thanks and goodbye at their last stage before their military service)

Now that we all have some background information, all male (idols) citizens must complete a mandatory military service of 21 months which is less than 2 years (THIS IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE). There are only exemptions if you have physical disabilities or unstable mental status and with idols healthy bodies and mentality they would obviously not be an exemption. On the grape vine, the age range you must do your service is between 18-35 OR 20-30 (Too many sources stated different things.) 

(Classic Idol of H.O.T Tony An)

Now forget about the speculation that idols receive special treatment in the military for a second. Going to do military service is a daunting task whether it’s a young adult whose a student, a husband, a son, a brother or an idol. I can’t say for sure what they are required to do, but i can only assume constant training would be physically and mentally draining. This takes up almost 2 years of your life, whether it’d be taking off time from tertiary courses, taking off time from work, taking off time from your family and friends or in this case taking off time from your idol career. Taking anyone out of their comfort zone of working in an office, teaching children or singing on stage and placing them in a different environment is a hardship in itself. Now i can only assume that majority of citizens do their time while they’re quite young to get it over and done with. Whereas with idols having being trainees from a young age, leaving to do military service questions the possibilities of having your opportunity of an idol career taken away from you if you leave. It is already uncertain whether you would debut, throw 2 years mandatory military service into the mix and it only creates confusion and mixed emotions. There is only a small amount of idols who have done their military service prior to debut. For example 2AM’s Changmin. 2 years in the media is a very long time, especially with new rookie groups coming out, productions of film music and movies. (Think about how long it feels waiting for your favourite group to make a comeback or for that mv to be released.) It is also difficult to be certain of whether your comeback after 2 years would be welcomed and be awaited by fans. These scenarios and situations has led to reality variety shows such as ‘Idol Army’ which supposedly compensate as an on going series for idol groups for variety and entertainment.

(Idol Army: MBLAQ, 2PM and KARA, and yes a female group, interesting…)

The reality is that at the end of the day idols are human too and are no exemption to military service. Military is some sort of an equalizer, with the same appearance (uniform, hair), same purpose to train and same amount of time to do. As an idol it is always good to set an example to those who look up to you (in this case perhaps younger males).

There are cases where military service is not depicted with negative connotations. Military service is seen as patriotic, masculine and a symbol of strength. 

Secret Garden’s Hyun Bin soared to popularity after the drama was a hit, almost straight after he left to do his time.  “If one is a Korean male citizen and is a healthy man, then it is his duty to serve in the military.” Hyun Bin stated, “This is my first time saying this, but I want to be careful. I think it’s become overrated. Because this was something I was preparing on my own, I received physical examinations even during filming for the drama.”

“However, it all became such a big deal. On one hand, I am thankful that many are so supportive of my decision. Yet I wish people wouldn’t make a big deal about something that I feel is necessary.”

Comedian HaHa of Running Man remained cheerful and bubbly as his usual self as MBC filmed a doco on the joys and hardships of soldiers.

2PM’s Taecyeon gave up his American Permanent residence visa so that he could enlist and fulfil the mandatory service as a Korean male citizen. He plans to get eye corrective sugery so that he is healthy and is not exempted. “After seeing such a severe national event, I began to reflect upon myself.”

Tv personality Boom recently was welcomed back with open arms after formally discharged from the army. Despite his time away, his comeback looks promising after producers of ‘Strong Heart’ hosted a welcome back session and had lots of coverage in the media. He had many inspirational and motivating things to say.

, “I trained my hardest, knowing that it’s my duty to my nation. Now I believe that my duty is to bring happiness and joy to our citizens, so I will be using what I learned in the army to passionately make everyone laugh on TV.”

“I’m grateful to my time in the army because it allowed me to see and understand myself for who I truly am. What I felt within my service was that the Korean army is stronger than what’s perceived externally. I hope that everyone puts their trust in us and lives happily.

Okay so we’ve discussed the idols but what about us fans? Fans are those who follow their activities, support their projects and partially fund their living. Fans are those who look up to the idols for support, inspiration, admiration and entertainment. It is not only the idols who are emotional but the fans aswell. To put it simply: fans are going to miss them. I could sit here and write every emotion but i’m not. Not only that, fans want the best for their idols eg “they’re have to rest they are working to hard..” “they’re not getting enough sleep..” “it’s too dangerous and the security…”. Most importantly fans want their idols to be healthy and safe. Dedicated fans insist on waiting for their comeback despite feeling emotional and sad they are also the ones who are strong. They know that the songs will never change, the variety shows they have watched a million times aren’t going to go away and the idol they loved will always be apart of them. These fans, they appear to hold their fandom together. 

Now with the latest media coverage of Super Junior’s Leeteuk and Heechul enlisting by next year, it has been a very emotional time for Elfs as not only there was an exciting come back of Mr Simple but the sad news aswell. After winning many awards for their successful comeback…

Leeteuk expressed, “Thank you to everyone who has given us love. Heechul is also leaving for the army soon, so thank you for giving us such a special gift.”

Heechul added, “This was my last stage before the army. It feels great to have been given such a special award before my leave. I’m always thankful to Jungsoo (Leeteuk) as well as the other members. For the fans who have loved us, I love you too. Thank you to all the staff of ‘Inkigayo’ who gave us so much of their time, and I’m especially thankful to all the managers who put up with my bad temper. I’m not very good at expressing myself, so I’ll just leave it here. I’ll come back safely, stay healthy!”

As a fan, I wish them the best of luck and thank them the laughs, music and positive energy they have influenced in my life. (Super Junior’s Happiness was the very first kpop song i got into, which was 5 years ago… oh god i’m old). I’m sure many other fans(elfs) are grateful and probarbly have alot more deep and meaningfuls to share aswell. 

At the end of the day, idols are human aswell and are required to do what any other normal korean citizen has to do aswell.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the images. What is written is either my opinion or has been sourced.

Opinions, Discussions are always welcome! What do you guys think? Are you an elf? if you’re how are you feeling? Do you think military service should be mandatory for everyone? When do you think idols should do their time? What is the one thing you’re going to miss?