Page 49 - 2021 English Magazine - Final

How Has K-Culture Affected Westernization of K-Pop
2. Stress

It is no doubt that idols have to undergo immense pressure both the New Generation?
before and after their debut. While trainees have to go through For Better or Worse? Many K-pop fans say that K-pop is slowly
the overwhelming stress of trying to stand out among hundreds becoming “westernized”, with K-pop groups
of others, idols have to face pressure from fans, netizens and the K-culture has affected our lives in one way or another. such as BTS and BLACKPINK’s Rosé releas-
media. ing English singles to appeal to the Ameri-
It can even be considered a “cultural reset”. The young- can market or SuperM debuting under an
er generation in particular is highly affected by the rise American label. Netizens have split opinions
Practically every idol has to endure hurtful comments being of K-culture, as they are exposed to different Asian cul-
thrown at them, be it about their appearance, skills or for no reason tures. This has increased their understanding of social about this issue, some say that they are los-
at all. Not only that, being on variety shows has become a must for issues such as racism. Other than that, Korean culture ing K-pop quality and following the western
idols to gain public attention. Even if these shows may put them in has also become a major part of our social media lives, trend. However, others say that K-pop actu-
uncomfortable situations, they are forced to bear with it. Bullying for example, most TikTok trends are highly influenced by ally originated from western culture, specifi-
amongst group members has also occurred in several groups. Korean music and dance. cally American Hip Hop. Furthermore, K-pop
today is also propped up by many western
songwriters and producers. So, what are your
Scandals and false rumours on social media will also harm their However, some teens nowadays seem to overly ideal-
reputation and feelings. The massive pressure put onto idols is ex- ise the Korean lifestyle. As they follow Korean fashion thoughts on this?
tremely straining on their mental health. In some cases where the trends and crave the Korean food that their “oppar”s ate,
stress has reached a breaking point, idols have turned to self-harm they slowly evolve to become a Koreaboo. They start
or even suicide. to imitate K-culture and forget about their own unique

culture. This may lead to the “Koreanization” of society.
3. Problematic fans Western labels are also starting to debut non-Korean
K-pop fans have now dominated all social media platforms includ- K-pop groups such as Kaachi and Exp Edition, in which
ing Twitter and Instagram. Toxic fan wars between fandoms are most members of the group are not Korean and sing in
recurrent on these platforms as fans put one another down to pro- poor Korean.
mote their own favourite group over others’. False accusations and

rumours are also spread across social media like wildfire to bring Product placement in K-dramas and endorsement by
down opposing fandoms. K-pop idols are common tactics used by brands. Fans
will go to great lengths to buy products linked to their
K-pop fans often refer to themselves as “stans” of a certain group faves as a sign of support. A fan’s obsession with their
or artist by making accounts on social media dedicated to their idols often causes them to spend an excessive amount
favourite idols. This phenomenon is known as “stan culture”. These of money on merchandise. Surveys show that an ARMY
fans go as far as defending or ignoring their idols’ wrongdoings, (BTS fan) spends an average of $1422 USD on BTS mer-
which is unquestionably toxic as fans blind themselves and feign chandise.
ignorance to protect their idols. Writer’s Pick!

There is no denying that K-culture has taken the world
Other than that, notorious fans who have an obsessive fixation on by storm. The popularity of this culture has definitely
their idols are known as “sasaeng fans (사생팬)’’. They invade the made an impact on the current generation and might
privacy of celebrities by means of stalking, home invasions, car continue to affect the future generations as well. Nev-
chases, death threats, spycams and even attempted kidnapping. ertheless, let’s all appreciate the Blood, Sweat and Tears 10 Underrated Kpop Songs
Not only does this affect celebrities’ private life but it also threatens that has been put into catapulting K-culture to the global You Should Check Out!

their safety. stage.
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