Kpop - understand it before you criticize it.

I found this post on gurupop and she (KpopIsAmazing) apparently found it on Tumblr, so I have no idea who posted the original one. So, partly because I have nothing else exciting to post here and partly because I think it needs to be spread around to K-pop fans and non-K-pop fans alike, I'm re-posting it here. (NOTE: I am not taking ANY credit for this. I did not write it, but I do love it.)


http://www.gurupop.com/post/138276-Kpop-understand-it-before-you-criticize-it

Kpop - understand it before you criticize it.

 

• Friend: Why do you like KPOP so much anyway? I mean, you can't even understand most of the lyrics and their autotuned songs-
• Me: Don't start that again.
• Friend: But-
• Me: Have you ever experienced waking up every morning just to deliver milk in order to not burden your parents with the training expenses?
• Friend: Well, no, but-
• Me: Did you drop out of high school to pursue your dream even if you're uncertain that you'll make it big?
• Me: Have you tried dancing and singing onstage with your heels on?
• Me: Did you experience hearing so much criticism you end up breaking down but you have to put on a smile for the sake of others?
• Me: Have you tried getting no more than two hours of sleep before tackling a new day all over again?
• Me: Did you experience having a hater that can go as far as putting glue in your drink, causing you to be hospitalized? And at the end, you'll forgive her because she's the same age as your sibling?
• Me: Have you tried auditioning countless of times before finally getting accepted?
• Me: Can you stay single for the sake of your supporters?
• Me: Can you sing and dance--live--at the same time?
• Me: Can you live up to the image a company has given you?
• Me: Can you bear living away from your family and friends, not being able to communicate with them for a long time because of your work?
• Friend: Well, when we grow up that's what we'll do anyway so-
• Me: At the age of fifteen, sixteen, seventeen or maybe even eighteen?
• Friend:
• Me: There's more to KPOP than it seems. If you see them without the 
• spotlight shining down on them, then you'll understand.

 

 

I love how the whole thing just seems to be a huge love call / shout out to every K-pop idol there has ever been and if you know a lot about some of the idols and you've watch their variety shows and watched them break down and/or talk about what they went through before becoming the shining, beautiful idols we all know and love, and even the hardships that they had to face after the companies thought they were good enough to debut, but apparently the Haters are still hating.

 

And the only thing I disagree with is the part talking about living away from friends and family. "ME: At the age of fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, or maybe even eighteen?" It's obviously talking about us, who haven't suffered such hardship. We usually stay at home longer. I'm 20, and though I've gone abroad and lived in a dorm for a year, I live at home right now. I do work and help pay bills, so it's not like I live off my parents, but it's not like I've had to fend for myself. I have it easy. I feel like that line would have been much more effective if "ME" talked about the idols' ages instead. And the following are only the ones I know off the top of my head, though I'm sure there are FAR more:

 

*SHINee's Taemin was discovered at the 2005 S.M. Open Weekend Audition Casting. He was 12.
SHINee debuted in 2008. Taemin was 15.

* U-KISS's Dongho's father owes a magazine company, so he was pretty much around celebrities his own life. U-Kiss debuted in 2008, Dongho was 14.

Dongho apparently also talked about his hard childhood on an epidsode of Strong Heart (I have not watched the episode myself) and he talked about when during those hard times, he had once packed everything in a bag, even withdrawing everything from his bank account, despite his young age, and ran away from home.

* The other members of U-Kiss also talked about their hardships on a show (I believe it was U-Kiss Vampire) and revealed the hardships they had suffered before making it as idol: Kiseop had audtioned many, many times for many different companies, but was repeatedly rejected.

Eli lived alone in China for a while, living on only Ramen noodles and the soup.

* Seventeen, a boy group from Pledis Entertainment that is said to be debuting this year, is said to have a member that was born in 2001, which makes him 12. ( I received this news from a fan that has been following news about their debut.)

 

Please share this post.

I really don't mind it when people say they don't like K-pop or they don't especially like a certain group or band. It's their choice. What am I going to do? Force them to lke it? No!

What I DO mind is when people bash on idols or leave hate messages or act like idols have an easy life where they don't do much and makes tons and tons of cash for doing nothing. Show those people that it's not like that. Please stop the hate.

Thank you.

~  Jenny