Fanatic fandom, uninspiring music drag K-pop: Korea Times survey
By Dong Sun-hwa, Lee Gyu-lee
With K-pop juggernauts BTS and BLACKPINK taking the global music market by storm, the genre has yet to convert the “disbelievers,” who argue that Korean pop music is uncool because of its fanatical fandom and music that sounds and looks identical.
Other factors that turn off the disbelievers are “lookism” among “idols,” the K-pop artists, and factory-like mass production of girl groups and boy bands, according to a recent survey conducted by The Korea Times through its website, Facebook, Twitter and other online communities on Feb. 7-17. A total of 1,676 respondents participated.
The first question asked respondents to choose among the following: “Singers lack artistry, creativity,” “Singers' excessive plastic surgery/makeup,” “Music lacks creativity, originality,” “Fans seem too obsessive,” and “Incomprehensible rules” (dating bans, excessive diets, etc.). Respondents were asked to provide their age and ethnicity.
In the survey, 531 out of 1,676 (31.7 percent) said followers' obsession with K-pop singers turned them (the respondents) off the most. K-pop music's lack of creativity and originality came next, with 424 participants (25.3 percent) citing this. Incomprehensible rules of conduct (17.4 percent) ― such as confiscating phones and extreme diet plans ― and singers' excessive plastic surgery/makeup (14.5 percent) ranked third and fourth, respectively.
“Singers are manufactured to please fans like slaves. They are trained and forced to hide their true personality and blot out imperfections. Some artists being under pressure to be perfect fall into depression,” a respondent commented.
That is the overall judgment of the respondents reflecting the fandom in Asia and South America where K-pop is particularly strong. Asian and South American participants (46.4 percent and 40.2 percent) were most disappointed by the fans' invasive behavior. The second-highest for both groups (26 percent and 32.6 percent) were lack of music, artistry and creativity.
Among participants of Europe, Australia, and North America, 45.2 percent or the most chose “Music lacks creativity” and “Singers lack artistry.” Obsessive Fans' ranked second with 19.5 percent and strict rules was third with 21.4 percent.
Graph by Continental Ethnic group. *The number of participants from Africa and Australia was minimal.
Respondents of two age groups ― one 18-34 and the other for 55 and over ― showed different results. A total of 237 out of 465 in the first age group, or 51 percent, picked fans' obsession. On the other hand, 38 out of 85 respondents in the second age group, or 44.7 percent, selected uncreative music (The big gap in the sample sizes may not show a balanced picture).