[knetizen] Is it true that K-Pop’s image overseas is for the losers?

[bye-bye]

People there call K-pop “Gay-pop”, right? If they look at K-pop, they might be curious but if you think about it, they have artists like Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X, etc. Do you think they will treat K-pop songs as songs? They are not even in the same language. As Koreans, we see these as songs but… Do they really look like losers?

I’m asking with the exception of BTS

original post: pann

1. [+332, -46] Just say that even if they liked BTS, they would be considered losers, what ‘exception’?

2. [+180, -5] Perhaps only the frantic fans there love K-pop…

3. [+152, -46] I saw a video back then and the kids who liked BTS were seen as losers…

4. [+110, -1] But if K-pop had a loser image, why would foreign celebrities collaborate with K-pop singers? No matter how much money they make, wouldn’t it be too much of a loss for them?? I don’t live there so I don’t know

5. [+71, -1] It’s not because K-pop is popularㅋㅋㅋ It’s because BTS has a lot of fans. That’s why they appeared in the New Year countdown that all Americans watch. But of course BTS has more Asian fans because they are Asians themselvesㅋㅋㅋㅋ If you lived in Europe or the Americas, you will know. Most Asians receive discriminatory treatment and it’s hard for us to get in the cool crowd. Asians might not feel good about it but we have the losers image in their eyes

Source

Edited February 19, 2020 by bye-bye

[Stepkdramafan226]

Hasn't this been posted before? 

[freya]

They've mistaken incel locals for the "cool kids"...

"Gay-pop"

That's enough to stop reading

[Danee Danee]

Yeah, its true. I mean... Kpop is seen as Asian equivalent of Disney channel. Like... yeah... nice way to kill time when you are in your pre-teen era. But ridiculed later on.

Its because of people liking different qualities all over the world. If I over simplify it ... Asia is more about being hardworking and nice/polite, while the west is more about being creative and self-contained/independent. Thats why the difference. Also thats usually why the artists who are more fitting the "creative and independent" image more are usually more popular in the West even though its vice versa in Asia.

Then there is the language barier so even if the lyrics are good, people will not understand it until they read translation which is too much efford. And racism is also an issue but honestly most of kpop is seen lowly even among many Asians living in the West. 

I would say its still seen in better light then jpop which is usually seen as something weird in the wrong way and even somehow pervy. 

Edited February 19, 2020 by Danee Danee

[satoori]

It's interesting how people are trying to push this "narrative" so much more. Now that other groups are not breaking out as much as BTS in the West(?)

However it's not necessarily true in the US. More like Americans who don't care for Kpop...simply don't care or waste their time on it. Everyone else just sort of know a bit about BTS, and that's it. Your average American haven't even dug deeper into the community to even designate it as "loser"-ish. Americans do not automatically think every single thing related to "Asians" are for losers lol

 

[Iljin Oppa]

Basically, if you're not East - Asian and you're into Kpop... you're not cool.

It's exactly the same reputation Anime has.

[b3ib3ib]

not really street credible being a kpop stan where i live but it definitely also depends by what kinda people you are surrounded by. the thing people care about the most is how you carry it which applies to pretty much everything.

Edited February 19, 2020 by b3ib3ib
wording

[Aphrodisiac]

I mean who cares?!?! You like what you like.

[Drama Drama Drama]

So now the anti kpop (k and i) use that narrative for discredit kpop and fans...

[car door guy]

Honestly, I know no one would believe me on here but not necessarily? I am a uni student with quite the social life. I am seen as "cool"... My sister is also a BTS fan and she's a normal working woman. One of my closest friends is an EXO fan and she is a beloved student in our uni. In this list, none of us fit the stereotype of loser. Also, none of us in this description are Asian so we really aren't what people expect ...You know why? because we don't go around yelling our musical interests. That is why you can't assume kpop fan = loser. 

[Vagus]

Its like otaku being seen as a nerd etc 

[lighterxx]

Yep but they also seem to think opposite of people we find cool "cool"

To be honest i dont even remember finding someone cool and not being able to approach them, not at highschool or uni at least

[Sataengist]

If you're a casual listener it's alright, but it you gonna go out wearing kpop merch you're gonna get some looks 

[swiftswitchsurf]

I don't think the west has much of an opinion of kpop and their fans beyond online circles And let's be clear, if you're in online circles, you're out of the discussion for 'cool' by default.

Kpop's not even at Anime's level where it's a marker of anything cause well it's just nowhere near as prevalent, and I don't think there's anywhere near as many die-hards in the actual real world.

 

I think everybody has met a naruto run or Kingdom hearts carpark kid. I highly doubt most people have met a "Do you know anasayo" kid

[sakurahanabira]

6 hours ago, swiftswitchsurf said:

I don't think the west has much of an opinion of kpop and their fans beyond online circles And let's be clear, if you're in online circles, you're out of the discussion for 'cool' by default.

Kpop's not even at Anime's level where it's a marker of anything cause well it's just nowhere near as prevalent, and I don't think there's anywhere near as many die-hards in the actual real world.

 

I think everybody has met a naruto run or Kingdom hearts carpark kid. I highly doubt most people have met a "Do you know anasayo" kid

I'm familiar with the Kingdom Hearts franchise but haven't heard of this. Or maybe I have seen it before but never realized it was KH related since I only know the game by its name and that Utada Hikaru sings the theme songs for it. 

 

10 hours ago, Sataengist said:

If you're a casual listener it's alright, but it you gonna go out wearing kpop merch you're gonna get some looks 

Depends on the merchandise tbh. If it's something low key like a wristband or a jewelry with a group's logo on it, people aren't really going to notice. A T shirt or hoodie with an idol member's face plastered onto it on the other hand...but then again no one gave a shit when some kids wore band shirts with their favourite band member's face from Hot Topic back when I in high school...

[swiftswitchsurf]

1 minute ago, melancholic autumn said:

I'm familiar with the Kingdom Hearts franchise but haven't heard of this. Or maybe I have seen it before but never realized it was KH related since I only know the game by its name and that Utada Hikaru sings the theme songs for it. 

 

It's a sorthand for cringy cosplay and roleplay

[Kyuflower]

21 hours ago, car door guy said:

Honestly, I know no one would believe me on here but not necessarily? I am a uni student with quite the social life. I am seen as "cool"... My sister is also a BTS fan and she's a normal working woman. One of my closest friends is an EXO fan and she is a beloved student in our uni. In this list, none of us fit the stereotype of loser. Also, none of us in this description are Asian so we really aren't what people expect ...You know why? because we don't go around yelling our musical interests . That is why you can't assume kpop fan = loser. 

Yes exactly this. 

Bts teens fans around me tend to wear shirts with a big bts logo or sing their songs out loud or talk about them in 90% of their discussions that's why they are seen as losers and it's so embarrassing to be associated with them. 

I am a med school student and my sister is a teacher. We both like bts but we don't go around telling it to everybody. I don't usually share my music interests and I don't talk about bts outside my room. I don't need people to judge me/my personality based on my music taste or who I listen to

[felidae]

Not that the people themselves are "losers", but it's used to be their image just because they're kpop fans, pre 2012. God knew how I looked down on them. But not months later I was in their position lol.

 

But I think nowadays it's different.

[Ceceri]

Yep. Koreabooss

[Apryl]

Incels are not "cool kids". Hipsters are not "cool kids". 

Kpop is looked down upon because of a lot of other reasons. And one reason is that it's seen as an "other" form of music.

There are guys around me who make fun of BTS calling them "gay" but make cringey Tik tok videos trying to look cool while acting like losers. 

So what's the definition of these "cool kids"?

Literally no one cares about what you do.

Edited February 20, 2020 by Apryl

[rananicolee]

23 hours ago, Sataengist said:

If you're a casual listener it's alright, but it you gonna go out wearing kpop merch you're gonna get some looks 

Actually I've been out in public wearing kpop band tees and I didn't get looks. It's the same as when I wear a metal tee. No one cares honestly unless they stare at your clothes too long. 

[Mami3chan]

some Locals just find weebs/koreaboos as nerds or losers or whatever but since BTS is so popular seems like the locals moved on from weebs to kpop stans 

[midnightdreams]

It's because most kpop fans are teenage girls. Most things popular with teenage girls are looked down upon: Jonas brothers, Justin Bieber,  Disney channel stars. 

This is nothing new and this trend should stop tbh.

[Bom]

On 2/21/2020 at 12:55 AM, midnightdreams said:

It's because most kpop fans are teenage girls. Most things popular with teenage girls are looked down upon: Jonas brothers, Justin Bieber,  Disney channel stars. 

This is nothing new and this trend should stop tbh.

Yes! Let teenage girls enjoy things! 

[Phoenix Wright]

The problem is as someone of you have said, are teenage girls, everyone associates Kpop with girls screaming and crying like they were possesed and sometimes I understand some of those complans. There isn't a day on twitter that a lot of these girls spam all non related hashtags with their stupid fancams.

I'm a 32 years ol guy and when I say that I like some of kpop songs nobody tells anything to me, because of course I'm not talking about kpop all the time.