I want to say that K-pop has been a rather good than bad influence on me. Though I do not know a single song on the radio anymore, I do know who is coming back with new music in the K-pop world.
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First things first, I have four groups that I am keeping up with. It changed and changes a lot, however, now I love GFriend, Stray Kids, PRISTIN, and (G)I-DLE.
GFriend is my source of happiness. Stray Kids allows me to relate and release my immensely angst-filled quietness through their music. PRISTIN's music always manage to make me smile in an abruptly pleasing way; they can turn any of my frowns upside down. (G)I-DLE has no specific reason; I just fell into their song "MAZE" and am not making an effort to find my way out.
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It is most likely that my first exposure to K-pop would be the famous "Gangnam Style," however I heard of one Girl's Generation, GOT7, 2NE1, BIGBANG, EXO, and BTOB song before as well.
Before my obsession with K-pop, I was into pop—of course, but also the YouTube realm. I watched all the react videos from the Fine Brothers Entertainment YouTube Channel. There was a "YOUTUBERS REACT TO K-pop" series of videos out. And after watching a couple of videos, I was not moved.
I heard of BTOB from a season on America's Next Top Model, where they guest starred. I saw Girl's Generation's "I Got A Boy," GOT7's "Just Right," 2NE1's "Crush," BIGBANG's "FANTASTIC BABY," and EXO's "Overdose" music videos all on "YOUTUBERS REACT TO K-pop" series.
After re-watching "YOUTUBERS REACT TO K-pop #3," I clicked on the link provided in the description to take me to a K-pop music video. The music video was BTS' "DOPE". It was in September 2015 when K-pop really opened my weary eye.
Dare I say it... the music video, my first time actually paying attention to a K-pop music video was dope.
At that time, I was into pop music and Fifth Harmony and Little Mix and One Direction and music from Disney Channel Original Movies (such as The Cheetah Girls or High School Musical). K-pop was just a thought in the back of my mind, until I stumbled upon other BTS music videos. I found out that there was another layer to K-pop: K-pop terms, fanchant, music show performances almost daily, and amazing stories about road to debut. I was very intrigued.
After going through a rough patch in early 2016 and a busy summer that same year, I left K-pop in my watch history. In the end of 2016 was when I really started to keep up with K-pop; I only kept up with BTS at that time. I anticipated their release of "Blood, Sweat, and Tears" with their album WINGS. I enjoyed being surprised with any release of new content from them when approaching their release date. I really loved the colors in all their music videos and was even more fascinated about their hair colors. I noticed a change in hair from 2015 to 2016, my eyes became pleased because I never saw anything like that in the pop genre.
I was still very new to K-pop, since all I did was watch their music videos and listen to their songs. I barely got into looking at the lyrics of these songs until I found another music video thumbnail. It wasn't BTS. The thumbnail led me to PENTAGON's "Can You Feel It". One member really caught my eye, so I listened to the song and watched that music video over and over. To my knowledge, PENTAGON was a new group (2016 was their debut) and I was able to catch up a bit on the history of their story together. I found out that K-pop also has reality survival programs a bit like The X-Factor. I was very shocked to see 10 members on a stage together, because I just thought that was too many people.
Going from 2016 to 2017 (in terms of music choice/favorites) was a bit sad and new, because my favorite girl group (Fifth Harmony) had announced in the end of 2016 that one member would be going solo. I was and still am in denial. Anyways, I followed BTS and PENTAGON into the new year, 2017. I also was keeping up with GOT7 after listening to "Never Ever" in early 2017.
Other than the aspect of school, 2017 was also very busy. As I was awaiting new music from Fifth Harmony and Camila Cabello, I came upon Korean music shows. I was really amazed with BTS' "Spring Day" and "Not Today" performances on stage. Prior to knowing what and when these music shows were, I thought all the performances of BTS and PENTAGON in 2016 were due to their multitude of live shows and award shows. As 2017 was going on by, I watched more K-pop content. Not religiously though, not yet.
Then the fall season came. Yes, it meant a new school year among other things. Fall 2017 was also when I allocated time for K-pop by accident. In the midst of occasional burst of burn outs and stresses, I watched BTS' comeback with "DNA" and I discovered a cool music video thumbnail.
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| This is the cool music video thumbnail. |
I had no idea who they were. It was because I didn't know barely knew what JYP Entertainment was. This wasn't GOT7. I clicked on it, it was October 2017. The video was just released, so it was fresh. I became invested into this new group that hasn't even debuted yet. They had their own reality survival program and I watched it neck and neck with its release. I was into Stray Kids. I really love their music and their style.
Not long after, I discovered another JYP artist. My cousin introduced me to the girl group TWICE, but I was hesitant and strong-headed about not wanting to listen to girl groups. I hated cutesy and bubbly music. My cousin sent me a link to TWICE's comeback stage on November 2. The song was "Likey" and I did not like it. But then the song became an earworm and the dance became addictively cute. From November to December, I spent nearly every day watching TWICE-related content on YouTube. I became a fan of theirs even though I did criticize them.
My initial commentary on TWICE:
"They are annoying and freakishly cute. I noticed that they don't even blink their eyes. Do they always smile 24/7?"
It is funny how I came across Stray Kids before TWICE, because TWICE debuted in 2015 and Stray Kids' debut is in 2018. As I was watching Stray Kids' reality survival program, I couldn't even comprehend what a "TWICE" was. They were in a clip with Stray Kids' Chan, encouraging him and cheering him on for Stray Kids' showcase to the CEO of JYP Entertainment. Coincidentally, I listen to TWICE a month after.
This is the video.
After becoming a fan of girl groups and TWICE as well as awaiting their comeback in December, I came across a variety show episode—Weekly Idol Family Day Special—of them with three other groups. I watched it. I read the subtitles. I was happy seeing TWICE with GOT7. I became amazed that I knew K-pop now, because BTOB was there too. On the contrary, I did not know who the fourth group was.
After these moments (videos above) in the special episode, I knew of GFriend. I became shocked that I did not know who they were. I really love their songs now and am in love with their personalities. It is still surprising that I started following them more than two years after their debut.
Side note: But this is better than not know their existence in the K-pop world at all.
The month of December came and I became excited for TWICE's comeback. Another thing that shook my usually minimal excitement through the roof was the Korean award shows and end-of-the-year shows. These were a time where almost all K-pop groups gathered in a single place. It was at the end of 2017 when I started to stay up for K-pop. If I wanted to watch K-pop live, then it would be in the before break of dawn.
I went from watching Dick Clark's New Year's Rocking Eve with Ryan Seacrest and Pitbull's New Year's Revolution to SBS Gayo Daejun, KBS Gayo Daejun, and MBC Gayo Daejun (all end-of-the-year music programs in South Korea).
Then next thing I knew, I pulled my first all-nighter into the new year. After 2017, K-pop in a gradually quick way, pierced into my life. There was only one thing I was ready for in 2018, and that was a debut from Stray Kids.
I wasn't ready for these things:
- SEVENTEEN's "THANKS" music video and song
- PENTAGON's playful song "SHINE" and its music video
- TWICE's "What is Love?" comeback
- GFRIEND's "Time for the Moon Night" comeback
- BTS' "FAKE LOVE" and Love Yourself: Tear album
- discovering another K-pop artist through their sub-unit's debut (PRISTIN V)
- BLACKPINK's comeback with the smash-hit "DDU-DU DDU-DU"
- the incredible debut of (G)I-DLE
- SEVENTEEN's "Oh My!" comeback
- TWICE's summer comeback
- GFRIEND's summer comeback.
Trust me, that list of unexpected and eventful occurrences was just a slice of the things I was really not ready for. My ears were also melted by MAMAMOO's "Starry Night;" I became amazed by GOT7's "Look;" my heart melted after hearing BTOB's "Only one for me;" and I discovered ONF as well as SHINee's "Good Evening". There's more, but these are the things that moved me the most.
This was and is a lot, but K-pop is kind of like its own amazing world. I listen to many groups here and there, but I religiously (pardon my lack of better adverbs) listen to two groups.
I listen to, follow updates on, support, and am a fan of GFriend and Stray Kids.
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| GFriend and Stray Kids |
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| Stray Kids and GFriend |
After almost three years of listening to K-pop, I would like to say that my life got better. My mental health improved and stress levels decreased. But, my productivity is not great as before and prioritizing things is blurry for me today. K-pop became an obsession and has taken up a lot of my time. However, I became more motivated and passionate in life and in my goals and dream because of my favorites. My academics in the last three years got better, but it also got worse.
In conclusion, I really love K-pop. It fills up my boredom, it excites me from my sorrows, and it allows me to not only see the artists grow, but myself too. Life is short and so K-pop is helping me cope with that fact. I honestly enjoy music in general; I just enjoy K-pop more. As of now, I am awaiting Stray Kids' first comeback (tomorrow, August 6) and GFRIEND's first Japanese single (on October 10) and the Korean music awards this year as well as the end-of-the-year programs this year.
To summarize what I wrote about is to state that my hobby of listening to music has changed to listening to K-pop.
-LA-Buddy :)
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