Korean pop (also known as Kpop) is a multibillion dollar industry in Korea, but surprisingly has made little headway in the United States. That is, until 2017‘s Billboard Awards when Kpop stars BTS performed live and aired to millions of viewers across the country. Many were entranced by the slick moves and vocal rhythms that viewers in Korea have known for years.

While it may be entertaining and new, there are many facets of Kpop that American audiences should be aware of. While the popularity of Korean fandom might simply seem to be a fun type of entertainment to follow, the influences on non-Korean teenagers may be unhealthy in regards to their work at school, home, and the outside world. In some of the worst and most serious cases, obsessive fans even go as far as to harming themselves and posting about it on the internet to attract attention from their favorite celebrities.

While most cases of fans being overly obsessive over their beloved Kpop singers, rappers, or dancers are not as severe as the self harming ones, many different people across the world often pledge too much loyalty to Kpop stars. For example, some negative impacts result from fans not paying much attention to their education, health, and social life, and instead, more towards their favorite genre of music. Often times, students’ grades and test scores lower as a result of failure to focus on academics at school or work, and end up neglecting their real-world duties since they are so preoccupied with their favorite singers‘ interactions, songs, and personalities. Moreover, it is evident that some fans are often too obsessed with the Kpop scene when they start repeatedly watching Kpop music videos on YouTube and other video streaming platforms. For example, one girl group, named “Blackpink”, has over 750 million views on their famous song titled “DDU-DU-DDU-DU”.

However, while some may think that these views are the result of 750 million different people, the reality is quite different. Fans often mistake the number of views on YouTube or other video streaming platforms as the amount of popularity a group might have, or a show for how much they appreciate them, so they continuously stream the videos multiple times, meaning that these 750 million views are not registered by unique people and devices, but rather by the same group of people over and over again. We see that this evidently takes up a lot of time, judging by the fact that these seemingly short music videos are streamed numerous amounts of time by an individual, resulting in poor time management and attention to real-life activities and necessities.

In the end, we must all admit the Kpop sensation has brought benefit to the Korean entertainment industry, so there are very obvious positives, at least for the Korean side of the Kpop entertainment industry. Because of Kpop, numerous singers and entertainers have been able to bring in lots of popularity and success, which has yielded billions of dollars of profit to the country of Korea. For example, Kpop artists have gained much exposure to international promotion in various countries, which has brought them both fame and fortune in ways never expected.

However, it is imperative that we take into consideration the fact that Kpop creates an unrealistic mirage that may simply portray Kpop in a positive light. Fans of this type of entertainment may be way too engrossed in the culture and music, which can also negatively impact their personal lives. That being said, anything done in moderation can enhance the quality of life for people, including things like Kpop.

Ethan Sim/ San Marino High School 11th Grade

<Ethan Sim/ San Marino High School 11th Grade>