Kpop is, apparently, not real music.

So there are these forums designed mainly for teachers living in Korea. We exchange teaching materials mostly but I've found a particular brand of ignorant stupid which is really surprising since everyone on these forums chose to come live in Korea. You'd expect a certain amount of open-mindedness and receptiveness from people who move to another country and take up long term residence, but no; that's not what you get.


Instead, you get posts like this:

Since I am a MAN in my 30s and I didn't enjoy Boy/girl bands in the 90s, I actually really hate them now.  I was wondering if anybody could recommend some good Korean music.  I prefer listening to independent/alternative bands.  Lots of layered sounds and harmonies.  Not just people singing/lip-syncing along with a drum machine, and I could care less about choreographed dancing.  You know, real music, made by real people with no agenda other than to make art.

So I hear this a lot. And it bothers me for a lot of reasons.

First and foremost, why does anyone make comments like this in the first place? It's not like K-pop is hurting you in anyway, why the disdain and the nastiness. I get it bro, Korean pop music isn't your scene, but I don't particularly like American country music. It's just not my thing. I don't feel the need to go in the internet and crap all over it. 

Let's be real though, it's probably not this guys fault he thinks this way. The whole concept of what is 'legit' music and what's not is something that is rampant even within the Korean music industry. I remember face palming a few years ago when Jay Park, Brian Joo and some random Korean rap artist had an extended conversation via twitter about how fake and unreal K-pop music is and how they feel so sorry for the little K-pop slaves to the industry. This is particularly rich coming from Jay Park since he wouldn't be anything without 2PM and JYP and Brian Joo who got his break in Fly to the Sky via SM. I mean anyone who knows their stories knows that they went through a huge mess with their companies, but I still feel like it's particularly rude of Jay to spit on 2PM when they're still active in the K-pop industry. 

Maybe I'm too naive but I just feel like a little respect for other people's hard work could go a long way. When you talk crap about a K-pop track, you're dissing literally hundreds of people's work. Producers, lyricists, set designers, stylists of all varieties, choreographers, not to mention the artist themselves who has been training and busting their ass off for literally years and years and years. Artists in America stumble into their fame, bring out a few tracks a year, shake their booty in a music video and make millions and millions and millions of dollars. Kpop Idols work grueling schedules, they don't sleep, they train for years and years with very little money or any guarantee that it's going to get them anywhere. But they do it because it's what they want. It's their deep seated desire to be an Idol. So what's not legitimate about their products. How is what they're doing not 'real music, made by real people'. I'm not saying this guy has to like K-pop, obviously he has a different taste in music, but a little respect goes a long way. 

Furthermore, I'm no music connoisseur but there are plenty of songs within the K-pop genre which are genuinely beautiful musical experiences. It's really hard to suggest music to this guy because we have no idea of his musical preferences, but I bet we could find music within the kpop industry that did suit his tastes. What people tend to forget is that Kpop is a term that's been loosely applied to just about all music in Korea. It doesn't take into account that there are multiple genres within Kpop. As an example; Big Bang, SHINee, Epik High, Orange Caramel, Henry, Infinite, Super Junior and BoA are all considered Kpop artists. Musically all of these groups couldn't be more different from one another. The only thing they have in common is that they all sing in Korean. Super Junior and Super Junior M have the same members with the (frankly spectacular) addition of Henry and Zhoumi in the M portion and musically they couldn't be more different.

The truly frustrating thing about this entire mess is that anyone, literally anyone, who is not a K-pop fan would read this post and blow me off. Because the fangirl stereotype is so rampant that any and all opinions we have are instantly invalidated by the mere fact that we actually happen to like K-pop music. 

I'm 23 years old, I have a university degree and a full time job. I consider myself a pretty intelligent person most days, but I will not tell certain people that I like K-pop. It's like my secret identity. I had an experience in University where I was introduced to a Korean exchange student at a UN get together I went to with a few friends. My friend was a pretty cool guy and knew I liked K-pop and so when he introduced me to his exchange student friend he started the conversation by saying I liked Korean Pop music. I felt like slapping my friend around the head, because that's never ever the first thing I want people knowing about me. Especially not when I'm being introduced to the kind of people that go to a university United Nations gathering. Luckily, I ended up doing language exchange with the same guy and we became rather close. We talked a lot and went out for coffee, usually talking about serious issues in both Korea and Australia. One day we went to eat dinner together and my friend confessed that when he heard I liked K-pop he was ready to write me off as a ditz. I really surprised him with how educated I was and that I could debate various topics and issues with him. He had literally heard the label 'K-pop fan' and written me off. It was only because we had the fortunate luck to become close friends that he discovered otherwise. 

I know plenty of girls who are hardcore SHINee or K-pop fans who are well educated, completely well adjusted human beings. I guess what I'm trying to say is, outsiders to the fangirl community should just get off our backs. Go judge someone who is actually doing something despicable, or better yet: just don't judge anyone.

I kind of curious, does anyone else have any experiences where people completely side-eye you when you say K-pop?