Once a FANGIRL, always a FANGIRL ♥

Being a K-pop fan isn’t easy. You get to hear various bashes from a lot of different people. You are presented with a lot of questions. People around you tend to question your interest. Just like on my case, they can’t help but get curious about everything I do regarding K-pop. Even my own family would ask me why I like K-pop and why in the world am I screaming every time my favorite Korean group is on TV. It’s easy. K-pop had a good influence on me. Well, on my perspective. I don’t know how many times I have repeated in my various essays but K-pop did help me in some ways of my life.

We all know that Korean Pop is making it huge globally. With that, a lot of youths of this present generation are not only focusing on Korean Pop but rather a lot of them are getting interested in everything involved in Korea ; from the food, to the fashion even up to the culture itself. As a K-pop fan myself, I can never deny that fact. I am one of those youths who go crazy over idol groups. People would tend to present numerous questions about my interest. The problem is that people are so subjective. They only believe on what they think. Most of the time, they would bash K-pop in front of my face; regardless of the fact that I am a K-pop fan. They would always say that Korean celebrities, most especially idols, are gay. Is that even justifiable? Call me immature or what but sometimes, it’s just getting a bit below the belt. I understand that we all have different interests in music. But we have to learn respect. Not everybody likes K-pop but we have to consider that K-pop has its own appeals. Korean Pop doesn’t deserve to bash because it doesn’t harm anybody. Most of the time, Korean Pop has good effect on its audience. Korean Pop helped a young lady like me discovered myself. Is that even possible? Yes of course; because it happened to me. At first, it was just any other addiction but as I grow older with it, it eventually became an inspiration. Most especially when I encountered this group named B2ST/BEAST. They are just another idol group in Korea consists of 6 members namely Yoon Doojoon, Jang Hynseung, Yong Junhyung, Yang Yoseob, Lee Kikwang and Son Dongwoon. I was already a K-pop fan when I first encountered their group in their debut song “Bad Girl”. At first, I find them funny with their weird looking white outfits. Some of its members even scared me. But I would be lying if I say that I didn’t like their song. The track ‘Bad Girl’ was cute and I admit that. I even watched the music video for numerous times online. But being a fan of one of the most veteran idol group TVXQ that time, I didn’t really bother to focus my attention on them. I remembered well how I compare them with TVXQ before. Until such time, Tong Vfang Xien Qi disbanded in 2009. Their disbandment became a threat to my fan girling life. Being an avid of them, I was really depressed that time. I won’t deny the fact that I cried numerous times because of that event. I was thinking that maybe, K-pop wasn’t really for me. That depression went on for months until one day, when I opened the television, one headline caught my attention. “Korean boy group BEAST is in the country to take part on a concert for a cause” – I remembered well the way they look that time. They were still at the airport when that specific interview was done. Various networks covered their arrival at the national airport. I wasn’t really that affected when I heard the news. I was glad though. But I really didn’t go all giddy over them that time; knowing that I was still trying to cope up with TVXQ’s disbandment. Their concert here in the Philippines together with Kim Hyun Joong was aired on TV. It was entitled ‘K-pop Meets P-pop’. As a K-pop fan, missing any Korean concert is not on my list so I decided to actually watch their concert on TV. I don’t know why but that time, I suddenly became like a little girl who was smiling as wide as the clown’s when she gets her favorite doll. I had to admit, they were looking so good with their grey and black outfits. They look like perfect boyfriends. It was 10 in the evening that time so there was nothing more I could do but put a pillow on my mouth so that no one could hear me screaming. They were so handsome!!! I swear to God, the moment they sang the song ‘Oasis’(I honestly didn’t know the title that time) with roses on their hands, how I wish I was there to get one of it. They were serenading the whole audience with their distinct and perfect vocals. I would die to have one rose coming from them. I was even stretching out my hand to the television and I kept on saying, “I wanna have one too!!” “Oppa! Give me one. Please!!” Sounds crazy but I really did that. The mob was getting crazier and crazier every minute. God! How I envy those fans that were there. They played the stage well and they really pulled off a great performance. I was really impressed with the kind of performance they showed onstage. The way their attitudes and qualities compliments the whole atmosphere is really something that caught my attention. My impression on them changed ever since that day.

Lucky enough, their documentary was shown in MTV Asia and I didn’t hesitate to watch it. The documentary showed their journey before becoming idol stars. The whole documentary was epic. They were really funny kids. They were having on their own ways and I too can’t help but laugh every time they would crack a joke on one of their members. The documentary also showed the hardships on their journey. Like any other idol group, their journey wasn’t easy. They were even named as ‘The Recycled Group’ because all of them had their frustrations as they get to achieve their dreams of becoming singers/performers. Being called a recycled group hurt them a lot, most especially that they all know that they were giving everything they could just to present a wonderful performance. The criticisms continued up to the moment they released ‘Bad Girl’ and their first mini album ‘B2ST is the BEST’.

Being a witness to their journey and of course, being a witness to their hardships is really touching. The way they stood up despite everything made me a fan of them. I saw how strong they were. Or better yet, I saw how they stayed strong despite the never ending criticisms. With that, they weren’t just idols for me. They’re human. I was truly inspired on how they endure everything just to make their dreams come true. They were fighters. A lot of doors closed as they were starting their journey. A lot of people were bringing them down. And as a fan, I saw how worse those challenges are; challenges that were enough to make anyone give up and cry. I may not really know or understand how they felt during those times but I was pretty sure that it was really hard for them. It might have been really hard to get over everything. Another plus factor for me would be their determination. Instead of giving up, they made their selves better and they were determined to create their own mark in the industry. And they didn’t fail. They released their second mini album ‘Shock of the New Era’ with the title track ‘Shock’. They really did left a mark with their very own genre called ‘rocktronic’ – a combination of rock and electronic sounds. The sweet guys-next-door turned into steaming dangerous rockers. The whole image transformation is seen on the whole theme of the album. From a bright gentleman mood to a dark sexy one; it wasn’t just a transition. It was a transformation. Their promotions gained a lot of attention. Their mini album swept off various charts; both Asian and non-Asian ones. From being the recycled group, B2ST’s image eventually into the group that made guyliner (guy eyeliner) looks sexy. I would agree to that.

The group had been active in variety and reality shows. One of my favorites would be B2ST IDOL MAID. This was a reality show wherein the group will employ a celebrity maid and of course, as a maid, they will do everything that their employers want them to do; regardless of the fact that they are known celebrities. Idol Maid was a really funny reality show. Most especially that the well-known comedian, Shin Bongsun was hired as their maid. Every episode was filled with laughter and jokes. It was also a great opportunity to have an exclusive view of the boys’ dormitory. The maids’ competition adds up to the funny theme of the show. I can’t help but laugh every time the boys would pick their choice. What makes me appreciate the show more was the genuineness that B2ST showed. The reality did not fail to show the boys’ witty attitudes and hidden schemes. Their naughtiness was something you could look forward to. It was a good way to show the funny side of B2ST; their other side that fans like me seldom see.

I am a B2UTY and I will never deny that. It just never fails to make me laugh every time I would reminisce the way I laughed at them before, those times that I underestimate and ignore them. But those times are over. I am already a B2UTY and I am now one of the persons who will stand by their side no matter what. Why am I saying this? ; Because these boys had become my guide on discovering myself. As I said awhile ago, K-pop helped me on discovering myself and B2ST was the instrument. I was a fan and as a fan, I was growing with them. Because of them, I realized that I am now capable of only one thing. Being their fan made me realize that I can be anything I want to be. But above all, they made me a better person. Like them, I’ve encountered hardships on my own. And like them, I learned to stand by my own two feet. They made me realize that no one can ever bring me down by their words/actions but rather, it is ME who is in full control of I will allow myself get affected by those stuff or stand up and prove to them that I am way better than them.