Yes, it is very thought provoking. The video stated that the main ages for the fandoms are 13-25 yrs and that the companies are targeting this age range with the parasocial interactions. I find that very disturbing how they are targeting those young people and encouraging obsessive behaviors in order to increase profit without thought to the psychological damage they are inflicting on those younger fans and on the K Pop Stars too, who have to āplay the gameā. It was heartbreaking for me to read some of the comments from these younger fans in the comments section of the video. Some of the things the agencies are doing scared me, especially the āboyfriend callsā. I guess this is why the companies donāt want to prosecute the saesang fans and just accept an apology since a full investigation might reveal how the companies are actively encouraging obsessive behaviors that can get out of hand with some people. Not to mention the physical danger these Kpop Stars are put in. (How can agencies say they ātake careā of their artists when they are creating an atmosphere like this?) I feel like agencies are partially responsible for when these crazy things happen. I hope agencies will realize that they do not have to go to some of the extreme measures with parasocial interactions in order to make money and can create a mentally safer environment for everyone.
I do wonder how things will play out now that the K Pop Groups are staying active longer and longer instead of disbanding. Obviously, these K Pop Stars are going to want more control over their personal lives the older they get. Perhaps they will be the ones to make positive and lasting changes in the industry.
I love it so much! I couldnāt stop laughing. Too funny that he had to keep pulling his drums back to him, and then got some help from his bandmate, and I died at the end when the mic stand and guitar got thrown.
Edit: I watched the ārealā MV and decided I really like that song. They had some really great location shots in the video - very visually attractive, but it turned into another video that triggered my motion sickness. Why must they do that to me?
Why do people always sleep with all the lights on in Korean dramas? Is it that hard to film a bedroom scene where the lights are off? Itās so weird. Also, why do people sleep in day clothes and not pajamas? And when I say day clothes, Iām talking about suits, dresses, coats, evening gowns, tuxedos,panty hose, etc. I really wonder why they do that?
Iām pretty sure this is a question every drama lover has asked, but Iām not sure Iāve ever read an actual answer to it. My completely amateur guess is that it all stems from saving money in the budget. But Iād love to hear from someone who actually has insider knowledge about the real explanation.
Of course! They canāt be āboyfriendsā all their lives! Theyāre growing older, they need to have their own lives and do their own thing. I canāt speak for all groups, but I have noticed that they debut doing exactly as the company tells them, and slowly start branching out on their own and expressing their own opinions. The amount of aegyo they do also significantly lowers EXO-Ls always complain about how we never get content from EXO, but Iām glad theyāre doing whatever they want and nobody is forcing them to create social media accounts and post everyday. When we get content, we get quality content, not irritating boyfriend roleplay. Canāt say the same about NCTā¦ I really wish SM would let them BREATHE! They have content almost every single day!
But the problem isā¦ if you donāt do something sexy/quirky/stupid/boyfriend-like, you donāt get as much screen-time or you donāt get noticed. Especially with these huge kpop groups, you have to do something to stand out so you have your own fans, too. Iāve noticed it myselfā everyone knows Chanyeol and Baekhyun because theyāre so funny, and Kai and Sehun because they dance so well, are supermodels, and have a lot of sexy content. Suho and Chen enjoy moderate popularity because one is the groupās leader and the other is a vocal superpower. Xiumin usually just sits quietly and lets his members speak, so you donāt notice him much. Though he is a wonderfully talented guy, he is noticed only when he has a sexy choreography or photoshoot. So thatās why I think these guys do whatever they can to be noticed.
The only exception I see is D.O. Itās really surprising to see him be the way he is. He is the most non-kpop-idol kpop-artist ever. He rarely dyes his hair; itās almost always black and not styled all that much. All the others will have fancy, elaborate costumes and this guy will be there in the middleā¦ the most normal looking guy ever. Iām sure you can spot him here without even knowing who he is.
No amount of money can make him do aegyo. His nicknames include āSatansooā because he never shies from glaring at or hitting his members if they annoy him. But he also shows his unwavering support and love for them. He always looks like that one guy who just wants to go home at award shows. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLww6m06b9I
In part, I think he can be the way he is because he is popular as a good actor and vocalist. But he has his own charms. I think GOT7ās Jinyoung and BTSās Suga are also like this. They have large, supportive fandoms without going all out or doing things theyāre not comfortable doing. Iām glad for them, and I wish all artists are able to be who they want to be.
Now for the bit more mature audience the Taiwanese actor Tony Yang or Yang You Ning, heās already taken , but we can enjoy watching him in Semi-Gods and Semi-Devils or The Rebel Princess
Itās good to see EXO taking the lead and making changes in their parasocial interactions. I hope that they will be able to bring positive changes in SM Entertainment overall policies, although from what you say about NCT it will definitely take a while, which is unfortunate.
Yes, Iāve noticed that some of the K Pop stars/groups are more free to do their own thing than others. The one Iāve noticed most is Big Bang. Of course, they have been around a long time now but I watched some of their older stuff on YT and the group seems to go their own way pretty early on in their careers. For sure they are different from todayās groups as they donāt really do much choreography which seems to be very important for most of the K Pop Groups. The lack of choreo doesnāt seem to be a problem as they have large popularity regardless.
I hope that in the future we can see more of K Pop stars like Big Bang and D.O. where they are just doing their own thing and I hope that that will be the norm rather than the exception.
I think itās because of his acting career. He canāt have an eccentric hairstyle if he has to appear in a movie or drama. He started his acting career very soon, 2 years after his debut. Heās a lead singer in EXO but heās not a visual. They gave that position to others like Kai, Luhan or Chanyeol. Thatās why he doesnāt have the best look. But for a lot of people including me, heās the most handsome member.
Itās funny because these two are my favorites among EXO. My introverted, wallflower self must naturally be drawn to the same nature in them. I havenāt exactly spent much time around the Kpop scene, but Iām curious if I would also be drawn to the more wallflower-like members of other groups as well.
This is kind of random but this is the place for random, right?
I know Iām kind of a weirdo, but K-drama guys who have prominent veins in their hands and arms and neck arteries that protrude when they get very emotional are sexy to me. I was watching The Bride of Habaek the other night and the ML was getting upset about something and the arteries in his neck really stood out. Dang! Thatās something else besides the white button up shirt thatās got a couple of top buttons undone with the black suit coat and watch that are a weakness for me. Iām a bonafide weirdo, I know.
@kdrama2020ali and I were just chatting about Junho (hard to imagine, I know, LOL), but he is also someone whose veins pop out. In JBL it happens when he yells or cries, and people even mentioned it in the TCs. Maybe itās sexy because itās a visible sign of their passion.
@stardust2466_546@my_happy_place@sweetybirdtoo
I hv watched Junho do pushups on set! For just these types of yummy tropes plus muscles! We seem to all hv the same tropes! Thatās why we all get along. Ok off to watch DO. Another Sexy manā¦
EXO-Ls always complain about how we never get content from EXO, but Iām glad theyāre doing whatever they want and nobody is forcing them to create social media accounts and post everyday. When we get content, we get quality content, not irritating boyfriend roleplay. Canāt say the same about NCTā¦ I really wish SM would let them BREATHE! They have content almost every single day!
, but we can enjoy watching him in Semi-Gods and Semi-Devils or The Rebel Princess 
