I glanced at my classmate’s screen to see which K-pop music video they would play today. My excitement grew when I recognized Stray Kids, a popular group. While watching their song the music video to their song “Surfin,” I noticed two peers eyeing the screen. They laughed loudly and pointed discreetly at my classmate to tease her.
Teens who like K-pop are mocked. People are quick to judge others for any music taste, but it seems to be more intense with K-pop. “A few people around me find K-pop weird because it’s from Asia and I find that pretty annoying,” said Jr. Brianna Solis. Solis is not the only fan to notice (or experience) mistreatment. “I remember telling a friend I started getting into K-pop and they made a disgusted face and laughed at what I said which kind of hurt my feelings because I don’t show any ill feelings towards her interests,” Jr. Kayla Stone said.
The reasoning behind hatred for K-pop varies. The language is one of the targets of haters. “I just don’t see the appeal, especially if you don’t speak the same language. It doesn’t make sense to listen to K-pop if you don’t know Korean. Plus, the music doesn’t even sound good, I think it’s kind of bad,” said Sr. Abby Meyer. Language barriers do not determine worth. ”I want people to realize that K-pop is a music genre like the rest. It may be in a different language, but it can still be good,” said Solis. Listening to music in unfamiliar languages only increases communication and exposure to art. There is nothing wrong with that.
Teens find content from K-pop creators excessive and weird. “I don’t think the music is bad. I just can’t get behind the dance videos or weird TikToks. They’re really cringe,” said Jr. Emma Ortega. Korean artists are the same as Western artists; they want the best content for their fans. “I actually enjoy the content K-pop groups put out. Sometimes it’s weird, but when it’s weird it’s funny. The videos create inside jokes and iconic moments. For the most part, their videos are like any other,” said Solis. Artists’ content should not be frowned upon if it leads to fan engagement and success.
K-pop is just another genre of music; people should listen to whatever they want without shame. “Try to take everything with a grain of salt. You may not understand the big hype about K-pop, but people who do, enjoy it with a burning passion and don’t deserve to be judged simply because they find solace in it. You don’t have to like it but there’s no need to be rude about it,” said Stone.
