Several students in the VMSS community have formed a deep connection with K-pop. K-pop originally began in South Korea and has spread over to different parts of the world. There are already millions of people all over the world that enjoy and love listening to K-pop; however, for people who have never heard of or listened to K-pop, it is never too late to hop on the bandwagon!

K-pop is short for “Korean pop music.” It has been one of South Korea’s most significant cultural exports, has been around for a long period of time, and is popular today. There are many artists who audition to become a K-pop idol, but it’s not easy.

Becoming a K-pop idol takes practice, night until dawn, nearly the whole day. To become a K-pop idol, the best plan is to first join a company that holds auditions in South Korea. K-pop stars are meant to be talented and nearly flawless in looks and personality. It can be very difficult physically and mentally. 

There is a wide variety of K-pop groups including BTS (a fan favorite), Exo, Seventeen, Girls Generation, Black Pink, Got7, Wanna One, Stray Kids and more. Most groups are a mix of female and male members. Eighth grader Balqiis Hassan has many favorites. “I like Wanna One, BTS, Seventeen, BTOP 2 PM, 2 AM, Got7, Exo, Stray Kids , in2it and Nu’est,” she said.

Many K-pop fans have a bias, or favorite band member. Eighth grader Kelly Quach is no exception. “My bias is mainly V (Taehyung) from BTS!” She said. K-pop stars often do a lot for their fans and it can be very hard work. They are meant to be idols and reach perfection in all aspects. This can be really hard on some individuals.

K-Pop has turned into a big topic and has made South Korea’s music industry into a five-billion-dollar industry. K-pop idols can be role models for all ages. Fans genuinely appreciate the things that K-pop idols do for them including their hard training, difficult dances (which they make look incredibly easy) and their poetic lyrics. The fans feel deeply connected to the K-pop members in a group, and vice versa. The group members do live streams for fans, and always want their fans to be involved. K-pop members often see fans as family. When eighth grader, Salma Dini was asked how she felt about K-Pop she exclaimed, “I feel happy. The songs and dancing make me happy, the way they sing and dance makes me feel connected to the group(s)”.  Eighth grader Safiyyah Aziz was also asked how she felt and she said, “I feel relaxed when I listen to the music.”

Before 2018, there was a story that struck people all over the world. The passing of Kim Jong-Hyun on December eighteenth, 2017, conveyed the world’s thoughtfulness regarding the K-Pop industry. Jonghyun, as he was known, had been lead vocalist of the immensely well known band SHINee and was a K-pop star for right around ten years. Many millennials around the globe credit K-pop for helping them destress and disappear to a more joyful place. However, it can be hard to understand why the fan culture is so extraordinary.

The reactions from K-pop fans from many countries, and glances at fan sites show that fans have a deeply profound attachment to K-pop. They acknowledge verses like “Never give up no matter what.” Eighth grader Shanti Thakurdial was asked what she liked about K-Pop and she replied, “I like the songs and messages that they give , especially from BTS.” Fans value and appreciate the hard work and training involved, the intense dance moves they perform confidently, and the wonderful lyrics.

Fans say they seek out and search Korean eateries and Korean dialect lessons. They additionally get together with different fans to rehearse and practice dance moves. It makes a fascinating creating mix of online character and physical personality.

K-pop stars are usually discovered as talented youth and then begin to invest years perfecting their singing, dancing, and acting. They are intended to be capable and faultless, seen as symbols. However, it is impossible for people to always follow those strict guidelines.

There is significantly more to K-pop than a straightforward abbreviation. K-pop is a subculture bringing about a far reach of unity. It provides comfort that overall association is without a doubt conceivable. You don’t fundamentally need to comprehend and fully understand the language to appreciate their music. Despite the fact that the music itself is in Korean and individuals may not understand it, there is a large number of people everywhere throughout the globe who admire K-pop and gaze upward to the symbols in the business, paying little heed to any dialect hindrance. K-pop is perpetually motivating and it moves numerous others to go out and find what genuine decent variety really is and what it’s about.