Okay, the following stuff deals with rants about things that only a select few of you who happen to read my journal (*wave*) may actually know about. So do not be alarmed when you read the following and have absolutely no idea on what on God's green earth I'm going on about. I will be back with actual life situations, drama, and wacky hilarity in a day or so. XD
My Top Ten List of Korean Entertainment Pet Peeves!!!
10.)
Ridiculously Biased Korean Entertainment Blogs. I'm looking at YOU Allkpop. Seriously, how the hell hard is it to give me reliable information without soiling it with your suck-ass, one-sided commentary? I don't give a damn WHAT you think of Super Junior, tell me what they're up to and shut the hell up. Why artists feel the need to kiss your ring and inflate your ego, I'll never know. I actually fear for the day when ONTD actually has the level of influence these sites do. I thought the site had the ability to be ridiculously obnoxious before, but God help us all if those bitches get some REAL pull. Looking at how these people behave, I just don't think it would be good for anyone.
9.)
Finding fame in America. Why? Seriously, why? It's painfully obvious right now the only people who care are already fans and the people in charge of the push obviously don't know what the hell they're doing. You don't build a new fan base by hanging around in limbo and hoping people give a fuck. Americans have notoriously tiny attention spans (except when it comes to Disney celebs. Goddamn it...), so unless you are absolutely amazing AND able to get us to take a look at you, not only will we not give a shit, we will probably tell you how little we give a shit and suggest rather bluntly that you GTFO. Even if you
do manage to get famous here, it won't last. Eventually we'll tire of you, bash you, hate you, and watch you crash and burn so that we can laugh at you. It's just how we treat celebs here. Hell, even the legendary folks get bashed, if only by cool kids wanting to be ~*edgy*~. I do think there will be a window of opportunity in the next few years or so as Miley fans burn out and the next generation of pre-teens aren't interested, but if you don't know how to milk that window, you don't need to be here. And even if you stay here, keep checking you expiration date and have no allusions beyond it. Otherwise, pain and suffering will follow.
8.)
Soompi forums. Once upon a time, I happily lurked on Soompi, checking out news and pictures of people in the industry. Then one day, I decided to post. Things were fine at first, and then...I found out what others had already known: Bitches...are....crazy. O_o I don't mean MILDLY fangirlish, I mean some of those people are freaking certifiable. I mean, will CUT YOU if you even make a
typo that makes it look like you're bashing their idol. I've seen many people (self included) stop posting or leave all together because you have a band of people who take it upon themselves to dictate what other people are allowed to think and say. I've found the whole "You must not mention
ANYONE but this artist in this thread!" a pain in the ass since I started posting, because it's just bloody ridiculous. I can see trying to prevent spam, but every time I have to put in special coding to make sure people can't see who else I might be referring to because, you know, God forbid anyone know other groups exist outside their fan bubble...yeah, freaking ridiculous. Of course NO internet social community would be complete without the snobs who've posted a few thousands times more than you and somehow honestly think that makes them better than you, especially in relation to the actual subject. Ugh...
7.)
Unrealistic expectations concerning beauty and weight. It's ridiculous to me that a country so obsessed with beauty and plastic surgery would absolutely harass and torment stars who have had work done. What the hell? Why care so much if you're going to make a big deal out of "natural beauty"? Some people are born lovely, some people are born fug. That's life. If you pressure people into thinking the only way they can get ahead in life is to have work done, particularly in the entertainment industry...doesn't it stand to reason that yes, a lot of celebrities have had at least one form of plastic surgery? It's beyond sickening. Either accept that in a culture where going under the knife is the norm, 'natural beauty" is a rarity indeed or adopt some other obsession. Also, someone explain the BMI, so that individuals can realize that NO, weighing 45 kg (100lbs) isn't normal for everyone, especially since most people get to be taller than 1.5 m or 5'0 ft.
6.)
Obsession with Idols getting too tan. This is me not giving a fuck that this tradition of hating one's ability to tan goes farther back than European imperialism in the region. Mostly because this shitty ideology does not limit itself to Asia. Hell, there's even the reverse in the West. Unless you're genuinely concerned with skin cancer, it's just annoying. Some people look pretty pale, and some people look pretty tan. Some people look fug tan or pale. If you appreciate what a person does, how dark or light their skin is should not matter. Note: Not every tradition is a good or healthy one. Let that shit
go...
5.)
Super Junior line up issues. OMG, will you crazy fangirls shut the fuck up?! First you bimbos go on and on about the "conspiracy" to add 2 more members and somehow think harassing and being rude to the poor guys is going to make it better. "Only13" people need to drown themselves. Nowhere else on earth is 13 people in a group sane to begin with, unless that group is Earth, Wind, and Fire, and I STILL don't know how many people are in that band. Also, seeing as there's the whole mandatory 2 year military service, the odds of many male groups or entertainers staying in the industry beyond that point is chancy. Some do while some, sadly, are forgotten and their fans move on or outgrow them entirely. So the introducing of other persons and sub groups is actually a way for the company to continue to market these groups after the inevitable occurs and the possibility of everyone performing together may prove something that won't be happening for five or six years. That's a freaking
lifetime in any entertainment market, as it's long enough for tastes to change quite drastically.
Also, the whining about Kibum and Heechul is getting stale, especially where the latter is concerned. He has serious medical problems to contend with (remember that episode of EHB where everyone saw that giant strip of metal in his leg?), and if he pushes himself too hard, he could seriously injure himself. I really could take or leave Kibum at this point as I get the sense he's more interested in acting than trying to stand out in a group of more than a dozen people, not that I blame him. I'm ready to say promote him as an actor and let Henry replace him. At least Henry would be more useful than Kibum is right now.
4.)
Bitching about aging idols maturing their image. I keep hearing fans go on and on about "Why did _____ have to change their image?!" or reminiscing about images past. Okay, here's the thing: Nothing is static in music. What was cool five years ago is not cool today, and an image that sold five years ago would not necessarily sell today. Change is the spice of life, at least if you want that life to continue in an industry like the entertainment one. Then there's the fact that (gasp) the person you adore has actually aged and grown up. Is it really so shocking that the music and or image may mature too? Maybe this person no longer wants to be "your cute maknae". Maybe they don't want to be in a box. Maybe they want to explore other possibilities. That's what artists do. So maybe, the problem isn't that the group has changed so much as you have unrealistic expectations. Just a thought.
3.)
Jealousy over female entertainers or staff "getting too close" to male idols. There is not enough "Have you lost your damn mind?!" in the world for me when it comes to whiny little fangirls going on about how "jealous" they are of some woman standing next to their idol, hugging their idol or (God forbid) their idol marrying someone who is not them...or it not being a pre-approved gay coupling. Sit. The. Fuck. Down. You. Crazy. Hos! Please be stepping to this side of reality. How dare you wish with all your heart someone you don't even freaking know would spend their life alone just so YOU get to sit at home fantasizing about how one day you two will meet and fall magically in love forever and ever the end. It's not happening, princess. You may buy their music, their posters, go to their shows/see their movies and scream your lungs out, but that does not give you a copyright. You are not "Mrs._____", that person is not your property (no matter how big you make that font in your signature), and for the love of GOD, please stop screaming at anyone who jokes that they love ________ because they "totally belong to you".
Death threats, harassing notes, and venomous calls? I'd seriously like to know what part of these people's little brains tells them they have the right to make the lives of others living hells just because they dared to make their idol smile or once dated the guy? I know fan clubs like to think of themselves as a collective wife/girlfriend, but anyone who takes that shit to heart needs to get their head examined. I'd like to think these girls will grow out of it, but I don't know...can you outgrow
crazy?
2.)
Stalking. A point carried over from my previous rant, but it needs to be emphasized: This shit AIN'T normal. No, normal fans
do not follow celebrities around with cameras, they do not get a copy of their daily schedule so they can plan their day around that celeb's activities, and freaking NO, they don't go to their house and stand outside all day and all night. A life: you need one. And you will not find it by stalking famous people.
1.)
Crazed fans and anti-fans. At first, you think it's easy to tell who's more disturbed, however as people in either category do things that clearly go too far, it becomes harder to distinguish one from the other. A part of me is angry with Yunho for being such a classy guy, because I do think allowing a girl that spiked his drink with super glue and nearly killed him go to jail may have done wonders for anti-fans and fans alike. It would have sent at definite message that there would be repercussions for such crazed and harmful actions. Also, speaking up about number 2 and 3 on this list wouldn't hurt either. I sincerely think someone will have to die before attitudes change in regards to acceptable fan and non-fan behavior, and how other fans deal with sicker members of their fan groups. I want to say that these guys and girls are young, and that alone is explanation enough and they'll grow out of it. But, as I asked before: Can you outgrow crazy? Can you outgrow attempted murder? I don't know. I know, people say that not all fans or crazy and that the crazy ones are really the minority, but when attitudes and actions persist, something bigger is at work, and I start to wonder if the batshit behavior is the norm, rather than the exception.
Now, for specifics:
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"Fan club vs. fan club": You know what's annoying? Even if the artists in question are actually good friends, the fan clubs are apparently too stupid to know this, and think that putting down one group or artist will some how make them a better fan towards their own preferred group or artists. Nope, it just makes you an immature little creep. Being rude to other artists and their fans does not reflect well on you, and it does not reflect well on the group you're trying to support. Petty bickering, jealousy, hurtful insults - why not show a little class for a change? Hell, even artists who don't like each other can be civil in public. Take a cue and shut up.
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"Spam voting so your idol or artists 'wins' a poll": Even if nothing of value is at stake, no award or anything of merit, some fans honestly believe it is their job to spam the hell out of any poll featuring their fave artist(s) so that the artist(s) will win. Not only that, they will spam forums and blogs insisting that other fans do the same because, even though there's nothing important for the winner at all, it's soooooo important that they win. Even when the obvious, "This shit doesn't matter" is uttered, bitches put their fingers in their ears and go on about "personal pride". Wouldn't it be a bigger matter of personal pride to support them in ways that are actually of importance...like financially? I just think it's funny when illegal downloading is crippling the Korean entertainment industry these idiots think a random poll on the internet is really what matters most. If you care that damn much, open up your wallet. Otherwise, STFU you spamming moron.
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"Wasting time bashing artists you don't like rather than focusing on artists you do." This can be true of fans as well as anti-fans for various reasons, but the result is always the same: Morons harassing fans and leaving rude and hurtful messages rather than doing the sensible mature thing and actually sticking to what they like. It's not like trolls; trolls are obviously doing it for the lulz and thus should not be fed. These people are serious, some to the point of obsession and it's beyond annoying; it's creepy. If you "don't care" about ________, wouldn't the best way to demonstrate be looking for or listening to someone else? I don't care if the celeb or group is "everywhere", it's not that hard to change the channel or click an alternate link.
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"Putting down talented artists because they're a 'threat'" I find this to be especially petty. A new group is introduced and immediately the fan groups of other artists descend. "They're ripping off ________!" "They're not as good as ______!" "They might be better than ______, I hope they fail." Rather than getting rid of the die-hard (and ludicrous) notion that you can't
possibly appreciate more than one artist at the same time, they assume that any other artist who dares to be successful is the enemy and therefore to be loathed, mocked, attacked, and hated. I really want to slap these kinds of people.
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"A disconnect from reality and the reason idols really go away." It's amazing to me just how clueless some people continue to be when it comes to the success of entertainers and when it stops. Some people honestly blame
other artists and their fans, new talent, and or the industry itself. They have no idea that they themselves will ultimately be to blame when a star fades away. Because, who is it that ultimate keeps these artists afloat? The public, but most specifically,
the fans. Fans go to concerts, movies, they watch shows, go to events, buy music, DVDs, memorabilia - fans themselves are a entertainer or entertainment group's bread and butter. So what happens when there's no bread and butter? Starvation. When you stop supporting an artist, you take away their life in the industry.
It's one reason I sincerely don't blame artists for maturing their image and music and going after a more stable and mature fan base. Nothing wrong with wanting some longevity. It's also why I laugh very hard at fans for whining when the artist in question starts to cater to an older fan market when it's obvious in a couple years they wouldn't have liked them anymore for the very reason they didn't want them to change (see number 4). Rarely do fans, young or old, ever mean "I will be a fan of this group forever". That forever almost always has an asterisk next to it. Some people can very well devote themselves to a group indefinitely. But even the brightest stars fade, and many go out as fans find their tastes change or they just outgrow the music genre all together. So, every time I see a fangirl terrified of other performers taking away their favorite celeb's fame, I shake my head. I think the artist in question has more to fear from fans than other artists, since it's the former that will ultimately decide their lifespan.
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That's all. I got everything out of my system. :) I feel loads better. <3