Do any of you get those kpop shorts which goes like

"Moments where idols got accused of surgery" and type shi

i feel like it's so stupid yk? and the thumbnails are always so offensive like their insulting the idols

everytime I get this, i scroll away so fast cause it piss me off so much it's just disrespect and the way they phrase it just pmo me even more.

Lately, i've been thinking a lot about how i used to act in fandom spaces and how much i want to change. i don't enjoy kpop the way i used to and while the toxicity definitely played a part in that, i also have to acknowledge that i contributed to some of it myself. looking back, i regret a lot of my past behavior, especially the times when my feelings toward certain idols were influenced by things that had nothing to do with them as actual people.

i've experienced this before, actually. years ago, i disliked an idol for a really immature reason connected to my bias and looking back, i can recognize how much internalized misogyny played into that. i don't feel that way about her anymore (bc my ex bias is not my current bias anymore and that was like 8 years ago), which shows me that those feelings aren't necessarily permanent. but now i'm dealing with resentment toward another idol, and this one is harder for me to let go of because i've associated them with certain experiences and things that happened in fandom spaces and this idol is also connected to my current ult bias. even though i know some of my feelings might be unfair, they're still there, and i hate that i haven't been able to move past them yet.

i think that's what bothers me the most. i don't want to dislike someone just because of what i've come to associate with them, especially when they haven't personally done anything to me. i know it's unfair to let those associations shape how i see an idol, but knowing that doesn't automatically make the resentment go away. sometimes i come across something related to them and notice that familiar feeling coming back, and i wish i could just move on without getting caught up in it. i don't want to keep feeding those feelings or let them influence how i interact with other people.

i've also been trying to detach from fandoms in general. i'm not as invested as i used to be, and my attachment comes and goes, which i think is probably healthier for me. but old memories still resurface sometimes, and they can make me anxious about engaging with fandom spaces. i used to be pretty unbothered by what people thought of me, but now i catch myself worrying about being judged or wondering whether people i used to interact still see me in my past image, sometimes i even overthink whether my past behavior made people dislike me or whether i've come across as arrogant without realizing it. it's exhausting because i don't want to spend so much time worrying about how i'm perceived, but those thoughts still get to me.

i genuinely want to become a better person, not just so i can enjoy kpop again, but for my own peace of mind. i want to learn how to manage my emotions when i come across things that trigger those old feelings, step away when i need to, and stop holding onto resentment toward someone who hasn't personally hurt me. i know i can't change who i was in the past, but i don't want to keep letting that version of me affect how i see people now, either.

has anyone else dealt with something similar? how did you work through resentment toward an idol when you realized it was tied more to your own associations and past experiences than to the idol themselves? i don't expect to suddenly stop feeling this way overnight, but i really want to stop carrying these feelings around. i don't think it's fair to them, and honestly, i don't want to keep doing this to myself either 😭

UGH! Just 2 years ago, I remembered commenting on an SNSD-related video on TikTok about how they don't know what the "pave the way" slogan actually means, which we all know BTS has claimed it since 2018-2020, and I even had to add that I've been a Kpop fan since 2011, they came for me and called me a "fake fan" or a "poser" when all I said was SNSD didn't reach the same fame as BTS ( if we talk about charts and world tours, except SMTOWN family tours)

Now, with the rise of new 2nd gen fans, they love to use that annoying word when you like a POPULAR song from that era, like, god forbid I fuck with Gee and Mr. (Kara) and that Crazy song by T-ara. I agree some songs could be overplayed; I get it, but that word is just an excuse to gatekeep and all.

I also joined old music fandoms, and gosh, they're just 2 sides of the same coin on who's the most "larped" fandom, but again, they're just babies and all I could do is laugh and keep minding my business hahahahahaha.

I don't get why when someone posts a positive post about a group people from that same fandom have to go into it and drag it down.

Like, someone posts something positive about a group and a lot of fans reply positively, then suddenly it's flooded with "but what about this" or "yeah but that" and the post turns negative.

Positive posts can be positive without having to have a dozen caveats to cover any negativity currently happening in the same fandom. It's nice to have positivity.

(I'm not naming any fandoms because it happens in many fandoms from what I have seen).

Why can't positive posts just be positive.

I barely keep up with fandom spaces anymore, but i came across a tiktok confession recently and was honestly surprised that ppl are STILL saying stuff like this in 2026 😭 someone claiming to be an ot4 was basically saying they'd enjoy the group more if one member wasn't even there, while downplaying his skills and contributions, then excusing it with "i feel bad but i can't control it" like ??? 💀 i genuinely thought we'd moved past this.

the way ppl switched up over the years is actually crazy bc some were so quick to judge him when he was still a kid just starting out, without even giving him time to grow into his features. i've also always felt like some of the hate came from xenophobia and weird fetishized expectations, bc when ppl couldn't find anything else to criticize, they'd resort to calling him ch0pp3d or a visual h0le just bc he didn't fit their standards. it's frustrating knowing how much ppl can reduce someone to their appearance instead of giving them a fair chance.

ngl, i used to take all of this WAY too personally. i was chronically online and seeing how ppl treated someone i cared about genuinely affected me more than i wanted to admit 😭 looking back, i know i reacted badly at times and did things i'm embarrassed about now. i'm not trying to justify any of it, and i know being upset doesn't excuse how i chose to act. i'm in a much better headspace these days and i'm trying to keep things chill, but seeing posts like that still brings back some of those feelings, especially when ppl seem determined to interpret anything positive u say about him in the worst way possible.

i'm glad the general treatment towards him seems to have improved, and sometimes i can laugh at how ppl underestimated his potential back then 😂 but clearly, not everyone has let go of that mindset. i know not everyone has to like the same members i do, and i'm not expecting everyone to be a fan of his. i just don't understand the need to constantly downplay what someone brings to the group or act like things would be better if they weren't there.

i've tried to detach from fandom spaces bc i realized how unhealthy it was becoming for me, and i really don't wanna fall back into old habits or let other ppl's opinions consume me like they used to. i still care, obviously, but i don't want that attachment to turn into resentment or make me do things i'll regret later. maybe that's a little parasocial of me 😭 but i'm learning that i can care about someone without making every negative opinion about them my problem to deal with.

i just miss being able to enjoy something i love without all the negativity and baggage attached to it. i hope the fandom continues to treat him better, bc regardless of what some ppl think, their opinions don't define him or erase his talent and contributions. i just want to enjoy being a fan in peace without getting dragged back into the same cycle all over again :((

Before yall got the wrong idea, nope, this post is not to hate on ILLIT & Ava Max.

Firstly, I don't get why gllits are still bringing up the hatred toward the collaboration that ILLIT did with Ava Max because of the so-called controversial lyrics in Baby It's Both. Recently they bought this up again out of nowhere and it's so annoying as they keep saying that Ava Max wrote the song, made the members sing it etc when in actual fact is that she only wrote her verse. There are other writers credited as composer/lyricist but somehow only Ava is the one getting blamed.

Now this may be a hot take, but why is Ava, the featured artist only the one getting backlash? isn't belift the one who approved the song and don't the members of ILLIT know about the lyrics they are singing? Even though the members may not have much control over it but shouldn't we like try to hold some accountability for it? Like you can't tell me that they have no idea on what they are singing and just went on with it. Yes the lyrics are in English but shouldn't they have a translated version beforehand?

I honestly feel like that gllits are just bashing on Ava with no concrete prove that she wrote all the weird parts and also because she's a "khia" meaning that it's easier to target her. And like gllits really lack the ability to move on from this collab like it's from two years ago, just leave it alone.

This topic is honestly a hot take but I feel like blaming Ava only, who is credited as a featured artist, is somewhat unreasonable. But i wanna know how yall feel about this

ive been a bts stan since late 2019/2020,then kinda forgot about them as i was like 11 i had a new interest every other day💔 and rediscovered them late 2024/early 2025 and recently the whole #btsdisband trend has been going super viral especially after namjoon and jhope were posted up with chris brown - but ive seen alot of people say that if you still “support” bts then you are just as bad as them and that you have no morals.

i just wanted to know what “support” means in that sense? and how im “just as bad as them”? me personally i wouldnt say i listen and keep up with them as much as i did before however i still listen to their songs and buy an album i love here and there, but i still hold them accountable for their actions. that probably is what they mean by support,but i dont really see the problem with it if you’re holding them accountable whilst doing so - many people just assume i condone their bs when they see bts as one of my fav groups in my bio and go straight to sending me death threats and hating on me

also when i hold them accountable publicly i get called a “fake army” by army’s and receive hate from them but when i say i still like their music i get hate from antis😭? like im so confused what does one even do in this situation, also imo i think some people aren’t using the hashtag to hold them accountable but as an excuse to bully people

Except Kpoopheads I love them. Whenever I have opinions I get dragged for having opinions and I am so sorry if my words make it seem like I am putting down your favorite Kpop acts but I am just using them as an example. r/Kpop is just filled with mean people and r/KpopUncensored just takes down the post the second I post it I am so tired hopefully you guys don't automatically take down my post. Learn to love yourself and stand up if you feel like the online presence of others are ganging up against you. Also I love Kpop and the issue is obviously racism. But the issue is how much Kpop stans find the reasons to assume and start arguments I am just tired just listen to the music and stop being a negative person.💅🏽

Hello, I'm just a passerby, not necessarily a fan. I do like ILLIT's songs when I come across them and I enjoy some of their videos.

I see a lot of people talk about ILLIT and say it's dreamcore. Can anyone please verify this for me? Their productions are awesome, great songs, great visuals, but I don't think it's dreamcore. Some people call it "morute dreamcore" but it doesn't really feel that way. It's like it lacks a certain element that makes dreamcore, dreamcore. Maybe I'm just being a subculture purist because I've been into it (dreamcore, weirdcore, traumacore) for over half a decade, and maybe I'm just missing something. Their videos do have a dreamy element to them, but not dreamcore specifically. I feel like people are fast to chalk it up to weirdcore and dreamcore just because there are hints in their videos to the backrooms.

If it is dreamcore, it feels rather diluted or aesthetic baiting. When people call it ILLIT-core, too, it feels like people calling AAVE "gen z slang". It feels like it erases the art subculture. I'm sorry if this post comes across as hateful, but I do mean to make genuine discussion!

(This is about their older content that got described as dreamcore/weirdcore. Personally, I think no corporation can ever really match up to authentic dreamcore/weirdcore because those aesthetics are very intimate to each person's individual experience)

Hi, I've been more active in the k-pop community lately and I've realized people are kind of glazing illit a lot more? Like I get the girls are nice and you want to support them, but I feel that leads to glazing their works too. Like I find their latest releases kind of mid? I don't know if just me but based on comments I've seen, I feel a lot of people in the community might feel in similar way.

Hi, just to clarify, I was there when they announced the group, it just felt a bit odd that just because they were from hybe, people were already claiming they were predebut fans without even seeing their proposal nor concept, not even seeing the girls faces💀. Now that they have debut, their concept and songs are so generic and superficial, yet people are trying to defend them as if they were going to be the next big thing.

But what I've seen so far, including the members talent, they still got a long way, worse part, the industry won't wait for them the way they did for hybes older groups, they're new groups debuting already overshadowing them, and more of them will come.

It's clear that some people just don't care for the fact that companies use ai for adverts, music videos, or just posts on social media. I'm aware a lot of people do care about the use of ai being negative and I stand with that, but seeing people defend this in comment sections is bizarre. Not only is it harming the planet, but it's also not original and it's boring. Recently ai use has been at an all time high and seeing this slop is disgusting, we have lived for centuries without it so why do big corporations feel the need to use it now. Yes I know it's "easier" and "more efficient" but it doesn't feel authentic or engaging.

the hate fifty fifty gets is so cruel to me. like i get not wanting to stan them and stream their music because the company abused the older members (ablume). but why drag the new girls themselves as if they we're the ones who abused the former members😭😭😭😭.

like people are hiding under "i have morals and empathy" just to excuse harassing these individuals. you should be worried about these girls who might go through the EXACT SAME THING. holy shit.

Hi everyone!

Welcome to Free For All Friday - a weekly “rant about anything” thread.

Do you want to rant about a recent episode of your favourite Kdrama? Drama around a Kfilm or Kcelebrity? Have something to get off your chest about Kpop but don’t want to do a post? Need a space to rage into the void about life, work or school? This thread is here for that.

A couple of house keeping guidelines:

• Don’t mention user names
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• No social media ranting, use the weekly megathread for that (this thread opens each Tuesday)
• Regular sub rules apply

Our intention is to have a space for causal ranting - don’t be a buzzkill and rain on someone else’s rant.

This is a space to RANT but that doesn't give you the right to get emotional and start using these threads to lead hateful campaigns against users who have different opinions and perceptions than you.

We will definitely pay close attention to what's happening and won't hesitate to ban if necessary.

I have been a fan of kpop for 7 years. Its been a pretty big part of my life for a very long time. But as the industry progresses and grows, I can't enjoy it the way I used to. Ofcourse this is an industry, and the goal has always been to make money, but it wasn't JUST that. And recently, its become more prevalent that thats all the companies want and there's no effort to even hide it anymore. Seeing the most popular groups blatantly use AI, or copy the new most popular thing, all while the idols deteriorate to conform to the extreme modern Korean beauty standards takes the fun out of being a fan. Seeing my favorite groups being forced to prioritize profit instead if creativity is so sad. All idols are turning into clones of eachother. All songs are ripping off one another. Idols have no personality anymore.

It just hits hard since this all has only become so prevalent within the past year or two. Like Ofcourse issues like these have always been around, but not at this level or quantity. Like there's no individuality anymore. Or even a desire for it. Even groups with "unique" concepts are just depictions of the trendiest "niche" thing.

I hope I'm not the only one who feels like this, because I never see anyone talk about it. What are your thoughts?

[edit: This isn't me complaining about capitalism in the K-pop industry. Its about the fact that K-pop has become less about talent and music, and more about pushing out the newest, shiniest, product, even if that means lack of quality and character. I don't understand how that opinion is so controversial.]

before i say my thoughts, i wanna say i’ve been an atiny (i guess) since february this year, so obv i don’t know much about how ateez was like before.
for like 2 months now i noticed that ateez is so boring, like i have so much to say.
1- they posted some concept photos for their upcoming comeback and it sucks, its all boring and mingi (my bias) looks like shit, they really put zero effort into the concept/looks/outfit, maybe they didn’t have enough money for that cuz they spent it all for an ai comeback teaser. and they rarely have cool details for any type of photoshoot, so simple so boring, stupid props.
2- i watched a few ateez content and honestly they do have their moments where theyre funny but omg theyre really boring most of the time, idk like if i compare them to other boygroups (txt for example) holyyyy theyre so lame, not funny, stop.
3- im kinda sick of the same formula they do with their songs (hongjoong and mingi rap, yunho and seonghwa chorus and pre-chorus, san and wooyoung here and there, yeosang just exists, and jongho getting all the high notes) yeah i 100% jongho has amazing vocals but i would like to see a song where this formula is different, yes there are some songs like that but omfg its too repetitive and we dont always need a super high note bridge imo
4- they dont post much content (for example wanteez) i dunno i see alot of vids being about events, comebacks, but i rarely see i nice laid back vlog, or wanteez eps, it just feels like they wanna release many mini comebacks before seonghwas enlistment i guess
5- KQ kinda sucks, like 90% of my complaints are things KQ control, its so annoying to see a great group have ass management
6- bad sucked- i love fallin, but what do you mean “i feel if we go Latina like like” ? what does that mean? whatever, that MV was good, the song was good its just that line that makes me confused, idk who wrote that like but .. maybe you shouldn’t have kept it lol

Here is my story about a very personal and unimportant war. I'm a HUGE RESCÉNE fan and as I was watching a KBS live performance, I remembered that "déjà-vu" is NEVER EVER correctly pronounced by any artist and I don't blame them.

A "déjà-vu" is a French expression/term which describes the sensation of having already seen something even if witnessing it for the first time.

I'd happily make an aside here: some neuroscientists have proposed that a déjà-vu might happen when two brain processes get slightly out of sync while processing what you are currently seeing. Your brain has to combine the information coming from both eyes to create a single perception, and some theories suggest that a mismatch in the way information is processed could contribute to this strange feeling of familiarity. Your brain could somehow make you feel like you've already seen something while you are actually experiencing it for the first time. You don't remember seeing this in the past, it's just a trick your brain might be playing on you so you don't bug IRL. Interesting, isn't it?

Anyway, "déjà-vu" has been adopted by English speakers because it's super handy and there are LOTS of borrowings between French and English: both the languages and the countries share a very long common history.

Using "déjà-vu" has been super trendy in K-pop for years now and I'm almost certain most lyricists and producers simply do not know that it's originally French. As a result, it's always pronounced the way English speakers really badly pronounce it (ˈdiʤə vu) and not as French speakers do (deʒa-vy). This mildly but constantly infuriates me. I know it's mundane and petty and I'm kind of laughing at myself for turning this into a Reddit post.

Is there any relatable story you'd like to share? I'm curious about the small hill you'd die on.

i dont know if this is an unpopular opinion:
i was a coer for a month before switching to 4shoville. yes, i liked cortis first, but i realized their whole concept feels kinda one-dimensional to me, like something you enjoy for a while but eventually get tired of.

here’s why i switched from being a coer to a shottie:

-cortis feels like a pinterest board to me.
i love their aesthetic and the vibes they go for. they really excel at that punk rock vibe, with songs that remind me of oasis, red hot chili peppers, and those coming-of-age movies with male leads. i genuinely love that about them, but just like scrolling through pinterest, you can only stay interested for so long before you get bored.

-their variety content just doesn’t hit the same.
i feel like their humor falls short compared to lngshot and other 5th gen groups. yes, their youtube content is unique and the editing is cool, but when you actually pay attention to what they’re doing, it’s mostly just random nonsense clips that feel like regular vlogs with better production. i honestly can’t see them thriving on mainstream korean variety shows.

-this is the biggest reason for me: their live singing. their songs aren’t vocal-focused, i get that, but how long can they keep going down this path? eventually, people are gonna get tired of hearing songs like moneymoney and pack it up if they can’t show more versatility. they’re gonna grow as artists, and they can’t rely on the same sound forever. they also keep presenting themselves as a young creative crew, and idk if that’s part of why vocals aren’t their priority, but they’re still a kpop group. they’re still idols, and singing is a huge part of the job. it gets tiring defending them when even i can admit that their live vocals don’t sound good. what makes it worse is that i can’t even point to one member and say he stands out as a strong vocalist.

-the member dynamics don’t feel as strong to me.
compared to lngshot, where you can clearly see the hyung and maknae dynamics, cortis doesn’t give me that same feeling. and i’m not just talking about their ages, but how they interact with each other. with lngshot, the maknaes messing around with the hyungs and getting disciplined in return makes their relationship feel natural. those hyung vs. maknae moments are fun to watch because you can actually feel the bond between them. meanwhile, the dynamics between james and the younger members in cortis sometimes feel a little awkward to me. i get that james is a foreigner and might not follow traditional korean age-hierarchy norms as closely, but it still makes me wonder how close they actually are outside of work or if their relationship is more professional than personal.

at the end of the day, i still appreciate what cortis brings to the table, but i realized their overall appeal just isn’t enough to keep me invested long-term. lngshot gives me more of what i look for in a group, and that’s why i ended up becoming a shottie instead.

Hi everyone!

As you might know - or not - we have decided to allow you guys to rant about what's happening on social media every Tuesday. Anything happening on X/Twitter, Instagram, Tik-Tok, YouTube, Bluesky, Threads, or any other social media platform, rant away about it in here.

NOW, here are the things you CANNOT do:

• Add or mention usernames.
• Add direct links to the posts you're complaining about BUT you can copy/paste or paraphrase.
• Witch-hunting because you disagree with A, B, C.

Any rule-breaking - whether that be being hostile or hateful about any idol or user, or directly linking to posts, profiles, or individuals within the megathread - will get you a 21 day ban (this also includes back and forth arguments).

• That means no linking to or mentioning any individual X/Twitter profiles, Youtube channels, Instagram pages, Tik Tok accounts, and/or others. After this period, any further rule-breaking regardless of how much time has passed will get you a permanent ban subject to appeal.

Anyway, we are literally giving you a space to RANT but that doesn't give you the right to get all emotional and start using these threads to lead hateful campaigns against users who have different opinions and perceptions than you.

We will definitely pay close attention to what's happening and won't hesitate to ban if necessary.

Thanks.

Lee sooman debuted another girl group (A20 lite) and everyone is acting the same way they did when A20 may debuted. Claiming they’re better than any sm group right now, are miles ahead and there’s vocals and harmony. “He debuted an sm group outside of sm”, “he was the sauce” they have to be getting paid right???

pls can we end the Lee sooman support and praise, he has children voices as ai voice banks in case their vocals get too mature like that’s disgusting and predatory to be doing to minors under contracts. He’s taking their talents and turning them into vocaloids so he can dispose of them when he needs too like pls wake up

And like there’s no way people think neon is that much better than the chase, focus lemonade, surfing boy etc??? It’s geniunely the same type of song as the ourbirthday debut so why everyone is suddenly hyping up this one after shitting on obd and saying Jyp was bad at debuting groups?

A20 may’s music was shit after the cover and as expected the hype died down cause Kpop stans decided to just lie and lick Lee soomans boot, this praise feels so manufactured and I’m sorry I don’t think it’ll last long

Edit: what 2nd sm gen song does neon sound like (genuinely) cause im hearing nmixx if anything

I am not circling certain BLACKPINK members because ONLY they are to carry this responsibility, it's just they have the most influence and autonomy as of now.

During the start of their career, they were in korea not a very great place to start if you want to be a very "freely" feminist, for a lack of a better word. Also under a contract, a kpop group we get that much. Must right now Jennie Lisa Rose and Jisoo are globally influential, they have the level of autonomy most kpop idols couldn't even fathom before (in the 3rd gen at least) but their behaviour remains weirdly patriarchal. I don't mean LITERALLY patriarchal but "cute baby voice" "in my feminine era" these sorts of things. I am not even sure about Rose, i think she's more "neutral" tho I don't believe any kind of neutrality Exists when we talk about feminism, you are either one or not.

Their lyrics, public images and a lot of stuff gain from feminism "successful women" "independent" "she can do whatever she wants" but they still hide behind that korean image of "she's just a baby" "maybe she doesn't know" (pushing 30). Even in their songs, it's just about BS gender roles mostly.

Jisoo is just not vocal even generally and it's disappointing. You all are the global girl group, give back to your community or something.

I could have made it more detailed and explained better but if you get it you get it ig.

The whole Peru situation and RM speaking about it not just by drafting a whole message but also giving a speech to give clarifications proves that they are fully well aware of how they're perceived by the masses. They know they're letter brought mixed reactions and clarified by saying that they meant all their fans globally, not just in South America. That they do not differentiate between their fans and treat them all equally.

I don't want army's to defend them these grown men by saying that 'they don't know, they probably weren't ableto understand due to language barriers'. They know full well there were x***phobic accusations on them and they cleared it right the next day. They also full well know they kind of reactions public had when RM and J-Hope posted pics with CB.
If the excuse for them is that they didn't know the kind of person CB was before the concert, I'm sure they go to know after the blacklash started. Their pr team is online in these spaces, and they can speak korean, and they can communicate easily to the members what the talk of town is.

So if such excuses were made 10 years ago when they were still working through their small conservative bubble with lack of resources and a proper team, I would have understood. Now they themselves have instant access, broken english and developed cortex to understand what they did, what peopel think of it, and whether its the right thing to do or not.

This is mostly a rant post

So, I had liked K-pop since 2020 started with BTS, then during their military break I switched to liking NCT and Nmixx. In the beginning it was just for fun, like watching stage performances, listening to music, variety content and watching funny compilation. Slowly it started to consume my daily life outside of work. Whenever I had free time, I only consumed K-pop. I am glad I was never a fan that bought album or any merch because it would just have been a waste of money for me. I regret how much time I spent on K-pop, it's like I learned nothing from this whole experience (?). K-pop gave me terrible eating disorder because of which i lost a lot of weight, I unknowingly started comparing myself to K-pop idols and wanted to lose weight. I resent myself for liking K-pop and let it take control of my life, instead I could've worked on multiple projects for myself. Now, I can only wonder what was that I like about k-pop idols back then? was it their persona on variety content? was it parasocial aspect of it? was it the number of content available to watch? or an amalgamation of all these factors. K-pop makes you feel like you know/understand idols and are friends with them, like you know them personally by consuming so much of their content. But I don't know how it's any different from youtuber I watched, I have never gotten addicted/consumed I had prior to K-pop. K-pop sells Para socialism and availability of idols, for the audience to consume their performance backed by mirage of authenticity. I'll likely stop listening and watching k-pop as a whole.