jfid – K-Pop, or Korean Pop, is a music genre from South Korea that has attracted many people worldwide, including in Indonesia.
Many Indonesian teenagers are fans of South Korean boybands or girlbands, even willing to do various things just to see their idols.
However, did you know that there are many reasons why you should stop idolizing K-Pop? Here are some reasons that might make you reconsider being a K-Pop fan:
K-Pop can make you less appreciative of Indonesian culture
Many K-Pop fans are too obsessed with South Korean culture, from language, food, clothing, to lifestyle.
They tend to regard South Korean culture as better and more modern than Indonesian culture.
In fact, Indonesian culture also has richness and uniqueness that are no less interesting. As Indonesian citizens, we should love and preserve our own culture more.
K-Pop can make you lose your sense of nationalism
Many K-Pop fans prefer to support their idols rather than support their own nation and country. For example, when there is a conflict between Israel and Palestine that is the spotlight of the world, many K-Pop fans still promote products or brands suspected of supporting Israel, such as McDonalds and Starbucks. Meanwhile, many Indonesians sympathize and empathize with Palestine, which is experiencing genocide. As Indonesian citizens, we should care more and show solidarity with fellow human beings, especially those who are oppressed.
K-Pop can cause you to experience brain function decline
According to a clinical psychologist, Nanda Rossalia, K-Pop can cause brain function in vulnerable adolescents to decline due to the disconnection of neurons because they are not used.
This is because the entertainment content brought by Korea presents more things that are not useful and not educational.
For example, many Korean dramas only feature cliché and unrealistic love stories, or variety shows that only feature funny and silly actions from idols.
As young people, we should fill our brains with more positive and productive things, such as knowledge, art, sports, or social activities.
K-Pop can make you a victim of the cruel Korean entertainment industry
Many people do not realize that behind the glitz of the K-Pop world, there are many sad and tragic stories experienced by the idols.
Many idols have to sacrifice their youth to practice hard, even from an early age, to become stars.
Many idols have to comply with strict rules from their agencies, such as not being allowed to date, not allowed to have plastic surgery, not allowed to have personal social media accounts, and others.
Many idols have to face pressure from the media, the public, even their own fans, such as criticism, insults, threats, or harassment.
Many idols have to struggle with physical and mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, or suicide.
As fans, we should not participate in exploiting the idols, but respect and appreciate them as ordinary people.
K-Pop can make you involved in unhealthy fandom wars
Many K-Pop fans are too fanatic and toxic, so they often get involved in fandom wars, both in the real world and in cyberspace.
They often demean, attack, or insult other idols or fandoms considered as rivals or enemies. They also often compete to prove who is better, more popular, or more accomplished.
However, things like that will only cause hostility, hatred, and damage. As fans, we should be more polite, tolerant, and respectful of each other, both within the same fandom and different fandoms.
Those are some reasons why you should stop idolizing K-Pop. Of course, you are still allowed to like K-Pop as a form of entertainment, as long as it is not excessive and does not forget your identity as an Indonesian citizen.
Remember that there are things that are more important and more beneficial than just following K-Pop, such as education, family, friends, or community.
So, be a smart and wise fan, and don’t get caught in the K-Pop addiction.
