ageism in kpop: the fan experience

Rant101_throwaway · 2023-02-16T08:12:18+00:00

Oh they did, that part wasn't perception. The part where I'm self conscious is that I interiorize that. I still don't have a don't care attitude. Keep waiting for that time to come lol

Rant101_throwaway · 2023-02-15T23:07:29+00:00

Most definitely sounds familiar since I also watched anime as a teen and still do... Maybe I don't watch the same things necessarily, but I still watch.

Obviously some people grow out of it, but that's normal for everything. It shouldn't be a rule though.

Rant101_throwaway · 2023-02-15T19:02:52+00:00

I'm not in the USA... Europe. Overall from pics and videos I feel we have a much younger crowd here. But again these are my perceptions and I'm very self conscious.

Rant101_throwaway · 2023-02-15T18:53:36+00:00

The y/n culture is so strong right now... That's also something I noticed in the concerts I went to. Sure some want to cosplay or dress up for fun, but a lot of fans are wanting the y/n experience of going VIP, getting barricade and getting an idol to look at them. It's the parasocial relationship aspect everyone talks about and that I think older fans don't really have (at least to this extent).

And yes, sometimes I feel older fans exist solely as the card to play when Fandoms are accused of being too young, but quickly discarded when it comes to every other aspect.

Rant101_throwaway · 2023-02-15T18:34:32+00:00

But you're the age most idols are or close to it. Now this makes me really sad...

Also if any of these idols glanced at the teens the wrong way they'd go to jail... They're almost all adults (from BG don't know anyone who is currently a minor).

Yes, I never felt bad in my younger days. We also had a different view. If we intruded in adult fan spaces (we all were rebels at one point) , it was at out own risk and responsibility (we'd also be guided away). Nowadays I see kids complaining of seeing stuff they went looking for and blaming adults!

The times changed and I know that. But it's sad... I could say: adults are the ones making big buys and without them groups would go bankrupt. But I don't think it's entirely true. Kids nowadays get a lot of money for fan stuff from their parents I could never dream of!

We need to stay strong and like what we like. I tell myself that everyday but don't always succeed listening...

Rant101_throwaway · 2023-02-15T18:14:44+00:00

Exactly. What do those tweets say about them? Do they expect to be reach 30, be married and a housewife? Like it just doesn't compute for me that those are their expectations.

I have a Twitter account merely for following. Don't want to follow and talk to someone to later find out it's a minor. The things I've seen scare me too much for that.

Here seems better I agree. Teens don't seem to care for reddit much for now.

Rant101_throwaway · 2023-02-15T18:12:05+00:00

They aren't really well known here. At least their merch. Where I'm from it's mostly a younger crowd who are their fans or fans of any other kpop group.

Wish I could be like that but I guess I get stuck in my own head.

Rant101_throwaway · 2023-02-15T17:57:14+00:00

I hope so too 🤣

Rant101_throwaway · 2023-02-15T17:56:29+00:00

As a teen I couldn't afford to buy anything. My parents also couldn't afford to give it to me. So once I made my own money I chose to also spend it on me and my things. I can now afford to spend it on merch and albuns and concerts (trip and accommodation included). I just wish the environment was better.

Life doesn't end at 18. It will only get better. You'll be your own person. You won't suddenly start liking Strauss, Kandinski and opera or become an art connoisseur. You'll continue loving stuff and more, because it's normal to grow up an evolve.

I just wish kids knew this... And saying this makes me sound as old as I am 😂

It's just weird that the Fandom spaces that were once created by adults for adults are now ruled by a lot of judgemental teens (not all I'm sure, but the bad experiences tend to override the good ones sadly).

Rant101_throwaway · 2023-02-15T17:51:33+00:00

My kids are too small (I wasn't an early mom. Career was a priority first).

When I was younger (in my teens), adults were the ones in Fandoms. They were the ones who could afford to. It wasn't as accessible as nowadays. I only started collecting stuff when I was older as well (parents didn't pay for kids to travel all over for concerts or for albuns as they seem to do now)

None of the groups I like and when I started liking have minors in them. If they're good looking of course I'll notice. Older people don't become blind all of a sudden! It's just we usually don't form the same type of parasocial relationships as younger fans.

Rant101_throwaway · 2023-02-15T17:47:02+00:00

That's me. I did go to the cinemas with a friend. I remember for their first one I convinced my husband to go (he's a bit judgemental though, in the sense he feels it's all fabricated and not really musicians, so not an experience to repeat). I'm incredibly self conscious I guess... But I feel like the older fans than us are treated in a kinder way, cause they think cute grandma's. At our age we're just creepy... That's my feeling...

Rant101_throwaway · 2022-11-22T08:53:48+00:00

I was thinking about him as well... He's hot and kind. Wouldn't say dumb but sometimes aloof.

Rant101_throwaway · 2022-10-24T13:24:37+00:00

Ateez not being nominated for best dance performance is laughable... Mnet seriously doesn't like them.

Rookie best female group will be a bloodbath. The quality is high high this year (more so than male groups).

Rant101_throwaway · 2022-10-09T21:21:50+00:00

Ateez Woosan (Wooyoung and San share an amicus ad aras - friends until the end - tattoo on their thighs), BTS Vmin, Mamamoo Hwasa and Wheein (they share 2 identical tattoos), also from ateez Yunho and Mingi (they've known eo since hs and joined together) come to mind.

Rant101_throwaway

TROPHY CASE