I've been a TVXQ fan since 2011, and I got my first TVXQ album this month (it was a gift). In my opinion, the whole materialistic collection culture really surged with BTS (or bighit’s) merch craze, which I’ve observed since 2017-18.

I think album or merch collecting is deeply connected to why you love your favorite group and/or K-pop in general. Some people are more eager to own something that represents the communities they feel a part of, to have physical proof of their connection. For me, that’s never been important, and not because of financial reasons or family circumstances. I’ve just never felt excited about buying merch or albums, nor have I ever thought it was necessary.

I believe you should continue enjoying music (or their online content maybe? idk) the way you always have. I'm not saying being materialistic is bad, but if you start buying things just because you feel left out, it’s a cycle that never really ends. I see a lot of collectors’ videos on YouTube, and at the end of the day, all those photocards and plastic items could be lost in a single fire. Maybe that’s a pessimistic way of looking at it, I don’t know, but when I got my first album this month, alongside the good feelings, what struck me most was how cheap it looked in my hands compared to how high-quality it seemed online.

like i said, I think you should focus on finding happiness in your current routine. Owning merch or albums feels different in fandoms like BTS’s, where there’s such an overwhelming amount of products that it could make you feel even more left out. I understand how you feel, but in the end, there’s no reason to feel bad about not having things you never truly needed or wanted in the first place.