For my podcast assignment, I would like to explore what it is like to be a Kpop fan. I may specifically focus on the group BTS since theirs is the largest fandom within the Kpop community. I would like to address the culture of fans in how they are constantly attempting to break new records and participate in mass voting for awards shows. I want to explore the more stressful sides of being a fan ie. feeling like you have to keep up with all of the content always being release and feeling shamed by other fans if you are not up to date or not participating in streaming and voting towards fandom goals. I would also like to address the fan wars and blackmail tactics that are used in the Kpop community.
I think it would be an interesting topic to address because Kpop has risen in popularity, but there are still a lot of people in America who know little about the fanbase itself, often simply labeling fans as typical “teenage girls obsessed with a boyband.” I think if people were to see a bit more inside of what it’s like to be a fan, they would understand more about why we support the music and the artists in the way we do.
Advanced Composition 