Twice a week I share my thoughts and opinions on music, visuals, scandals, and the general reality that is my time spent in the #Klife. I know why I love it and I know why all of the ups and downs are worth it for me. But I don’t know that I’ve ever really expressed why I’m thankful for it.
Have I?
As I was preparing this post, that thought niggled at me a little – not so much about myself, but about the people around me. I’ve met some of the most amazing kindred spirits over the last six+ years I’ve been dipping my toes in Asian entertainment and I’ve formed some incredible, unbreakable bonds. And yet, I can’t say that I’ve had a single conversation about why anyone is actually thankful that they got sucked into this almost all-consuming hobby. So in honor of Thanksgiving, I finally asked.
Why are you thankful for Kpop and what song reminds you of that gratitude whenever you hear it?
Stephanie (Kchat Jjigae)
I’m thankful to Kpop for all of the amazing opportunities it’s given me. I’ve made so many friends, done so many cool things because of my Kpop obsession, things I never thought I would have done before. Example: We (note: the we here is Stephanie and SaraG) would not have been friends if we hadn’t bonded that day talking Kpop when I was supposed to be writing TOPSU at the sketchy DD in Jersey City.
For my song? Easy. BigBang’s Fantastic Baby. Before this song, I ‘liked’ kpop because as a Kdrama fan, I was supposed to, but it was the very moment I saw that video that I became a Kpop fan.
Fantastic Baby, BigBang
Cherry Cordial (Kchat Jjigae)
I’m so thankful to Kpop for all the friends I’ve made as a result of fangirling. I’ve met so many people, from all over the world, that I never would have known without Kpop. And my life is majorly better with them in it.
The Kpop song that reminds me of this is Beautiful Life by Drunken Tiger.
Beautiful Life, Drunken Tiger
Alix (Kchat Jjigae)
That it allows me to let go of or set aside or step away from everything that goes along with adulting and just have fun and be in the moment. Even with the heartbreak it’s something that lets me be another version of myself
Welcome to My Playground, NCT127 (NeoCity Version)
KpopontheDL (Kchat Jjigae)
After some wine, I can give you a few free form things I’m thankful for right now…
- It gave me my Tribe. You guys.
- Kpop makes me happy no matter what mood I’m in.
- It’s made me more culturally aware and engaged
I have a song for each, but one for overall would be Savanna by OnlyOneOf.
Savanna, OnlyOneOf
LizC (Kchat Jjigae)
I’m thankful for kpop fans. I’m thankful for:
- For the strangers next to me at concerts, screaming our lungs out.
- For the fan artists who shared their work online and handed out cool postcards at concerts.
- For the fanfic writers who’ve provided a distraction at the end of a long day.
- For the fans who organize things so lines are fair, or organize events so folks can find irl community
- For the fans who share their love of their biases, and help me to see what they love
- For the fans who make jokes and ask serious questions
- And the song that makes me think of them is Jopping. Because it brought together fans of different groups, and fans who like ridiculous songs, and fans who like mvs with tanks, etc.
Jopping, SuperM
Jen (K-pop & Beer)
I have sooo many reasons to be thankful for k-pop, but here are just a few:
- it gave me a chance to do a podcast (K-Pop & Beer) with one of my best friends
- it keeps my workout playlist super fresh
- it’s introduced me to a lot of awesome new people
- it has to power to bring me out of a funk because it is impossible to be in a bad mood while listening to it
Her, Block B (Dance Practice)
Cheryl (Drama Kandy)
I’m thankful for meeting India, to be honest. It was because of Kdramas, but I gained a friend. Sorry Sorry by Super Junior always reminds me of that. It was in a Kdrama and it led me to Kpop.
Sorry Sorry, Super Junior
India (Drama Kandy)
2019 was a year of major ups and inconvenient lows. This year I’m grateful for the ability to persevere in the midst of those inconvenient lows so that I can see the major ups, and I think the absolutely stan-worthy Day6 sums up the unexplainable joy found in this perseverance with their song “Sweet Chaos”. Sure, on the surface it’s about a guy having his life turned upside down by someone in a very “dream pixie girl” kind of way, but there’s joy in losing control. There’s even more joy in realizing the spaces where ruined plans once resided are now being filled with something so much better simply because they let go of the what-should-bes. I’m grateful for Day6 this year, but I’m even more grateful for the flowers that bloom in the midst of chaos.
Sweet Chaos, Day6
Rebekah Roberts (K is for Drama)
I am thankful that Kpop helps me feel deep emotions. The music, lyrics, videos all have a power to touch me deeply and feel things that I might otherwise suppress. The song that comes to mind is Tomorrow by Tablo and Taeyang. That song and music video helped me feel a sense of grief and love in a lonely time and was a turning point in that time.
Tomorrow, Tablo (ft. Taeyang)
I could easily have asked a bunch more of my wonderful Kpop friends, but this post would have gotten out of control long. Please drop what you’re thankful to Kpop for in the comments and link to your song…wouldn’t this make a great playlist?
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