Do you support your favs individually as much as you do as a group?

I prefer group over everything but with solos I do support, more some than others based on my biases (hehe) but all of EXO's solos, I either casually or frequently listen

I agree that solos are not a substitute for group music for me. Well, unless it's BLACKPINK and it kind of has to be or I go crazy. I do consider them an extension of the group's discography though, which is part of why I support them so much. To me, supporting a group means that I like all of the members. If I like all the members, I'll support all of each member's solo work when it comes out. I kind of see it as supporting the solos is an extension of supporting the group, because solos are an extension of the group's discography. I don't know if any of that made sense though.

Group first

Solos only if the musical direction appeals to me. Of course I follow teasers, I get excited and give a listen. But If I don't like, I just move on

No. I don't like all solos equally. I'm more inclined to give my faves a chance when they go solo vs a group I don't bias, but that's not a guarantee I'll like what they do individually.

And there are soloists whose solo work I love while I'm fairly indifferent towards the group itself.

Tbh, I think it's nice when an idol can show their individual colors in their solo work instead of feeling like an extension of the group. But it does run that risk of liking it less than the group releases.

I'd be fairly skeptical if the poll turns out the other way, because quite frankly, there are too many groups with members that have gone solo that were not supported equally by the fans.

probably not as much

I can listen to the music fine but I think one of the reasons I like kpop in the first place is the group dynamics the way each member bounces off another, the inside jokes, the teasing and the interactions between members

and for solo artists there's just not as much of that

I guess so, I've been listening more EXO solo than group since 2019 and I don't really feel like their solo music is inferior, just different in a positive way. I'll probably keep supporting them as solo just as much even if they disband. The problem is solo career can be much more tedious to follow without all the fancy stuff that comes with groups, so the question is how long I'm able to keep my interest without growing bored

Financially Im not supporting as much, but it's circumstantial not deliberated, my country economy is destroyed our exchanges rates plummeted and my money has at best 40% of the value it used to have before the crisis. Not only that, after pandemic all the less expensive shipping options disappeared and now we have the more expensive mailing services, which put me in serious jeopardy because if the billing surpass 50 USD (likely) I have to pay more 50% of the purchased value in taxes. Concretely, purchasing an album can go to be as far as SIX TIMES more expensive now than in... let's say 2016

Before the pandemic I actually used to buy every EXO solo album, currently I couldn't even bother with DFTF. Thanks to that I became increasingly nonchalant about collecting kpop stuff, I'm also older now, too old to spend a quarter of my monthly wage in photocards from Korean idols, I don't know if I'm willing to buy albums even if I had free money to do it

Yes, I like Twice.

Yes, I like Nayeon

Yes, I like Stray Kids.

I’m in the middle here. The group is first to me but I’ll really actively follow the solos if I like the music, so I wouldn’t say I casually follow the solos. It’s not the same weight as the group but more important than casual support..

I’ll always support the first solo just because I want these peeps to be successful, but if I don’t care for the music, I’ll treat it the same way I’d treat any other artist for their next releases - I’d wait and see when the music comes out if I’m interested. If I love the solo or the music, then I’ll be just as enthusiastic of a supporter. Like I’ll blind buy a Baekhyun album now or a Kai album just like I would an EXO album because I’ve loved their music and overall solo disco, but I’ll wait and see on a Chen, Suho or D.O. album.

NCT will be the same way, I think, but maybe harder because I know right off the bat that there are solos I probably have no interest in unless they knock me out with something.

Yes, I've always been used to supporting solo careers from the beginning personally. I had started as a stan of Hyuna who already had a solo career and that of her group. And I also got used to Mamamoo who always had group and solo activities from the beginning. It was never a problem, i think it became something normal for me.

I'll download and stream their music whether its solo or group. I'll support both equally since I pay a monthly suscription fee for unlimited streaming, it won't break my bank account. But I think my days of buying physicals is over for me. One is the rising cost of shipping. Two, is that I'm no longer collecting due to space limitations and photocards don't excite me anymore.

Of course it's group first, but my bias is also my bias for a reason.

It depends on how good the solo songs are compared to the group songs. I usually like BTS solo music just as much as their group songs, so I'll support them just as I do for the group activities. Other groups I might prefer group activities overall.

It depends on the group, but with SHINee, I'll support their solos no hesitation.

I prefer group content more