Hello! So, I'm sure if you've been on the K-Pop side of the internet enough, you've seen the phrase: "Not a [insert K-Pop fandom name here], but" comments floating around before. I'm sure you all have your own thoughts and feelings on them, and I do respect that. I've seen a few comments in response to these comments saying: "We don't care if you're a fan or not, just say what you want to say!" and get annoyed by this. I find that absolutely baffling and uncalled for. Sure, if they're constantly saying they're not a fan in every single post of theirs, I can see how it can get annoying, but if it's mentioned once or twice in passing, there should be no issue at all. What I'm here to do though, is argue that they're (the "not a fan, but" comments) much more important than you think. Let me explain why.
One reason why they're so important is because it shows that some members of the general public still care about them, in some way shape or form, enough to comment about them. The K-Pop world is very competitive, to put it one way. Everyone needs to stand out, in order for them to gain more recognition. If non-fans are talking about them, you should be happy. Not all groups manage to achieve this, and it's a sign about their popularity among the general public, not just fans. If the general public talks and hears more about them in this way, they may even end up becoming fans, increasing the fans a group has. Of course, that has its pros and cons, but generally, it's considered to be more good than bad.
A second reason why these comments are so important is because they can often introduce a new perspective. This is not at all implying that all fans are monoliths, but at the end of the day, fans of a group will most likely be biased due to their own personal attachment to the group, at least to some degree. Non-fans will most likely not have this kind of attachment, so they can be more objective, which is crucial is some cases where objectivity is needed. Of course, not always, but still.
On a similar note, think about it. When a fan of a group praises a group, sometimes it can be difficult to tell if they're being purely objective or seeing things through rose colored glasses towards the group. With a non-fan, it is usually seen as more objective or credible praise. In fact, almost every single time I see this phrase online, it's used in this way: to provide a sincere compliment from a non-fan that they noticed about the group. I suspect they only mention they're a non-fan so that so the praise they want to give seems more objective. Some of my favorite type of compliments to read towards a group are the non-fan ones for this very reason.
That being said, fans opinions are still important of course. I'm not trying to deny that in any way. The group is marketed for them after all. They also know the idols better than non-fans do as well. More so, I'm trying to say what the general public thinks still matters as well, not exclusively the fans. In some extremely rare and delicate situations with a ton of nuance, perhaps it is best to prioritize what the fans think, but even then, we should still allow the general public to share their thoughts as well, based on what they do know. Overall, it's important to weigh both sets of opinions, as they matter for different reasons.
When I see the "not a fan, but" comments, I don't get annoyed and go: "not again". Instead, I get happy and go: "Yes, again!" As with many things though, it all depends on your perspective. I hope if you dislike these comments, it gave you a new insight into their usefulness. I think that's all that's coming to my mind to say on the subject for now. If you have any questions or critiques on my stance, please elaborate why and I'll fill in any gaps as needed that I may have forgotten now. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter, so do share them, but be respectful. Have a great day/night!
