I feel like kpop is becoming too fandom centered!

I think this is happening since last year tbh, even popular groups releases aren't being talked or "enjoyed" in the community as a whole, it's more like just the fandom hyping the release and that's it.

I'll give one example where i think everyone will understand my point!

Pentagon Shine, it was huge in the community and it blow up, people enjoyed the song, it became viral, literally. And while we do have some popular songs, it isn't reaching everybody like in the past.

The hate will always be here, but it never stopped a song of going viral even with non fans (of the group, but still kpop fans). Idk if this is because of the pandemic, but for example 2016, all the big releases were talked about, it was such a happy time, i really felt like kpop community was active, but now we are nowhere to be seen so my conclusion is that kpop is becoming too fandom centered that it's sad, imo.

Friendly interactions with others fandoms are becoming rare and idk why this is happening, but it's happening... So yes..

What do you guys think?

Quote from Bpsosoro

For some groups though. For example love dive is really appreciated outside of the fandom.

You just proved my point kkkk it's becoming lesser and lesser by year...

Quote from Lulu_Key

since last year?

I think it's becoming like that since 2012ish.....

Back in my good old boomer days everyone knew every group and checked every comeback

Lulu... I'm a kpop fan since 2014/15 and even though 2nd gen really was the best even in this situation, in my years of kpopper kkkk it was never this bad... 2016 for example was a great year where a lot of songs went viral etc.

Quote from pinksz

I guess it depends

sometimes I do feel that people are more like centered on their favs only

but depending on the song I believe even now it can break this "fandom walls"

I guess maybe it can be because of the feels on the fandoms at this moment? like idk sometimes it seems fanwars are way too centered and sometimes not? lol sorry I make no sense

I understand you, my this is exactly my point. While it still happens, it's becoming rare.

Quote from bobsyouruncle

would that be because kpop is getting to oversaturated? but tbh i cant really compare to how it was in 3rd gen since i only started stanning from 2019 and that was when 4th gen started debuting

Can I be honest? I think kpop isn't that much of kpop ... Like the music yk? 2nd gen was the peak and you can see the difference... 3rd gen was amazing and you can also see the difference... I feel like the music itself is being marketed to a lot of young fans and not gathering enough attention from all ages, idk if you are understanding me kkkkk, but kpop music is becoming less relatable, less kpop, less less... I still enjoy but I'm not particularly a stan of any 4th gen groups and i totally skip some cbs bc the songs aren't exactly of my like..

Quote from bobsyouruncle

no i think i understand you... when i look at recent kpop releases they do seem to only appeal to younger audiences or in case of bg music their fandom but isnt most kpop like this?

No... I don't think so. 2nd gen and 3rd gen songs hits were hits to any age, like you have no idea kkkkk

Quote from quarkie

I don't think it's oversaturation, I think the way fandom is consumed changed. I also became a kpop fan in 2019, but I was close to it in 2nd gen it was much more common for international fans to be fans of more than one group and kind of support the genre as a whole. I've heard many people talk about how there was a shift in 2017-2018 where things became much more confrontational.

I personally blame fandoms moving to twitter. It's much easier to get that fandom clout by being messy than it was on tumblr. There are people who relish in the setup and ratio that comes along with it which was much easier to miss on tumblr because no one could see your follower count and most people didn't pay attention to how many notes something had.

So fandom is also to blame? Like focusing on the toxicity and hating on any new thing?

Quote from Daileemidzy

I think it also has to do with the rise of noise/experimental music. Releases back in the 2nd and 3rd gen were easily digestible and you liked them on first listen, which gave groups a higher chance to blow up outside their fandoms. But since noise music has become the norm, you have fans of the group listening to the song ten thousand times to force themselves to like it. Someone who isn't that dedicated to a group isn't going to do all that for a song they didn't like on the first or second listen. Of course, there are exceptions like IVE, STAYC, and most recently, NewJeans. But those groups are exceptions, not the norm.

Great point!!! The change in the music is drastic, not in a negative way, but sufficient to keep others interest low.

Quote from Kataphract

its been like that for awhile now.

Its also a company culture, they pander to the fandoms because they are loyal customers.

I really do hope in the future, companies start promoting their idols as a person first, rather than do it later in some sort of slice of life vlogging.

If we start counting 2nd gen yes kkkk, but I think this is becoming more "transparent" since last year..

Quote from Kataphract

(sorry this flew over my head)

To clarify:

1. What does "transparent" mean in this context?

2. What does "this" refer to?

Again, sorry, I totally missed the meaning of what you said.

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This means the lack of viral songs within the community

Transparent like it became a more visible "problem".

Quote from azhra-0110

for some reason I thought you were OG fan following kpawp since 2008 or so, not like I'm calling u old or something

Yes I'm young kkkkkk oh maybe bc i keep inserting 2nd gen any situation i can? Kkkk when i first discovered kpop i loved everything about it so i just explored like a little child and as BB was my bias i searched about their tv appearances which led me to a lot of fun contents from the 2nd gen groups.

Quote from bobsyouruncle

i think the biggest change ive seen is how kpop idols now rarely promote in koren national tv.. like they used to go on variety shows there whereas now its more common for companies to produce their own variety shows hosted on youtube/vlive or have them go on youtube variety shows it makes it harder for people to learn about idols unless they are actively checking out that companies variety shows

Ooooh. This too, even in 3rd gen we saw a huge decrease compared to 2nd gen, but now it's almost impossible to see idols actively appearing in variety shows.

Quote from Turnberry00

Yes, and it’s also too gen based. For the love of God, how many threads per week are there on who is/will be the best 4th gen group? 95% of the time it’s all people focus on or so it seems.

Idols are like thoroughbred horses. They are in their prime for a brief time and then you just put them out to pasture.

Oooooooh, another great point!! Yes, too gen based and this gen is really all about fandoms as few groups are really known outside the fandom.

Quote from azhra-0110

I see, talking about your op I feel this been happening since forever not just recently. What I actually find more annoying is the whole generations thing... like, it's only used in kpop. Just say x group debuted x year and go 💀

Yes, now i feel like this isn't something sudden, buuuut the recent "falls" were way too "fast" hence my amazement!

Quote from queenyeji

We have easier access to shit other fandoms do or say nowadays so we might get biased. Also, 2022 has sucked so far for music in big3 so

Also, even if I someone doesn't have any personal biases against the group they prolly way too busy with messy real life, + indeed the market is oversaturated.

2022 is really not that great...

Quote from Jichu

Hmmmm sure why not

Quote from ripia

Bgs can't chart because their songs aren't good

The topic is up here:

Your post is here, congrats kkkkk

Quote from bobsyouruncle

kpop is dying because when you think about it how did a bts x bp member interaction get so little hype

Don't even start kkkkkkkk

Quote from bunnyviolet

Thinking on this, I wonder if the oversaturation of kpop contributes to this.

Artists release music and debut all the time now. I think it's hard to keep up. So it might be easier to focus on your faves and a few others...

It can be.. in the end it's a set of various reasons.