I often came across videos with titles like "Idol A is so baby" or "Protect Idol B's innocence at any cost", but I never thought much about them until I read a random post on tumblr a while back about how toxic kpop fans are for "babying" their idol. I also saw a bunch of yt channels calling out fandoms because they wanted to "protect" their idols from criticism, since they don't want them to feel any negative emotions. So I guess my question for everyone is: what do you consider infantilization of an idol, where do you draw the line? Or is it just fans being affectionate towards an idol?
What is considered infantilization of an idol? Babying them?
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infantilization is something like this
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what army has been doing to jungkook since 2015
This gif does not make any sense in that context
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Every single kpop stans baby their idols, gg or bg. They put them on a pedestal and praise the smallest things, act like they can't do no wrong and defend them in a way like they wouldn't even defend themselves. Which shouldn't be a surprise since "idol" comes from being idolized and historically idols (as the meaning of the word) are seen as gods above the rest that exist only to be adored and can't do no wrong. I guess this is a human need cause this shit exist since before civilization.
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i'm guilty of babying my bias. he's just too adorable and cute. i just want to take care of him, protect him and cuddle with him. i'll cook for him, clean for him. idc i'll do anything for him okayyyy
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I personally think not allowing your idol to grow up is the worse and probably most extreme example of infantilization. For example, forever forcing and limiting their idol into what they consider as innocent and pure. I think the most well known case is something like f(x)'s Sulli. Honestly, she was really just like any other person on instagram but because she was known for the "innocent" and "pure" image, anything she posted that was remotely mature, got backlash. People were all like "Oh she shouldn't behave this way". And criticized her for dressing too explicitly, partying, drinking etc. Yes, she was like the nation's little sister during her years in f(x) but she aint 15 years old anymore. No one stays the same age. Everyone grows up eventually. Like...no one else would get shit for partying because it's normal but because it's Sulii, this girl they wanna keep a baby forever, everyone was flipping out. It was so gross. And these people didn't realize she was already a fucking adult.
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Every single kpop stans baby their idols, gg or bg. They put them on a pedestal and praise the smallest things, act like they can't do no wrong and defend them in a way like they wouldn't even defend themselves. Which shouldn't be a surprise since "idol" comes from being idolized and historically idols (as the meaning of the word) are seen as gods above the rest that exist only to be adored and can't do no wrong. I guess this is a human need cause this shit exist since before civilization.
Idk why that makes me sad, but it really does. I feel like on just a human level, I want everyone to just... live? But I also know that I display some of the behavior you mentioned and it makes me upset with myself. But making improvements starts at recognizing the problems themselves, right?
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I personally think not allowing your idol to grow up is the worse and probably most extreme example of infantilization. For example, forever forcing and limiting their idol into what they consider as innocent and pure. I think the most well known case is something like f(x)'s Sulli. Honestly, she was really just like any other person on instagram but because she was known for the "innocent" and "pure" image, anything she posted that was remotely mature, got backlash. People were all like "Oh she shouldn't behave this way". And criticized her for dressing too explicitly, partying, drinking etc. Yeah she was like the nation's little sister during her years in f(x) but she aint 15 anymore. Like...no one else would get shit for partying but because it's Sulii, this girl they wanna keep a baby forever, everyone is flipping out.
Didn't the same thing happen with IU? I wonder why there's always a need for a "little sister", hmm
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Oh don't worry I think everyone is guilty of that at some point, not specifically with just idols. I think we enjoy the feeling of thinking someone so perfect that bring us so much joy exist, but we should have realistic expectations on them cause to expect so much from someone who is simply human like anybody else can be harmful for both the person and their "idol".
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Every single kpop stans baby their idols, gg or bg. They put them on a pedestal and praise the smallest things, act like they can't do no wrong and defend them in a way like they wouldn't even defend themselves. Which shouldn't be a surprise since "idol" comes from being idolized and historically idols (as the meaning of the word) are seen as gods above the rest that exist only to be adored and can't do no wrong. I guess this is a human need cause this shit exist since before civilization.
No, every single kpop stan does not do this. I'm living in reality and in reality we realize no one is perfect. Our idols are human just like us. Adult idols are capable of making decisions for themselves, protecting themselves, and they don't need their fans to do that for them. They'll make mistakes but they can and should learn from them just as we do. Idols that are teenagers have their parents and they also don't need fans to protect them. To be blunt, the fans that defend their idol to no end are either extremely young or they're delusional.
It's okay to care about your idol and worry for them but there's a distinct line between that and babying them.
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No, every single kpop stan does not do this. I'm living in reality and in reality we realize no one is perfect. Our idols are human just like us. Adult idols are capable of making decisions for themselves, protecting themselves, and they don't need their fans to do that for them. They'll make mistakes but they can and should learn from them just as we do. Idols that are teenagers have their parents and they also don't need fans to protect them. To be blunt, the fans that defend their idol to no end are either extremely young or they're delusional.
It's okay to care about your idol and worry for them but there's a distinct line between that and babying them.
Of course I said that in general. That's literally one of the most obvious traits in the kpop community, which is why the term "oppalogist" exist. An individual like you doesn't change that, but I agree with the rest that you said.
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I know, and I wasn't targeting you directly. I apologize if I came off strong, I just wanted to clarify that some kpop stans are levelheaded when it comes to things like this.
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The way I see infantilization is that it involves fans' calling out "mistreatment" of a certain idol for every single little thing they perceive as a slight against him or her. It could be the most trivial thing, yet they make a big deal about it. In a way, it's understandable because we all want to protect our favorites given the brutal nature of the industry, but some of these are just imagined issues that don't really exist.
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Taking away accountability and excessively shielding them.
Idols are shielded like they are babies not full grown adults.
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