Can BGs refuse to feed into their fans' "Boyfriend fantasies"?

  • I often find it cringy and weird when these idols say "My fans are my girlfriends" or "My fans are my date".... I'm like dude, Shut up.. You're only making things worse for you by doing all these things.


    Can a boygroup survive without this antics? Can they become successful?

    I love Pikachu.

    Always have, Always will.


    "Pika-Pi"

  • Why should they :pepepizza:


    If saying ‘I’m your BF or GF’ is gonna pay my bills, I’ll do it.


    There’s a lot entertainers do to garner a fanbase things that you don’t even realize are fake. Every single thing you see is probably fake. That friendship those idols project with their members is probably the fakest thing out of everything and yet we all buy into it and crave it. What’s one more.


    For me more than the BF image the “group are best friends they’re as close as family” is cringe af but it is what it is.

  • They should...

    I love Pikachu.

    Always have, Always will.


    "Pika-Pi"

  • 3 ou of 4 members of Winner already admitted, they have dated someone at some point in their career. It didn't affect their fans at that time.

    I don't remember hearing them say "our fans are our girlfriends", but it's possible...


    I would say they are successful enough but far from being the top group.

  • 3 ou of 4 members of Winner already admitted, they have dated someone at some point in their career. It didn't affect their fans at that time.

    I don't remember, I heard them saying "our fans are our girlfriends", but it's possible...


    I would say they are successful enough but far from being the top group.

    That's amazing.. All groups should follow this suit...

    I love Pikachu.

    Always have, Always will.


    "Pika-Pi"

  • U-Kwon has never played into it and has publicly stated he has a gf years ago and what did that get him? Former stans still continuously make up stories about his rudeness (which get debunked, but no one cares) because he didn't want to hug them or tell them he would date them, but wanted to shake and hold their hands instead and tell them he's glad to have them as fans and supporters. People are legitimately sick.

    ─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
    mKl7Ghm.png
    Flower field, that's where I'm at. Open land, that's where I'm at.
    ─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───

  • U-Kwon has never played into it and has publicly stated he has a gf years ago and what did that get him? Former stans still continuously make up stories about his rudeness (which get debunked, but no one cares) because he didn't want to hug them or tell them he would date them, but wanted to shake and hold their hands instead and tell them he's glad to have them as fans and supporters. People are legitimately sick.

    BRUH... These losers

    I love Pikachu.

    Always have, Always will.


    "Pika-Pi"

  • BRUH... These losers

    I still remember, and this was like 5-6 years ago, when one of his former biggest fans edited recordings that she illegally filmed during a conversation with him on a fanmeet. Nevermind that she previously posted those full recordings and he was nothing but polite and funny - she got annoyed at him for refusing to call her his gf and she edited those clips to make it seem he was rude. Never mind that you could hear clear cuts where she edited things, never mind that a copy of the original existed somewhere still, never mind all of that - she spread that and there were posts and translations written about it and he came out looking like the bad guy somehow. Despite the clips only showing him saying he isn't her boyfriend or something like that. It was a legit non-issue.

    This was after he publicly announced he had a gf (in 2012) so this B knew.

    ─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
    mKl7Ghm.png
    Flower field, that's where I'm at. Open land, that's where I'm at.
    ─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───

  • I still remember, and this was like 5-6 years ago, when one of his former biggest fans edited recordings that she illegally filmed during a conversation with him on a fanmeet. Nevermind that she previously posted those full recordings and he was nothing but polite and funny - she got annoyed at him for refusing to call her his gf and she edited those clips to make it seem he was rude. Never mind that you could hear clear cuts where she edited things, never mind that a copy of the original existed somewhere still, never mind all of that - she spread that and there were posts and translations written about it and he came out looking like the bad guy somehow. Despite the clips only showing him saying he isn't her boyfriend or something like that. It was a legit non-issue.

    This was after he publicly announced he had a gf (in 2012) so this B knew.

    These people are CRAZY

    I love Pikachu.

    Always have, Always will.


    "Pika-Pi"

  • These people are CRAZY

    I mean. The biggest Sungmin fansite basically ruined his career because she wasn't invited to his wedding. People are still repeating her lies as reasons why not to support Sungmin to this day.

    ─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
    mKl7Ghm.png
    Flower field, that's where I'm at. Open land, that's where I'm at.
    ─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───

  • I roll my eyes whenever an EXO member says something like that. I like it more when they friendzone their fans because it gives them the idea that romantically they don't stand a chance.


    By the same token, it seems to me that maybe they are not allowed to break that image but they can throw curve balls or stay quiet. I still remember EXO faces when their fans went all crazy when they even implied they could have children someday.

  • idk if they want ig

    ik most of them just politely turn them down anyway.

    i don't cringe, because its an in the moment type of thing and don't think much of it.

    if the delulus wanna believe they're not lying then that's not my problem LOL

  • I feel like more and more girl groups have been pushing away the idea of girlfriend fantasies (for example, stayc saying they wont perform for men in the military), but a lot of boy groups are scared of doing that since they could lose a lot of korean fans

  • 3 ou of 4 members of Winner already admitted, they have dated someone at some point in their career. It didn't affect their fans at that time.

    I don't remember, I heard them saying "our fans are our girlfriends", but it's possible...


    I would say they are successful enough but far from being the top group.

    I feel like YG groups don't play as heavily into the idol image in general as some others do.

  • I'm not familiar enough with boy groups and their interactions with fans to know if they can or cannot.


    But I think kpop and and idol groups are inherently built on foundation of "boyfriend/girlfriend" appeal.


    In that both genders of idols are specifically made from the ground up to have an "attraction" element as a fundamental aspect of why in aggregate this type of industry sells.


    Despite the often insistence by many that they are into this whole industry for purely platonic music appreciation, I think that is a self-deception in many cases.


    Not that I think every fan wants to explicitly "date" their favs, or legitimately has delusions about that actually being possible. But I do think that they are "stand ins" for the type of people fans often might be attracted to.


    In other words I think there is an appeal there and underlying fascination specifically because they are often presented as the type of individuals we not only admire for their pure musical talents and pursuits, but often in character and image and yes, physicality, they are often the type of person many would find attractive in a real life relationship, or the type of man/woman that is attractive to a fan in real life.


    It's spectrum so to speak. And I don't think it's harmful if on the more benign and moderate side of that equation.



    It's the difference between "he/she is appealing to me and I find him/her and attractive individual and look how talented they are" (benign) and "oh my god I want them to tell me their my boyfriend/girlfriend and treat me like we're in a relationship" (toxic).



    Both are built on attraction as a key driver. But one is not the same as the other.



    I think the explicit indulging of the latter is harmful and is ideally avoided, least it foster delusional and unrealistic obsession.

  • Good answer.

    I love Pikachu.

    Always have, Always will.


    "Pika-Pi"

  • I'll add to what eman and tic tac said above


    the parasocial aspect is there and I'm sure there are some idols who know and market very well the idea of the fantasy male or female in order to bring in $$$ and for kpop as a whole it is that aspect that sells more albums than just the music!!!!

  • 1D publicly dated during all their time in the band (except niall I think but he had strong rumours) and they were successful, plus this didn't even stop one of the weirdest fanbase all time from growing and still going with their conspiracy to this day: larry shippers.

  • most of male idols I know are like that tho, idk where this thinking that most male idols feed into fantasies came from. at least the ones from got7, nct, monsta x, etc I know did "playfully" told fans they can't be their boyfriends or partners, onnly friends...

    the only ones I remember talking that way were the really young idols and/or cases like Wonho where I don't think any fan would that it seriously

  • Interesting, well if the we are friends or family concept is fake? Then what percentage would you say is fake? Is the relationship say strays kids show fake? BTS? Ateez? Im sure there are groups that do fake that stuff but in general i would think those " geninue" relationships would be very hard to fake enough for people to not notice it, like how did they keep the act up long enough without slipping up once.

  • I'll add to what eman and tic tac said above


    the parasocial aspect is there and I'm sure there are some idols who know and market very well the idea of the fantasy male or female in order to bring in $$$ and for kpop as a whole it is that aspect that sells more albums than just the music!!!!

    Yes sex and fantasy sells more than any album would this is how most fans have been retained even for the biggest groups out there sexy comcepts be it some seductive photoshoot music video or some alarm recording message or shirtless or pull up the shirt abs peaks done on and off stage. Sex sells$$$$$$ doesn't matter how talented our golden maknae Jungkook is there's plenty more of the"fans" out there that see the sexy shirtless muscle guy Jungkook more than the actual artist singer. Guess which one retains "fans" more this is true for most kpop boy groups. If it wasn't everyone wouldn't be trying to gym out and have beach perfect model bodies

  • Yes sex and fantasy sells more than any album would this is how most fans have been retained even for the biggest groups out there sexy comcepts be it some seductive photoshoot music video or some alarm recording message or shirtless or pull up the shirt abs peaks done on and off stage. Sex sells$$$$$$ doesn't matter how talented our golden maknae Jungkook is there's plenty more of the"fans" out there that see the sexy shirtless muscle guy Jungkook more than the actual artist singer. Guess which one retains "fans" more this is true for most kpop boy groups. If it wasn't everyone wouldn't be trying to gym out and have beach perfect model bodies

    obviously sex sells but I don't think for kpop it's the "sex or sexiness" per se that sells it's the fantasy, the parasocial aspect that sells probably more albums and merch and whatever...


    i mean it doesn't even have to be shirtless or seductive or even sexual since certain fans (not all some) have already been conditioned/brainwashed/marketed that way...


    and it applies equally to BG and GG


    well there may be other reasons for going to the gym such as working out to stay in shape...

  • Yes sex and fantasy sells more than any album would this is how most fans have been retained even for the biggest groups out there sexy comcepts be it some seductive photoshoot music video or some alarm recording message or shirtless or pull up the shirt abs peaks done on and off stage. Sex sells$$$$$$ doesn't matter how talented our golden maknae Jungkook is there's plenty more of the"fans" out there that see the sexy shirtless muscle guy Jungkook more than the actual artist singer. Guess which one retains "fans" more this is true for most kpop boy groups. If it wasn't everyone wouldn't be trying to gym out and have beach perfect model bodies

    by your logic wonho is the kpop king :pepepizza:

  • Interesting, well if the we are friends or family concept is fake? Then what percentage would you say is fake? Is the relationship say strays kids show fake? BTS? Ateez? Im sure there are groups that do fake that stuff but in general i would think those " geninue" relationships would be very hard to fake enough for people to not notice it, like how did they keep the act up long enough without slipping up once.

    Nah it’s easy af. Why else are people so surprised when groups have falling outs and bullying scandals and what not lol.


    I think the vast majority of it is fake. I’m not friends with my co workers or all my co workers at least and I do good work and am perfectly capable of having an amiable relationship with them. Why will it be different for idols. It’s more that why do you think they’re all best friends forever? It’s hard to maintain one best friend let alone 7 or 8 or whatever.


    I didn’t say they’re enemies(tho I do blv that exists too) just that they’re not really as close as ppl think they are.

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  • Nah it’s easy af. Why else are people so surprised when groups have falling outs and bullying scandals and what not lol.


    I think the vast majority of it is fake. I’m not friends with my co workers or all my co workers at least and I do good work and am perfectly capable of having an amiable relationship with them. Why will it be different for idols. It’s more that why do you think they’re all best friends forever? It’s hard to maintain one best friend let alone 7 or 8 or whatever.


    I didn’t say they’re enemies(tho I do blv that exists too) just that they’re not really as close as ppl think they are.

    I think one difference with usual co-workers is the dorm thing. Being forced to live with someone makes or breaks things a little for. You're either forced to get along or fall apart. They also have the shared experience thing.
    I do think the "closeness" and frienship thing would be easier in a smaller group or 4-5 then pretending 8 other people are your best, sworn life friends though.

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