Here's 5 Common Misconceptions People Have About K-Pop

With more and more people becoming fans of K-Pop, there also seem to be several common misconceptions about K-Pop as well. K-Pop fans have dealt with these misconceptions since day one and are annoyed at the ignorance these people have in regards to something different.

Here are just a few common misconceptions people have about K-Pop.

1. K-Pop Music Is All The Same

For those that are not familiar with K-Pop may think that all K-Pop is the same, may it be the music or the concepts, but that is one big misunderstanding. Assuming that K-Pop is restricted to one style or thinking that none of them can sing or rap is a big mistake considering how huge the K-Pop industry is. K-Pop is a genre that encompasses all different styles of music and is made up of not only idols but also soloists, bands and more. There seems to be a stereotype for K-Pop making people believe that it’s just a bunch of different girls or boys wearing uniforms and singing relatively common pop-style music. It’s important for people to see more than just the outward appearance and to understand it from a deeper perspective.

2. Age Restrictions For K-Pop Fans

This is one of the biggest misconceptions of K-Pop and is one that bothers me personally as well. Thinking that all fans of K-Pop are teenage girls is just pure ignorance. The K-Pop fan base is much bigger than what people think with no restrictions to gender or age. Although teenage girls may be the main age group for fans, there really is no age limits when it comes to K-Pop.

3. K-Pop Are Just Manufactured Products From A Company

Although there are some idols that have been put together through auditions and training, this does not make the artists themselves a manufactured product of a company. K-Pop seems to be associated with words like ‘manufactured’ and ‘factory-like’, creating a misunderstanding for those not familiar with this style of music. What people don’t know is just how open and genuine many of these K-Pop artists are.

Firstly the idea that k-pop idols are overly manufactured (robots) just so happens to coincide with the stereotype of Asians being robotic/all the same. But k-pop idols are also extremely different from one another. Some are well known for being energetic meme makers pic.twitter.com/bmFAbLO2AB

— サス Sasu (@SasuInUrPants) December 9, 2019

4. K-Pop Idols Look All The Same

Going along with the ‘manufactured’ misconception, many also seem to think they all look the same or received the same surgery to look alike. They think that their makeup styles and outfits are too ‘girly’ for male groups and that all the girl group members look like manufactured dolls. This is another misconception that has been taken out of proportion many times. Although there are some that may have gone through procedures, there are also many that have not. In regards to boys looking like girls, the androgynous theme is seen a lot in Korea, but there are a lot of male idol members that are quite the opposite of ‘girly’.

5. How Can You Understand K-Pop If It’s In A Different Language

Many people seem to think that there is no point in listening to music if you don’t understand the lyrics. What they don’t understand is that music is more than just the lyrics. K-Pop is also a very much visual experience than just a listening one. If you take a look at some lyrics, you can also see that they also use a lot of English in songs as well. There are also great fans and people out there who work hard to translate lyrics and shows to help foreign fans understand and be a part of the K-Pop culture. Music transcends language and is something that can be experienced by everyone.