ITESM Campus Ciudad Jurez

K-Pop in America:
The phenomenon in USA, Mexico & Peru

By: Betzy Reyes Trujillo

Sociology class final paper (May 12th, 2014)

Just when we thought that China was about to take over the world, brands like
Samsung and LG started invading our stores and giving a hard time to giants like
Apple and Sony; names like PSY and the horse dance moves invaded TV shows,
newspapers, night clubs, YouTube and Facebook, in every language, in every
country. It is the Korean wave reaching us. South Korea, the country with a GDP
per capita that in the 1960s was compared with the levels of the poorest countries
of Africa and Asia, is currently the worlds 12th largest economy

[1]

and has finally

stepped out to the scene to find outrageous love in the arms of certain groups of
teenagers all around the globe thanks to one of its most fascinating products:
Korean Pop.
What does it take to be an international K-Pop fan? Is it an option available for
everyone, everywhere? The hypothesis planted in this investigation is that in order
to become a real follower of the Hallyu wave, it is necessary to belong to a certain
social class, meaning: middle to upper class. The phenomena will be analyzed in
three different contexts, three different countries that have very different economies
and cultures, with young people that share a same interest. And also the
correlation of the expansion of the Korean influence in the world and the behavior
of Korean teens influencing the behavior of Latin and American teens that have
decided to adopt this culture. The main variable for this project will be the socioeconomical status that will help us define the rest of the common factors that lead
these teens to follow this trend. Our nominal definition

[9]

of the variable, according

to a sociology dictionary is: a measure of class standing, typically indicated by

income, occupational prestige, educational attainment, and wealth. [8] Our
operational definition

[9]

of the variable for this study will be: the economic and

social status that allows teenagers to have access to the internet, media and that
enables them to change habits to adopt a completely new culture and behavior.
The study will be focused on the findings through two different tools: the
analysis of four cases, in different interviews from fans in the three countries
(Mexico, USA, Peru and also Canada) and documentation to give a historical
frame for the phenomena.
In a time where, thanks to the internet, we no longer need to get out of our
rooms to meet someone or learn something new, we find that teenagers and young
adults have the power to expand their knowledge in a few clicks and are now able
to access a new spectrum of possibilities to satisfy their desires to belong to
something, to identify with someone, in just a few instants. The technology and the
millennial culture of mobility and web interaction have turned our world smaller.
The booming of Koreans music industry is highly influenced by crucial tools such
as YouTube and Twitter that helped them to access new markets [2].
PSYs hit song Gangnam Style might be the widest known example of a Korean
song being an international hit, but the amount of success in taking the flag of KPop and representing the wave is in the eye of the beholder. We cant definitely call
PSY the typical K-Pop idol, because he doesnt meet the most common
requirements: young, skinny and tall, or like Chris Baumann mentions in his article
for the Korea Times: He may not be a sex symbol per se in comparison to other Kpop stars with their youthful beauty. But he is a symbol of passion and energy,
peak performing his dance even during warm-ups.

[4]

His success mainly relied in

the combination of several factors that helped his song and his music video spread
like fire. Aside from its freshness (that characterizes the K-Pop genre), and unlike
most Korean artists, PSYs content allowed people who knew nothing about K-Pop
to interact with it. The dance routine, as silly as it looks, was a key factor because it
acted as the bridge to connect all cultures around the world, it provided the
audience of an easy routine to copy and also to mock of, it automatically became
the differentiating factor that set the trend. Most of the current K-Pop acts have

very difficult choreographies that are easy to admire but hard to remake for most
people, which leaves the majority with nothing left to easily relate with.
But besides all this, the most interesting fact found in PSYs apparently one-hit
wonder that led him to perform all over the world with big American acts like
Madonna, is that more than one third of its 1.25 billion views (and counting) that set
the record for the most watched video on YouTube, were from mobile devices (438
645 781)[5]. This data only enhances the fact that in order to be successful you
need to be available on the go for people around the world.
Many might wonder what does this small nation has to offer in terms of pop,
compared to the monstrous masters like Universal Records, Sony Music and
Warner. A different sound? Perhaps. Different concepts? Definitely. The Korean
industry has redesigned and polished the concept of girl groups and boy groups.
Enterprises like SM Entertainment and YG Entertainment have changed the rules
of the game, while hugging their culture and taking advantage of it and also of the
recent increase in technological developments in South Korea, they have raised
the bar in the production of visual products and the exploitation of cyberspace. It is
important to acknowledge the process that this industry follows to produce an artist
to fully understand the impact of their products in the lives of many and specially,
the difference with Anglo-Saxon merchandise. Through a tough selection they
gather kids from a very young age and put them into hard trainings for years to
mold them like clay and transform them into K-pop idols. The aspiring artists spend
more time practicing than studying and are trained not only in singing and dancing
but also in languages such as Chinese and English, music instruments, acting
skills, variety show behavior and proper manners in camps where 20 to 30 trainees
cost around $100,000 a year [3], a major investment for the companies but a worthtaking risk, considering the revenue for launching them into Asian stardom is
valued in billions of dollars

[6]

. After an average of 4 years, the groups are formed

and get to perform their debut stage in a series of weekly shows in the 6 most
important TV channels in Korea: SBS, Arirang, Mnet, MBC, KBS and MTV-K.

Korean teens, like most youths around the world, have big dreams, but a
common denominator among them seems to be the Idol Fantasy: worshiping and
wanting to become a K-Pop idol. But why do they call them idols? In America and
the rest of the world were used to hear the terms: star or artist, but in Korea an idol
is someone who is not only admired for their artistic talents but also for their
behavior, were talking about a 360 degree deal here. If Korean teens have
mastered something, it probably is the culture of idolizing. Remember The Beatles
back in the day? The Korean fandoms ask nothing to the bunch of fans that fainted
when they performed. Its still happening, in Korea and around the world. The only
difference is that nowadays, again, thanks to the powerful instrument that internet
is, the fandom rites are being taken to a whole new level. Thousands of blogs,
videos, covers, events, etc. are dedicated to these groups. Asian people are
usually known for being perfectionists, and being a perfect fan is not the exception.
Korean top fan sites are run by young people dedicated to update on any move of
their idols. The most famous websites usually upload hundreds of pictures in
extreme high definition of the artists in airports (any airport), arrivals to different
countries, concerts, fan meetings, fan sign events, along with close coverage of
their activity on social media, real-time translations of messages, and English
subtitles for the segments when they appear on TV shows or also act on Korean
soap operas and movies. Their loyalty is reflected throughout the whole year,
especially on important events such as: comebacks (when they release new
songs/albums), birthdays, anniversaries and concerts. To give some examples of
the activities that take place during these events, fan clubs organize fund raisings
in order to buy very expensive presents to send each of the members of a group in
their birthdays and group anniversaries (or single anniversary of career). The
presents go from jewelry (from Tifanny & Company or Gucci), mac laptops, ipads,
phones, clothing (from Victorias Secret and Abercrombie & Fitch to Chanel, and
Salvatore Ferragamo) and a bunch of stuff that is bought for each member
according to what they like specifically, most of them are custom made stuff, like
phone cases, t-shirts, watches, etc.

[7]

Along with their presents, fans use to also

donate to charities in their name. Big sets of flowers are sent to every special event

or debut act in theater, soap operas, first tour concerts, accompanied by tons of
rice for donation, every time, for every group. So far, it is safe to say that being a
loyal fan is not a cheap task, nor an easy one. Along with every comeback,
companies release alternate lyrics to the title songs called fanchants that
encourage fans to yell supporting phrases or act as chorus during the song in
perfect sync. When comeback stages take place, hundreds of fans organize and
gather outside the TV stations in order to get seats together and show support. For
each stage they buy t-shirts with the specific color of the group (each Korean
group/solo artist has an specific color that represents them. Now that there are
hundreds of artists, the range of colors has been expanded to pastel tones and
combinations) They also buy custom made light-sticks to wave during
presentations, flags, ballons, LED signs, towels, etc. All of this applies in the same
way for every concert around the world. Being a dedicated K-pop fan requires not
only money but also dedication. In Korean fan clubs, piracy is extremely prohibited
and punished. Fans also organize to buy the merchandise in groups from specific
stores or online stores that are proven to count in the main Korean charts in order
to help your idol to conquer them. Some fans buy from 10 to 50 albums for
themselves, just to support the cause. The average range of prices of an album in
dollars goes from 20 to 50 dollars (depending of the edition and what does it
include) plus shipping. The albums are not the only collectibles, since in Korea is
common to buy Starcards, a set of cards of every member that come in packages
or in the albums and some of them are extremely rare and hard to get.
The TV shows are streamed by thousands of international fans at late hours in the
night. The shows are broadcasted from 1am to 2am in Mexico, where the time
difference with Seoul, Korea is 13 hours ahead; young girls and boys stay awake
to watch 3-minute spectacular live performances of their favorite groups via
Internet. This is the moment where sites like Twitter open the possibility to gather
together in cyberspace and unite to share information, technical support, emotions
and a fandom experience. The K-pop wave in these countries has set its mark
most notably on Twitter, specifically on Twitter thanks to the worldwide trends,
using hashtags that show the most popular topics among users. K-pop related

hashtags frequently reach the top spots in the worldwide trends chart, stating its
influence potential. The hashtags trending events are not exclusive for music
support, but also for special occasions, like the ones mentioned before: birthdays,
anniversaries, concerts, and also when something happens to the idol, like getting
hurt, being in a relationship, etc.
Teenagers throughout Latina America and the United States have turned
around to look at this whole new world of pop culture, and not only enjoy it, but to
adopt the culture. According to the Huffington Post, more than 27,000 people
attended a couple of concerts in Lima, Peru, last year. In Mexico, 4 sold-out
concerts have taken place in the last two years, where around 60,000 fans packed
venues like the Mexico City Arena, The Pepsi Center and The Blackberry
Auditorium. Just in the United States, the SMTOWN World Tour, the annual concert
of the artistic family of the biggest music company in South Korea sold out the
Staples Center twice back in 2010 and 2012, also the Madison Square Garden in
New York City with the three floors completely packed with over 15,000 fans from
all over the country and even attendees from Mexico, Brazil, Peru and Canada. [10]
K-pop is clearly making an impact in groups of teenagers that are able to afford
the expensive merchandise, the traveling costs, the nightlife and even a new
language, all only to follow idols with an undying love that is showcased through
platforms like YouTube and Tumblr, mainly.
In the three countries, the Korean Towns previously established have gained
lots of customers thanks to this trend. Just in the Peruvian capital, theres a
shopping center with entire floors dedicated to South Korean music, cuisine and
clothes.

[11]

Some other glances of the expansion of the wave are appreciated in

barber shops were they are currently offering K-Pop haircuts. Also, fans join
together to celebrate birthdays of their favorite artists from the other side of the
world; organizing events, reunions, and filiming flash mob re-creations of popular
dance moves.

[12]

In Mexico, specifically, fans have made their own big promotions

and huge accomplishments, for example, TV Azteca heard their voices and
realized their genuine interest, so they quickly set up a 90-second segment in their
daily show Venga la alegra which consists of short clips talking about the story of
a certain group. Acts like Big Bang, SNSD, Super Junior, CN Blue, DBSK, Wonder
Girls, and more have been featured on the show. Other TV Channels, like Telehit
(which is only available through a paid cable service like Dish, Sky or Cablemas)
have also made up special segments for K-Pop fans. In a video show, hosted by a
young girl called Natalia, she dedicates Tuesdays specifically to talk about K-Pop
and show Korean music videos throughout the show. [13]
In the video YouTubers react to K-Pop by The Fine Bros, 10 YouTubers
(famous young people in YouTube) are exposed to three different K-pop videos
and their reactions are being filmed, they were later explained what they just
watched and were given some quick facts about the culture of K-Pop. One of the
comments is very interesting: -Here were all about capitalism, making it on your
own, a screw the man! attitude, America has a lot of that, over there not so much
[15]

, referring to the way the groups are assembled. Compared to Marxs approach

of Capitalism, we can say that he is a little bit far from the truth. Korean enterprises
tend to retain all the means of the production and then give a little bit of what was
produced to the artists. They are also big conglomerates that control most of the
technologic field; the difference with American media conglomerates is that they
are owned by families and not by a set of different investors. In fact, a good portion
of the Korean idols comes from these wealthy families. What is true about the
relation of the K-Pop culture and capitalism is that the current proletariat is still only
able to afford to pay the basic stuff such as rent and food. For what weve seen
through the investigation, being a fan is a luxury, in order to be on track with the
artists, families need to be able to afford more than food and a roof. Since they are
very far from our continent, the teenagers have to be able to invest a big amount of
money to get merchandise and a constant internet connection not only at home but
mobile in order to interact with other people who share the same interest.

We can come up to the conclusion that there is a new archetype in the daily life
of this culture: the K-Poper, the representation that they portray goes beyond the
music they listen to, they need to behave different in order to belong. The music
genre becomes a symbolic space where they are able to interact and that fulfills
their identity needs. The way they [K-Pop idols and Korean youth] dress and the
food they eat is different, and even though it doesnt necessarily match their
[American and Latin American] body types or culinary taste, it is apparently
necessary to embrace it, the groups of fans gather to imitate the whole life style of
the idol, not just the dance routines. Even their writing habits in social media
change, Korean teens use different emoticons, its sort of a new sub-language that
it is hard to understand if you dont have Asian references. Something more than
Korean language that has to be learned. According to Durkheim, a fragmentation of
social identity, a breakdown of social bonds between an individual and the
community is part of the definition of a social anomie, which is completely relatable
to the phenomenon between teenagers that follow this trend in America. Since
here, being a K-pop is not the common denominator, even though there are large
groups of people who do, they find themselves obliged to be apart from society.
When being a hardcore fan, it automatically leads them to isolate for long periods
of time in their computers to transport themselves to another world through the
Internet and follow whatever their idols are doing. They also gather in relatively
smalls groups in specific places in their cities to share their interests and express
themselves. Referring to Durkheim once again, and his work about professional
associations, he mentions that these new social organization is taking more social
and economical impulse through time and that they can occupy a more important
place in the new moral social constitution. Weber also talks about the professional
ethics and the Korean Pop artists union is a clear example of Durkheim and
Webers approach. Like mentioned before, K-Pop fans dont only follow the music,
they copy the lifestyle. K-Pop idols have to be extremely careful with everything
they say and the way they act even when cameras arent rolling, because Korean
society severely judges their behavior. An interesting case, worth mentioning, is
that of a singer named Nickhun, who belongs to a very famous band called 2PM,

he was recently involved in a car accident, he was driving under alcohol influence
and during the accident he crashed another car, fortunately no one was hurt but his
case was all over the media and the newspapers. He and his company were forces
to apologize several times for his misbehavior and bad example and he retired
from activities with the group for almost a year. This hasnt been the only case,
several artists that have made mistakes in the past before have been judged and
their careers were very affected. Unlike American acts, were it seems that the more
they misbehave the more famous and acclaimed they become, take Miley Cyrus,
Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber as examples.
Last but not least, it is safe to mention, that K-Pop hasnt made an entrance to
the American entrance on its own. It is way for teenagers to keep being into the
system, when nothing else seemed appealing. But, it is an alternative recognized
way, now, thanks to the recognition of some artists that have legitimated this
trend. Before this huge example of globalization with PSY, certainly K-Pop was sort
of an underground trend that most people saw as a freak way to act. Just like JPop back in the late 90s until it became socially acceptable with the introduction
of Tokio Hotel in the early 2000s. Commentaries by Katy Perry calling Girls
Generation Interesting, strange in the best way, or Will.I.Am mention major K-Pop
act 2NE1 as Koreas biggest girl group and The bomb, and also the
collaboration of Anna Kendrick with F(x) for a video segment of Funny or Die, not
to mention the work of important American producers like Teddy Riley who has
worked with Madonna, Michael Jackson, etc. with K-Pop companies and vice
versa, have made an important statement in the acceptance of Korean Pop as a
legitimate genre for the masses. Currently, true K-Pop acts (as in artists who have
all the characteristics and sing Korean songs not pre-fabricated English songs to
release in the American market) are being recognized thanks to the little push
given by these and other artists who are starting to acknowledge the Hallyu wave
not only as a remarkable show but as a competition, also thanks to the
international fans who have taken the hard task to push their idols into the main
competitions. One of the most recent successes was accomplished by Girls
Generation and their fans, when they won the YouTube Music Video Award for

Video of the Year, against big fan armies like Believers, Directioners, Rihanna
Navy, Selenators and Little Monsters. Their popularity and the trending of related
subjects to the group and other K-Pop idols immediately raised thanks to this
award.
From what I found in the investigation, I believe that yes, it is necessary to
belong to a certain social class between middle and upper class not only to be able
to become a fan but to be attracted, most of the testimonies I found and users Ive
interacted with, have a lot of things in common, such as an education, knowledge
of another language, enough income to be able to save and spend their money on
merchandise, several of them have attended concerts in their country and outside
their country, they all have access to the internet 24/7 in their homes, they have
mobile devices, a computer and a camera, they also have the ability to afford to
join with friends in the weekends, instead of working or studying, etc.
The final question would be: is it ever going to be something mainstream? Is
really K-Pop starting to conquer over the American acts? In my opinion, K-Pop will
get to be more known and recognized or praised by people around the globe, but it
will never stop from being just an influence, an inspiration, a trend setter for the
mainstream acts, who have changed a lot now that we have turned around to look
to other options and theyve found themselves immersed in the need to compete.
References:
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http://www.forbes.com/places/south-korea/

2. Yoon, L. (2010, August 26) Korean Pop, with Online Help, Goes Global.
Retrieved April 1st, from:
http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2013227,00.html

3. Bevan, D. (2012, March 26) Seoul trained: inside Koreas Pop Factory.
Retrieved April 1st, from: http://www.spin.com/articles/seoul-trained-insidekoreas-pop-factory/

4. Baumann, C. (2012, October 28) Psy phenomena: World goes Gangnam

style. Retrieved May 8, 2014 from
http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2012/10/137_123310.html
5. Krush, A. (2013, February 25) Gangnam Style: Why It Would Have Been
Impossible Ten Years Ago. Retrieved May 8, 2013 from
http://socialmediatoday.com/alesia-krush/1254971/gangnam-stylephenomenon-why-it-would-have-been-impossible-ten-years-ago
6. Nightline from ABC News (2012, October 15) K-Pop Boot Camp. Retrieved
May 8, 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlfr2G-4Gfs
7. 120805 Soshified 5th Anniversary Gifts Pictures. Retrieved May 9, 2014 from
http://www.sonems.net/2012/08/120805-soshified-5th-anniversary-gifts.html
8. Crossman, A. (s.f.) Socioeconomic Status. Retrieved May 9, 2014 from
http://sociology.about.com/od/S_Index/g/Socioeconomic-Status.htm
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Metodologa de la Investigacin. Retrieved May 10, 2014 from
http://www.upsin.edu.mx/mec/digital/metod_invest.pdf
10. Briceno, F. (2013, May 30) Korean Music Finds K-Pop Cult Following in
Latin America. Retrieved May 8, 2014 from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/31/k-pop-latinamerica_n_3366546.html
11. Trivedi A. ( 2013, August 1) Forget Politics, Lets Dance: Why K-Pop Is a
Latin American Smash. Retrieved May 8, 2014 from
http://world.time.com/2013/08/01/forget-politics-lets-dance-why-k-pop-is-alatin-american-smash/
12. Bishop M. (2013, December 15) Meet Latin Americas Teenage Korean Pop
Fanatics. Retrieved May 8, 2014 from
http://www.npr.org/2013/12/15/251021326/meet-latin-america-s-teenagekorean-pop-fanatics
13. JangMinHo (2011, July 8) K-Pop in South America. Why so famous?.
Retrieved May 8, 2014 from http://www.soompi.com/2011/07/08/kpop-insouth-america-why-so-famous/#.U3Aax615O25

14. The Fine Bros (2013, July 18) YouTubers React to K-pop. Retrieved May8,
2014 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekJ-ldOD0TQ

15. Park J. (2014, March 30) Growl producer talks about K-pop in US.
Retrieved May 8, 2014 from
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/culture/2014/04/386_154319.html
16. Oh, E. (2011, May 26) K-Pop taking over the world? Dont make me laugh.
Retrieved May 8, 2014 from http://travel.cnn.com/seoul/life/tell-me-aboutit/k-pop-taking-over-world-dont-make-me-laugh--476482
17. Benjamin J. (2013, November 04) Girls' Generation Reacts to YouTube
Music Awards Win, Talks New Music: Exclusive. Retrieved May 8, 2014
from http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/k-town/5778185/girlsgeneration-reacts-to-youtube-music-awards-win-talks-new-music
18. AMZTT36 (2014, March 30) @AMZTT U-EX . Retrieved May
8, 2014 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=9MxBRgfIRE0&feature=youtu.be
19. Funny Or Die (2013, April 10) Anna Kendrick goes K-Pop with F(x).
Retrieved May 8, 2014 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=7VVERnrVTW8
20. TheNextHokage (2011, October 27) [Recap] SM Town Live World Tour in
NYC. Retrieved May 8, 2014 fromhttp://www.soompi.com/2011/10/27/recapsm-town-live-world-tour-in-nyc/#.U3CSZq15O24
21. Dulce Soledad (2012, November 20) (SNSD)~Full Version Girls'
Generation in New York Live Concert. Retrieved May 8, 2014 from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMeGcqrgPwM
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SMTown Live. Retrieved May 8, 2014 from
http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/465545/k-pop-hits-madison-squaregarden-at-smtown-live

23. The Voice Australia (2014, May 5) Elly Oh Sings Mamma Knows Best! |
The Voice Australia 2014. Retrieved May 8, 2014 from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grdUzqJqJ3M
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2014 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd6EQ4MxTWE
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2014 from http://youtu.be/pcWiI2jeHyE
Annex I : Interviews

ERNESTO ARAGN MXICO

1. Nombre, gnero, edad, ubicacin, a qu te dedicas?

Ernesto Yukio Aragn Yumibe, Masculino, 19 aos, Mxico D.F., estudiante de
ingeniera, Tec de Mty Campus CCM.
2. Cmo te enteraste del K-pop?
Por internet (YouTube) mientras divagaba.
3. Desde hace cunto que conoces el K-pop?
Diciembre de 2010.
4. Qu es el K-pop para t?
Un gnero muy diverso y bastante llamativo.
5. Por qu te llam la atencin?
Por la imagen que presentan los grupos y lo llamativas que son las canciones.
6. Cmo adquieres la msica?
Por tienda digital (iTunes) o por medio de tiendas en internet que venden los
discos de forma fsica.
7. Qu clase de artculos relacionados con este gnero adquieres? (CDs,
DVDs, Fan Packages, Starcards, Fan stuff, etc..)
Principalmente CDs, DVDs y Fan Stuff.
8. Cmo adquieres estos artculos?
Tiendas en internet.
9. Tienes alguna coleccin?

S, de diferentes grupos.
10. Cuantas horas en promedio dedicas al K-pop al da?
Lo escucho en tiempos libres y en tiempo de traslado a la escuela-casa (2-3 horas
aproximadamente).
11. Qu medios utilizas ms con este fin?
Internet y redes sociales.
12. Qu significa para t ser un verdadero fan del K-pop?
Poder escuchar y disfrutar lo que desde mi punto de vista es una msica de buena
calidad y conocer ms sobre los diferentes grupos y sus integrantes.
13. Qu clase de sacrificios se hacen para ser fan?
Desvelos debido a la diferencia de horarios, gastos econmicos y una dedicacin
importante de tiempo.
14. Cules son las redes sociales que ms utilizas?
Twitter y Facebook.
15. Has asistido a algn concierto de K-pop o planeas asistir a algn
concierto en el futuro?
He ido a un SMTOWN en NY, a SuJu, CNBLUE, SHINee (en Mxico) y planeo ir a
otro SMTOWN si es posible.

ANA SANDOVAL PER

1. Nombre, gnero, edad, ubicacin, a qu te dedicas?

Ana Sandoval (Presidenta del club de fans de Girls Generation ms grande de
Per), femenino, 22, Lima, Per, estudiante universitaria.
2. Cmo te enteraste del K-pop?
Por una amiga que escuchaba Kpop hace aos, fan de DBSK
3. Desde hace cunto que conoces el K-pop?
Mas o menos, 7 aos
4. Qu es el K-pop para t? Un gnero musical que llama bastante la atencin~
En mi vida es algo que me ayud a conocer amistades y personas que comparten
el mismo gusto musical.

5. Por qu te llam la atencin? Por sus videos coloridos y fuera de lo comn,

tambin por sus coreografas.
6. Cmo adquieres la msica? La escucho en YouTube, lo que son lbums, los
pido por internet, o compr en algunas tiendas que hacen los pedidos igual, por
internet.
7. Qu clase de artculos relacionados con este gnero adquieres? (CDs,
DVDs, Fan Packages, Starcards, Fan stuff, etc..) : CD's, posters, DVD's, de
todo, en realidad.
8. Cmo adquieres estos artculos? En las tiendas que hay de Kpop en mi
ciudad o a travs de los fan clubs de los grupos.
9. Tienes alguna coleccin? Si, tengo mi coleccin de albums de Girls'
Generation, todos.
10. Cuantas horas en promedio dedicas al K-pop al da? No creo que haya un
promedio, escucho Kpop a cada rato porque tengo canciones de Kpop en mi
celular y siempre estoy al tanto de las noticias en Twitter, supongo que sern 2
horas mnimo.
11. Qu medios/aparato electrnico utilizas ms con este fin? Laptop,
Celular, Youtube, Twitter, Instagram
12. Qu significa para t ser un verdadero fan del K-pop? Saber respetar a los
artistas y disfutar de su buena msica.
13. Qu clase de sacrificios se hacen para ser fan? Dinero, ahorrar para
comprar artculos originales.
14. Cules son las redes sociales que ms utilizas? Facebook y Twitter
15. Has asistido a algn concierto de K-pop o planeas asistir a algn
concierto en el futuro? He asistido al concierto de Big Bang en Per.

LEAH UNITED STATES

1. Name, genre, age, location, occupation

Leah, Female, 32, California (USA), Photographer/Care Taker/Advertising Delivery

2. How did you find out about K-pop?

Randomly through Myspace
3. Since when do you know K-pop?
July 2007
4. What is K-pop to you?
Music, language, culture, eye candies, obsession, something different & out of the
ordinary, happiness, and biases
5. What caught your attention about it?
Language, unique-ness from American pop culture, eye candies
6. How do you get the music?
iTunes, online shopping like Yesasia, Kpopmart, Kpoptown, ect., shopping at local
stores like Music Plaza & Choice Music in Koreatown
7. What kind of articles related to this music genre do you have? (CDs, DVDs,
Fan packages, Starcards, Fan Stuff, etc)
CDs, DVDs, Autographed items, posters, photo books, slogan banners, postcards,
clothing, jewelry, badges, stuffed animals related to KDramas or a particular Kpop
idol, and more...
8. How did you get them?
Online shopping, autographs (I've either purchased autographed items or met
Kpop idols in person), fan meetings
9. Do you have any collection?
Some autographed albums, posters, badges & flash cards. I've obtained them
through online shopping, online meet & greets like MWave & in person.
10. How many hours a day do you dedicate to Kpop? (listenting to music,
searching, watching shows, etc) 12+
11. What media/electronic device do you use for this purpose?
Laptop & Mobile phone
12. What does it mean to you to be a true K-pop fan?
Being able to casually listen & keep up with the fandom with an open mind & heart.
That means not harassing others just because you are more ahead & informed
than others. Also supporting artist without resorting to ssasaeng activity.

13. What kind of sacrifices do you have to do in order to be a fan?

Sleep, money & in real life relationship since my boyfriend dislikes Kpop & doesn't
approve me being almost entirely a Kpop fan.
14. Which social networks do you use the most?
Facebook, Twitter & Tumblr
15. Have you attended any K-pop concert in the past or are you planning to
attend one in the near future?
Yes, about 22 Kpop concerts & counting. ;)

LE NGUYEN - CANADA

1. Name, genre, age, location, occupation

Le Nguyen, male, 27, Canada, IT
2. How did you find out about K-pop?
Random YouTube video of Hyori's "10 min"
3. Since when do you know K-pop? 2001
4. What is K-pop to you?
A guilty pleasure, a change of scenery from North America's pop culturr
5. What caught your attention about it?
Bright colors, vibrant choreography, catchy chorus
6. How do you get the music?
YouTube and online purchase.
7. What kind of articles related to this music genre do you have? (CDs,
DVDs, Fan packages, Starcards, Fan Stuff, etc) Various, from original CDs, to
Fan-made DVDs, photo albums, starcards, etc.
8. How did you get them? Online purchase.
13. Do you have any collection? Yes, star cards and album photocards.
14. How many hours a day do you dedicate to Kpop? (listenting to music,
searching, watching shows, etc) At least 3 hours.
15. What media/electronic device do you use for this purpose?
Mp3 player/phone while at work, computer/tablet at home
16. What does it mean to you to be a true K-pop fan?

To appreciate it for the differences it has to other genre of music no matter how
corny.
17. What kind of sacrifices do you have to do in order to be a fan?
Time, effort, money to stay up to date with music, shows, products, concerts, etc.
18. Which social networks do you use the most? Facebook.
19. Have you attended any K-pop concert in the past or are you planning to
attend one in the near future? Smtown in LA and NY. And yes hopefully in
the near future