Welcome To My Tiny Part In This Infinite Universe. 💫🪬✨🩷

No problem, but in my rambling, I was trying to be as polite as possible; I'm implying most kpop fandom works have the depth of a shallow pool. Besides blind praise that I don't feel most of it deserves, I really wouldn't have anything else to say. I was never rude to anyone, ever--they were simply reactive to me asking basic questions about the stories, which they couldn't answer. There are some fandom works I love, but there is no room to have a genuine conversation anymore. The artists are too sensitive to take basic level questions. I wouldn't waste my time critiquing a fan comic or fic that doesn't possess even simple plot structure. The rare times I have simply asked a worldbuilding question, the people get so offended not because I'm rude but they barely know what worldbuilding is. My writing or art isn't perfect, far from it. But the other fandoms I participated in left room for someone to call out stuff, or analyze. In this fandom specifically it's hard to do that because it's not that deep. I want to in my spare time, when I'm in the mood for exo content, to give someone who writes a good story a long comment. Maybe even ask a few questions, but it's a catch 22 situation. I understand exo fandom creators want their fandom back. I get that. I'd love more funny original exo content, but it's a different climate now. Somehow the one direction fandom is still making fanworks that get attention and get made into movies. But I just don't ever remember Anna Todd freaking out, because somebody asked her, why she put ab or c in her story. It wasn't a great story, but any critique good or bad she accepted rewrote and published it. And people who could read it for free still bought it, cause it's about respect. Respect is mutual. I would never blast someone else's story or anything like that. But many writers or even people making jokes, say things that are pretty far out, yet if you even slightly question it--you should just go somewhere else. No, I don't think asking an author what they want to hear is appropriate, it's not. If they wanted their comments or replies turned off to avoid noise they could easily do that.

Also by critique, besides me just telling the author my plain opinion, like I like the story structure, the characterization, pacing, descriptions? Or in terms of art, you can't say anything about anybody's art online, so I don't. I just heart what I like and keep moving. Fanart can be good, but a lot of it just isn't.

Creativity makes more of a mark than perfect digital art. Nothing feels handmade anymore or has passion. People can sense that. Again I'm not judging or saying I can do better, I am just being honest.

and to show a proper example here is a comment I once left.

I will blot out the author name and the character name. Usually I rarely comment. I don't feel like digging through all my old profiles to find more. I can compliment a creator all day, but many don't have much to say. Which is fine, but this author in particular, really really wanted people to comment. I felt bad so I did. It feels like they want comments so their work will seem popular more than they want to create a good story.

This was not a bad interaction it just felt like a pointless one, is this the type of response people want? In the past even teen romance writers had more substance. In the end I just feel like this works when a fandom is full of very young people who are happy with pointless conversations, but mature people want something real to talk about.

I wish y'all good luck though, hopefully some of what I and others said can help the way creators choose to interact with their audience in the future.

I Have a (few) question(s) for Exol.

I'm genuinely curious as to the answers, so if you see this could you please do me the favour of signal boosting this so it reaches more people?

I see posts circulating now and again about lack of interaction on fandom creation posts. No one reblogs. No one comments. But I never see anyone asking why. Is it simply a matter of being in the middle of an etiquette shift? Is it crossplanted members of social media communities having different social norms? Has the way people use Tumblr shifted? Speculation only goes so far so to better understand what I'd like to know is the following:

How long have you been on Tumblr? Any fandom not just Exo.

What is your take on fan created works on Tumblr and interacting with them?

Do you have a process for what goes on your blog? How do you find most of the posts you reblog? Through the dash? Through the tags?

Do you spend time on other platforms? Have you in the past?

How do you interact with fan creations on these other platforms? Do you like comment or share? Do you re-tweet? Etc.

When was the last fic of any length (drabble and blurbs and headcanons/reactions included) you read? Last time you saw fanart (including edits and moodboards and graphics) you enjoyed?

Did you reblog it?

If yes you did reblog did you say anything about it? Simple or otherwise? Leave a gif underneath that expressed how you felt? Put a comment in the tags? Left an emoji? Etc.

If you didn't leave commentary was there a reason? Do you feel like you start to repeat yourself when commenting? Do you think there's nothing to say? Were you following the adage if you cant say something nice dont say anything at all? Other reasons?

If no you did not reblog why? Is there a specific reason? Did you not like it and not want to say? Does it not fit your blog? Was it not a length or level of skill you felt warranted a reblog? Have your friends already seen it? Do you only post your own creations? Other reasons?

For our fan creators I have an extra question. Do you reply to your comments? Even if they're in the tags?

If no is there a reason?

Please take a moment and share your answers cause I'm trying to understand where things shifted from what they were before to now.

All he does is get inspired. ok katniss.

jongin shooting us with his love ♡

I---

I knew it was super structured but I didn't think they probably literally had papers of exactly how much money the fan spent with people taking notes and giving tips like ...........................I need an HBO expose documentary on all of this. Kpop the corruption of love. I feel like at least in japan people know what it is it's pretty transparent but in korea there's a layer of feigned authenticity that's really dangerous.

How could I forget

Twilight analysis duh

movements can and will evolve. Lmao the point is to shock people into making change, it's very simple.

There are so many good streaming deals but I barely even watch TV and tubi exists so no.

pt 2 for album analysis

I've never done an album analysis before an album

like what if I'm wrong...but what is I'm right tho

Anyway I always thought a feature for a future album could definitely happen but it would have to be a foreign artist..wouldn't it?

Idk.

But anyway I really think it's going to be more symbolic than literal, the reality it the amount of spiritual messages in albums is paramount, so it's really what the focus is supposed to be on.

Bathtubs

the last album was about reality swapping and the fallen angel symbology was heavy in peaches but it was undercurrent. So if the main theme is water this time it's probably going to have more to do with the properties of water, such as how space and time and fluid.

he usually models his work after female black artists so if I look at some of their similar projects it should align at least a little bit.

But he also loves white male old hollywood and "imitated" elvis in his last album

which explains the black and blonde cause elvis was a natural blonde who dyed his hair black.

I think this is a remake? or inspired by one of elvis's actual suits

also the barber shop thing was really subtle

Like they do all these little things but if an interviewer ever asked them about it they'd be like huh what who?

He loved barber shops and doing his hair he couldn't leave it alone.

also elvis' military haircut was documented as well so I'm wondering if mimicking that was a joke? were they trynna be funny?

Did he get too into character again?

But if I had to guess, he wouldn't do the same thing twice back to back.

Hmm...thailand, water, pseudo spiritual, rnb and reggae again....

I'm going with a baby boy type island theme maybe a bit of survior.

also he's been trying to show his bellydancing off for years but the choreo and the music has never really called for it.

I think it's gonna be like a temple theme but probably similar to the mhmm kind of vibe but when he was in the white temple them. I think that's what I'm locking in. Usually I don't do this but I've been pleasantly surprised by the fact that they actually listened to feedback and he stopped dancing to corny kpop challenges cause it just wasn't working. So I think they are able to cut waste and bad ideals better and also work to their strengths and this is his strength to be honest.

Okay this was fun if I'm completely wrong oh well

But I think I'm right.

20 Years of The Lizzie McGuire Movie (May 2nd, 2003)

kpop idols as soon as they get out of the military

Exo Kai: Due West

heavily opinionated semi long post

Inspired by a genius post I saw on twt iykyk, I didn't wanna bother them they seemed stressed.

topic: Is Kai promoting in English and doing Western promotion activities pandering for Western validation?

(because he clearly never pandered to anyone before ever in the history of ever...it never happened... seriously. I don't believe he knows what pandering is actually.)

Simple Fact: TECHNICALLY..yes

Question: Is that a bad thing?

Opinion: It depends

Clarification : By western do you mean American? And by pandering do you actually mean worshipping Eurocentricity and it's machine of capitalism? That is a slippery topic, technically most kpop idols, such as Kai, are already modeling for European brands and not Asian or African etc. Plus they have fans constantly brag about said sponsorships that they do. Plus South Koreans and far east asians are top consumers of european luxury brands

so anti colonialism is an odd arguement to stand behind with a kpop pfp but okay.

Opinion: Look, If you have a precise plan and goal for promoting in America, creating a better bond with foreign audiences, expressing creativity, working with more diverse creatives, and touring in multiple different states and/or countries, solidify the artist's place in the realm of popular music while having a more freeing time doing it... I don't get the problem with an artist like Kai promoting in America. It cannot intensify the issue of Kpop artists seeming like they are pandering to the euro-colonial powers, because it's already looking pretty bad tbh.

The real issue: Freedom. The reality is when someone dynamic, attractive, and full of life has freedom, obviously they are going to meet new people, make friends, and develop in personality. The real issue is whether fans who have had an artist as a cute little toy for years.

Are they ready to find out what his real personality is when he is given freedom. The reality is that despite dating clauses not technically existing after a few years post-debut, people do not actually expect them to talk about crushes, who they find attractive, or publicly state their attraction towards someone. Personally, I believe what K-pop fans expect, which is virtual silence except when being cute, charming, funny, or flirtatious and/or childlike asexual behavior, except if it is for audience consumption, this teeters on a slave owner mindset and is very gross. A person who calls themself a K-pop idol cannot publicly date like a regular artist.

I mean, they can, but not in a traditional way. Kai and Krystal technically dated for 2 years, and they couldn't mention one another's name publicly during that entire time.

They didn't even go near one another in public after it was revealed not even at smtown's. But at least people had a magazine shoot as proof they even knew one another.

Jennie and Kai weren't event at the same event since the dating scandal happened years ago, not an award show, or any other public event. If anything a dating scandal just means the person will enter a crackdown and be forced to be more present with fans to make up for what they lost.

It is extremely normalized in Korean culture that males and females try not to even make eye contact lest it be thought of that they did something.

For this reason it's incredibly easy for fans to say it is nonexistent. This is a pretty good summary of what happened.

The accepted narrative anyway. Sadly to combat the 'negative press' of dating publicly, fans go harder on the shipping, the overs#xualization, and the unfunny jokes to move the conversation away from their dating news. Taking the fandom further and further away from reality.

Yet, at the same time since people don't see 99 percent of the artist they obsess over's life and the entire 1 percent is scripted, they don't know how these people truly act or behave, or really anything about them. So to overcompensate other parts of their personality and minor things are overblown and hyperfocused on. Praise and worship take the place of actual critical thought.

Regardless of the opinion of whether it matters to every individual supporter or not, it still had actual effects on his career. To this day his support is stronger overseas. I believe this is in conjunction to the 2 dating scandals and his appearance. Which is a whole nother thing, but with this in mind a western audience, especially one that is less likely to bash for a simple dating scandal would be a smart choice.

To the people who have a don't ask don't tell policy when it comes to artists, but just don't want the artists to date publicly to protect them, what do they know, do they even look into the analysis how when properly leveraged a relationship could be good for business and not bad. I hesitate to believe fans whenever they say they don't care if their fave dates or not anyway. Like of course you don't care, because they will continue to play their role of a perfect idol content with fanservice.

I would say it's fine, but it really isn't, even in japan idol culture there is room for growth and evolution inside the mold. They gradually moved their idol culture over to the acting scene so now the youth are somewhat used to seeing public figures dating openly, it may be a surprise but I wouldn't classify it as a scandal.

Personally, I believe if they can push kpop idols towards acting and movies, then similar to japan it wouldn't become this crazy thing and artists can be young and married without it being a frenzy.

(p.s weloveyoukento) It's not exactly perfect but it is changing for the better.

In japan the mold is forever being molded and shifted to where it needs to be, whereas in kpop it seems to be stuck in stasis with the conveyer belt model continuing.

With the art clearly showing what fans deny, that each idol group is contained and perfected to the fans whims and desires.

Understandably people want privacy in relationships, but the privacy is mostly due to their careers being built on the whims of the fans.

To be fair all boy bands historically have done this. Whether that means wearing outfits that only teen girls like, or dancing uniformly to upbeat tunes for hours on end. It isn't just kpop that stretched people to the limit and covered up their originality.

Regardless of the location, race, or culture/ethnicity of said boy band this was all true, but in Kpop there is a specific desire to control the entire person as a product and as a human and this is something the fans are willing to ignore to recieve whatever fanservice they want.

Nobody cares who their local restaraunt owner or store employee dates, because they don't go to the store for them they go for the product, BUT in K-pop the artists are the product, the emotional relationship with fans is apart of the deal. Therefore they feel almost a sense of surrealness when thinking about them in a public relationship. Personally, I believe even western people struggle with having an odd fascination with who a person does or does not date, but again this is because people craft an image that makes it unbelivable if they go against it.

Whether it's a fake relationship or a real one, the point is that with either you would expect something like a conversation or a small mention during an interview, but typically Kpop stars are not allowed to do such a thing, ever. That is just how it is in K-pop. Whether the fans are native Korean or foreigner fans, much of the same behavior is expected. No one can say they have seen an artist's real personality. It isn't possible. Nearly everything is scripted.

In some cases, like Taemin's, they didn't even know their actual personalities.

They can go out and do things for fun, but it is expected that whatever they do not be noticeable to fans. Everything is expected to be hidden or undercover to be respectful of the fans. Because the artists are firstly marketed as boyfriends and girlfriends for the fans. Regardless of how it is spun, this is the marketing promotion; otherwise, suggestive music videos wouldn't really be necessary, nor would high-five events of ...fansigns.

I don't want to act like K-pop invented this.

It did not

or pretend that it is even the most extreme version of marketing love to strangers out of an exotic curiosity;

because it isn't. This has been happening for ages, but I will say that kpop has this unique hold where evolution doesn't exist. Since the 1990s I think kpop has gone backwards, before it was normal for idols girlfriends to leave the performance venues with them.

Now if a girlfriend posts something on her social that even implies they are together it is cause for fans to burn merch and say rude and innapropriate things online out of vendicated anger.

Even having a boyfriend or close male friend can invoke the ire of fans who have crafted an idol's desires to their imaginations, even if they themselves have no interest in them.

So if they do something unexpected like date a man, even though they "hate men" people have full blown meltdowns and delete their accounts out of embarrassment.

I've seen it happen to so many people. They refuse to accept a possibility and when it happens they loose it.

I know that people have sensitivities about Kpop people becoming more free, and honestly I think it's for the best. I do not think people want the ownership that fans feel to grow even more. They need more open and honest interviews, less objectfication and more laying out the facts instead of fans being so bored they hyperfixate on fake gossip to the point of it being more real than reality.

But no seriously all jokes aside, please somebody explain to Kai what pandering to an audience means. Doing things specifically to appeal to others whims and desires that you as a grown adult person probably don't want to do, but you must because of dinero, guap or cash money. Cause clearly he is just a giant stuffed animal and he has no ideal how it works, how anything at all works actually, he just dresses like this on stage because..I mean like what else would he wear, duh! How could he be expected to pander to the euro-colonial-objectifying axis of evil...

He's like..never even done that before....