Kpop and Kdrama fandoms aren't the biggest around, but we're pretty dedicated and tight-knit. And crazy. I'll admit to it, at least. In some ways we operate the same way as any other dedicated fandom, such as those of Sherlock, Supernatural, and Doctor Who; we make a lot of references, love introducing new people to the fandom, and pop up in the strangest places. We do have our own unique problems and quirks, though.
1. Accidentally thanking your barista in Korean.
When you listen to another language constantly, you start to pick up a little. It's a great, really cool side effect of enjoying another country's music and television (one that you can choose to capitalize on by studying it in your free time). The side effect of this side effect, though, is that sometimes you use your newfound language abilities...on complete strangers. Whether it's a barista, your professor, or the random person who opened a door for you, at some point you've probably thanked them in Korean.
2. The great juggling game.
You probably started your Kdrama journey by just watching one Kdrama at a time, but as you immerse yourself deeper into the quicksand that is Kdramaland, you realize that one isn't enough--especially if you're watching airing dramas. Only two episodes a week isn't enough, so soon you'll find yourself watching three or four dramas at once (even if you initially said to yourself, "that'll never be me. I can't concentrate on that many at once!"). Soon you find yourself juggling four dramas, college, and maybe even a job. If we could put that on a resume, we'd get great jobs in no time.
3. You're too poor to ever see your favorite singers in real life.
Seeing your favorite artists perform is pretty impossible unless you're rich or live in one of America's massive cities. For understandable reasons, Korean singers/bands rarely ever perform in America; some groups come for KCON in New York City or Los Angeles, and a few very popular groups get the chance to perform in one or both of those cities during their world tours (sometimes they even visit Chicago). Unless you live in one of those three cities or can afford to travel there, pay for a hotel and food, and buy concert tickets to see them, you're sunk. Unless you're really rich and can afford to fly to South Korea so that you can see them perform there.
4. All the strange looks.
Korean isn't the most popular language in the world; a lot of people can't even tell the difference between Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. Even if they could, though, it's still strange to see an American rocking out to Korean music (or accidentally thanking them in Korean). You learn to deal with a lot of strange looks when you join this fandom.
5. Blasting Korean music (just to get those strange looks).
After you get used to the strange looks, you start to enjoy them. You start blasting Korean music through your car speakers and rolling down your windows as you enter your neighborhood to maximize the number of people who will hear the infectious melody of your favorite song. After all, you're simply trying to enlighten them!
6. Your "normal" friends judge you.
They think that your enjoyment of something that you can't understand is strange. But that's why subtitles exist. Millions of people around the world watch American and British music and movies with subtitles, so why do we look upon doing the same as strange, even somehow degrading? It's more strange and stuck up to refuse to give the song or show a chance simply because it's in a different language.
7. Trying to convert said "normal" friends.
You frequently beg your friends to just listen to one song or tell them the plot lines of a drama that you know they'd love, making it sound as interesting as possible, in an attempt to get them to consent to try it. For the most part, you know you'll have them hooked if you can get them to listen or watch with an open mind, but that's sometimes easier said than done.
8. Frustrating double standards.
There's always that friend who will listen to music or watch shows in Japanese or French but refuses to listen to anything in Korean. They don't speak Japanese or French any more than they speak Korean, but somehow Korean is inferior. I've even sent a friend a song from the Death Note musical, which was done in both Japan and Korea; I knew that she loved the Japanese and English versions of this particular song, so I sent her the Korean version. When I asked her if she'd listened to it, she said no because she didn't think she'd like it "since it's in Korean." This is a very strange and infuriating double standard that you'll run into more than you'd like. Sometimes people start out with an idea that they're going to hate it, and even if they pretend to listen to it and give it a chance, they don't.
10. The joy of actually succeeding in converting someone.
Converting someone into the love of Kpop and Kdramas is a great, slightly sadistic feeling. It's horrible, but it feels like justice has triumphed when you see your friend agonizing over FTISLAND's new album getting pushed back or having to wait an excruciating week for another episode of their latest Kdrama obsession to air in Korea and get subtitled by awesome bilingual fans. It's an even better feeling to look over their shoulder, giggling, as every single character but three die a horrible death at the end of a show (and one of the three who lives is the one who killed them--yes, this actually happened, although the deaths served an awesome thematic purpose. Shout out to anyone who knows the underrated drama I'm talking about!). In short, it's great to have someone to suffer with and to flail your arms excitedly with.
10. Instant friendships.
Just like in any fandom (especially the small ones), there's an instant bond forged between you and the stranger at the grocery store when you learn that they love Kpop or Kdramas. Suddenly you're on the same page, spouting opinions on groups like BTS, FTISLAND, and VIXX, asking each other's biases, and freaking out about the airing dramas you're both watching.
11. Fangirling in Korean restaurants.
Whether you're fangirling over the music coming over the speakers, the food in front of you, the waitstaff, or all of the above, fangirling is a given when you go out to eat Korean food. You're also likely to attempt to use your limited Korean knowledge to impress said waitstaff, which will likely end in a look of judgement or a friendly laugh from your waiter or waitress...just make sure that you know that they're actually Korean first, or you might offend them on accident.
12. "I'm sorry, I have plans."
What you really mean is that your favorite Kdrama is coming out and you have been waiting an entire week--you can't miss it, ever. So yeah, you're busy--curled up in front of your computer screen with a cup of coffee and a fluffy blanket. Scolding the computer screen and occasional screams are to be expected.
13. Stereotypes.
That moment when people make the all-encompassing statement that Korean/Asian men are not attractive...and you have to hold yourself back from throttling them. Generalized stereotypes like "all Asian men are ugly" are just as idiotic as "all Muslims are terrorists," but people are almost religiously loyal to that racist stereotype. Let's get this straight, friends: no one race or ethnicity is ugly. Beautiful people come in all colors, shapes, and sizes. Do we have to spell this out in 2016?
14. Well, at least it feels powerful to know what they're missing.
Because as we know, they're missing A LOT.
