Sometimes I wish I was a fan living in Korea so I won’t feel distant from all my biases and I’m not trying to complain, but supporting your favorite groups might be hard if you live overseas. With that said, I’ve compiled a list of struggles that comes with being an international kpop fan.
1. Eng Sub (or other languages)
Every kpop fan knows the struggle to find their bias groups’ interviews, variety shows and dramas in English sub. You are aware of all the dates and times your bias group’s variety show is to come out, and despite knowing that it won’t be subbed for another 24 or 48 hours, you still search endlessly for those dang Eng subs.
2. No group ever comes to your city
If you don’t live in a popular city in Asia, chances are your bias group won’t ever come to perform in your area even if they announce a world tour. If you’re in America, you won’t get to see them unless you live in Los Angeles or New York. As an international kpop fan, you might feel left out as you beg your bias in the comment section of their SNS to come to your city.
3. “This video is not available in your country”
You know your bias doesn’t only sing in Korean, but also in Japanese. So you’ve anticipated their comeback for so long and stay up late until the video comes out, only to find that it is not available in your country. Now you have to find other methods of getting your hands on that MV.
4. “Content has been removed due to copyright claims”
So, you end up finding the Eng sub of a variety show or a recording of a concert you wanted to watch but as you click on it, you go into utter disappointment and annoyance because the entertainment company has removed the video due to copyright issues or they just hate you for being an overseas fan.
5. You have to find time to learn Korean
You are tired searching day and night for Eng subs, so you got no choice but to learn Korean. Or, if one day all your imagines come true, you will need to know Korean to speak to your bias. Plus, if you’re that deep into the k-pop world, learning the beautiful language is a given.
