As far as I can remember, I got introduced to the world of fan fiction at the age of 14. Back then, I was new to pop music and just started getting into the fandom of One Direction.
When I got into K-pop, fan fiction was something that I couldn’t escape. Although I have read some beautifully written fan fiction, several stories made me feel uncomfortable.
What Are Fan Fictions?
In simple words, fanfictions are stories involving well-known celebrities or fictional characters written by fans. Fanfics range from a couple of sentences to an entire novel.
In the 90s, fan fiction became mainstream because of the internet. Many sub-genres emerged throughout these years, and fan fiction started including real people too.
Such fan-written stories about celebrities are known as Real Person Fiction or RPF. The most popular fanfictions are the ones that are all about sex, and they mostly feature an idol and a fan.
Since K-pop became popular worldwide, many fans started shipping the idols with each other. Recently, many K-pop idols like BTS’s V have indirectly talked about how these fanfictions make them feel uncomfortable. He also hinted that he wants fans to stop writing them.
Also Read: Why Do K-Pop Idols Go On Extreme Diets?
Though some fanfictions are simplistic and casual, others overly sexualize these idols. Fans often discuss abnormal sexual relationships between male k-pop idols and even normalize topics like rape, sexual harassment, and bullying. But, writing it like the rapist is the hero, and the reader should try to be like them? Yes, that is weird.
Such stories can not only cause long-lasting mental damages to someone, but they can also lead to misinterpretations about the celebrity’s personality.
Some agencies that handle celebrities do not even try to stop fans from writing such stories. They, in a way, encourage fans to write such fanfics, hence, showing the toxic side of the industry.
More than half of the fans like to read any and every kind of fanfics. That’s where the problem lies. Some delusional fans get so much into these fanfics and start showing obsessive toxic behavior.
There is a positive side to fanfics too. According to many Wattpad users, reading and writing fanfics are like a safe place where they discover themselves and learn about their sexuality.
“Sexual minority communities live in a heteronormative world. …When queer men and women encounter fan fiction, it’s kind of a revelatory experience. There’s this idea that this is OK and there are people that are OK with exploring male-male love or female-female love,”
Dr. Tom Baudinette, an Australia-based researcher of East Asian pop culture and lecturer at Macquarie University, told VICE.
He also pointed out that it is important to distinguish fans that make sexual content, like fan fiction, from people who create deepfake porn, an issue in the K-pop industry.
Conclusion
A limit needs to be put on fanfiction as the people they are writing about are not fictional characters. Even though this only seems like a dream because this genre will not be banned any time soon.
As the popularity of K-pop is increasing exponentially, fans are reading more and more fanfics, making people write them even more. Many laws have been passed to suppress the popularity of fanfic, but the hunger of fans can never be satisfied.
What do you think about this issue?
Image Credits: Google Images, Nanyalan
Sources: Kpop Crush, Vice, YouTube, Reddit
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This Post Is Tagged Under: K-pop fan fictions, are k-pop fan fictions getting out of hand, Korea, Black Pink, Blackpink, Is Jennie dating g-dragon, is GD dating Blackpink’s Jennie, Who is Jennie, Kpop, BTS, What are fanfictions, Harry Styles fan fiction, BTS fan fiction, explicit fan fictions, Blue House petition, South Korea, Problem of Fan Fictions, One Direction fan fiction, Tom Holland fan fiction, Korean Entertainment Industry, Idols dating Ban, Got7, Stray Kids, Twice, Heechul, Momo, New year couple, Hyun Bin, Son Ye Jin, Crash Landing on You, South Korea, North Korea, jennie and kai ship, jennie from blackpink, jennie ruby jane, BTS, BTS Dope, BTS Butter, BTS new single Butter, K-Pop music videos that are banned by TV networks for the weirdest reasons, Kpop music video banned, Most viewed kpop music video, Black pink kill this love, DEAN, dean instagram, BTS cypher part 3, PSY, PSY gentleman, P-nation, jessi, hyuna, dawn, Yoongi, Suga, RM, namjoon, Kim Soekjin, Jin, Jimin, Taehyung, V, JK, Jungkook, Jeon Jungkook, New hairstyle, V curly hair, Jay Park, Jay Park Mommae, mommae, Jay B, Switch it up, EXO, EXO comeback, EXO Lotto, fans
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I can understand I started reading fanfictions some months ago but I stop reading them after a month because I feel like disrespecting my favs ngl many fanfictions have very interesting and nice stories but many are too much weird and disgusting
I have been k pop fan for a year now I have seen many shipers many of them believe that there ships are real for example taekook this duo is one of the most popular ship in k pop cummunity
Like you mention V has told that it made him uncomfortable no wonder y. Seeing someone shipping you in some sexual relations with your band mates or your friend is just so weird and gross .
Because of this many people think idols are gay or lesbian
Example Many people think bts are gay which is false. Because in past rm and suga and jhope and many other memebers used to have girl friends.
And they wouldn’t have gf is they were gay
In my opinion if you have a different sexuality doesn’t matter you are just you and the right person will except you the ways you are
If you ship idols please stop it could make them feel uncomfortable with other members
Yes this is all understandable, shipping idols is a whole other thing besides fanfictions, as most fanfictions I see/ tend to read are ‘ x reader ‘ fanfictions where the reader is shipped with the idol or person. I personally don’t see a problem with these, as long as you don’t grow an over attachment to someone you’ve never met, or become oddly obsessed with them, you know? Same with making sure the fanfiction isn’t defaming their character or just overly sexulalizing them, or just disrespectful in general. They are people too. Just read them in moderation, same with writing them. Also, if an idol or anyone says that they feel uncomfortable with the fanfictions, stop writing them. Respect their choice, please.
Now shipping idols together is not a good thing to do, and should be heavily frowned upon. What I mean by shipping is the things like “Taehyung x Jungkook” and “Yeonjun x Soobin” and “Wooyoung x San” type things, where they’re being shipped romantically or sexually. Whether its in a fanfiction or fan art or just post on twitter, it can damage friendships and break people apart. There’s a difference between thinking two people would be good together and just blatantly shipping two people to get something out of it. Theres also a difference (imo) when someone makes a compilation of two idols interactions with each other, I believe you can tell when they’re shipping versus just showing their favorite interactions. A good example is ‘Taekook analysis videos’ vs ‘Yeonbin favorite interactions’ that you would see on youtube. Presentation and wording is key.
Hard disagree. What a bigoted answer.
If something makes you uncomfortable, don’t read it. There are no reliable or reputable sources stating anything about readers “show toxic and obsessive behaviour” or actually “ship” real people together. Fan-fiction is a safe form of expression, comfort and exploration. It allows a writer to explore difficult topics, emotions and plots with a character THEY have created. In no way are they representative of the real person, nor intended to be. IT’S FICTION.
Websites like fanfiction.net and AO3 use tagging systems to help readers avoid topics or ratings they might find uncomfortable, to preserve safety for both writers and readers. If you don’t like it, then don’t read it. But you don’t get to judge or make false claims about those who do, or the creators.