Fanboys and their place in fandoms

Written by Aghnia Hilya | Read in Indonesian

When we talk about K-pop fans, the verb that we often use is fangirling, which is used to describe women who are admiring their idols. Interestingly, we now see more and more men becoming K-popers or fanboys and don't hesitate to show themselves.

This is apparent in various K-pop concerts, which start returning this year. Whether in solo or group concerts, female or male idol groups, we can spot fanboys easily. That is because their get-up when attending the concert of their idol is no less fashionable than their female counterparts.

Fanboys come with fashionable outfits, bringing the attributes of their idol, such as a lightstick and the photocard of their bias.

Now, what drives the surge of fanboys and makes them easier to find? Yes-easy, because even if you don't attend any concert, there are many fanboys who are fanboying through their social media.

Apparently, according to NCT Fanbase Indonesia admin Ivy, the COVID-19 pandemic had quite an impact on the increase in the number of NCT fans a.k.a NCTzen. This is parallel with the increasing number of men who originally had no special feeling for K-pop becoming fanboys during the pandemic.

“In my opinion, the growth looks significant and quite stable. Especially now that there are certain members who really have a lot of fanboys, like NCT’s Mark. We can find out who the fans’ bias is from the slogan they brought to the concert and their Twitter post after attending a fansign," Ivy told TFR.

Becoming the idol's “bro” despite stereotype

Fanboying has become commonplace, but from the beginning, unpleasant talks about fanboys seemed to be inevitable. Glandy Burnama, a fanboy of Girls Generation (SNSD), BLACKPINK and NCT Dream who have been K-popers since 2010, can attest to this.

"From my university years, unpleasant talks like ‘why do boys like K-pop’, ‘why don’t you like football’, and it's not only about gender, but also about how K-pop is said to be tacky, the artists have plastic surgery, I have had enough of that. From back then until now, talks like that are many. But now I just let it go," he said.

Glandy, who often covers the dance of his idols, no longer cares if others don't share his taste in music. Abim, who idolised EXO and NCT, shared a similar opinion. He also chose not to respond to the disagreement from his male friends when he first opened up as a fanboy.

Male non-K-pop fans see idolising male idols as abnormal, but Abim thinks that K-pop fanboys are no different from men who have soccer athlete idols.

Abim, a graduate of the Yogyakarta Vocational High School majoring in dance, said, “I had a little faith at that time, that ‘all of you would be fanboying in no time’. Now it came true, right, being K-popers is no longer a disgrace or something that needs to be covered up. There are no more boundaries between fangirl and fanboy.”

The reason is, there are various instances where fanboys are getting noticed by their idols, either online or through fansigns, during concerts, or during the idol's activities in public places. What’s more, if the fans are lucky enough, the interactions are no longer restricted to a fan and their idol, but becoming "bros" instead.

There is no difference in dedication, do what you can

Just like other K-popers, fanboys also support their idols in any way they can. The most common way is buying albums and merchandise and attending concerts.

The reason is, even doing those common things has many challenges and needs more effort, ranging from fierce competition and rampant fraud to skyrocketing prices.

On the other hand, Rajasa, an ARMY a.k.a BTS fanboy, emphasised that there are many ways to support idols even if one doesn't have a thick wallet. Although he doesn't deny that being a fanboy motivates him to work hard to earn money.

“Everyone's totality in supporting their idol is different. There are those who can buy a lot of merchandise, although for those who can't, it doesn't really matter. We can still show our support by dedicating our time,” said Rajasa. After all, when it comes to time, fans can help increase the streaming of their idol's work during comebacks.

In fact, support in terms of time can be done by actively contributing to the fandom, participating in various fan projects or charities either as a participant or committee, covering songs and dances from one’s favourite idol or group, as well as creating works such as writing or fan videos about the idol.

Seeing the idol happy is the most beautiful fan service

When we as fans provide support, idols will provide fan service in increasingly diverse forms. Interestingly, both Glandy, Abim and Rajasa who came from different fandoms unanimously answered that they did not have a specific fan service that they are pursuing or expecting.

“I enjoy what they give more. I actually like it when they have a special performance that is unexpected because the surprise is more pronounced," said Abim, who started his journey from liking EXO and then becoming an SM stan.

As for Rajasa, he is happy when his idols can be themselves and don't have to maintain their image, as BTS’ Jin often does in the variety show “Run BTS” broadcast on Weverse.

Similarly, Glandy said, “I like their interactions with fans, like telling stories or speaking in the local language. Then I see the interaction of the members, when they tease each other, be happy, I'm also happy."

From loving oneself more to earning money

People who don't understand K-pop look down on fanboys, but that doesn't change the fact that K-pop gives many positive things and effects to the lives of its supporters.

Glandy, Abim and Rajasa enthusiastically told TFR that their lives have gotten better after becoming fanboys. That is because by becoming a fanboy, they don't just enjoy the songs, lyrics, or dances of certain groups, but also learn from the ups and downs of their idols.

“My life feels very heavy and their songs are very empowering. Now my life is more peaceful and I feel empowered. When I'm not feeling well, I feel like I have friends, something that warms me because their songs are also heartwarming," Glandy said.

Rajasa added that by making BTS’s Jin his bias, he learned how to love himself first. Thus, in the midst of the negative talks about ARMY, Rajasa chose a positive circle because that's what he learnt from BTS.

Unlike Glandy and Rajasa, when asked about the influence of K-pop in his life, Abim, who initially liked K-pop for its music style, said he also changed his style.

“As a K-fan, I also want the style to be Korean to be cool. Also, from casually covering their dance, I gained many followers on TikTok and it generates income for my pocket money. I also earn money from endorsements," explained Abim, who has more than 80 thousand followers on TikTok.

Apart from the unpleasant stigma that follows male K-pop fans, the number of fanboys is growing at quite a rapid pace. They no longer hesitate to open up, show themselves as K-popers and support their idols in various ways. They also, with their own identity, enrich their idols’ fandom culture to be more inclusive and open.