Popped: A Book on Kpop

Soon as I got home from my vacation in Batangas, I was welcomed by a nice little package on my desk. I was surprised to find that it was from Summit Publishing and it’s a book. A BOOK. Sorry to break the hearts of literary aficionados out there but let’s just say I’m more of a film person. But what’s more surprising was the cover and the title of the said book:

A book about Kpop. Hmmm… That’s interesting (and a first in the country, I believe).

So this post is not a review of the book. I haven’t even read it yet. As someone who has been in the fandom for seven years, I am curious to read the contents because you know, it’s close to home. Summit also released the Kpop lifestyle magazine, Sparkling, which in fairness was well-researched and didn’t disappoint the fans. But this is another platform altogether and may be a make or break for Summit. From the back cover alone, it almost talks about what being a fangirl is and if you’re in the fandom, you’d know that FANGIRLING IS SRS BIZNIS.

Many purists went batshit crazy and pee’d their panties when Kpop songs started to get played on the radio and on MYX in 2009. There are those who boycotted the buying of albums and voting on countdowns because “I don’t want them to be popular here I buy my expensive shit at Myeongdong ewww people will start selling their fake merch in Divisoria demmet THEY ARE FUCKIN MIIINNNEEEE, YOU JOLOGS NOOBS!!!! DNW /wrist”.

True story. Anyway, going back…

The book was written by Chinggay Labrador (who also spearheaded Sparkling) and she shares, “it was inspired by a trip I took to Tokyo and also largely influenced by a trip I took to Seoul with my best friends. We ran into a lot of unexpected adventures there – I didn’t expect to have such a great time learning about K-Pop, seeing new places, meeting random strangers and making new friends.”

I don’t know Chinggay and I don’t know how much of a Kpop fan she is. The story in the book, however, revolves around the character of Andie and her friends, who are self-confessed Kpop fangirls, who I suppose are the fictionalization of Chinggay and her friends. But will ordinary Kpop fans who can’t go abroad be able to relate to this? Does the story give justice to the passion and dedication of real-life Kpop fans? And is ‘fictionalization’ even a word?

I can safely say though that Andie’s story does happen in reality and I have many friends who are super duper hardcore fans and have probably been through the same adventures as the lead character. Some of them have even lived and studied in Korea and immersed themselves in the culture while many others have enough disposable income to constantly travel to different countries and stalk their idols *coughPaoMegMeliMishJulieALLOFYOUcough*.

But reality is that majority of the fans are the younger ones who even have to save up their allowance just so they could attend the local fan-organized events by the Philippine Kpop Committee, Inc. LOLZ (I see what ya did tharr, Kring!)

Super Junior has warned you. It is srs biznis.

Anyway, problem is, I personally kind of couldn’t relate. You see, I believe I’m not the kind of fangirl that they talk about in the book. Sure, I went to Korya with the intention of seducing Big Bang’s TOP and having sexytime with him at the back alley of the YG building but I ended up just allotting one day for fangirling and spending the rest of the week learning more about my boyfriend’s culture (the real one, Yong Jin, not TOP). And I’m seriously too kuripot to buy merchandise. Also, the last time I’ve posted a poster on my wall was in 1997 – and it’s of the Backstreet Boys.

In fact, at the back of the book, they have this Kpop Fan Girl Essential list:

1. Stack of Korean drama DVDs to chase heartbreak away – I only watch K-movies because their production teams are brilliant and I worship the path that Gwak Jae Young gamdoknim treads on.
2. Pick-me up playlist of Kpop songs to dance to in the shower
   - I like Korean alternative songs more, actually.
3. Shots of soju in times of celebration (or depression!)
   - I was bordering on alcoholic but have since cleaned up! And soju is for dinner, isn’t it?
4. Korean hangout (A must: yummy bibimbap)
   - My boyfriend’s condo.
5. Office BFF who fervently believes she is destined for the lead singer of the hottest K-Hip-Hop band in Asia
   - my officemates know more about the scientific names of trees than they do Kpop.
6. Ticket to watch the biggest Kpop concert to ever hit Japan
   - I can only think of DBSK and uhm, haven’t they disbanded already? (I was in Seoul during the JYJ concert though and didn’t even watch it!)
7. Fellow Kpop fangirls who become your closest friends
   - They come and go but the real ones stay. Shoutout to nana, Mishi!
8. Tons of cute Korean keychains and stationery
   - NONE dear gawd.
9. The hot boy you met in Korea who looks just like your Kpop crush -
   sorry to burst your bubble but many, if not most of real life people in the streets of Seoul DO NOT LOOK LIKE IDOLS kthnxbi.
10. Your very own kilig happy ending to rival any K-drama
    - MY KOREAN BOYFRIEND… a real-life Koreanovela. Bow.

What. 2/10? I’m probably not the primary target market of the book but most Kpop fans that I know will get at least 8/10, with the exception of the last one. And you’re probably waiting for this part… should you buy the book?

Yes, why not? It’s only Php150 and available in leading bookstores nationwide. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t been to or can’t go to Seoul and Japan to stalk your idols AND find true love in the end (lucky, bitch!). That’s exactly what the book is selling – a fantasy! A grand Kpop fantasy (have you any idea how hard it is to get a Japanese visa?)!!! It’s aspirational, just like many of the Koreanovelas you watch on TV and who knows, you might see your self in the character of Andie.

Happy reading, guys!

ps: No, bitch. I wasn’t paid to do this.

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