What’s better than being able to talk about your favorite artists with other music enthusiasts? The K-Pop club made their first appearance last school year and are continuing for this year! Fatima Blanco and Emma Reidinger are the current respective President and Vice President of the club.

“In K-Pop club, we mostly talk about our favorite artists and songs that each member is passionate about. It is a fun way to make friends with similar interests who we might not have met otherwise!” said Emma.

Meetings are every other Wednesday and run for about half an hour. Similar to last year, club members would play lots of games such as “Guess that Song” or “This or That.” Besides mini-games, they also perform dance covers and post them on Youtube and Instagram. The K-Pop songs that release and newest groups that debut are always a hot topic.

“I think that the club would be run the same as if it were to be in person. We have the same activities, but the thing that is new is posting dance covers on social media. If we were in-person, we would be practicing and dancing together,” said Blanco.

As expected, the COVID-19 pandemic took away many fun opportunities and events that the K-Pop club planned. Last year, they performed at our pep rallies and danced to choreographies from hit songs. The most challenging part for the club now is that members cannot easily form connections with others because of the limitations of our current virtual world. The time allotted is short, and there may be technological issues for some.

“We had to adapt to the online aspect and accept that there might be less interaction between the club members now that we’re virtual,” said Blanco.

Despite these challenges, the K-Pop club still achieved its goal: uniting a group of diverse fans that share a love for Korean culture and music.

“I’m a bit sad about the club being entirely online this year, as I prefer being able to interact more with the other members in person,” said club member Alyssa Decker. “Last year, it was really fun being able to play games and have chaotic discussions with everyone during lunch! I think Emma and Fatima are doing a really good job at making sure everyone is having fun and planning activities and dance cover projects that allow the club to stay alive, even over Zoom.”

Even if most people don’t speak or understand Korean, the bottom line is that the music and the performance bring happiness.

“I personally enjoy [K-pop] because of how many different sides there are to the content it gives you. A K-pop song is not just a song. It is also a well-produced music video and an intriguing dance,” said Emma. “The idols perform many live stages for their fans. Also, it is fun to get into the bands and be a part of a fandom. There is just a lot of content surrounding K-pop. A lot of people dislike it because they don’t understand or fail to accept that music transcends language for many people.” 

Unfortunately, those who enjoy Korean music and culture often are confronted by racism, xenophobia, ignorance and cliches. Whether you like the music or want to learn more about the culture, the K-pop club strives to create a safe, online space for everyone to express their love!

“Many people make comments saying that K-pop is too feminine or that it doesn’t have purpose because it’s in another language,” said Decker. “I don’t think that music should be defined by the language it’s in. Lyrics do play a large part in the composition of a song, but I think that it’s more about the music itself because songs are able to convey a meaning with and without lyrics. There are so many different styles and genres of music underneath the umbrella of K-pop, so anyone who is open minded enough to give K-pop a try can definitely find a song or two that suits their music taste!”