With An Increase Threat In Online Bullying Towards Individuals And Idols More Than Ever, How Can We Start The Conversation And Learn To Report It Better?

K-Pop originally started in 1991 with various acts such as Seo TaiJi and The Boys, Jeogori Sisters and Arirang Boys, before groups such as Wonder Girls, 2NE1, BIGBANG, BUZZ, Epik High, SUPER JUNIOR, Girls’ Generation, SHINee, TVXQ, Brown Eyed Girls, and others, helped grow the genre and make various individuals no matter their language or country as origin and grow that interest and interesting world that is K-Pop, a label known for its various genres, fan culture, and ever growing global reach. 

However, with the internet originally being considered to have started on January 1, 1983 by the University System of Georgia (USA), and the numerous starts and continued use of SNS (Social Networking Sites) platforms and forums like Reddit, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and also private messaging subscribing services like JYP’s Bubble, LYSN, KakaoTalk/ Community Rooms, SM Bubble, and most recently, WeVerse Direct Messaging, means to directly message or contact idols, celebrities and actors/actresses within the K-Industry would begin to cause worries about how it could worsen our parasocial media relationships with artists. Many fans worry about its true intention due to previous reports of individuals using the mentioned services to send direct hate to Stray Kids’ HyunJin. 

Despite many positive aspects of social media, such as connecting individuals to proper resources, help, or friends they may not have had otherwise, it can also cause many worries. Many individuals who aren’t celebrities face social media/online bullying, hate, or targeted negativity due to factors such as the person they love, color, race, religion, or for simply trying to find comfort in being themselves.

Because of this increase in platforms such as “Threads” recently coming to light, it’s understandable that many individuals and K-Pop fans are worried about online bullying getting worse, if it’s not already.

Many idols, unfortunately, like Stray Kids, have been victims, and this was stated before by fans. An article by the user 2dailyleeknow, “StrayKids Fans Rally Underneath #ProtectFelix, Call on JYP Entertainment to Address Dea*th Threats,” was even written. It is not the first time this group or anyone within the K-Pop industry has faced these issues. 

You don’t have to be a fan or follow a group or artist to be aware of dangerous actions that have happened and the threats sent towards BTS, Stray Kids, BLACKPINK, EXO, TWICE, or NCT. It’s essential to start the conversation about how we can initiate change. Some sasaeng fans, even take it to the extremes and following the 8 member South Korean boy group ATEEZ and tracked them with use of personal trackers (such as Apple Trackers, or tile like devices). 

After going through this background and recognizing such actions (without going into much detail), how can we, as fans, report and do better to protect idols? How do we properly report such actions to the proper companies in hopes of making a change?

K-Pop is known for its wild hairstyles, synchronized choreographies, various genres of songs such as Alternative, Rock, R&B, and Hip-hop. Fans create their own sub-cultures, inside jokes, editing and voting teams to help promote their idols, cup sleeve events, fundraiser events, cafe events, or purchase coffee trucks for idols and staff either on a music video filming site or drama site, and more.

Some actions taken by fandoms such as ARMY, MONBEBE, EXO-L, ATINY, and others are known within their own communities for their various streaming guides, and guides on how to vote on important music show apps or promotional apps, or about streaming parties on sites like Scener or YouTube, or Stationhead. This includes information on how and where to buy physical albums. (There is a variety of music shows which groups and artists can win such as, “The Show,” “Show Champion,” “Music Bank,” “M COUNTDOWN,” “Music Core,” and more.) 

Some of these actions also include creating various reporting guides and templates available in both Korean and English, providing the correct email addresses to report to. Many companies often take legal action depending on the severity of the threat.

When talking about online bullying, it would be careless to not acknowledge what many individuals go through online- many may not want to talk publicly about the issue or may not know where to begin searching for help. Please know that you are not alone and seek help in your country or area. Check out the available resources online: Alliance of Hope, Trek Medics International, Bullying Canada, CyberBullying Australia, UNICEF, What is Bullying and What to Do (UK), How To Deal with Online Abuse and What to Do (Twitter, Help Centre).

If you have ideas on how to further this conversation and how the K-Pop industry can improve regarding reporting, creating templates, promotion, and awareness, consider leaving your thoughts in the comments below. The best we can do is start, even if we think the action is small. Don’t forget that you are valid, no matter who you are or whom you love. No one on the internet deserves hate or threats.

If something is too much for you, you have every right to delete your account, block someone, and know that “NO” is a full sentence. You don’t have to fight with someone if you think it is taking a toll on yourself. It is okay to block someone and to not follow everyone on social media.