Please don’t judge me for not being a K-pop fan| Opinion by Chandrasri,13

“Smooth like butter, like a criminal undercover” 

“I came here to drop some money, dropping all my money. Drop some money, all this bread so yummy, yeah” 

I bet you have listened to the above sensational songs by BTS and Black Pink’s Lisa respectively. They are record-breaking Korean Pop (K-pop) artists whose fan following is unprecedented. 

All teenagers know K-pop, but do all teenagers like it?

More importantly, is it compulsory to like K-pop to fit in with peers? 

I entered my teenage years on 18 of February 2023. My best friend and I have never been interested in K-pop but we have never and will never judge anyone for liking them. Therefore, it feels unfair that we and others like us who are not K-pop fans are often mocked or judged unfairly. 

Some of my friends mimic the mannerisms and dressing styles of K-pop stars to stand out and become friends with the ‘cool kids’ at school. 

Maybe moms can get tired of taunting us to wake up early but some K-pop fans never get tired of taunting us. They say, “How are you still alive without listening to English songs or K-pop?” Though we tell them we have other better things to do in life, they never stop and by now we are used to it.  

I feel no one should ever be judged on how they look, what they listen to or how good they are in studies. 

Unfortunately, while most teenagers know all the trivia about foreign songs, not many know or follow regional music from India, which is rich and captivating as well. Recently, the song ‘Naatu Nattu’ won the Oscar for best ‘Original Song’. This song is in Telugu and has been loved by audiences across the world. Music has no language and boundaries.

I hope we continue to appreciate different kinds of music and let everyone enjoy their own tastes.