There is a limit to being a fan but to think there are some fans who will take this to the next level and become sasaeng fans and think it’s something great, it’s just crazy. 사생팬이 정말 미쳤어!
After watching the videos above and reading about the sasaeng issues going on with JYJ, a few things really surprised me about what the sasaengs really do: Their motivation, How to get money and the treatment to international fans.
In this editorial, we’ll be discussing the reality of Sasaeng fans and their motivations.
Reality of Sasaengs:
Part 1:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp8wZHV3Taw]
Part 2:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYqrOtXSqlQ]
I’m afraid this kind of way can spread to other countries & i guess it might happen…we love our artist ….these crazy fan make us unlike or give up the artist we like(that’s my problem)~ blacklist us for example, have to seat at other places and not be part of the group. I myself am afraid of becoming like that….. it’s like we not good enough to like the idol or artist …..hope someone know what I’m saying.
khaisukor24 [quote has been edited]
I just can’t understand this >_> everyone knows that these fans (and i dont even think they should be called fans -_-) are behaving ILLEGALLY so why isnt anyone doing anything?! taxi drivers are enabling them ¬_¬ where are their parents, the police, or even the idols bodyguards? its just so unfair and heartbreaking ;_;
Motivation:
Sasaeng’s fans seem to have this idea that seeing their idol at a concert, variety shows or fanmeets is not enough so they develop what’s called a “hero syndrome.” Hero syndrome is a phenomenon affecting people who seek recognition, usually by creating a desperate situation which they can resolve. So if it means they go back to the fandoms online and offline to brag about doing something extreme e.g. breaking and entering an idol’s dorm or even being pushed by an idol’s manager, they do it no matter what the consequences are. Finding out more about their favourite idols has become their obsession and they won’t stop despite it means staying out their dorms till late at night or following them all over Korea to be see them at all their schedules.
I think a lot of the normal Korean fans are dependent on the sasaengs for information, pictures and video of their idols, even if they don’t condone everything the sasaengs do. How else would we get these Korean fans buying these SLR’s to take HD pictures and get recongition for it? Now I’m starting to wonder for the idols sake, is it really worth it?
And you can tell some of them know it’s wrong especially in the “Reality of Sasaengs” videos where the production crew went to talk to sasaeng fans but they ran away knowing they would be caught if their faces were revealed.
And what I read recently kind of reflected what a sasaeng’s motives might also be but how quickly, it can be ruined.
This is my thought to the sasaengs “on the off chance you meet your idol. The one you sold your body multiple times to raise money to stalk…excuse me…’follow’. He finds you pretty and you two actually hit it off. You start going on dates and become an actual couple. Another ‘fan’ finds out. You used to run in her sasaeng crew. Of course she is not happy that you got to close. Guess what she does, breaks into the idol’s home. Leave proof of the life you lead to follow him around. Maybe it’s photos of you sleeping on the streets, maybe recordings of you breaking into his home, or even proof that you sold your body. Do you think he will want to be with you again? Do you think he will go ‘oh no babe it’s cool. We had to meet somehow’ NO Mr Idol will turn away in disgust, leave you, and somehow all this will be on the news because well he is an idol.” this stuff is not cute, not right and needs to stop. The sad thing is most of these girls don’t realize they are possibly ruining their lives. 10-20 yrs from now, let’s see where the sasaengs will be.
sydeast, omonatheydidnt reader.
Obtaining Money:
You can tell some of these sasaengs are quite clever. Getting jobs in credit card and phonecall information to track down where their idols are and even be able to get their number from their jobs.
But the fans that are underage and result to prosititution is just taking it too far. Gosh, if a 14~16 year-old girl is selling their body in order to feed their celebrity-stalking obsession, there’s something wrong with this picture. The taxi drivers are obviously doing it for money with some of these girls spending 80K – 250k won = £44 – £139 per day to help these girls stalk. But they should also know better not to take advantage of, what I imagine, are mostly underaged girls! These girls need to realise: You are selling yourself to stalk someone. Do you feel good?
Too many people don’t see idols as real human beings. The companies are at fault too, they should be hiring more protection for these idols but instead they are catering to sasaeng fans. With a lack of security, they can do what they want. The sasaeng fans are also the ones who make the companies the most money. I get the impression that some of these sasaengs tend to be the rich kids whose parents are never actually there, and give them lots of money to make up for it. The parents probably have no clue what they’re doing with it. But wouldn’t your parents question your spending or what you were doing with your life at some point?
International fans:
I hope anyone who plans to go to Korea for a concert/fanmeet (but I hope you also go to look at the city than just to see your oppa’s and unni’s etc.), that you be careful especially if you cannot speak a word of Korean. Now we know that sasaeng fans try to manipulate and bully international fans, I know I would take extra care if I wanted to see where an entertainment company building was but I know I would never go to a K-Pop concert in Korea knowing the intentions of a sasaeng fan.
I hope fans in the UK never do this. Better yet, any international fans should not become a sasaeng fan no matter how much we want to know more about our idols. We have better things to do with our lives than to spend them all day on the computer finding every bit of information that gets posted. People are becoming too obsessed with recognition of original posting as well which has led to watermarks on pictures and videos to international fans and some Korean fans even starting to restrict international fans of getting newer pictures out.
In fact, where are the idols human rights to this? Do these sasaeng fans care anything about their idols at all? Would they like to be stalked 24/7? Where is the protection their companies should be providing them with e.g. bodyguards? Or possibly shouldn’t the government do something about since they use K-Pop to boost their economy and attract tourists?
Source: NyNyOnline
