WHAT K-POP MEANS TO ME

  • Masego’s Story: Learning to Love Myself Through K-pop

    Masego’s Story: Learning to Love Myself Through K-pop

    One thing K-pop has done in my life is to change it. I was going through a lot of depression and decided that I was useless in this world. I felt alone and saw that no one really cared about me. Bad thoughts and anxiety just crowded my mind every day and night. I felt…


  • Jesy B’s Story: A Journey of Self Discovery

    Jesy B’s Story: A Journey of Self Discovery

    When I was younger, every single member of my family plus cousins had something they loved and were known for loving. Everyone else had someone with whom they would talk and share secrets because they had one thing they loved in common thus I was always left out. At family gatherings, in the living room,…


  • Michael’s Story: How K-pop Saved My Life

    Michael’s Story: How K-pop Saved My Life

    K-pop has truly changed my life. As a queer person, you are different from the rest of the people in the crowd, and that can be really tough. However, I found K-pop at a time when I was in a really dark place, and it has made me the person I am today. The love…


  • Louisana’s Story: Joy and Fulfilment Through K-pop

    Louisana’s Story: Joy and Fulfilment Through K-pop

    I was introduced to K-pop around 2019 but I wasn’t deeply committed, meaning I didn’t hate it but I didn’t like it enough. I also started watching K-dramas and Korean TV shows around 2019. But around 2023 I started getting involved in K-pop so much and I got tons of K-pop merch too. I discovered…


  • Ine’s Story: Discovering Meaning and Finding Hope

    Ine’s Story: Discovering Meaning and Finding Hope

    I was in a dark place before I found K-pop. I felt as if my life had no meaning and nobody cared about me. Then in 2020, I saw one of the Stray Kids’ members (Felix) and my life completely turned around. I became a happier person and I now stan over 5 groups and…


  • Vee’s Story: Solace in BTS

    Vee’s Story: Solace in BTS

    To me, K-pop means BTS. They have been my safe haven. They have been helping me find myself and figure out things I didn’t know about myself before. Their music is like a balm for all the wounds that I have. Kim Namjoon, the leader of BTS, once said to love yourself and speak yourself…


  • Rethabile’s Story: Finding Inspiration Through K-pop

    Rethabile’s Story: Finding Inspiration Through K-pop

    To me, K-pop means freedom. Because of how they acknowledge everyone it makes me feel free to be who I am. As a BTS stan the Love Yourself era was the most impactful for me. I never really took the love yourself agenda seriously until I discovered BTS in late 2019. With BTS I managed…


  • NATASHA’S STORY: WHY BTS MEANS THE WORLD TO ME

    NATASHA’S STORY: WHY BTS MEANS THE WORLD TO ME

    I ❤️love BTS for what they stand for and believe in. I admire them for being so courageous and standing together to overcome all their struggles and criticism when they started out. Although there are still so many who are envious and jealous of them and want them to fail, they still persevere and come…


  • NONTI’S STORY: FINDING JOY THROUGH K-POP

    NONTI’S STORY: FINDING JOY THROUGH K-POP

    What K-pop means to me: K-pop is a means to escape my daily life of heartache and disappointment. It shows that there is a whole other world of positivity and happiness out there. While mainstream and Western pop culture sells sex and partying, K-pop sells love and optimism and teaches us that being different from…


  • QAQAMBA’S STORY: HEALING THROUGH K-POP

    QAQAMBA’S STORY: HEALING THROUGH K-POP

    K-pop has made me such a better person than before. Originally I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety but ever since I found K-pop I feel so much happier I feel like I have a reason to be excited every day. It really helps to know that K-pop idols still do what they do even…