I started to listen to BigBang around 2008 when Haru Haru came out. I was introduced to the song by a friend. I really didn’t pay attention to Kpop at the time and didn’t even know that it was this whole big thing back then. After listening to them for a year or so, I had stopped and moved on to other genres of music to listen to, since my mood for music changes often.

I didn’t listen to Kpop for another few years until around 2013/2014. I was browsing YouTube and stumbled upon the Girls Day/Boys Day performance of “Something.” At first I was really confused thinking “Why the heck are they making boys dress up in long dresses with feathers on their pinky fingers and dance seductively?” I got more intrigued and ended up looking up other performances of this song realizing that was just a special instance.

At the same time I learned of the different daily music awards shows they had, realizing that Kpop was a whole big industry in Korea. This really piqued my interest. Learning that groups make multiple comebacks a year with LPs, EPs, mini-albums, full albums; there’s fandom names for each group; there’s meet & greets and fan signings; there’s lightsticks; fan chants; point moves in choreography; variety shows with idol appearances. Finding all this out and more, I ended up just digging myself into a bigger rabbit hole that is Kpop. I was pulled into the whole charm of detail and dedication of it all, for lack of better words, just because of one YouTube video.

I have been listening to Kpop ever since but I admit I briefly took a break when news started coming out that many third generation groups I followed were either breaking up or having members leave. And I didn’t really pay attention to fourth gen groups as they started debuting. Today I still listen to some singles here and there, watch some variety shows and continue supporting some third gen groups that are still around.