When I tell people that I listen to K-Pop, I am guaranteed to get either one of the following three reactions: “What even is that?” “How do you understand what they’re saying?” or, my personal favorite, “So, are you, like, into Asians then?” And as much as I would like to take offense to all of those responses, I know better than to do so, because more than likely they come from a place of ignorance, and that is always something that should be first addressed with education instead of anger.

Still, even as I try to explain that my interest is really not as strange as many assume, I am still confronted with a puzzled look and, much to my surprise, disapproval. Lately, as I meet new people and form new bonds, I find myself avoiding sharing my music taste and instead opting to keep it a secret, so as to allow them to form an opinion on me without pre-conceived notions. But lately, as I look towards my future and the new journey I'm entering as I go into college, I don't want to do that anymore. K-Pop is something that I sincerely love and am not ashamed of, and I wish to take some of the stigma away from it.

The term “K-Pop” refers to the pop music industry of South Korea. Over recent years, the K-Pop world has boomed, and has exploded into international markets and gained a huge following of international fans. In fact, due to the influence of such people, K-Pop group BTS attended the 2017 Billboard Music Awards and even won an award, the first K-Pop group to win at an American award show in history. I’m proud to say I’m one of those international fans to make that happen.

K-Pop, to me, is an enjoyable hobby, and it’s exceedingly interesting to explore and learn about the cultural differences between what I’ve known as an American having experienced American pop culture and the industry in South Korea. Since April of 2016, I’ve had the pleasure of keeping up with the K-Pop world, and, though I’m by no means an expert, I’ve learned a lot about an aspect of a culture I previously knew nothing about, which I think is a very cool thing within itself.

No, I don’t speak Korean, and I don’t necessarily understand the words of the songs I listen to, but I don’t need to; there are millions of wonderful people in the world that I’m endlessly grateful for who provide translations for me, giving me access to many things that have brought me a lot of joy. In this age of technology, appreciating a foreign culture is only a few simple clicks away.

For some inexplicable reason, most Americans seem to have an aversion to enjoying entertainment sources that aren’t in English, and that kind of mindset is so narrow and limiting. There is quite literally a whole world of amazing movies, songs, and tv shows that many miss out on simply because they’re in another language. Some of the best songs and movies I’ve ever seen, I comprehended through subtitles. It’s 2017, people--there are English translations for just about anything nowadays. A language barrier is simply not a viable excuse. More than that, a truly good song doesn’t need to be understood to be appreciated; I’ve found that those who think otherwise are the very same people who don’t speak Spanish, yet turn up “Despacito” when it comes on the radio.

The K-Pop industry is arguably harder and more cutthroat than even its American counterpart. Idols, as K-Pop artists are called, train for years before they ever even step foot on a stage, and oftentimes face a lot of trials and tribulations before they begin to reap the rewards of their careers. With every new era and release of a new song, they spend countless hours learning and perfecting routines, all while recording and preparing to promote, and frequently go long periods of time without seeing their families. On the outside, it seems glamorous, and the end results surely are, but it takes more than just talent--it requires a lot of dedication and energy, too. K-Pop idols also put a lot of effort into what is called fanservice, which is essentially interacting with fans through many different means, both in-person and digitally. In between the chaos of performing, practicing, and other activities, idols spend time on social media, going to fansigns, and in general, giving back to their fans. Knowing the amount of work they put forth makes being a K-Pop fan that much easier: it is a bonus to not only be treated to fantastic music and performances, but to know that the people behind them are truly working hard for their fans who support them.

Ultimately, I am just a normal American girl, and you’ll still find Drake and Beyonce in my music library, but you’re going to find some Red Velvet and BTS as well. I strive to live my life experiencing and appreciating as many things as possible, and my love of K-Pop is no different. My music habits don’t reflect my character, and I shouldn’t have to feel embarrassment over delighting in something that makes me happy. And so I request that if you haven't yet, give K-Pop, or perhaps another song in a foreign language a chance. Odds are, you aren’t going to regret it. I know that I don’t.