Being in the K-Pop fandom as long as I have, you begin to accumulate your favorite idol groups and solo artists and soon you have found yourself down the rabbit hole known as multifandom. You are always being fed by your favorites with comebacks, photos, and music videos. What I began to learn is that multifandomness is more common in the International K-Pop fandoms than it is in South Korea. Being a multifan, you find yourself in some of the most interesting situations within the K-Pop fandom and come out of it with fondness that reminds you of why you love so many of these groups in the first place.

“Why do all my favorites come back at the same time? Do they not consult a calendar?”

Boy, do I feel this EVERY YEAR, especially this fall with the back-to-back releases from my favorites AND coming at the end of the major concert season. My wallet never gets a break. However, do not feel guilty if you cannot support all of your favorites in the same way. My go-to is usually buy one group’s album right away and then come back for the others. If there isn’t a physical album release, then go stream their videos. Stream once or 50 times, it is up to you how you want to go about it. It doesn’t matter if you can’t buy every group’s album or stream for hours a day. Every fan supports their faves in any way they can. It doesn’t mean you love them any less.

“I do not understand when fandoms fight… All the groups are good in their own right. It’s exhausting seeing fans from two of my favorite groups arguing over who is better. I can’t take a side, I love them both.”

Well, I have been a K-Pop fan for almost 10 years now and let me tell you, fandoms will always find something to argue about. I won’t mention any groups here, but my best advice is to know that the few who create the drama do not represent the whole of the fandom. I have been stuck in the middle of many fanwars as a member of both fandoms and at that point, it is better to just stay out of the war completely. It will save you a lot of heartache.

“I keep finding more groups to stan… Someone help me.”

We all feel like this sometimes. I have told myself time and time again that “this is the LAST GROUP,” and then the next month a new idol team will debut and I’m hooked just like it was the very first group. It is okay to be sprung over a new group; South Korea has so many talented idol teams who all deserve to be showered with love and affection.

“I do not understand how some people only stan one group.”

This is another thing I have questioned myself; however, do not let these people kill your vibe. Everyone is allowed to love their own sound. Just remember to be respectful of everyone's favorites, even if they are not your own. Like I mentioned, all of these talented idol teams deserve to have loving and adoring fans.

Conclusion

Being a multi-fan can be a drain on your wallet, your time, and even sometimes your energy. Wanting to support your favorites is always a good thing, just remember at the end of the day to take care of yourself and to make smart choices that fit your current situation.