Thread by @sweetbtstea

THREAD: "Toxic Traps BTS Avoided Thanks To A Healthy Fandom"

(By A *NARROW* Poll Vote!)

First, so sorry for the delay on this! As I said before, I had this done yesterday and then it got deleted. Ugh. And the late post is due to having a very busy night. But I do my best to be a woman of my word. 🧐 Anyway, on with the thread!

INTRODUCTION

A large, healthy fandom is the foundation of a long-lasting career. Only a sucker bets everything on the never-ending love and attention span of the general public without reaching "sweetheart" status.

https://twitter.com/sweetbtstea/status/1095504946013847552

What makes a fandom "healthy?" In my opinion, there are a few common qualities:

(1) an active fandom core, the larger the better
(2) fandom members who are frequently engaged
(3) relatively low in-fighting and high cooperation

(4) the fandom isn't bleeding fans, seeing a large exodus, or experiencing a high turnover rate.

(5) fans are generally enthusiastic about the fandom, group, and the music

I could go into greater detail about what makes a fandom "healthy" (and it might be a thread in the future), but the point is that there are certain important qualities that allow fandoms to function optimally.

I will say ARMY currently fits my bill as a healthy fandom:

+ actively engaged fandom core
+ general willingness to set goals and cooperate to meet them
+ fandom continues to grow, high retention rate
+ enthusiasm for music and future projects remains strong

Because ARMY is a very large and healthy fandom, there are a number of toxic traps BTS was able to avoid. This thread will explore a few of them.

1. The "Crippling Debt of a Failed Group" Trap

There are probably other factors here such as sensible money management, good accounting, and a reasonable contract, but the reality is there'd be little to no money to consider without a fandom that PAYS.

Despite the fact that the Korean idol industry is flooded, most idols do not make much, if any money. They remain on the hook for years of training, housing, as well as expenses related to food and clothing even if their debut goes belly up.

sbs.com.au/popasia/blog/2…

In the biggest market (US), things are just as grim, if not worse. Many naive pop stars in recent years have signed so-called "360 deals" which often leave artists with very little earnings, the vast majority getting sucked up by their labels.

On 360 deals:

songtrust.com/music-publishi….

ARMYs protective nature combined with our tremendous buying power has helped BTS members negotiate from a position of strength rather than one of weakness and massive debt.

2. The "Bossed-Around-By-Entitled-Fans" Trap

The fact that there are people who feel that buying music or concert tickets means they're purchasing a pound of flesh is disturbing.

It's very creepy how, even with older members of long-standing idol groups, "fans" feel such a level of ownership.

Such behavior creates resentment towards these fans. One the one hand the group/artist/idol can't afford to offend them for fear of abandonment and harassment.

On the other, it's very unlikely there's any real mutual respect. The fans are being used for money and fame and the group/artist/idol is getting used as an object upon which fantasies are projected.

Neither side REALLY loves, understands, or respects the other.

ARMY and BTS function like a team because teamwork is at the heart of how we operate. If ARMY were all about BTS as stand-in boyfriends and objects we own, then we'd probably struggle to meet goals, and our motivations would certainly be off as well.

3. The Xenophobe Trap

Lastly for the purpose of this thread is the xenophobe trap. No, I'm NOT talking about the racist industry gatekeepers trying to block BTS from getting ahead.

I mean the belief among many supposed i-fans of K-groups that they DON'T belong in the West.

If ARMY subscribed to this belief system, BTS would certainly not be where they are today.

That others DO follow this line of thinking is the main reason why other "fresh faces" go nowhere. And it's not a problem that's ever been addressed because many don't see it as a problem.

I could theorize forever about why there's so much inherent xenophobia among Western K-pop fans to the point where they trot out "Western validation" to justify ignoring the efforts of groups and companies who OBVIOUSLY want to succeed internationally.

But it's not my business!

Instead, I'll say ARMY works hard to maintain relationships across various nationalities, ethnicities, and though we don't always get along, we WILL put aside our differences for BTS and helping to maintain their worldwide fame as best as we can as a fandom. 👍🏾

CONCLUSION: TRAPS ARE PLENTIFUL, BUT DEVOTED AND COMPETENT FANDOMS ARE RARE!

Not to frighten you, but it's ALWAYS possible for ARMY to morph into a monstrosity that achieves nothing outside of constant in-fighting or attempting to normalize delulu and entitled behaviors.

As long as the core of the fandom is reasonable, intelligent, and actively engaged, we can continue to function well. There will always be toxic factions looking to push such people out of the fandom in order to make harmful behaviors and attitudes the norm.

QUESTION TIME!
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There are all sorts of toxic traps that BTS avoided by having ARMY be a fandom that's hard-working, devoted, and cooperative.

Aside from what's mentioned here, what would you consider toxic traps that BTS managed to avoid?