"No to KPOP" and "Yes to OPM": a very untimely reaction and reflection post

The title of this post is self-explanatory, though it might be a misleading title in the latter part of this post. I assure you that this is neither a hate or love post. This is a reaction and reflection post.

Last May 27, 2014 the twitter world was shaken by the top worldwide trend. "No to KPOP," it said. What made this incident more interesting was the fact that "Yes to OPM (Original Pinoy Music)" also trended.

Screenshot of the moment when both topics trended worldwide in twitter.
image source: HelloKpop

Q: How did it really start?
A: Apparently (after reading some discussions on online communities), the topic only became a trend due to the Kpop fans reacting to the original tweet that started the topic. Well, you can guess that the reaction was unanimously negative. There are many Kpop fans in the world and, rather, it would be strange if there wasn't any negative reaction at all. In other words, the angry/reactive Kpop fans were the ones who made it a worldwide trend.
Q: Was it started by a Filipino?
A: The original tweet was by a self-proclaimed Filipino artist (dancer and rapper). Regarding his identity, however, I had no means of verifying his claims. There wasn't any trusted information about this person from a trusted website Wikipedia.

No to KPOP. Yes to OPM. Filipino ka di ka Koreano, wag kang feeling.
— Instagram:fafakelvin (@fafakelvin) May 27, 2014

The original tweet. The source of all conflict that day. The text says "No to Kpop. Yes to OPM. You're a Filipino, not a Korean. Don't be feeling [don't act as if you're Korean]"

To be honest, I wasn't really offended by this tweet. Both Kpop and OPM are general terms of the two worlds of music: the group of music originating from Korea; and the group of music originating from the Philippines. These terms are not very genre-strict.

I enjoy both types of music, but not as much as to the extent that I can call myself a Kpop fan or a OPM fan. I'm just not that crazy over those two music. (I find Japanese music the most enjoyable and I can say I am a fan of Japanese music.) To support this claim of mine, I only listen to a limited number of Korean and Filipino artists.

And people cannot just order others to stop loving something just because others are not from the country of origination of that something. Our likes and dislikes today aren't defined by geographical boundaries like land borders and seas or oceans. In this globalization era, It is just so wrong to give these orders (some were taken from other users' tweets):
- Don't speak English because you're not American/British/Australian
- Don't drink earl grey tea, because you're not British
- Don't watch Hollywood movies, because you're not American
- Don't practice Kung Fu/Wu Shu, because you're not Chinese
- Don't eat pastries, because you're not French
- Don't eat pasta or pizza, because you're not Italian

What I found embarrassing in this mess was that a Filipino started this tweet war. Thankfully, he had the humility to apologize to all he had offended:

To EXO supporters, I apologize for calling you *fantards* Nadala lang ako ng galit sa mga mentions sken.
— Instagram:fafakelvin (@fafakelvin) May 28, 2014

[I am also an EXOstan and I have my own bias. But hey, don't equate an EXOstan automatically to a Kpop fan. I don't readily listen to the other Korean artists. Let me support my position. A Kpop fan is someone who listens to the music maaaaany, like more than 10, Korean solo or group artists on a regular basis.]

Take time to read this :) #SorryKPOPFans #YesToPeaceAndLove :) pic.twitter.com/0X0wYmh7DD
— Instagram:fafakelvin (@fafakelvin) May 28, 2014

In the end, he still stood up for his opinion while apologizing for any offense he had done, and that itself is respectable. It wasn't all his fault. Some of the Kpop fans who were violently reacting were also at fault. By acknowledging the faults of the two sides, I hope this love and peace throughout the world will live on.

I also hope that with this incident, anyone will think twice before bashing or putting Kpop into the wrong by tweeting, 'cause a tweet can't be taken back once it goes out. Moreover, music tastes shouldn't be criticized because music is the entertainment and pleasure that is closest to the hearts of many. This is more so than ever because of the globalization of the music scene. Some may love foreign music, while others may hate it. Kpop is recognized throughout the world and OPM may be acknowledged in the future.


Ciao,
miharusshi (みはる씨)