Clearly, by the title, I like k-pop. I’ve only started following it for about a year, but since then, I’ve noticed a lot of good things about it―but also a lot of bad things. Let me start by listing the bad things.

1) The companies are really toxic. What I mean by that is, the k-pop groups under many companies are often mistreated. They are forced to go on diets, they will be shamed if they don’t measure up to the beauty levels, and they face a lot of pressure to adhere to the company standards. Often, idols are mistreated, overworked, and not paid what they deserve.
2) The idols themselves get a lot of hate. This is pretty much standard for all celebrities, but with idols, I feel like there is an even greater amount of expectations on them. For example, idols often aren’t allowed to date, especially once they debut, but once they are, the fans themselves get in the way of their personal lives. Idols are expected to be, well, idols―perfect in every way, exemplifying values and holding up standards that are often too much. 
3) Fans are ridiculously toxic. Again, the dating thing. Many of them will not let the idol live their personal lives. They will criticize the one member of the group that does not fit their requirements. They will hate on other groups, artists, and even fans. They will poke their noses into places where they do not belong. They are, in fact, stir-crazy, and a lot of them have nothing better to do. They will center their whole lives around idols and pay attention to their own careers, personality development, education, etc.
4) The entire industry is a facade. The glitz and glitter you see on the outside? The smiles on their faces and laughter in a show? While the idols may put on a happy face, inside, they could be dealing with copious amounts of pressure. After all, they’ve made a career out of singing, dancing, rapping, and generally looking good―it could all be over with one wrong move. There are even cases of suicide and depression for the idols, and not enough maintenance of their mental health. While they may seem like they are living the good life, they are in reality on a tightrope, miles above the ground, with no safety net.
5) Being too invested in an idol or a group sets you up for disappointment. You don’t personally know these idols! While you think that they are perfect and can do no wrong, the instant they do something you don’t like, then that will be on your mind for days. You will feel extreme emotions that stem from your disappointment. Not only are these high expectations bad for the idol, they’re also bad for a stan. One of my friends is an ARMY―she loves BTS and K-pop in general. So when BTS’s song “Dynamite” came out, my friend thought at one point that they were saying the F-word, and she hated BTS for months afterward. However, when she found out that hadn’t used the F-word, she became happy again. You see the problem here, right? She based her entire happiness on BTS. If I said a bad word, would she hate me? But if BTS does, she loses it. One bad thing about them, and boom! Your game is thrown off.
These are only a few reasons why I think that K-pop is not the greatest thing. However . . .

This is why I like K-pop:

1) I love their music. People often say that K-pop is just a bunch of people singing and dancing, and that they don’t have any real talent. I would disagree. After all, it takes talent to even do one of those successfully―much less both at the same time. Besides, many idols can play instruments, and many also produce their own songs. Plus, idols’ voices are just as good as their counterparts. Their songs are also very addictive for me. I love the beats, the voices, the little hidden notes I find in the music―I love all of it. People don’t realize how good K-pop artists are because they’ve never given them a chance. They’ve been written off as a bunch of pretty faces that only hormonal teens will like. Many don’t realize that fans aren’t just hormonal teens, and their music is genuinely good, for those who are into pop music and the like. 
2) The relationships between the members of a group are priceless. There are friendships, and then there are friendships. There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother, and I think that many relationships in K-pop groups are the very epitome of that. As an introverted, shy person, I think that their friendships are very enviable. I struggle to connect with people, and it makes me really happy to see that it is possible. And as someone who’s tired of seeing romantic relationships portrayed in pop culture, I really like that friendships can just be friendship without having it needing to be romantic (although many stans will disagree with me).
3) Idols are also people. This point might clash with point four in the first list, but for me, the magic is in not seeing the flawless performances or the cut and dry steps, but the hard work put into each song and the mistakes that come anyway. I like knowing that while someone might seem perfect, they are humans, just like us, and if I try hard enough, I can also achieve that state of working success. Not to be like them, but to understand them more and also live my life, while knowing that they are living theirs, and be at peace.
4) K-pop is just like any other escape. After a hard day of school and work and chores, I just want to wind down by listening to my favorite songs, or watching some of my favorite K-pop videos. I love that idols are funny―to me, at least, and to other stans. A non K-pop stan will just look at me like I’m crazy. But I like that I also form a bond with the idol or group, because they saved me from a lot of hard times, with their laughter and music and games. Just like following other celebrities.
5) It’s for my enjoyment. Once I start, I can’t stop. It’s addictive, so at worst, it’s a distraction, but at best, it’s something that I can relate with and fangirl over and be in awe of them―like a good book. Some idols are just so charming and charismatic that you can’t help but like them, no matter their songs. Some songs are just so good that you can’t help but like them, no matter the idol. It’s fifty-fifty. 

So . . . yeah. This is why I love K-pop: it’s a personal experience. And you don’t have to, because there are many undesirable things about that I didn’t even mention. You don’t have to like idols, but you do have to respect them, because they are human, and every human deserves respect. You can disagree with them, their music, and everything they do, but just keep in mind―they’re just trying to live their dream, like I’m trying to live my life, and you’re trying to live yours.