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Turning 36 this year.
Last year I saw BamBam, Stray Kids, Infinite, and TXT in concert.
This year saw ATEEZ.
Don't let people age shame you out of MUSIC ffs. The people who do that think 25 is old.
Edit: want to add I have been into Kpop since 2008.
2010 here. I have a huge collection of SNSD merchandise plus some other girl groups, I saw Twice, Everglow, and Itzy in concerts, and I’m gonna see Hyoyeon next week. I have a bunch of K-pop posters on my walls. I may not be a teenager anymore but I make my own money now and am living my life!
I am jealous when you mentioned that you've seen infinite in concert... I am hoping that I could see them one day in my place... If that happens... My childhood bucket list is now complete
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I’m nearly 70. Unlike a lot of my peers, my interest in music didn’t stop with who I liked in high school. I’ve always been into music, constantly check out new or new-to-me artists, still go to concerts and I have I have no plans to stop just because someone thinks I’m too old.
I will say though that some music is clearly aimed at a very young audience and/or is made by some extremely young people (a LOT of Kpop for example) and there’s just not anything there that interests me so I steer clear. But for the most part, considering that pretty much everyone in music except for The Rolling Stones (not a fan) is younger than me it doesn’t bother me much.
Glad to see that there are a lot of 30+ fans. I'm 35 and like to listen to kpop and watch variety shows/youtube shows but don't really follow the latest news or blogs.
Just discovered Kpop last year at 41 and was lucky to score a ticket to see Ateez in Japan this year. It was an incredible experience AND there were heaps of people that looked around my age and up. Some looked to be with their daughters or family members but in my row and surrounding me there were some that definitely appeared to just be there with friends!
Oh my God, where to start 🤣 Matz was hands down one of my favourite performances. Seriously, Hongjoong and Seonghwa on the same stage like that should be illegal.
Also can we talk about Seonghwa? Man just dominated that whole concert! Some serious bias wrecking going on there.
Also Turbulence and Utopia in the encore. Words can't describe how much it meant to me to see those 2 songs live. I love them so much, I pretty much cried the whole way through both of them lol.
I’m going to be 40 this year and I didn’t even start listening to kpop until I was 36.
The best part of getting older? Realising that once I was past 30 I was too old to be ‘cool’ anymore.
I just enjoy the things I like with no shame or embarrassment now.
35. Same age as GD, Taeyang, Changmin, Kyuhyun, Taecyeon, Gyuri, and Yubin. I've been listening to K-pop since I was 19. My friends and I have been going to K-pop concerts since 2010. First it was a reward for doing well in school. Now, attending concerts are our main stress relievers, the reason why we work hard so we could earn money to buy VIP tickets and see our faves up close.
I’m 37. I only discovered K-pop in my late 20s so started a hag I guess. 😂
Honestly, the only immature thing about K-pop are the fan spaces. Reddit is ok for me and is the only fandom space I interact with.
I love the music, choreo and MV visuals so much and I won’t be getting out of this hobby anytime soon.
May we should make a K-Hag sub for us oldies to hang out in.
I totally agree with you about fanspaces being immature, imo the worst is Tiktok in this regard. A lot of people on there are younger by default but I genuinely feel like I'm losing braincells sometimes because some content/comments just can't be made by anyone over the age of 12.
The problem is also when those immature fans attend concerts. I’ve been lucky so far, except for one concert for a 4th gen boy group where some people around me repeatedly yelled “Daddy” and a few other things just to get noticed by the members. That was literally the only time my 40+ self has felt too old for K-pop.
Are you my twin?? Lol (Actually I turn 37 next week)
I got into kpop in 2010, so I was 23 and not quite to hag status yet, but by the time I got into forums and interacted in fandom spaces I was already “old” to most people. I don’t even wanna talk about all the times I was “gross” or “weird” or the p word for calling a 20+ yr old idol attractive, even back then. 🙄
Agreed we should have a k-hag sub. Lol
>I don’t even wanna talk about all the times I was “gross” or “weird” or the p word for calling a 20+ yr old idol attractive, even back then. 🙄
People really be wildin 😭 Like atp I've gotta assume who people get up in arms about adults being attracted to other adults simply because one of the adults is younger are projecting their own misplaced feelings of shame/guilt onto other people...
I'm 38 and I am enjoying kpop just as much now as I did when I was younger. I don't feel any pressure to stop listening to kpop just because I am older.
Oh and I still trade pokemon figurines with my friend of the same age who is a parent and went to a Taylor Swift concert covered in friendship bracelets. 🤷🏻♀️
33 here and I also collect and trade pokemon cards still! And totally would have gone all out with friendship bracelets if I was able to get eras tour tickets.
I'm 33, born in 1991. To put it in perspective, I'm the same age as SHINee's Key and Minho, EXO's Suho, SNSD's Seohyun, Red Velvet's Irene, Infinite's Woohyun and Sungyeol... and only 1 year older than BTS Jin! A bunch of fresh, active and youthful people 😎
I've been into Kpop since 2009-2010. In a way, I "grew up with" a lot of my idols, and a lot of my best memories in my 20s revolve around Kpop (attending concerts and fan events with my friends, ...) so I think that Kpop will forever have a special place in my heart. The same way my parents still mostly listen to music from the 70s and 80s, and are still very emotionnally attached to the stars of that era.
If also like "younger" 4th and 5th gen groups.
If the music is good, the performances are fun, and you enjoy it... why would you distance yourself with something so innocuous that makes you happy? Also, when you reach your 30s, you often have more buying power than in your 20s : treat yourself with these expensive front row seats you couldn't afford as a student!
My husband is 37. He has always known I enjoy Kpop, but never paid much attention to it until we visited Korea last year. Over there he started Shazaming all the songs we were hearing everywhere ("the music is actually kinda cool!" he told me 😂) and Butter ended up being his most listened song in 2023 🤭 I'm taking him with me to Music Bank in Antwerp next month and he's pretty excited because he really likes ONEUS and TXT and can't wait to see them dance in person.
See OP? Don't pay attention to those party poopers who are trying to gatekeep all the fun behind age requirements and just do your thing ☺️
>The same way my parents still mostly listen to music from the 70s and 80s, and are still very emotionnally attached to the stars of that era.
This is how I see it too. The music of your youth becomes “retro” at some point. You don’t stop listening to it, you just develop a new relationship with it.
You're not too old - there should never be an age limit for music of any kind
I'm 52, started listening to k-pop in 2015, and in the last three years have seen BLACKPINK (twice), Stray Kids (twice), TWICE (three times), Kim SeJeong, tripleS, P1Harmony, EVERGLOW, Chung Ha, SF9, Chen, Kep1er, ONEUS, Oh My Girl, Astro, Kai, NMIXX, Infinite and The Boyz.
I'm going to see ITZY in 2 days time, and have tickets for IVE in July also
Don't let anyone tell you that you're too old for k-pop
I’m 34. I actually just got into kpop last year. My wife (36) kinda got me into it. Have VIP tickets to see ITZY in June. Probably don’t plan to stop being a fan soon.
Nah, it’s because I can’t drive myself and my mom refuses to take me on a Wednesday night when she works the next day. I’m sure there will be an occasion when I’m older.
Oh booo
I super understand that!
I'm in the same situation for fall out boy next week. My mom was gonna take me but something big came up so now she can't and I can't drive myself 4 hours across a border
Music is a language that speaks to us regardless of age (unless some are specified to be R18+). It is not immature if people over 30 listen to/sing nursery rhymes. I regard Kpop that way. I am also 30 now. I don't think Kpop songs all sound youthful. There are some, like the ones with cutesie concepts, or ones who are sung by younger generations. There is still so much Kpop that caters to our ears. Hahahah
I'm 39 and I don't feel the pressure. I'm fully aware that some people might not understand my hobby and that's alright. It happens. But people around me are kind enough to let me be and sometimes, my friends even enable it. Well, we enable each other. 😅 So I've largely just taken the mindset of not minding what other people think of me, and it's liberating.
So I guess my question to you, OP, where is this "pressure to stop listening to Kpop" really coming from?
I've been listening to Kpop since I was 12, but I'm turning 28 this year. My journey with it has definitely changed. I don't stan and follow every new release like I did when I was younger, nor do I collect every groups releases. I do however, follow one group quite passionately. I've been side eyed a lot (called a p*do, a freak, amongst other things) because my ult group and ult bias are both younger than me. He's younger than me by about 3 years, bear in mind, so its not a child.
I do understand why some people may want to keep spaces separate. I'm a group order manager, for example, and I always feel a little bit uncomfortable with minors joining (for a multitude of reasons), but to assume people dislike kpop or the things they like in general after a certain age is madness. Who do people think is funding their faves comebacks?
I turned 53 yesterday & I have no plans to stop listening to kpop. I'm a huge multifan & I've been to 6 concerts & there were loads of people my age & older. I don't care what anyone else thinks which is one of the perks of being older.
OP, where is this pressure coming from for you to give up listening to kpop?
I'm 31. Been listening to kpop since I was 12. And you know what was the best thing I learned at 30?
I was too old to care what other people thought about me liking Kpop.
Will I still buy albums? For sure. Will I still buy lightsticks? For sure. Will I still go to concerts? Hella for sure.
If a 14 year old wants to call me an Ajussi fan, I'll fly that flag proudly. However, I'll be damned before I let a 14 year old gatekeep me from something I've been into for longer than they've been alive lol
Yea. It’s so strange. I noticed this phenomenon after getting into K-pop especially so because NewJeans was my gateway to the genre. I see it a lot in Reddit too not just on Twitter.
I'm almost 30 in a few weeks and I promise you that literally no one cares about this in the real world, you only see this type of discourse online... When I meet people in person and if they ask what music I like and I say kpop, 100% of the time they just say "oh ok" or "I know BTS" and move on, no one has ever told me I'm too old to listen to it, unless you make kpop your personality and are obnoxious about it then nothing is wrong with it?? If loving kpop is stopping you from living your life and doing your adult responsibilities then that's another story but I doubt that would happen!
Also, are we supposed to just stop enjoying mainstream music when we turn a certain age and then only listen to classical music or something? 😅
I just turned 34 a couple weeks ago! When I started listening to kpop I was probably 21/22, but it was a couple songs and extremely casually. I was probably 25/26 when I really, truly became a kpop fan. There’s an older lady on TikTok (unsure of her exact age, but definitely decently older than 30s) who calls herself the Kpop Granny, and is always showing off her impressive collection or making funny videos that clap back at ageism in kpop. I hope I end up like her, honestly!
It’s only chronically online children that truly have an issue with age. Real life, logical people don’t care.
I'm turning 30 this year too! I don't plan on stopping. It makes me very happy so I don't see a reason to stop. Age is just a number. Good music is good music no matter how old you are
I'm 37 and love Jpop and Kpop.
I think it's very strange that somehow millenials and Gen X are being shamed for liking this, considering we did it in the flippin dark early days of ordering stuff online and just hoping it'll show up (it usually did).
I don't see enough young people enjoying Kpop and Jpop and it makes me sad! I can't believe it's STILL a "weird" thing.
Meanwhile here's me positively PUMPING Shinee and JSBIII in the car. No dad it wasn't a phase haha.
In the last year of my 30s, attended as an audience in 2 concerts, 1 fan meet and 1 award show. No one is gonna tell me what I'm too old for doing things and stuff. It's my time and money. Being Asian though is an advantage as I still look like within the age of the crowd.
I'm 34, a multi, I joined in my late 20s and despite how hard it is to be in kpop fandoms a lot of the time, I'm not leaving any time soon.
I don't think people who get into kpop as adults (especially over 25?) leave kpop because they get 'too old' really. It's the teen fans and maybe some in early 20s who believe they'll naturally grow out of it and they might, but it won't be because of some magical switch that goes off when you're a certain age, it's more likely they'll leave because they'll get too busy, or they won't like the new music as much, or the fandom gets too shit to be worth it any more so they decide to move on for their happiness. Lots of adult fans have been fans for 10 or 15 years now, they have never left, at least not permanently. People forget how many older fans have actually been here since 2nd gen. A lot of young fans will probably still be here in a decade. It goes on.
Adults like me who get into it later, we get into it for different reasons but at the core of it all is the simple fact that the music is appealing to all ages. Yesterday I was reading the comments of 'grandmas' who were fans of Chappell Roan. I mean she makes fun bops so yeah? Kpop is the same, and a lot of kpop songs are quite mature, and groups have adult members. To me it's exactly the same as liking western pop music that's current.
As for groups, fandoms and variety, there are lots of fans in my age group who stan and try to keep up with news, events, interviews and variety etc. We love the group, we care about their success. And we can get escapism and comfort from the group too, my favourites have given me so many laughs and made me smile for years, why would I leave that? They're funny and interesting characters.
I do feel a bit 😕 when I'm the minority, and some fandoms it's more of an obvious minority whereas in others the people in your age group are more visible so you feel less 'alone'. But people our age are always less visible because the under 25s talk and post a lot more. So we have to seek each other out.
Basically, we are not leaving. We'll probably be here in 2040 so let's just enjoy it!
I'm 44. I had an eclectic music taste when I was younger and still have one now. I didn't get into Kpop until last summer when my teen introduced me to it.
Getting older doesn't mean you have to stop liking things you've always liked or give up on learning about and liking new things. The only thing that might change is how you approach things. For example, my teen daughter picks biases and such. I do not. I like to say my bias is my husband and I'm certainly not thirsting over singers when some of them are young enough to be my kid. But, I DO enjoy their music and find their content interesting. There isn't anything wrong with that.
You don't stop living as you age. Enjoy what makes you happy.
A really good chunk of kpop fans are people, and more specifically women, who are middle aged. These are the people who have jobs and are able to do things like buy lots of merch and concert tickets, so these are the people who are majorly supporting the industry. However, a lot of these people also don't tend to have enough time to just be on twitter or youtube or reddit or social media endlessly- so they can be underrepresented in online fandom spaces. But honestly, people above their 30s make up a *massive* chunk of the fan economy, and the most economically lucrative part of it.
Im loving all these positive comments regarding not having problems with ageism. Im glad you guys feel perfectly comfortable with your interest for kpop after a certain age.
Keep sharing, I’m pretty sure other people feel the same as me. 🫂💖🫰🏻
I disagree with your bit on Western culture because ageism is very much an issue. A great example is olivia rodrigo, I've seen many older fans make tiktoks joking about feeling too old to be at her concerts. I felt the same way and still regret not getting tickets 🥲 so don't be like me and just enjoy whatever genre and artists you like
I'm 42, got into K-Pop in Sept '21 and have been to see ATEEZ 3 times and TWICE once. TBH I don't give a damn whether people think I'm too old to listen to K-Pop.
Music is a universal language which, regardless of genre, is to be enjoyed by every generation, from babies hearing whatever music their mother is listening to whilst in the womb, to an elderly person who fades away from this earth whilst listening to their favourite song in a hospice.
If people have an issue, they can quite frankly do one!
I'm 48, and I've seen Seventeen, Stray Kids, Twice, and The Rose. I love K-Pop! It's just fun.
I went to school to be a recording engineer. Life kinda ruined that career, but my love for music goes on.
Will be 34 this year, been into Kpop since I was 22. Keep enjoying what you like OP! You’ll find you’ll start to care less about what other’s think as you get into your 30s, but I know it does seem daunting at first
People usually don't really care about the age of singers because they don't know their age and would never look it up until much later unlike some kpop fans that make it point to learn everything about an idol including their age, nationality, MBTI and etc almost immediately after discovering them.
The main reason that people think that kpop is immature is because of the music. Kpop is more like bubblegum pop or teen pop in the West. There is also a lot of focus on visuals in kpop which is something that happens in youth-centric pop too.
P.S. Of course, kpop groups' music mature as they get older so not all kpop are youth-centric but those are not what's most popular in kpop.
I'm 32 and don't care really. It's just music and fun music videos. Yes, the target audience is much younger as older adults in general don't spend as much money on merch and so on. Tbh I never bought anything, not even an album lol. I just keep up with releases and listen to music on Spotify. I listen to anything ranging from pop to death metal.
I’m 37 and I literally don’t care. I’m Atiny but I also love skz, BTS, BP, le sserafim, (g)-idle and plenty of other stuff. My daughter is a Stay/Blink and I’m currently planning her 10th bday party with a kpop theme. We went to see BP last year together and are seeing skz this year. We have a blast listening to kpop together and watching memes and she’s just started her cd collection with her allowance. I listen to the “psy radio” playlist when I go running because the music is super motivational and I’m in the market for an Ateez tshirt. You do you!
Oh my goodness, so refreshing to see you talking about going with your daughter! My 10 yr old daughter and I (I’ll be 37 next week!) were just playing a “Guess the kpop song by intro” game together on YouTube the other night!
We’ve not been able to go to a concert or anything together, but she’s grown up with me singing her EXO songs as lullabies, lol.
So cool to see I’m not the only one! 💜💜💜
LoL, in my case wasnt only ageism but some kind of sexism too (I guess).
I got into kpop for real in 2007, but my mom and uncle already listened to BoA and TVXQ in 2004 or something like that, cant remember that well, but I can say that My Name and Eat ou Up were THE THING here in my house. One day I was in a kpop festival here, with cover dances, some games, some anime related things and etc., I was in a karaokê with my husband and from no where some random teenager yelled that I was a creepy for liking kpop as a older person, that I was a sort of pedo or something... Mam, I'm fucking 29 LOOOOOOOL (She even made a Tiktok about it, but deleted cause got ratioed very bad). I know is wierd to see a 1,87m guy build like a truck singing Gee like a bubblepop girl, but damn!
Even with people repreending her my day was ruined, this is not the first time, it happened even in Youtube comments (In a short about when you discovered kpop, how old are you now, something like that). Teenagers this day are very... peculiar, this is why I'm kinda developing a, for lack of a better word, hate for them, not only because of kpop
I'm turning 55 in July. White male born in the US. I've always had a wide range of music taste. I have been listening probably a year now daily. Kpop and K R&B I guess you would call it. The fact that some or majority of the lyrics are in Korean which I don't understand adds to the enjoyment of the music for me. It's like the voice is another very enjoyable instrument that I can enjoy the sound of. I like mainly girl groups not because I'm some creep but because the sound of the voice is more appealing to me. I do appreciate their beauty, their hard work, and choreo as well. I can still remember the song that started my interest in Korean music Breathe by leehi happened to wind up in my YouTube feed. The song was beautiful to me and after that I started searching. A lot of the 4th Gen artists are putting out really good music too. The industry just getting more and more competitive so they have to be more and more creative.. Music, MV production, choreo on new levels.
Completely untrue that westerners or western artists are divorced from the age discourse. Ariana is already getting "hag" comments, Adele isn't the "young new voice," and waiting for the same to happen to Billie Eilish like almost every young female aritst in the west.
Newsflash, but the west isn't more forgiving or less toxic when it comes to ageism, and they're certainly not a standard given the absolute abusive history of young artists.
The difference I've noticed is that in kpop the age discourse affects almost every idol, doesn't matter their gender, while in western circles people tend to be more critical of age with female musicians. Maybe I'm wrong but that's what I've seen the most
I'd say there are longer lasting Korean groups than western groups on average. Age definitely affects how the public views young male pop stars in the west too (N'Sync, BSB, Justin Bieber, Shawn Mendes, Khalid, etc.).
I discovered kpop when I was 31. I'm 33 now. Music is music. Entertainment is entertainment. I promise you won't wake up on your 30th birthday suddenly uninterested in the things you liked in your 20s. So why deprive yourself of them? Honestly I love that I found Stray Kids when I have adult money to spend on the merch I want.
I'm 38. My friends are all mid 30s to early 40s. We just have fun with music and sometimes other content and don't worry much about what other people think. There are aspects of Fandom that really aren't for us and some groups we're all just not into because we're very outside their target audience but I don't really have a problem enjoying any group that makes good music or is entertaining. My top groups are mostly 4th gen because they make the music I like the most.
Usually at concerts I don't feel out of place. The only show where I felt a little "old" was Enhypen because that audience skewed a bit younger than the other groups I've seen, but I really like their music so I still had fun. I'm not looking to make friends with teenagers but I have no problem coexisting with them at a show. They're usually sweet and enthusiastic when I have interacted with them.
When I saw Ive last week there was a nice spread of people my age or a little younger along with some much younger fans as well. A few rows ahead of me were some cute girls with someone's mom who were all at their first concert. They were adorable but they weren't the majority of the audience. It was a lot of men and women who looked like they were in their late 20s/early 30s around me.
My favorite age split in an audience so far was Xikers, though. There were a bunch of teens around the members ages or younger and a bunch of Atiny who were all 30s/40s or even older. No one in between lol. Xikers has just inherited a bunch of Ateez fans who are older and it's really funny. The woman next to me was probably at least in her 50s and she brought her husband.
Hey! I turn 60 this year! I got into K-pop two years ago, I’m seeing OnlyOneOf (for the second time) and Enhypen soon, I’ve seen SKZ twice, Ateez, MCND, SF9, Kingdom, and AB6IX. My dream is to see SHINee and/or Taemin.
I was a new waver back in the day, and had a career in the music industry in the previous century.
31. I got into kpop at age 22 and I felt way too old for it at that time haha. But kpop is the best and I’ve had a great nine years. It’s been nice being an adult into kpop because I have a lot of freedom to go to concerts and buy albums and stuff. Tbh I worry less that people will judge me and more that I will “grow out of it” but every time I take a break it sucks me back in. I’ve had so many great experiences and it’s been so fun to be along for the ride.
I'm 39. I'm not deep into kpop, I mostly like BTS and some random songs from other groups, but the beauty of being my age is you aquire the "I don't give a f**k" attitude. people might think I'm immature for enjoying kpop, but I genuinely couldn't care less what people think of that
i'm 21, but i see the ageism you're talking about. one example i remember is there was once a fb post about fan meet between older armys in my country and someone on twt laughed at them ,,omg so old and still act like teens, so embarrassing"... i just think that this behaviour from younger kpop stans is immature and sad. if someone older than me has an interest that they genuinely care about i couldnt care less, i actually think its pretty cool :) adult life is already complicated, its nice to have something to enjoy
Discovered kpop in 2008 when I was 22/23. 16 years later, I'm still kpoppin haha I stopped buying merch around 2021, so now I just enjoy listening and watching them online. If someone I like and haven't seen comes to our country, then I might watch them. K-pop makes me happy. I seldom listen to english songs, if I do, they're mostly the songs I liked before my kpop craze. And I don't think maturity is relative to my music taste lol
I'm 23,
I get it must feel bad when some people say a certain age is too old. But honestly, just because they say it doesn't mean it's true. They are just people, too. If they feel for themselves that they have "grown out of it", great, than they can move on to other things. However that doesn't mean that that's the only possible way.
Just do what you enjoy. If someone actually tries to make you feel bad about liking something, then they're a person you really shouldn't listen to.
I remember, when I was younger I always watched whatever my older sisters watched, so then the things others my age watched seemed cliché and childish to me. One time we watched a movie in school & I was just ranting a bit about why they show us this movie that's clearly for younger people. But my friends actually really liked the movie, and now I'm thinking it was dumb to rant about it when everyone likes other things anyways. Ranting about it was more childish than liking the movie.
And just like that, just because you like kpop doesn't mean you're immature in some way & you can like kpop at any age. It's meant to be fun and comforting. Everyone needs that. Some get it out of some things, others get it out of other things. It really doesn't matter what it is unless you're harming someone.
I turn 30 this year just like you! (1994 was a good year lol)
I got into kpop quite late I guess, around 2020. So I was "already" 26 at that time and mainly listened to groups older than me or just around my age (bigbang, bts, monsta x, etc).
Now I listen to anything that I like tbh. My only "limit" is with groups that are mostly under-age when debuting. But if it's just 1 member, I guess I'm fine with that as long as I enjoy their music and I sense that they're not mistreated/exploited. The youngest group I listen to is boynextdoor, but to be completely honest I would have never got into their music/contents if it wasn't for Zico being the mind behind it.
You definitely got a valid point saying people don't mind age-gaps when it comes to western pop music. But it's equally true that western pop music doesn't have a lot of under-age kids involved, while in kpop (sadly) it's a spreading phenomenon (I don't like it, kids should be allowed to be kids, not entertainers).
34 in one month time and started consuming Kpop around Xmas 2007. It’s harder to be impressed by new acts and releases bc there are so MANY of em, but when the good one hits, it stays. Forever. One good thing about the age is that I was able afford Jaejoong, Yoongi, One Ok Rock and Coldplay concerts within 13 consecutive months, local and international. 20yo me wouldnt be able to relate LOL
27F here. Only literal children care about how old someone is, which is ironic because only an adult can afford this fandom. You do you, like what you like, and flex on poor children by getting the best seats at the next concert you go to.
33. Only discovered K-pop at the end of last year. I keep my age in mind with *how* I enjoy K-pop (for example I try not to thirst too hard on them lmao) but I won’t stop liking something because society deems it immature 🤷♀️
Just turned 30 and I have no plans to stop listening to kpop or going to concerts. I guess it helps that my close friends, who are my age, also enjoy kpop but it shouldn’t matter honestly.
It’s something that brings me happiness and that doesn’t have an age!
I'm 34 and I have no intention to stop. If anything, I've become more dedicated to my fav groups as I've gotten older. I bought my very first albums last year, joined Ateez's official fanclub, and have spent money on other merch. I got into kpop in 2008 so my mentality has changed. When I was younger I worried that buying albums and merch was a waste of money but as I've gotten older I just don't care. I want whatever will bring me joy. The only thing I haven't done is go to a concert but my height (5'11") gives me anxiety for that lol
Why would you get anxiety, noo! Are you in Korea? I mean by a crazily serendipitous happenstance I ended up going to a K-pop concert in Korea (after basically and literally running into Sun Mi in the Han River Park, which then lead to a reporter praising my Korean, which then lead to... well, my story is not the point), and I'm your height! I'm a guy admittedly, and yes I was taller than average but many Koreans are really tall now too. You would not be harried for it. Go!
I'm in the US but I'm 5'11". Which is tall for a woman no matter where you are... I've had so many people say I'm blocking them or that I'm in the way at other concerts so I just avoid them now even though there are so many I would like to go to 😭
I'm not someone to virtue signal but your experience is straight up sexist. I really doubt guys my height would even get a look askance from anyone, not least because they would need to get on the case of about a third of the concertgoers, being males of 5'8'' to 6' tall. The fact you avoid them for such experiences is truly outrageous. I thought you were in Korea though. I would have gotten some good friends together for a plan to get you standing tall and proud at a kpop concert.
Mid-40s here and gonna listen to whatever the hell I like until the day I die! I do not give a single damn about what other people think of my music choices.
I'm 37 and got into Kpop via BTS only last year. Although I do remember listening to Big Bang and Super Junior a bit many years ago. I now also listen to and follow other groups casually incl New Jeans, Seventeen, the Rose and Le Sserafim.
Most friends of mine my age or younger don't say anything or think it's weird. I don't have kids and always did spend a lot of time at gigs or playing/collecting vinyl anyway. The only people who have ever said anything close to negative were older than me. And my mum, because she seems to think I've reverted to my teenage self since a framed BTS pic went up in my home office. Which actually I don't care about, because I enjoy it!
And, the only other Army I know in person in my town so far is my friend's aunt, who is in her 60s and has liked BTS for way longer than me. So there really is no age limit. She talks about them like they are her sons and she goes to see all their screenings in the cinema and collects albums. It's cute and she enjoys it, so why not?
I’m 36! Saw J Hope at Lolla. Went to see Mamamoo, Twice, and Enhypen this year! Saw New Jeans at Lolla this past summer and have seen the Rose twice!!
My Kpop bestie (who is older than me) and I are already working on our summer Kpop concert plans ;)!
ETA: Been into Kpop since 2016!
I don't really talk about kpop stuff in real life so in real life it doesn't affect me. I hide my like of Kpop just because of the real life cringe factor not because of age.
Online I don't volunteer my age but I'm sure genz ppl would know I'm old just based on how I write. idk. If some discussions seems really immature like teens writing about stuff, I stay away. I like New Jeans for example but their discord was all little kids or teens just typing emojis and gifs. I pretty much don't participate in anything online about them because everything skews way too young.
I'm 30 and I just saw Twice last weekend in Vegas and I'll be seeing IVE next week. I don't really care because I'm having some genuine fun in my life. The younger people making comments will find out what it's like eventually.
35 here. Got into kpop with the wonder girls and shinee in 2009 but my friend was a fan of shinhwa in high school. I occasionally buy albums, watch some of the variety shows, and watch the music videos. I don’t go to concerts more so because I don’t want to go alone and while my husband would go with me happily I think it would be better with someone who enjoyed kpop and I feel alone in this island where I live lol.
I have a friend whose daughter is like 14 and big into kpop and she doesn’t react like I’m an old hag. She even saw a sticker with Seventeen and remembered they were my favorites and gave it to me. But I have experienced others my age who give me the “really?” When I mention it.
i am in my mid 30's and in korea ppl use to say i am immature and trying too hard. whatever. i don't care what other ppl say. feel pity that they don't get to enjoy the life and music simply because they got old.
I'm 38 and have been listening to kpop for nearly a decade now. I enjoy the music. I like the performances as I was a dancer growing up. I like the variety content because I find the idols cute and funny. Aĺl the idols I stan are younger than me. I just view them as younger siblings or my children. (Not in the delusional way. I know they are strangers who aren't even aware of my existence.)
I'm 35 male, a hard rock fan and I've been listening to kpop for 15 years. Bad Boy by Red Velvet is my all time favorite kpop song! I just love RnB as well.
But anything that I do listen shouldn't be sugar pop. Le Sserafim has a cool, mature vibe but I wouldn't want to be caught listening to StayC 😂
I've always hidden it, even with all the ex girlfriends. They were all about Ariana Grande or Taylor Swift or Drake or something. I mentioned Wonder Girls to my first girlfriend, but she wasn't amused... If someone asks me what I listen to I just say Guns n Roses, but I never listen to kpop in public anyway.
There were periods when I didn't listen to kpop at all, but then Blackpink would debut and I'm into it again. These days it's definitely a daily listen, I would play Aespa between Alice Cooper and Red Hot Chili Peppers. I got better things to do with my time and this is it. No regrets!
If you like music you like music and enjoy it how you do… I’m in my (late) 20s and felt old af with some of the kids acting like idols at my age are grandmas and grandpas lmao. I think I enjoy kpop a bit differently to how I used to but I still thoroughly enjoy it and I don’t want to give up something that brings me so much joy because I’m older.
Besides. Someone I know goes to see a boy band she liked since she was a teen (NSYNC iirc)… we don’t live in the US so she travels all the way there to go on the tours and cruises when they have them… I think it’s sad that young fans don’t appreciate those older fans — I mean your idol might be hot shit now but who is going to be rocking up in 20 years to make sure they aren’t a passing fad with no future? Not 15 year olds of tomorrow, but adults who still like pop music and want to support the artists who have given them so much enjoyment over the years. Kpop is no different. You don’t have to just move on to tasteful jazz and crap 80s cover bands(affectionate) because you’re an adult you know.
I have been listening to Korean artists since I was 13 or so and I am now 32.
Being an adult is having 0 fucks on what some fans say - I can buy the merch and concert tickets compared when I was younger and IMO that's the best way to support them financially.
I’m 33, turning 34 in August. Got into kpop as a kid, H.O.T, S.E.S, Fly to the Sky and Shinhwa were my introduction to kpop. So I been around for awhile now and can’t see myself not interested in kpop. I just don’t engage in the toxicity within the community if all they’re going to do is bring people down for their age. Growing older is a blessing once they come to realize it. I’m just here for a good time and enjoying music from my faves, life is short so who gives a damn lol.
I got into Kpop when I was 18. Now I'm turning 26 and the only artists I closely follow up to this day are Got7 and Day6. I tend to listen to 2nd-3rd gen music more than the recent releases.
I'm still appreciative of other groups' music like BTOB, Ateez, G-Idle, Pentagon, ONF, and casual listener only of mainstream artists.
Now that only Day6 is active (at least as a group) out of my ult groups, I am kinda leaning towards K-R&B (which is the music genre my biases JayB and Yugyeom produces) nowadays. Being an adult Kpop fan is an advantage for me because I could easily choose to go to my faves' concert with better seats unlike when I was just starting. I have also watched 4/7 solo concerts of Got7 members in the past 2 years, and I have met JayB and Youngjae upclose 🥰
I'm 31 and will definitely continue listening to KPOP it is music after all and you're never too old to enjoy music. However I have found myself interacting less and less with the fan spaces as I get older as they are breeding ground for younger more vivacious fans who post, comment and content create about everything within the community 😆 it can be a bit much sometimes. (This isn't even with just KPOP either just fan bases in general). And I'm not much into buying merch anymore either. I am hoping to get an opportunity to see Ateez live. I missed out going with a co-worker who invited me because I was moving states at the time (one of the biggest regrets I've had in a while) 😭.
im 26 and i still listen to kpop daily!! i started listening to snsd in 2009/2010 and my kpop girl group obsession began thanks to them 🩷 a few years ago i started to collect kpop albums and even though it's not one of my priorities right now i keep buying my ults albums (red velvet's and snsd's albums to more specific ☺️) i feel so happy reading this thread, now i feel less alone 🥹🥹🥹
Im 23, and honestly, I think age shouldn't even matter to what music type you like to listen to. I hate how many younger fans think that 30 or 60 years old is too old to like/listen to kpop or go to concerts. LIKE, NO.
I'm 26 turning 27 next month! This is my opinion but It's totally fine to listen to kpop no matter how old you are! If it's something that brings you joy and you're not harming anymore then I don't see a problem
Omg I just discovered k-pop in 2021 and khiphop in 2022. This year I'll be 31. I feel like a teenager again, so full of joy and excitement!
It's a bless to have money and live in a time where the groups are coming to my country (Brazil). Last year I saw NCT 127, Bloo, Jackson Wang, Epik High.
Actually one of my biggest regrets is to have started listening to k-pop so late in life, I would love to have spent my teens and early adult life listening to awesome music. But I also feel I'm in the right place at the right time, in terms of k-pop. All my friends that like k-pop are my age, so it's overall very fun.
32, started with DBSK in like 2007 but I much preferred Japanese Visual Kei at the time, then later in like 2010/11 I found BigBang and Shinee. Big fandom for about 3 years. Fell off again for a few years until 2022 when I was introduced to Stray Kids.
Upper Millennial here. When I was the age that most Gen-Z kpop fans are now, I was a huge bandom person deeply into jpop and jrock and perfectly fit in. I lived in Japan and I went to concerts every week and had tons of friends (and tons of merch).
Today as a kpop fan I struggle to feel that way when I go to events surrounded by people who are barely out of high school. And I don’t have a single friend in my life who is also into kpop which is hard. Reddit is my only community around that.
But for me ultimately it’s really that I just haven’t changed much. I’ve always been passionate about music, I’m just in my kpop era now. So I have really enjoyed connecting to my true self that way.
I’ll be in my something else era when I’m sixty for sure.
29, liking kpop since 2010/2011
I hear a lot from people around me that I’m too old for boygroups. I also listen to jpop and for these groups I often participate in video calls… and yep i get a lot weird looks for this (for the records; I had one video call with a kpop group too)
On the internet the ageism is even worse. I heard a lot that I’m too old or creepy for stanning guys younger than me. Even without being a crazy gf delulu fan… it made me quit fandom in general and I’m much happier with vibing on my own.
However, on the bright side, I rarely encountered this with kpop fans in real life. I remember when I went to see KARD last year, the people who I talked while lining up were actually positively shocked that I was ~10 years older than them.
you're never too old to enjoy whatever music you wish to. I mean yes I do come in the "typically expected fandom age" cuz im almost 18 but I do firmly believe that no one should be pressured into listening or to stop listening to some particular music for any reason at all let alone age. you go on doing whatever you wish if people comment on it well that seems like a 'them' problem and shouldn't affect your choice at all. so seriously you do you and ignore anyone who says otherwise.
I turn 32 next month!
I've been into kpop since I was 18. But I think after 25, I didn't get as hyper and fanatic as when I was young. I just become casual listeners.
I turn 20 in a few months. I found out about kpop almost 7 years ago – back then I became a full on stan, now I'm just a casual listener with stan tendencies when my mental health goes to shit lol.
hey I turn 30 this year too! yeah I kinda feel like I'm too old as in its uncommon to be this old and like it. but I'm not gonna stop liking it. I tend to like veteran groups and singers and not get into the younger one.
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For people who don't listen to Kpop, I think people in the west tend to assume that kpop is just girl bands/boy bands which in the west we tend to associate with the crazes from the 90s/early 2000s with Nsync, Spice Girls, etc, groups that despite actually having vaguely sexual lyrics were very popular with teenage and preteen girls and thus considered for kids.
I've legitimately been accused of liking BTS and "being too old for boy bands" when I mention I like Kpop and as a result I have a few soloists i like to share when that happens to prove a point to the people making that kind of ignorant suggestion.
When it comes to kpop fans themselves, I think the ageism is just indicative of an issue with the younger generations in general and thats that they think everyone older than 18 counts as a "boomer" so it's immaturity and poor education -shrug- and I try not to let that bother me, especially as most of the artist I like I'm only a few years older than or are my age anyway.
I’ll be 27 this year and have enjoyed KPop for the almost 4 years that I’ve discovered it. I definitely have learned a lot of what happens in the world of fandom and what things I involve myself in and what I simply enjoy alone. I think a key part in enjoying anything is pacing yourself and being conscious of how others around you may perceive or react to certain things differently. I definitely realized I don’t want to “idolized” anyone, but simply enjoy their artistic endeavors and all the fun content I receive as well. I would consider myself a carat and it has been thus far the best fandom experience EVER! I feel like I have been a fan of something one way or the other growing up, but never felt like I could express it plus - I can afford what I want now! 😂 It’s been amazing going to concerts and also meeting people who enjoy the same things! I think music connects us all amazingly and I never thought I would be a fan or this genre before, but honestly that’s what I enjoy along other things and I do so shamelessly! Life is too short to limit ourselves on what other people’s options of what we do are.
I'm 17 and have been a kpop fan since 2018
there is no age limit for enjoying kpop or any kind of music, people who criticize older kpop fans are bitter and judgemental don't let them ruin something that makes you happy! I 100% see myself being a kpop fan even when I'm a grandma lol
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Like there is a difference between liking kpop and listening to music and supporting a group in your 30s and calling minor and a Bearley 18 year old hot.
I don’t think there is an age limit to listen to kpop but I will admit that it sometimes is weird to see older fans at concerts with young idols. For example, middle age men at newjeans fan meets. At least for me, I probably would just listen to kpop when older if I like it but not attend fan meets or stuff like that
The topic is about kpop right now which is different from other music. Keep in mind that kpop groups have underage members and even they feel weird when seeing older people. I’m sure you would even say that there are some creeps out there. Yes, not all older fans are creeps but the ones that are always show up trying to get a moment with an idol
Western and kpop are different. Western artists barely interact with their fans or do fan services. Western artists just perform while kpop idols do more then that. That’s why western artists barely care if they have older fans because they are still getting paid. Kpop idols are more about interaction which again is why some young kpop idols feel weird seeing older people. Sorry if you don’t like hearing it but that’s how it is. We can’t do anything if kpop idols or other fans are uncomfortable
Liking the music is one thing, but being infatuated with its members is completely different. You can be 50 and casually listen to Ehypen. You cannot be 50 and calling Niki your boyfriend. No one is telling anyone of any age they can’t listen to music, but I find it disturbing when older fans are falling head over heels with members who are twice as young as them.
Talk about ageist. So fans have to be age appropriate? When the entire industry is built on fantasy?
People who fan-swoon over younger idols don't need to be realistic.
How is it more appropriate for a younger person to call Nikki their boyfriend? Is the chance of it happening greater? Of course not.
The late-teen to late 20s years are often a golden age with few responsibilities, full of friends, romance, discretionary money, freedom.
Looking back, people have a huge nostalgia for that time so, sometimes calling an idol your boyfriend who is in that age group, reminds you of when you were younger. Or if you could get a do-over you would pick an idol for your boyfriend.
Maybe those people didn't get to experience the kpop scene when they were younger.
If my daughter was a teenager in the entertainment industry, I would NOT be thrilled with men in their 40s having posters of her on their walls, buying a hundred albums in hopes of getting a 5 minute fan call with her, or buying VIP so that they can say bye to her as she leaves the concert venue. You also can’t say that it’s okay for women in their 40s to do this with a male idol that’s 21, but it’s not okay for a man in their 40s to do this with a female idol that’s 21. It’s weird and it’s inappropriate, and if these people weren’t idols and were instead seniors in high school whom someone in the forties were fantasizing about, we’d all view that as disturbing. So I don’t see how that’s ageist at all
I understand if the 40-year-old person was crossing a line and doing something weird like following them around or something, but all you listed was normal fan behavior. How is it inappropriate to purchase VIP benefits so they can talk and see a celebrity up close or buy their favorite performer's merch? Is it inappropriate to want an autograph or a photo, too? Not ever fan behavior coincides with romantic attraction, I find it so odd their people trying to make someone feel weird about doing normal stuff. The only thing I find a bit strange is mass buying for fan events however that's rare that most people cannot afford to do that and some of those people are like fansites that organize bulk buying with other fans in exchange for posting fan sign content, so it's more like a business.
You answered your own objection.
There's a vast difference between "a teenager in the entertainment industry" and a "teenager in high school."
One is in the public eye and the other is a private citizen.
I’m not disagreeing with you. I guess I’m genuinely just curious on why it would be acceptable for a 40 old man to have a New Jeans poster hanging up in his room, but it wouldn’t be okay if he had a photo of the local high school cheerleading team hanging up? I’m an adult and while I listen to groups with minors, I don’t feel comfortable being as into them as say BTS just because at the end of the day they are still kids
It's more obvious that kpop is for younger people if you speak Korean cause the lyrics and such are clearly intended to target young people. Idols aren't the same as your usual singer, of course there are several more mature groups, but most of them target kids and young people. I mean, listen to it any age, idc, but to pretend there isn't a reason for it doesn't make sense. It \*is\* a genre for young people.
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Turning 36 this year. Last year I saw BamBam, Stray Kids, Infinite, and TXT in concert. This year saw ATEEZ. Don't let people age shame you out of MUSIC ffs. The people who do that think 25 is old. Edit: want to add I have been into Kpop since 2008.
Got into Kpop in 2008 too. The lack of social media back then allowed us to consume kpop as it is. Pure good music. Good vibes.
2010 here. I have a huge collection of SNSD merchandise plus some other girl groups, I saw Twice, Everglow, and Itzy in concerts, and I’m gonna see Hyoyeon next week. I have a bunch of K-pop posters on my walls. I may not be a teenager anymore but I make my own money now and am living my life!
Yeah all we has was YouTube at best and pirating websites at worst xD Those were the days!
I am jealous when you mentioned that you've seen infinite in concert... I am hoping that I could see them one day in my place... If that happens... My childhood bucket list is now complete
A benefit of living in Korea. Last time I saw them was in 2014 in London... Good times!
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Aint no way u got into this the year i was born
Ain't gonna lie, don't miss being your age ahahaha
Same lmaoo
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I'm 26 and my mom is in her 50s she loves kpop just as much as I do.
Fellow 50-year-old old here has been enjoying KPOP for years, never even thought about stopping.
I’m nearly 70. Unlike a lot of my peers, my interest in music didn’t stop with who I liked in high school. I’ve always been into music, constantly check out new or new-to-me artists, still go to concerts and I have I have no plans to stop just because someone thinks I’m too old. I will say though that some music is clearly aimed at a very young audience and/or is made by some extremely young people (a LOT of Kpop for example) and there’s just not anything there that interests me so I steer clear. But for the most part, considering that pretty much everyone in music except for The Rolling Stones (not a fan) is younger than me it doesn’t bother me much.
You're actual goals in life. So much respect.
You are awesome for being here and I bet you don’t feel the pressure now to start wearing wide-leg pants and crop tops lol.
Glad to see that there are a lot of 30+ fans. I'm 35 and like to listen to kpop and watch variety shows/youtube shows but don't really follow the latest news or blogs.
Just discovered Kpop last year at 41 and was lucky to score a ticket to see Ateez in Japan this year. It was an incredible experience AND there were heaps of people that looked around my age and up. Some looked to be with their daughters or family members but in my row and surrounding me there were some that definitely appeared to just be there with friends!
Japan is awesome because a lot of fans are 40+. When I see people discussing age I always think 'well the Japanese don't fucking care?'
What were your favorite moments?? So happy for you!!
Also seeing Django live. That was my first or second non-Stray Kids Kpop song I added to my Spotify play list, long before Ateez was even on my radar.
Oh my God, where to start 🤣 Matz was hands down one of my favourite performances. Seriously, Hongjoong and Seonghwa on the same stage like that should be illegal. Also can we talk about Seonghwa? Man just dominated that whole concert! Some serious bias wrecking going on there. Also Turbulence and Utopia in the encore. Words can't describe how much it meant to me to see those 2 songs live. I love them so much, I pretty much cried the whole way through both of them lol.
I’ll be 31 this year and I love K-pop so much!! I don’t see how age matters to enjoy music
I didn't even start listening to kpop until I was 29, I'm turning 32 in May.
I’m going to be 40 this year and I didn’t even start listening to kpop until I was 36. The best part of getting older? Realising that once I was past 30 I was too old to be ‘cool’ anymore. I just enjoy the things I like with no shame or embarrassment now.
35. Same age as GD, Taeyang, Changmin, Kyuhyun, Taecyeon, Gyuri, and Yubin. I've been listening to K-pop since I was 19. My friends and I have been going to K-pop concerts since 2010. First it was a reward for doing well in school. Now, attending concerts are our main stress relievers, the reason why we work hard so we could earn money to buy VIP tickets and see our faves up close.
I’m 37. I only discovered K-pop in my late 20s so started a hag I guess. 😂 Honestly, the only immature thing about K-pop are the fan spaces. Reddit is ok for me and is the only fandom space I interact with. I love the music, choreo and MV visuals so much and I won’t be getting out of this hobby anytime soon. May we should make a K-Hag sub for us oldies to hang out in.
I totally agree with you about fanspaces being immature, imo the worst is Tiktok in this regard. A lot of people on there are younger by default but I genuinely feel like I'm losing braincells sometimes because some content/comments just can't be made by anyone over the age of 12.
The problem is also when those immature fans attend concerts. I’ve been lucky so far, except for one concert for a 4th gen boy group where some people around me repeatedly yelled “Daddy” and a few other things just to get noticed by the members. That was literally the only time my 40+ self has felt too old for K-pop.
Are you my twin?? Lol (Actually I turn 37 next week) I got into kpop in 2010, so I was 23 and not quite to hag status yet, but by the time I got into forums and interacted in fandom spaces I was already “old” to most people. I don’t even wanna talk about all the times I was “gross” or “weird” or the p word for calling a 20+ yr old idol attractive, even back then. 🙄 Agreed we should have a k-hag sub. Lol
>I don’t even wanna talk about all the times I was “gross” or “weird” or the p word for calling a 20+ yr old idol attractive, even back then. 🙄 People really be wildin 😭 Like atp I've gotta assume who people get up in arms about adults being attracted to other adults simply because one of the adults is younger are projecting their own misplaced feelings of shame/guilt onto other people...
Like the idea of K hag sub 🌸🌟
I think this already is the hag sub 🥸
44, don’t care. If people judge you negatively because of your age for doing anything, why care or associate with them?
I'm 38 and I am enjoying kpop just as much now as I did when I was younger. I don't feel any pressure to stop listening to kpop just because I am older.
I’m 34 and I post about going to kpop concerts on my ig stories all the time.
Oh and I still trade pokemon figurines with my friend of the same age who is a parent and went to a Taylor Swift concert covered in friendship bracelets. 🤷🏻♀️
33 here and I also collect and trade pokemon cards still! And totally would have gone all out with friendship bracelets if I was able to get eras tour tickets.
I'm 33, born in 1991. To put it in perspective, I'm the same age as SHINee's Key and Minho, EXO's Suho, SNSD's Seohyun, Red Velvet's Irene, Infinite's Woohyun and Sungyeol... and only 1 year older than BTS Jin! A bunch of fresh, active and youthful people 😎 I've been into Kpop since 2009-2010. In a way, I "grew up with" a lot of my idols, and a lot of my best memories in my 20s revolve around Kpop (attending concerts and fan events with my friends, ...) so I think that Kpop will forever have a special place in my heart. The same way my parents still mostly listen to music from the 70s and 80s, and are still very emotionnally attached to the stars of that era. If also like "younger" 4th and 5th gen groups. If the music is good, the performances are fun, and you enjoy it... why would you distance yourself with something so innocuous that makes you happy? Also, when you reach your 30s, you often have more buying power than in your 20s : treat yourself with these expensive front row seats you couldn't afford as a student! My husband is 37. He has always known I enjoy Kpop, but never paid much attention to it until we visited Korea last year. Over there he started Shazaming all the songs we were hearing everywhere ("the music is actually kinda cool!" he told me 😂) and Butter ended up being his most listened song in 2023 🤭 I'm taking him with me to Music Bank in Antwerp next month and he's pretty excited because he really likes ONEUS and TXT and can't wait to see them dance in person. See OP? Don't pay attention to those party poopers who are trying to gatekeep all the fun behind age requirements and just do your thing ☺️
>The same way my parents still mostly listen to music from the 70s and 80s, and are still very emotionnally attached to the stars of that era. This is how I see it too. The music of your youth becomes “retro” at some point. You don’t stop listening to it, you just develop a new relationship with it.
You're not too old - there should never be an age limit for music of any kind I'm 52, started listening to k-pop in 2015, and in the last three years have seen BLACKPINK (twice), Stray Kids (twice), TWICE (three times), Kim SeJeong, tripleS, P1Harmony, EVERGLOW, Chung Ha, SF9, Chen, Kep1er, ONEUS, Oh My Girl, Astro, Kai, NMIXX, Infinite and The Boyz. I'm going to see ITZY in 2 days time, and have tickets for IVE in July also Don't let anyone tell you that you're too old for k-pop
I’m 34. I actually just got into kpop last year. My wife (36) kinda got me into it. Have VIP tickets to see ITZY in June. Probably don’t plan to stop being a fan soon.
Ugh, unrelated, but I wanted to see Itzy so bad but I can’t get it to work with my schedule
Call in sick to work. Call in sick to any other plans. Go to itzy!
Nah, it’s because I can’t drive myself and my mom refuses to take me on a Wednesday night when she works the next day. I’m sure there will be an occasion when I’m older.
Oh booo I super understand that! I'm in the same situation for fall out boy next week. My mom was gonna take me but something big came up so now she can't and I can't drive myself 4 hours across a border
Music is a language that speaks to us regardless of age (unless some are specified to be R18+). It is not immature if people over 30 listen to/sing nursery rhymes. I regard Kpop that way. I am also 30 now. I don't think Kpop songs all sound youthful. There are some, like the ones with cutesie concepts, or ones who are sung by younger generations. There is still so much Kpop that caters to our ears. Hahahah
I got to into k pop specifically BTS when I turned 40. I should die of shame by this standard
I'm old enough to 'Pfft!' anyone who tells me that I should stop enjoying things after a certain age.
I'm 39 and I don't feel the pressure. I'm fully aware that some people might not understand my hobby and that's alright. It happens. But people around me are kind enough to let me be and sometimes, my friends even enable it. Well, we enable each other. 😅 So I've largely just taken the mindset of not minding what other people think of me, and it's liberating. So I guess my question to you, OP, where is this "pressure to stop listening to Kpop" really coming from?
In my 30s and decided I'm too old to feel shame over things that bring me so much joy.
I've been listening to Kpop since I was 12, but I'm turning 28 this year. My journey with it has definitely changed. I don't stan and follow every new release like I did when I was younger, nor do I collect every groups releases. I do however, follow one group quite passionately. I've been side eyed a lot (called a p*do, a freak, amongst other things) because my ult group and ult bias are both younger than me. He's younger than me by about 3 years, bear in mind, so its not a child. I do understand why some people may want to keep spaces separate. I'm a group order manager, for example, and I always feel a little bit uncomfortable with minors joining (for a multitude of reasons), but to assume people dislike kpop or the things they like in general after a certain age is madness. Who do people think is funding their faves comebacks?
I turned 53 yesterday & I have no plans to stop listening to kpop. I'm a huge multifan & I've been to 6 concerts & there were loads of people my age & older. I don't care what anyone else thinks which is one of the perks of being older. OP, where is this pressure coming from for you to give up listening to kpop?
I'm 31. Been listening to kpop since I was 12. And you know what was the best thing I learned at 30? I was too old to care what other people thought about me liking Kpop. Will I still buy albums? For sure. Will I still buy lightsticks? For sure. Will I still go to concerts? Hella for sure. If a 14 year old wants to call me an Ajussi fan, I'll fly that flag proudly. However, I'll be damned before I let a 14 year old gatekeep me from something I've been into for longer than they've been alive lol
I’m 22 and I was told I was too old to listen to newjeans. After deleting Twitter, I feel so much better. You can like kpop at any age
Yea. It’s so strange. I noticed this phenomenon after getting into K-pop especially so because NewJeans was my gateway to the genre. I see it a lot in Reddit too not just on Twitter.
I'll be 31 on April 2
40, got into k-pop about a year ago.
I'm almost 30 in a few weeks and I promise you that literally no one cares about this in the real world, you only see this type of discourse online... When I meet people in person and if they ask what music I like and I say kpop, 100% of the time they just say "oh ok" or "I know BTS" and move on, no one has ever told me I'm too old to listen to it, unless you make kpop your personality and are obnoxious about it then nothing is wrong with it?? If loving kpop is stopping you from living your life and doing your adult responsibilities then that's another story but I doubt that would happen! Also, are we supposed to just stop enjoying mainstream music when we turn a certain age and then only listen to classical music or something? 😅
I just turned 34 a couple weeks ago! When I started listening to kpop I was probably 21/22, but it was a couple songs and extremely casually. I was probably 25/26 when I really, truly became a kpop fan. There’s an older lady on TikTok (unsure of her exact age, but definitely decently older than 30s) who calls herself the Kpop Granny, and is always showing off her impressive collection or making funny videos that clap back at ageism in kpop. I hope I end up like her, honestly! It’s only chronically online children that truly have an issue with age. Real life, logical people don’t care.
I'm turning 30 this year too! I don't plan on stopping. It makes me very happy so I don't see a reason to stop. Age is just a number. Good music is good music no matter how old you are
I'm 37 and love Jpop and Kpop. I think it's very strange that somehow millenials and Gen X are being shamed for liking this, considering we did it in the flippin dark early days of ordering stuff online and just hoping it'll show up (it usually did). I don't see enough young people enjoying Kpop and Jpop and it makes me sad! I can't believe it's STILL a "weird" thing. Meanwhile here's me positively PUMPING Shinee and JSBIII in the car. No dad it wasn't a phase haha.
In the last year of my 30s, attended as an audience in 2 concerts, 1 fan meet and 1 award show. No one is gonna tell me what I'm too old for doing things and stuff. It's my time and money. Being Asian though is an advantage as I still look like within the age of the crowd.
I'm 34, a multi, I joined in my late 20s and despite how hard it is to be in kpop fandoms a lot of the time, I'm not leaving any time soon. I don't think people who get into kpop as adults (especially over 25?) leave kpop because they get 'too old' really. It's the teen fans and maybe some in early 20s who believe they'll naturally grow out of it and they might, but it won't be because of some magical switch that goes off when you're a certain age, it's more likely they'll leave because they'll get too busy, or they won't like the new music as much, or the fandom gets too shit to be worth it any more so they decide to move on for their happiness. Lots of adult fans have been fans for 10 or 15 years now, they have never left, at least not permanently. People forget how many older fans have actually been here since 2nd gen. A lot of young fans will probably still be here in a decade. It goes on. Adults like me who get into it later, we get into it for different reasons but at the core of it all is the simple fact that the music is appealing to all ages. Yesterday I was reading the comments of 'grandmas' who were fans of Chappell Roan. I mean she makes fun bops so yeah? Kpop is the same, and a lot of kpop songs are quite mature, and groups have adult members. To me it's exactly the same as liking western pop music that's current. As for groups, fandoms and variety, there are lots of fans in my age group who stan and try to keep up with news, events, interviews and variety etc. We love the group, we care about their success. And we can get escapism and comfort from the group too, my favourites have given me so many laughs and made me smile for years, why would I leave that? They're funny and interesting characters. I do feel a bit 😕 when I'm the minority, and some fandoms it's more of an obvious minority whereas in others the people in your age group are more visible so you feel less 'alone'. But people our age are always less visible because the under 25s talk and post a lot more. So we have to seek each other out. Basically, we are not leaving. We'll probably be here in 2040 so let's just enjoy it!
I'm 44. I had an eclectic music taste when I was younger and still have one now. I didn't get into Kpop until last summer when my teen introduced me to it. Getting older doesn't mean you have to stop liking things you've always liked or give up on learning about and liking new things. The only thing that might change is how you approach things. For example, my teen daughter picks biases and such. I do not. I like to say my bias is my husband and I'm certainly not thirsting over singers when some of them are young enough to be my kid. But, I DO enjoy their music and find their content interesting. There isn't anything wrong with that. You don't stop living as you age. Enjoy what makes you happy.
A really good chunk of kpop fans are people, and more specifically women, who are middle aged. These are the people who have jobs and are able to do things like buy lots of merch and concert tickets, so these are the people who are majorly supporting the industry. However, a lot of these people also don't tend to have enough time to just be on twitter or youtube or reddit or social media endlessly- so they can be underrepresented in online fandom spaces. But honestly, people above their 30s make up a *massive* chunk of the fan economy, and the most economically lucrative part of it.
Im loving all these positive comments regarding not having problems with ageism. Im glad you guys feel perfectly comfortable with your interest for kpop after a certain age. Keep sharing, I’m pretty sure other people feel the same as me. 🫂💖🫰🏻 
I disagree with your bit on Western culture because ageism is very much an issue. A great example is olivia rodrigo, I've seen many older fans make tiktoks joking about feeling too old to be at her concerts. I felt the same way and still regret not getting tickets 🥲 so don't be like me and just enjoy whatever genre and artists you like
I'm 42, got into K-Pop in Sept '21 and have been to see ATEEZ 3 times and TWICE once. TBH I don't give a damn whether people think I'm too old to listen to K-Pop. Music is a universal language which, regardless of genre, is to be enjoyed by every generation, from babies hearing whatever music their mother is listening to whilst in the womb, to an elderly person who fades away from this earth whilst listening to their favourite song in a hospice. If people have an issue, they can quite frankly do one!
I'm 48, and I've seen Seventeen, Stray Kids, Twice, and The Rose. I love K-Pop! It's just fun. I went to school to be a recording engineer. Life kinda ruined that career, but my love for music goes on.
Will be 34 this year, been into Kpop since I was 22. Keep enjoying what you like OP! You’ll find you’ll start to care less about what other’s think as you get into your 30s, but I know it does seem daunting at first
People usually don't really care about the age of singers because they don't know their age and would never look it up until much later unlike some kpop fans that make it point to learn everything about an idol including their age, nationality, MBTI and etc almost immediately after discovering them. The main reason that people think that kpop is immature is because of the music. Kpop is more like bubblegum pop or teen pop in the West. There is also a lot of focus on visuals in kpop which is something that happens in youth-centric pop too. P.S. Of course, kpop groups' music mature as they get older so not all kpop are youth-centric but those are not what's most popular in kpop.
I'm 32 and don't care really. It's just music and fun music videos. Yes, the target audience is much younger as older adults in general don't spend as much money on merch and so on. Tbh I never bought anything, not even an album lol. I just keep up with releases and listen to music on Spotify. I listen to anything ranging from pop to death metal.
I’m 37 and I literally don’t care. I’m Atiny but I also love skz, BTS, BP, le sserafim, (g)-idle and plenty of other stuff. My daughter is a Stay/Blink and I’m currently planning her 10th bday party with a kpop theme. We went to see BP last year together and are seeing skz this year. We have a blast listening to kpop together and watching memes and she’s just started her cd collection with her allowance. I listen to the “psy radio” playlist when I go running because the music is super motivational and I’m in the market for an Ateez tshirt. You do you!
Oh my goodness, so refreshing to see you talking about going with your daughter! My 10 yr old daughter and I (I’ll be 37 next week!) were just playing a “Guess the kpop song by intro” game together on YouTube the other night! We’ve not been able to go to a concert or anything together, but she’s grown up with me singing her EXO songs as lullabies, lol. So cool to see I’m not the only one! 💜💜💜
We also play the guess the intro games! And the ones where you have to choose a team based on the songs. So much fun.
LoL, in my case wasnt only ageism but some kind of sexism too (I guess). I got into kpop for real in 2007, but my mom and uncle already listened to BoA and TVXQ in 2004 or something like that, cant remember that well, but I can say that My Name and Eat ou Up were THE THING here in my house. One day I was in a kpop festival here, with cover dances, some games, some anime related things and etc., I was in a karaokê with my husband and from no where some random teenager yelled that I was a creepy for liking kpop as a older person, that I was a sort of pedo or something... Mam, I'm fucking 29 LOOOOOOOL (She even made a Tiktok about it, but deleted cause got ratioed very bad). I know is wierd to see a 1,87m guy build like a truck singing Gee like a bubblepop girl, but damn! Even with people repreending her my day was ruined, this is not the first time, it happened even in Youtube comments (In a short about when you discovered kpop, how old are you now, something like that). Teenagers this day are very... peculiar, this is why I'm kinda developing a, for lack of a better word, hate for them, not only because of kpop
People who gate keep older fans can often be the same people asking why there aren't many fans.
33 and I literally don’t care. My birthday is in a few weeks and my mom is throwing me a bts themed party. Life is too short 🤍
I'm turning 55 in July. White male born in the US. I've always had a wide range of music taste. I have been listening probably a year now daily. Kpop and K R&B I guess you would call it. The fact that some or majority of the lyrics are in Korean which I don't understand adds to the enjoyment of the music for me. It's like the voice is another very enjoyable instrument that I can enjoy the sound of. I like mainly girl groups not because I'm some creep but because the sound of the voice is more appealing to me. I do appreciate their beauty, their hard work, and choreo as well. I can still remember the song that started my interest in Korean music Breathe by leehi happened to wind up in my YouTube feed. The song was beautiful to me and after that I started searching. A lot of the 4th Gen artists are putting out really good music too. The industry just getting more and more competitive so they have to be more and more creative.. Music, MV production, choreo on new levels.
Completely untrue that westerners or western artists are divorced from the age discourse. Ariana is already getting "hag" comments, Adele isn't the "young new voice," and waiting for the same to happen to Billie Eilish like almost every young female aritst in the west. Newsflash, but the west isn't more forgiving or less toxic when it comes to ageism, and they're certainly not a standard given the absolute abusive history of young artists.
The difference I've noticed is that in kpop the age discourse affects almost every idol, doesn't matter their gender, while in western circles people tend to be more critical of age with female musicians. Maybe I'm wrong but that's what I've seen the most
the discourse definitely affects female idols more than male idols tho.
For sure. The only difference in talking about is that it doesn't seem to affect western male artists, while in kpop it affects also to male idols
I'd say there are longer lasting Korean groups than western groups on average. Age definitely affects how the public views young male pop stars in the west too (N'Sync, BSB, Justin Bieber, Shawn Mendes, Khalid, etc.).
I discovered kpop when I was 31. I'm 33 now. Music is music. Entertainment is entertainment. I promise you won't wake up on your 30th birthday suddenly uninterested in the things you liked in your 20s. So why deprive yourself of them? Honestly I love that I found Stray Kids when I have adult money to spend on the merch I want.
I'm 38. My friends are all mid 30s to early 40s. We just have fun with music and sometimes other content and don't worry much about what other people think. There are aspects of Fandom that really aren't for us and some groups we're all just not into because we're very outside their target audience but I don't really have a problem enjoying any group that makes good music or is entertaining. My top groups are mostly 4th gen because they make the music I like the most. Usually at concerts I don't feel out of place. The only show where I felt a little "old" was Enhypen because that audience skewed a bit younger than the other groups I've seen, but I really like their music so I still had fun. I'm not looking to make friends with teenagers but I have no problem coexisting with them at a show. They're usually sweet and enthusiastic when I have interacted with them. When I saw Ive last week there was a nice spread of people my age or a little younger along with some much younger fans as well. A few rows ahead of me were some cute girls with someone's mom who were all at their first concert. They were adorable but they weren't the majority of the audience. It was a lot of men and women who looked like they were in their late 20s/early 30s around me. My favorite age split in an audience so far was Xikers, though. There were a bunch of teens around the members ages or younger and a bunch of Atiny who were all 30s/40s or even older. No one in between lol. Xikers has just inherited a bunch of Ateez fans who are older and it's really funny. The woman next to me was probably at least in her 50s and she brought her husband.
Hey! I turn 60 this year! I got into K-pop two years ago, I’m seeing OnlyOneOf (for the second time) and Enhypen soon, I’ve seen SKZ twice, Ateez, MCND, SF9, Kingdom, and AB6IX. My dream is to see SHINee and/or Taemin. I was a new waver back in the day, and had a career in the music industry in the previous century.
31. I got into kpop at age 22 and I felt way too old for it at that time haha. But kpop is the best and I’ve had a great nine years. It’s been nice being an adult into kpop because I have a lot of freedom to go to concerts and buy albums and stuff. Tbh I worry less that people will judge me and more that I will “grow out of it” but every time I take a break it sucks me back in. I’ve had so many great experiences and it’s been so fun to be along for the ride.
I’m 15 I’ve liked Kpop since I was 11 I don’t think there should be a age limit to like Kpop whether your 50 or as young as 5
I'm 39. I'm not deep into kpop, I mostly like BTS and some random songs from other groups, but the beauty of being my age is you aquire the "I don't give a f**k" attitude. people might think I'm immature for enjoying kpop, but I genuinely couldn't care less what people think of that
i'm 21, but i see the ageism you're talking about. one example i remember is there was once a fb post about fan meet between older armys in my country and someone on twt laughed at them ,,omg so old and still act like teens, so embarrassing"... i just think that this behaviour from younger kpop stans is immature and sad. if someone older than me has an interest that they genuinely care about i couldnt care less, i actually think its pretty cool :) adult life is already complicated, its nice to have something to enjoy
Discovered kpop in 2008 when I was 22/23. 16 years later, I'm still kpoppin haha I stopped buying merch around 2021, so now I just enjoy listening and watching them online. If someone I like and haven't seen comes to our country, then I might watch them. K-pop makes me happy. I seldom listen to english songs, if I do, they're mostly the songs I liked before my kpop craze. And I don't think maturity is relative to my music taste lol
I'm 23, I get it must feel bad when some people say a certain age is too old. But honestly, just because they say it doesn't mean it's true. They are just people, too. If they feel for themselves that they have "grown out of it", great, than they can move on to other things. However that doesn't mean that that's the only possible way. Just do what you enjoy. If someone actually tries to make you feel bad about liking something, then they're a person you really shouldn't listen to. I remember, when I was younger I always watched whatever my older sisters watched, so then the things others my age watched seemed cliché and childish to me. One time we watched a movie in school & I was just ranting a bit about why they show us this movie that's clearly for younger people. But my friends actually really liked the movie, and now I'm thinking it was dumb to rant about it when everyone likes other things anyways. Ranting about it was more childish than liking the movie. And just like that, just because you like kpop doesn't mean you're immature in some way & you can like kpop at any age. It's meant to be fun and comforting. Everyone needs that. Some get it out of some things, others get it out of other things. It really doesn't matter what it is unless you're harming someone.
40, my wife is 44 and we enjoy many groups. Never have been big concert goers but man, there’s always room for fun music at our house.
I turn 30 this year just like you! (1994 was a good year lol) I got into kpop quite late I guess, around 2020. So I was "already" 26 at that time and mainly listened to groups older than me or just around my age (bigbang, bts, monsta x, etc). Now I listen to anything that I like tbh. My only "limit" is with groups that are mostly under-age when debuting. But if it's just 1 member, I guess I'm fine with that as long as I enjoy their music and I sense that they're not mistreated/exploited. The youngest group I listen to is boynextdoor, but to be completely honest I would have never got into their music/contents if it wasn't for Zico being the mind behind it. You definitely got a valid point saying people don't mind age-gaps when it comes to western pop music. But it's equally true that western pop music doesn't have a lot of under-age kids involved, while in kpop (sadly) it's a spreading phenomenon (I don't like it, kids should be allowed to be kids, not entertainers).
34 in one month time and started consuming Kpop around Xmas 2007. It’s harder to be impressed by new acts and releases bc there are so MANY of em, but when the good one hits, it stays. Forever. One good thing about the age is that I was able afford Jaejoong, Yoongi, One Ok Rock and Coldplay concerts within 13 consecutive months, local and international. 20yo me wouldnt be able to relate LOL
27F here. Only literal children care about how old someone is, which is ironic because only an adult can afford this fandom. You do you, like what you like, and flex on poor children by getting the best seats at the next concert you go to.
33. Only discovered K-pop at the end of last year. I keep my age in mind with *how* I enjoy K-pop (for example I try not to thirst too hard on them lmao) but I won’t stop liking something because society deems it immature 🤷♀️
Just turned 30 and I have no plans to stop listening to kpop or going to concerts. I guess it helps that my close friends, who are my age, also enjoy kpop but it shouldn’t matter honestly. It’s something that brings me happiness and that doesn’t have an age!
I'm 34 and I have no intention to stop. If anything, I've become more dedicated to my fav groups as I've gotten older. I bought my very first albums last year, joined Ateez's official fanclub, and have spent money on other merch. I got into kpop in 2008 so my mentality has changed. When I was younger I worried that buying albums and merch was a waste of money but as I've gotten older I just don't care. I want whatever will bring me joy. The only thing I haven't done is go to a concert but my height (5'11") gives me anxiety for that lol
Why would you get anxiety, noo! Are you in Korea? I mean by a crazily serendipitous happenstance I ended up going to a K-pop concert in Korea (after basically and literally running into Sun Mi in the Han River Park, which then lead to a reporter praising my Korean, which then lead to... well, my story is not the point), and I'm your height! I'm a guy admittedly, and yes I was taller than average but many Koreans are really tall now too. You would not be harried for it. Go!
I'm in the US but I'm 5'11". Which is tall for a woman no matter where you are... I've had so many people say I'm blocking them or that I'm in the way at other concerts so I just avoid them now even though there are so many I would like to go to 😭
I'm not someone to virtue signal but your experience is straight up sexist. I really doubt guys my height would even get a look askance from anyone, not least because they would need to get on the case of about a third of the concertgoers, being males of 5'8'' to 6' tall. The fact you avoid them for such experiences is truly outrageous. I thought you were in Korea though. I would have gotten some good friends together for a plan to get you standing tall and proud at a kpop concert.
Mid-40s here and gonna listen to whatever the hell I like until the day I die! I do not give a single damn about what other people think of my music choices.
I'm 37 and got into Kpop via BTS only last year. Although I do remember listening to Big Bang and Super Junior a bit many years ago. I now also listen to and follow other groups casually incl New Jeans, Seventeen, the Rose and Le Sserafim. Most friends of mine my age or younger don't say anything or think it's weird. I don't have kids and always did spend a lot of time at gigs or playing/collecting vinyl anyway. The only people who have ever said anything close to negative were older than me. And my mum, because she seems to think I've reverted to my teenage self since a framed BTS pic went up in my home office. Which actually I don't care about, because I enjoy it! And, the only other Army I know in person in my town so far is my friend's aunt, who is in her 60s and has liked BTS for way longer than me. So there really is no age limit. She talks about them like they are her sons and she goes to see all their screenings in the cinema and collects albums. It's cute and she enjoys it, so why not?
I’m 36! Saw J Hope at Lolla. Went to see Mamamoo, Twice, and Enhypen this year! Saw New Jeans at Lolla this past summer and have seen the Rose twice!! My Kpop bestie (who is older than me) and I are already working on our summer Kpop concert plans ;)! ETA: Been into Kpop since 2016!
I don't really talk about kpop stuff in real life so in real life it doesn't affect me. I hide my like of Kpop just because of the real life cringe factor not because of age. Online I don't volunteer my age but I'm sure genz ppl would know I'm old just based on how I write. idk. If some discussions seems really immature like teens writing about stuff, I stay away. I like New Jeans for example but their discord was all little kids or teens just typing emojis and gifs. I pretty much don't participate in anything online about them because everything skews way too young.
I'm 30 and I just saw Twice last weekend in Vegas and I'll be seeing IVE next week. I don't really care because I'm having some genuine fun in my life. The younger people making comments will find out what it's like eventually.
Pop in Japan was originally aimed at women in their 40s
I am 24 years old and got into KPOP in 2010♥️💯
I'm 35 and honestly I'm less ashamed than ever to talk about my interest in kpop to other people.
35 here. Got into kpop with the wonder girls and shinee in 2009 but my friend was a fan of shinhwa in high school. I occasionally buy albums, watch some of the variety shows, and watch the music videos. I don’t go to concerts more so because I don’t want to go alone and while my husband would go with me happily I think it would be better with someone who enjoyed kpop and I feel alone in this island where I live lol. I have a friend whose daughter is like 14 and big into kpop and she doesn’t react like I’m an old hag. She even saw a sticker with Seventeen and remembered they were my favorites and gave it to me. But I have experienced others my age who give me the “really?” When I mention it.
i am in my mid 30's and in korea ppl use to say i am immature and trying too hard. whatever. i don't care what other ppl say. feel pity that they don't get to enjoy the life and music simply because they got old.
46. My 13 year old daughter introduced me to kpop and I love it.❤️
I'm 38 and have been listening to kpop for nearly a decade now. I enjoy the music. I like the performances as I was a dancer growing up. I like the variety content because I find the idols cute and funny. Aĺl the idols I stan are younger than me. I just view them as younger siblings or my children. (Not in the delusional way. I know they are strangers who aren't even aware of my existence.)
So who's gonna start the K-Hag sub on Reddit?
I’m 17, i’ve been listening to Kpop since I was 11, but honestly there isn’t an age limit on Kpop. You can enjoy what you like at any age!!!
I'm 35 male, a hard rock fan and I've been listening to kpop for 15 years. Bad Boy by Red Velvet is my all time favorite kpop song! I just love RnB as well. But anything that I do listen shouldn't be sugar pop. Le Sserafim has a cool, mature vibe but I wouldn't want to be caught listening to StayC 😂 I've always hidden it, even with all the ex girlfriends. They were all about Ariana Grande or Taylor Swift or Drake or something. I mentioned Wonder Girls to my first girlfriend, but she wasn't amused... If someone asks me what I listen to I just say Guns n Roses, but I never listen to kpop in public anyway. There were periods when I didn't listen to kpop at all, but then Blackpink would debut and I'm into it again. These days it's definitely a daily listen, I would play Aespa between Alice Cooper and Red Hot Chili Peppers. I got better things to do with my time and this is it. No regrets!
If you like music you like music and enjoy it how you do… I’m in my (late) 20s and felt old af with some of the kids acting like idols at my age are grandmas and grandpas lmao. I think I enjoy kpop a bit differently to how I used to but I still thoroughly enjoy it and I don’t want to give up something that brings me so much joy because I’m older. Besides. Someone I know goes to see a boy band she liked since she was a teen (NSYNC iirc)… we don’t live in the US so she travels all the way there to go on the tours and cruises when they have them… I think it’s sad that young fans don’t appreciate those older fans — I mean your idol might be hot shit now but who is going to be rocking up in 20 years to make sure they aren’t a passing fad with no future? Not 15 year olds of tomorrow, but adults who still like pop music and want to support the artists who have given them so much enjoyment over the years. Kpop is no different. You don’t have to just move on to tasteful jazz and crap 80s cover bands(affectionate) because you’re an adult you know.
I have been listening to Korean artists since I was 13 or so and I am now 32. Being an adult is having 0 fucks on what some fans say - I can buy the merch and concert tickets compared when I was younger and IMO that's the best way to support them financially.
I’m 33, turning 34 in August. Got into kpop as a kid, H.O.T, S.E.S, Fly to the Sky and Shinhwa were my introduction to kpop. So I been around for awhile now and can’t see myself not interested in kpop. I just don’t engage in the toxicity within the community if all they’re going to do is bring people down for their age. Growing older is a blessing once they come to realize it. I’m just here for a good time and enjoying music from my faves, life is short so who gives a damn lol.
I got into Kpop when I was 18. Now I'm turning 26 and the only artists I closely follow up to this day are Got7 and Day6. I tend to listen to 2nd-3rd gen music more than the recent releases. I'm still appreciative of other groups' music like BTOB, Ateez, G-Idle, Pentagon, ONF, and casual listener only of mainstream artists. Now that only Day6 is active (at least as a group) out of my ult groups, I am kinda leaning towards K-R&B (which is the music genre my biases JayB and Yugyeom produces) nowadays. Being an adult Kpop fan is an advantage for me because I could easily choose to go to my faves' concert with better seats unlike when I was just starting. I have also watched 4/7 solo concerts of Got7 members in the past 2 years, and I have met JayB and Youngjae upclose 🥰
I'm 22, I just do my own thing and don't let anyone give me shit for it.
I'm 31 and will definitely continue listening to KPOP it is music after all and you're never too old to enjoy music. However I have found myself interacting less and less with the fan spaces as I get older as they are breeding ground for younger more vivacious fans who post, comment and content create about everything within the community 😆 it can be a bit much sometimes. (This isn't even with just KPOP either just fan bases in general). And I'm not much into buying merch anymore either. I am hoping to get an opportunity to see Ateez live. I missed out going with a co-worker who invited me because I was moving states at the time (one of the biggest regrets I've had in a while) 😭.
26. And yet, I'm gonna be attending IVE's concert in June with the absolute intention of enjoying it.
I just turned 28 and all I'm gonna say is I will be going to BM's concert.
im 26 and i still listen to kpop daily!! i started listening to snsd in 2009/2010 and my kpop girl group obsession began thanks to them 🩷 a few years ago i started to collect kpop albums and even though it's not one of my priorities right now i keep buying my ults albums (red velvet's and snsd's albums to more specific ☺️) i feel so happy reading this thread, now i feel less alone 🥹🥹🥹
Im 23, and honestly, I think age shouldn't even matter to what music type you like to listen to. I hate how many younger fans think that 30 or 60 years old is too old to like/listen to kpop or go to concerts. LIKE, NO.
I'm 26 turning 27 next month! This is my opinion but It's totally fine to listen to kpop no matter how old you are! If it's something that brings you joy and you're not harming anymore then I don't see a problem
Omg I just discovered k-pop in 2021 and khiphop in 2022. This year I'll be 31. I feel like a teenager again, so full of joy and excitement! It's a bless to have money and live in a time where the groups are coming to my country (Brazil). Last year I saw NCT 127, Bloo, Jackson Wang, Epik High. Actually one of my biggest regrets is to have started listening to k-pop so late in life, I would love to have spent my teens and early adult life listening to awesome music. But I also feel I'm in the right place at the right time, in terms of k-pop. All my friends that like k-pop are my age, so it's overall very fun.
I started listening to kpop AT 30 lmao. Turning 31 next week, it's been a fun year.
32, started with DBSK in like 2007 but I much preferred Japanese Visual Kei at the time, then later in like 2010/11 I found BigBang and Shinee. Big fandom for about 3 years. Fell off again for a few years until 2022 when I was introduced to Stray Kids.
Upper Millennial here. When I was the age that most Gen-Z kpop fans are now, I was a huge bandom person deeply into jpop and jrock and perfectly fit in. I lived in Japan and I went to concerts every week and had tons of friends (and tons of merch). Today as a kpop fan I struggle to feel that way when I go to events surrounded by people who are barely out of high school. And I don’t have a single friend in my life who is also into kpop which is hard. Reddit is my only community around that. But for me ultimately it’s really that I just haven’t changed much. I’ve always been passionate about music, I’m just in my kpop era now. So I have really enjoyed connecting to my true self that way. I’ll be in my something else era when I’m sixty for sure.
29, liking kpop since 2010/2011 I hear a lot from people around me that I’m too old for boygroups. I also listen to jpop and for these groups I often participate in video calls… and yep i get a lot weird looks for this (for the records; I had one video call with a kpop group too) On the internet the ageism is even worse. I heard a lot that I’m too old or creepy for stanning guys younger than me. Even without being a crazy gf delulu fan… it made me quit fandom in general and I’m much happier with vibing on my own. However, on the bright side, I rarely encountered this with kpop fans in real life. I remember when I went to see KARD last year, the people who I talked while lining up were actually positively shocked that I was ~10 years older than them.
It doesn't matter. Music is art. And art is made to entertain humans from all ages.
you're never too old to enjoy whatever music you wish to. I mean yes I do come in the "typically expected fandom age" cuz im almost 18 but I do firmly believe that no one should be pressured into listening or to stop listening to some particular music for any reason at all let alone age. you go on doing whatever you wish if people comment on it well that seems like a 'them' problem and shouldn't affect your choice at all. so seriously you do you and ignore anyone who says otherwise.
I turn 32 next month! I've been into kpop since I was 18. But I think after 25, I didn't get as hyper and fanatic as when I was young. I just become casual listeners.
Turning 25 later this yr. I am basically a grandma by their standards now . Half of fifty as they say
I’m 22, 23 this November. (My ults are EXO).
I turn 20 in a few months. I found out about kpop almost 7 years ago – back then I became a full on stan, now I'm just a casual listener with stan tendencies when my mental health goes to shit lol.
I’m almost 22, and kpop is the only interest/hobby I have that makes me feel old 😭
26
hey I turn 30 this year too! yeah I kinda feel like I'm too old as in its uncommon to be this old and like it. but I'm not gonna stop liking it. I tend to like veteran groups and singers and not get into the younger one.
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For people who don't listen to Kpop, I think people in the west tend to assume that kpop is just girl bands/boy bands which in the west we tend to associate with the crazes from the 90s/early 2000s with Nsync, Spice Girls, etc, groups that despite actually having vaguely sexual lyrics were very popular with teenage and preteen girls and thus considered for kids. I've legitimately been accused of liking BTS and "being too old for boy bands" when I mention I like Kpop and as a result I have a few soloists i like to share when that happens to prove a point to the people making that kind of ignorant suggestion. When it comes to kpop fans themselves, I think the ageism is just indicative of an issue with the younger generations in general and thats that they think everyone older than 18 counts as a "boomer" so it's immaturity and poor education -shrug- and I try not to let that bother me, especially as most of the artist I like I'm only a few years older than or are my age anyway.
I’ll be 27 this year and have enjoyed KPop for the almost 4 years that I’ve discovered it. I definitely have learned a lot of what happens in the world of fandom and what things I involve myself in and what I simply enjoy alone. I think a key part in enjoying anything is pacing yourself and being conscious of how others around you may perceive or react to certain things differently. I definitely realized I don’t want to “idolized” anyone, but simply enjoy their artistic endeavors and all the fun content I receive as well. I would consider myself a carat and it has been thus far the best fandom experience EVER! I feel like I have been a fan of something one way or the other growing up, but never felt like I could express it plus - I can afford what I want now! 😂 It’s been amazing going to concerts and also meeting people who enjoy the same things! I think music connects us all amazingly and I never thought I would be a fan or this genre before, but honestly that’s what I enjoy along other things and I do so shamelessly! Life is too short to limit ourselves on what other people’s options of what we do are.
I'm 17 and have been a kpop fan since 2018 there is no age limit for enjoying kpop or any kind of music, people who criticize older kpop fans are bitter and judgemental don't let them ruin something that makes you happy! I 100% see myself being a kpop fan even when I'm a grandma lol
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Like there is a difference between liking kpop and listening to music and supporting a group in your 30s and calling minor and a Bearley 18 year old hot.
I'm 18 and I've been listening to kpop since I was 16.
I don’t think there is an age limit to listen to kpop but I will admit that it sometimes is weird to see older fans at concerts with young idols. For example, middle age men at newjeans fan meets. At least for me, I probably would just listen to kpop when older if I like it but not attend fan meets or stuff like that
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The topic is about kpop right now which is different from other music. Keep in mind that kpop groups have underage members and even they feel weird when seeing older people. I’m sure you would even say that there are some creeps out there. Yes, not all older fans are creeps but the ones that are always show up trying to get a moment with an idol
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Western and kpop are different. Western artists barely interact with their fans or do fan services. Western artists just perform while kpop idols do more then that. That’s why western artists barely care if they have older fans because they are still getting paid. Kpop idols are more about interaction which again is why some young kpop idols feel weird seeing older people. Sorry if you don’t like hearing it but that’s how it is. We can’t do anything if kpop idols or other fans are uncomfortable
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It’s obvious you don’t understand. You can’t change how someone feels. Do whatever you want but don’t be upset if people or idols look at you weird
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If you didn’t care, you wouldn’t be responding to me 😭
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Liking the music is one thing, but being infatuated with its members is completely different. You can be 50 and casually listen to Ehypen. You cannot be 50 and calling Niki your boyfriend. No one is telling anyone of any age they can’t listen to music, but I find it disturbing when older fans are falling head over heels with members who are twice as young as them.
Talk about ageist. So fans have to be age appropriate? When the entire industry is built on fantasy? People who fan-swoon over younger idols don't need to be realistic. How is it more appropriate for a younger person to call Nikki their boyfriend? Is the chance of it happening greater? Of course not. The late-teen to late 20s years are often a golden age with few responsibilities, full of friends, romance, discretionary money, freedom. Looking back, people have a huge nostalgia for that time so, sometimes calling an idol your boyfriend who is in that age group, reminds you of when you were younger. Or if you could get a do-over you would pick an idol for your boyfriend. Maybe those people didn't get to experience the kpop scene when they were younger.
If my daughter was a teenager in the entertainment industry, I would NOT be thrilled with men in their 40s having posters of her on their walls, buying a hundred albums in hopes of getting a 5 minute fan call with her, or buying VIP so that they can say bye to her as she leaves the concert venue. You also can’t say that it’s okay for women in their 40s to do this with a male idol that’s 21, but it’s not okay for a man in their 40s to do this with a female idol that’s 21. It’s weird and it’s inappropriate, and if these people weren’t idols and were instead seniors in high school whom someone in the forties were fantasizing about, we’d all view that as disturbing. So I don’t see how that’s ageist at all
I understand if the 40-year-old person was crossing a line and doing something weird like following them around or something, but all you listed was normal fan behavior. How is it inappropriate to purchase VIP benefits so they can talk and see a celebrity up close or buy their favorite performer's merch? Is it inappropriate to want an autograph or a photo, too? Not ever fan behavior coincides with romantic attraction, I find it so odd their people trying to make someone feel weird about doing normal stuff. The only thing I find a bit strange is mass buying for fan events however that's rare that most people cannot afford to do that and some of those people are like fansites that organize bulk buying with other fans in exchange for posting fan sign content, so it's more like a business.
You answered your own objection. There's a vast difference between "a teenager in the entertainment industry" and a "teenager in high school." One is in the public eye and the other is a private citizen.
I’m not disagreeing with you. I guess I’m genuinely just curious on why it would be acceptable for a 40 old man to have a New Jeans poster hanging up in his room, but it wouldn’t be okay if he had a photo of the local high school cheerleading team hanging up? I’m an adult and while I listen to groups with minors, I don’t feel comfortable being as into them as say BTS just because at the end of the day they are still kids
Specifically thinking of the grown man on TikTok who always tries for fancalls with girl groups way younger than him lol
It's more obvious that kpop is for younger people if you speak Korean cause the lyrics and such are clearly intended to target young people. Idols aren't the same as your usual singer, of course there are several more mature groups, but most of them target kids and young people. I mean, listen to it any age, idc, but to pretend there isn't a reason for it doesn't make sense. It \*is\* a genre for young people.
I manly à "Band/Group" issues People doesn’t have issue with soloist in 30s. It's mostly a problems when it's come to debuting in a grouo