by Heather Chen
I was sitting in a VIP room with a bunch of teenage girls. Dozens of CDs and posters were piled on the table in front of us. Laughter was heard everywhere and everyone was talking excitedly to each other. Despite this cheerful atmosphere, I was actually having a nervous breakdown. My mind had gone totally blank and my heart was pounding so fast that I thought it would jump out of my chest any minute. I was so nervous that my voice even trembled when I spoke. Yet conversing with others was the only way I could calm down. So what was it that made me this excited and so unlike myself? Well, maybe not a big deal to others, but a dream come true for me—an afternoon tea meeting with my idol Lee-hom Wang. Like many teenagers, I have a huge craze for my idol. When I say huge I really mean it. I’m a zealous supporter of his, or, in other words, I’m a superfan. I buy all his CDs and posters, attend his autograph sessions and go to all his concerts. I record (or try to record) the programs that he has been on and collect magazines and newspapers that have reports on him. I wake up at five a.m. and line up under the burning sun for twelve hours just to get a better seat in his concerts. I am depressed for days if I hear someone criticize him or spread bad rumors about him. I go to his personal website everyday (when possible) to get his latest news and exchange opinions with other fans. I even send email to him though I know he would never have the time to reply. So far, the craziest (and silliest) thing that I’ve done was that I baked cookies for him as a gift. In short, I’ve spent a great deal on him—in terms of money, time, and energy. Many people, I believe, would think that I’m too crazy and have gone too far. Yet everyday in the entertainment news on television, we see crowds of teenagers doing the same things, and some even crazier. For instance, some fans follow their idols wherever they go and even try to sneak into their houses. I’ve also seen reports of fans committing suicide because of their idols. So what exactly are the charms of these stars that they could make their fans so addicted? I think nobody would deny that their appearance plays a big part. We are naturally enchanted by beautiful things and beautiful people; how can we possibly resist from being fond of someone who is beautiful or handsome, and who looks exactly like our dream lover or Prince Charming? It’s simply irresistible—at least to me (and to those like me), for whom passions often overrule reason and who find it hard to use so much self-control. The most popular artists, therefore, are usually the most beautiful or handsome. Of course there are exceptions—but very few. Nonetheless, besides external charms, I think there is a more important reason why these people are so popular—a “something” in their character or personality that infatuates their fans. This “something” may be anything: a talent for music or acting, a humorous way of talking, a kind and amiable nature, a nimble and creative mind, or simply a unique way of being cool. These people appeal to us because they possess features and characteristics that we lack. We admire them because they can do (and often do very well) what we cannot do. We wish we could be like them, but since we cannot, we give them our greatest support—or more specifically, become their superfans. Indeed, idolatry is very common nowadays among teenagers and I personally have no objections to idol chasing, for I am sometimes quite crazy myself. However, I do not think that there should be no limit to this kind of passionate behavior. Fans who follow their idols and sneak into their houses or commit suicide for them have really gone too far. These people have lost themselves and have found nothing else in the world except “being with” their idols. They no longer live for themselves but for another person. When showing support to our idols, we mustn’t forget that we have our own lives and they have theirs. Moreover, there are many other things and people in the world that are interesting and meaningful and they deserve our attention, too. It would be a pity if we gave up the chance of seeing and feeling the world around us for the sake of one single person. Besides, extreme behavior would only offend your idol by making him or her feel that you’re invading his or her privacy. So why spend so much time making yourself disliked by someone you’re fond of? By the way, do you think Lee-hom will like the cookies I baked for him? I sure hope so. I spent weeks practicing making them! a
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May 2024
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