I guess with this post, I’m owning up to being a BIGBANG fan. Though I still can’t call myself a VIP (in the same way I can’t call myself a Boice) because I don’t want that commitment. When one friend asked me if I’m now a VIP, I answered that I’m just a music fan. But thanks to those who have “welcomed” me to the fandom anyway. Though generally, I don’t think we need to put tags and titles when “fan” is good enough already. Though yes, I’m an Arashian even if I’m not a member of the fan club (don’t get me started on why). I think years of being their fan entitles me to that at least.
And it just hit me — hey, my three favorite artists form an ABC.
Arashi
BIGBANG
CNBLUE
Ain’t that genius.
But man, are they so different from one another. But liking them makes me feel kind of a well-rounded music fan, all I need now is classical music. Hah.
Let’s do the ABCs on each group and how I was baited.
Arashi (Japan)
Genre: Pop, R&B
Since when: November 2005
Where was I: Adjusting to a new life in a foreign country.
Bait: Drama – Hana Yori Dango (Matsumoto Jun)
Turning point: Their old variety shows from C x D x G and Mago Mago Arashi (would spend weekends marathoning on them. Good times.)
First fave song: Subarashiki Sekai
All-time fave song: A.Ra.Shi. 5×10 is a close second.
Ichiban: Jun though many think it’s Nino, but who cares, I love them all.
Live experience: Asia Song Festival 2006 in Gwangju, S. Korea; Digitalian 2014, Nagoya
Surprise factor: They’re not the typical idols. One word: stocking. They’ve also been in a few scandals over the years and had a tough journey to where they are now, at one time dismissed as the least likely to succeed. Guess who’s surprised.
Why I’m still a fan: They’re fun, down-to-earth boys who have grown up into self-assured men but still remaining the same bakas their fans came to love, not afraid to poke fun at themselves and giving their all to every opportunity they are given as if it’s the last thing they have to do in their lives.
Pimping them: Happy pill, no dramatic side effects; I can also dangle J or Neen.
BIGBANG (Korea)
Genre: Hip Hop, EDM, R&B
Since when: July 2015
Where was I: The summer of discontent: drought and Grexit
Bait: Tee. Oh. Pee. And his weird IG posts.
Turning point: Appearance on Happy Together
First fave song: We Like 2 Party
All-time fave song: I’m still a newly minted fan but I really love Stupid Liar.
Bias: GD (proven when I watched MADE and couldn’t take my eyes off him)
Bias-wrecker: TOP; sometimes Seungri; other times Daesung
Live experience: MADE 2015, Bangkok
Surprise factor: It’s not that TOP can’t or don’t dance or that he can sing (just because he raps most of the time). Or that GD is the epitome of cool. But that their music is actually very nice to listen to. I thought it was hardcore hip hop. Now I’m not as ignorant.
Why I became a fan: They’re cool and they make cool music, plus they are funny (yes, that counts a lot for me).
Pimping them: Here’s BIGBANG with Dragon on TOP.
CNBLUE (Korea)
Genre: Rock, Pop
Since when: December 2013
Where was I: Christmas and Nihongo classes.
Bait: Drama – Mirae’s Choice (Jung Yonghwa)
Turning point: 392 concert
First fave song: Let’s Go Crazy
All-time fave song: YFFM
Bias: JYH
Bias-wrecker: Kang Minhyuk; sometimes, My Friend
Live experience: CSBKK, CSBusan, CSPH 2014; Wave 2014, Nagoya; White 2015, Yokohama
Surprise factor: How they are treated as idols (and pin-up models). But I guess it’s the curse of their fame although this status often overshadows their being musicians.
Why I became a fan: Their music. I watched their 392 concert on DVD and found their live awesome. Best to watch them in Japan.
Pimping them: They compose their own music, play their own instruments and it doesn’t hurt they’re all good looking. Ear fun and eye candy, what more can you ask for?
I realize that this post is a melting pot of J-pop and K-pop terms. “Ichiban” (you say “bias” in K-pop). “Pimping” is a very common term in LJ, just as “bait” is; “Jun-baited” being a very famous Arashi fandom term. And of course, “bias-wrecker” is a very K-pop term (just as “comeback” and “goodbye stage” are).
Who really knew there will come a day that I’d be writing a post like this. And I thought getting into CNBLUE was already a big step. Turns out it was only the beginning. But hey, I’m not that easy okay. It took me four years to give CNBLUE a listen while BIGBANG maybe even longer than that. If this proves anything, it’s that I don’t listen to my friends all the time. Ironically, my friends who were CNBLUE and BB fans have all moved on (they’re still Arashi fans though). And I’m just starting.
Truth be told though, my playlist has never been this diverse. Music evolves and so do we.
What’s your story?
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orange jasmine purple yam 
I have the same story about CNBLUE and Big bang. Being ‘trapped’ with CNBLUE because of 329 concert. And lately my playlist are Big Bang songs..yeay
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Been following your immersion in BigBang with interest. A Birth of a New Fan… 😀
I’m a bit envious as I’ve never been able to resist a ‘good tune’, thus I’ve aquired a phletora of groups and singers I keep tabs on. Well, most of them semi regularly or on and off. And I keep adding more to to the list! Heaven help me but I just accidentally got myself entangled with Exile Tribe by innocently clicking a YT vid that was linked to something I was actually looking for. Guess what I’ve been listening/watching the past week…? XD
V6 is 20yrs this year, Infinite has a comeback this week, Beast is coming up next and I’m sure there are probably few other faves, just waiting to release something. Sigh. The kpop comeback rush has been pretty much ridiculous this July.
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I’ve always been amazed with fans who can manage that many artists all at once! Lol but I think I can understand a little now. Thankfully my ABC have their schedules balanced so I don’t really have my hands full though Arashi alone is enough to keep my fangirl life preoccupied.
Oh Exile Tribe…is this the original or the next generation? I am confused with the subunits. I only know….rise rise rising sun hahahaha
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I’ve always been like this, since I started listening to music.^^ Back in the day when I was still somewhat current with western music scene I even had a real genre mashup; classical, oldies from 40’s to 60’s, punk, pop, rock, C&W… you name it. LOL! Then I just went off music almost totally for several years until I discovered kpop.
The whole freaking Tribe! The original Exile, The Second, Sandaime JSB and Generations. Thank god the 5th gen has not debuted yet. XD I’ve somehow become pretty well versed of how the whole Exile system works. There’s only one subunit (The Second), the rest are brother groups and together they all form Exile Tribe. That’s a whopping 28 members! Who the heck manages keep tabs on all of ’em,? I’m not even trying, though I think I do know all the vocalists by now. 😀 To make matters even more ‘fun’, there is some member overlapping with the main Exile and the other groups. Glad you asked, eh? *g*
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I think I got lost between the original and the Sanxxx lol so it’s all a brotherhood? I don’t think I want to know, sounds so complicated hahahahaha
Isn’t it Hiro’s company that’s managing the group?
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Haha… I’m a glutton for punishment, apparently.^^ I guess you could call it a brotherhood, they do seem to act that way too. Though…. come to think of it the oldest members are old enough to be fathers to the youngest, ha. There’s a rather fun video of EXILE Pride where you can see more or less the whole Exile family, including the girl groups, trainees and kids from the Exile schools. It sort of tells the story of the group from the beginning. 😀
Yup, it’s LDH, Hiro’s company that manages all of them. Hiro is still The Leader though he retired from ‘active duty’ aka performing but he still operates in the background as a producer etc.
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Hmmm…Yoshiki is a classical musician too right? I love that side of him and of course X Japan ballads 🙂
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Hmmm I should listen to X-Japan so I would have classical thrown into the mix lol I on,y fangirl Yoshiki the personality Hahahaha he amuses me so much!
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way to go!!!!!
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My fangirl soulmate lol life is tough, we have to support 14 men. Lol
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I didn’t know about the term “bait”. New things I learn from you!
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Can I bait you to my ABC? Hahahaha some of them are in dramas you know LOL
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I’m pretty sure most arashi fans are jun-baited, i’m one of them 😉 nino is my ichiban cause i really love that brat! arashi is my home. I may wander to some groups sometimes but i always come back to them. This may sound really dramatic but they really do make me feel happy and less lonely.
I was into suju, exo and beast for a couple of months (different years) then i lost interest. exo fandom is full of dramas and suju can be really cocky so is their fans. Beast is ok, i just lost interest. Honestly, i only became a fan cause of their appearance on variety shows/dramas which is different on cnblue’s case. I actually like their music and that made me watch 2 or 3 of their concerts on yt. 🙂
I still have to see arashi live! That’s #1 on my bucket list!!!
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Girl, you are not dramatic. Not at all. Because that’s how Arashi makes me feel too. They’re really my home as well. Or as Sho said, an oasis. I don’t know how they do it, over the past year I have wandered to other fandoms as well and I always run back to Arashi for comfort. They really make the world a rainbow-coloured place.
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You know what,,i second to this..
There were also times when i into another groups like Tohoshinki,,JYJ,,and CNBLUE or into another variety show like Running Man,,but in the end of the day i always come back to Arashi.. You know it is so easy to fall in love with them over and over again.. And yes,,just like lulu90,,watching them live is also my top wishlist rite now..
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I hope you and lulu90 get to see them live at least once! But I gotta say, once is not enough experiencing them lol if only international fans will have a fair shot at watching their concerts…
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