Alshayne Marie Oyo-a at the concert of her favorite Kpop group, Seventeen. | Contributed photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The concept of “fangirling” is viewed differently by individuals of different ages and backgrounds. For those who are not familiar with the culture, it’s oftentimes branded as an “unhealthy obsession.”
Simply put, some people think that being so dedicated in idolizing celebrities is a waste of time and money.
This type of comments are not new to fans of Korean Pop music or K-Pop, especially because it is an industry wherein fans typically spend a lot of money on products.
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But for the fans themselves, their hobby has a deeper reason which may be difficult to understand for some.
They each have a story to tell to the world that their hobby is not a hindrance to being a responsible and successful person.
This is the story of 25-year-old Alshayne Marie Oyo-a, a Cebuana who’s been living her life as a thriving adult and a K-Pop fangirl.
Shan has been a fan of K-Pop since 2010. | Contributed photo
Oyo-a, fondly known by her friends and family as “Shan,” lives with her family in Talisay City, Cebu.
She had a normal childhood and graduated college in 2019. Not long after, she began working to help her family with their finances.
She now works as an accounting staff at a real estate development company and is consistently contributing to the needs of their household.
On weekdays, Shan is focused on being a hardworking employee at their office.
But on her off days, she spends her time fangirling over K-Pop idols.
It was back in her elementary days in 2010 when K-Pop music first caught Shan’s attention through a music show on television.
In an interview with CDN Digital, she shared how she was captivated by the melody and groove of the music despite her lack of understanding of the language. She then slowly grew more interested with the music, the performances, and Korean culture in general.
Five years later, she found her favorite group called Seventeen. The 13-member group instantly piqued Shan’s interest when they debuted in 2015.
As a music and dance enthusiast, she fell in love and started to explore more about her newfound hobby.
Shan is part of a group that organizes events and activities for Cebuano K-Pop fans. | Contributed photo
While some might say that girls are only hooked on the visuals of their so-called idols, Shan says that fans like her are not that shallow.
She narrated how in her times of difficulty because of school, the group’s music helped her end each day with a smile of her face.
On days she was sad, watching her favorite celebrities sing and dance lifted her spirits.
“Naa man guy challenges sa life nga moabot nako, and di nako mashare sa ako friends or parents. Kung magpile-up ang problema, sila ako madaganan. Motan-aw ko sa ila content, maminaw sa ila music, ma-heal ko bisag way morespond nako,” she said.
(There are challenges in life that arrived, and I cannot share them to my friends or parents. If they pile up, they are the ones that I turn to. I will watch their content, I will listen to their music, I will be healed even if there is no one to respond to me.)
To Shan, her hobby is her source of strength and laughter amidst the burden of her problems.
It wasn’t easy for Shan to get over the fear of being teased because of her fangirling. She recalled how she had to hold it in, wanting to talk about it to others but keeping it to herself for fear of being ridiculed.
Back when K-Pop was not as widely known as today, many individuals had only negative things to say about it.
In spite of this, Shan’s love for K-Pop grew and it led to her finding a community full of people who share the same interest as her.
Shan with all the attendees of a fan event organized by her group. | Contributed photo
Shan said that she found friends whom she eventually built deeper connections with. She found a sense of belongingness and genuine camaraderie that helped her grow out of her shell as an introvert.
She added that she found the courage to be more friendly to others and to be build more social relationships. She became a better and happier person, unafraid to show others the hobby that she wholeheartedly enjoyed.
Despite her strong love for K-Pop, Shan is aware of the reality that she does not have the means to buy albums or attend concerts as a student. Her family could not afford it and they had bigger priorities.
Shan knew this and used it as an inspiration to work harder in school. She did not want to ask her parents money for her hobby so she studied hard to finish college and earn money on her own.
After she graduated, Shan was finally able to satisfy her desire for her idols’ merchandises using her own hard-earned money.
Shan attends her first ever concert with a friend in Manila. | Contributed photo
In 2022, she attended the two-day “Be the Sun Concert in Manila” with some friends after saving up for months. Her father even accompanied her as she camped outside of a mall overnight to buy the concert tickets.
Since then, Shan has attended many more concerts and fan events.
According to Shan, her parents were supportive of her hobby as she never made them believe that she could not be trusted to make responsible decisions. Back when she was a student, her studies came first and she succeeded in getting a diploma.
She also prioritized helping her parents financially with her earnings and learned to save up for the things that she wanted for herself. She balanced her responsibilities well which earned her parents’ trust on the way she handled her time and money.
Shan said that her world did not revolve around fangirling over K-Pop idols. She may be a dedicated fan but she has a life outside of it.
Her obligations as an eldest daughter are prioritized over her hobby. Shan said that her admiration of celebrities made her happy but it did not make up her entire life.
She explained that it was important to create a boundary between both worlds in order to have balance.
She also said that it would be up to each individual to create this boundary in order not to cause more harm than comfort.
Being a fan is not unhealthy as long as it is not excessive, she said.
“It’s really worth it. It feels like you have an automatic friend that you can lean on. You will only really understand if you join. [But] you should be able to understand that fangirling does not make up your whole life. You really have to balance it. If one day you might leave the fandom or the group disbands, at least you still have the memory. You won’t really lose direction over your own life,” shared Shan.
Shan is proud to be a K-Pop fan and she aims to help other fans like her to feel comfortable with their hobby. | Contributed photo
Shan’s story as a fan shows how there is a way to responsibly devote time and resources for celebrities without setting aside one’s other responsibilities.
Her sense of responsibility for her own life is an inspiration for the youth to bravely embrace their interests while living their own lives.
Her courage to do what she loves regardless of what others might say is an uplifting move to show that life is enjoyable when you do not let fear control you.
As Shan continues to express her admiration for her favorite celebrities together with her friends, her story validates the narrative of hundreds of Cebuano fans like her on the true essence of fangirling.