A/N: This is for the March K-Pop Giveaway featuring Super Junior. It's too obnoxiously long to post on Facebook, so... here it is!
Thoughts on Super Junior
Part One
Ah... Super Junior. Seems like everyone's been talking about them lately. Frankly, it's understandable. They're funny, good-looking, and sweet- what's not to like? Never mind your usual fangirls (who are, of course, everywhere); I've even seen fan-grandmas cheering excitedly for them. These fifteen guys are just that popular, as we know all too well. They've charmed so many people with their magnetic personalities, capturing hearts as well as imaginations (the rather... um... vividly descriptive fanfictions written about them are proof enough). Their popularity has grown exponentially with each passing year, and seems like it will never stop.
To be completely honest, even though I now adore them, I wasn't always a Super Junior fan. In fact, there was a time not so long ago when I didn't even know anything about Asian pop culture, much less K-pop (kind of a fail for someone who was born in China, don't you think?). I won't go into very much detail about the process of rediscovering my "Asian-ness" (so you don't fall asleep while reading this), but long story short, I somehow got into anime/manga, "discovered" Japanese culture, then decided to explore the Chinese culture that I'd basically forgotten about after I moved to the U.S. at age six.
Nine months ago, I was introduced to the Korean pop culture (or "가요," as I later discovered) when a friend coerced me into watching Attack on the Flower Boys. Before seeing the movie, I was completely skeptical about it (it's kind of funny how the title has probably made more than a few first-time viewers cringe). I distinctly remember (now to my eternal embarrassment) even scoffing, "Super Junior? What kind of a band name is that?" Of course, this story ends rather predictably: I liked the movie despite my misgivings about the title, became interested in the group some time later, and found myself fascinated by all the aspects of Korean culture. A happy ending to a very promising beginning, wouldn't you agree?
I feel like all these new things I've garnered have made me into a more enlightened person. Of course, Super Junior is one of them. I'm not claiming that this boy band is the sole reason for my intellectual and emotional growth (because, well, the notion that a group of idols I've never met single-handedly transformed my life is a bit ridiculous), but they were definitely a part of it. For starters, even though this isn't exactly life-altering, SuJu has brightened my days with their music. Whenever I hear their songs, I feel happier, and my outlook on life improves. The dedication they put into their music has inspired me to put more passion into my own. Like Henry Lau, I play the violin; I want to defy stereotypes and show the world that classical music doesn't have to be (and in fact isn't) boring.
After hearing the members' personal stories, from Donghae's recollections of his father to Kyuhyun's distressing accident, I've realized that life is too short for us not to seize the day. We should make the most out of what we are given and not take anything for granted, because we never know when they are suddenly going to vanish. Most importantly, Super Junior, one of the various new influences in my life that have resulted from my rediscovery of Asian culture, has helped open my eyes to the world outside the little suburb in which I live. Right now, I'm learning French, Japanese, and Korean as well as further improving my Chinese and English (well, I don't really have a choice about the last one, but still). This will help me see more of the world and experience for myself what I have only read about these past fifteen years. Like the saying goes, information is power, and I definitely want to do something creative and beneficial with the knowledge I gain from these experiences.