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MY TAKE ON FANSITES
I promised it and the birthday ads debate is the perfect time for this so here it is: an education thread on fansites for baby and older ARMY
I promised it and the birthday ads debate is the perfect time for this so here it is: an education thread on fansites for baby and older ARMY
This is from what I learnt since 2017, especially when a big debate about them emerged in 2018. This is only based on my opinion and the informations I gathered. I take responsibility for all mistakes if they are any, I tried to cover only subjects I learnt a lot about. +
First we need to know what fansites are exactly.
They are FANS who follow the idol(s) they dedicate to in all their official public schedules in order to take pictures of them. Their pictures are sold to other fans to collect money to cover the cost of following them and +
They are FANS who follow the idol(s) they dedicate to in all their official public schedules in order to take pictures of them. Their pictures are sold to other fans to collect money to cover the cost of following them and +
buy gifts to these idols after. This is why you can see before 2017 mountains of gifts made to the members for their birthdays. Fansite's money is supposed to go back to the idols.
This culture was in kpop way before BT5 and some Korean stans are still really attached to it. +
This culture was in kpop way before BT5 and some Korean stans are still really attached to it. +
(Note: I said "idol(s)" because some people run several fansites. Sometimes they focus on one member of a group but for several groups, or just several members in the same group.) +
What is the problem with them?
Now that we know who they are let's see the pros and cons. I think it's important to first take a look at what they USED TO mean. I won't deny that they helped the boys in the past and that some of them were even known and appreciated by BT5 +
Now that we know who they are let's see the pros and cons. I think it's important to first take a look at what they USED TO mean. I won't deny that they helped the boys in the past and that some of them were even known and appreciated by BT5 +
themselves. When they debuted, BT5 barely had money to buy stage outfits so some of the things they wore/had at the time were ARMY's gifts. Fansites were a significant source of help for them. It was also the case for their promotion. +
Billboard adverts like we see now were funded by fansites and helped their promo. This does not mean to erase ARMY's hard-work ofc, remember their money is ARMY's money to begin with too. It also seems that BH never really limited their access to official events at first. +
Fansites' pictures have always been used by ARMY and i think they were helpful in the first years of the group to create a feeling of closeness between BT5 and ARMY. This covered all schedules and allowed I-ARMY to feel like they knew what was happening a little more. +
All of this sounds not so bad... but irl this went with being constantly under the eyes of big cameras for everything they do. Not having any time to be peaceful at award shows. Seeing mostly big cameras at concerts' barricade. Being crowded in airport in unsafe conditions!!!! +
And for ARMY: being ejected from front row by them because they cheat or scam. Having their concert experience ruined by fansites moving and not caring about people, hitting them with their cameras. Fansites using almost all the tickets of fan meetings. ETC! +
The pictures that used to be "useful" are now often covered by official medias or BH as well. BH started to ban cameras from venues and to police the selling of unofficial merch, showing a change in their vision. +
In 2018, gifts became overwhelmingly big and numerous... BT5 and BH decided that it was better to not accept them anymore. ARMY had to redirect their love, most of us decided it was important to support BT5's message and the number of donation campaigns +
increased. But fansites, along with charity, kept making crazier and crazier projects to promote the members INDIVIDUALLY. Projects worth millions of $. Adverts using THEIR OWN pictures, making this way also promotion of THEMSELVES. +
Why some ARMY think we should get rid of fansites?
First reason is BT5's privacy and security. It was maybe at a smaller scale before but it's getting out of hand. Their number increased and they would go to any extend to enter cameras in venues where it's FORBIDDEN. +
First reason is BT5's privacy and security. It was maybe at a smaller scale before but it's getting out of hand. Their number increased and they would go to any extend to enter cameras in venues where it's FORBIDDEN. +
They go against the rules of BH that the boys themselves backed by saying that they don't like to be filmed, even by ARMY's phone and hate having only cameras at front row. They showed their discomfort toward fansites many times. +
Second, they proved themselves to not be trustworthy a lot of times. There is no way to know how much money they make and if all of it is really used for the boys. It means they could make money from putting them in uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous situations. +
Their pictures are really cool and I know how hard it is to stop using them. Imo, it's useless to cancel using past pictures. But we should definitely ban new ones. The boys are DROWNING us in official content: medias/BH pictures, Run BTS, Vlives, selcas, BV, +
Bangtan 
and episodes, and so so much more. BH even created BT21 and Tinytan to extend the content so there is always something. Now how would you justify that you need this one specific picture that was taken against BT5 and BH's will if it's not just... obsession? +
and episodes, and so so much more. BH even created BT21 and Tinytan to extend the content so there is always something. Now how would you justify that you need this one specific picture that was taken against BT5 and BH's will if it's not just... obsession? +
This need of HD pictures at all time when we're used to it is understandable but really strange when you look at it closer... They work so hard to make good content, it would be the LEAST to let them be peaceful when they travel and enjoy concerts with ARMY. Covid proved it. +
I'll talk about it again at the end but the line between fansite and sasaeng is always really blurry and often crossed.
Also big fansites like He*dliner (J/K fansite) were later exposed to hate who they follow, in this case J/K, and be open about it with other fansites. +
Also big fansites like He*dliner (J/K fansite) were later exposed to hate who they follow, in this case J/K, and be open about it with other fansites. +
They only follow them for money and do not genuinely like them. They ruin everyone's experience for profit out of solo's obsession with appearance and individuality. Some might be legit ARMY but we don't need them anymore and accept some of them leads +
to accept all of them because we can't possibly be sure that they will all not cross the line at any time. We can't say who's "good" or "bad", they all carry a useless idea of appearance cult and discomfort for the boys and/or ARMY when it's in concerts/shows. +
Third is about advert projects. Yes, fansites had an impact in promotion. But do you think they still need this in 2020? Are they not Grammy nominated BB chart topers? Does an advert WORTH MILLIONS OF $ will make a real significant change? +
I'm throwing elements here to make you think. I don't say it's a bad thing itself. But do you think these adverts are more worthy than a direct impact on their career/money by investing in their music or charity to support the good values we share? +
Bday projects also make ARMY have a great time all together and the members said that it makes them happy. But even when you think about it, I only remember them talking about charity projects and how they are thankful we share their engagement... I think they said having +
their faces all over is cool so it's yours to make an opinion on what you truly think is the best at the end of the day.
It's also getting into a solo stan war of who has the biggest projects. It needs to be discussed. Acting like you can't see the bad side +
It's also getting into a solo stan war of who has the biggest projects. It needs to be discussed. Acting like you can't see the bad side +
of something just because you love the good side does not work in any situation. It's just weak. This being said you are free to make your own opinion with everything in this thread, your own researches and other ARMY's opinions!
TIPS:
What's the difference between fansite and sasaeng:
A sasaeng is a stalker. In my definition of fansite I said "follow them in all their official public schedule", it's the only difference. Sasaeng do not respect idols' privacy outside of public schedules. +
What's the difference between fansite and sasaeng: A sasaeng is a stalker. In my definition of fansite I said "follow them in all their official public schedule", it's the only difference. Sasaeng do not respect idols' privacy outside of public schedules. +
Not everyone agrees on this because being a fansite itself can be invasion of privacy, so some ARMY think they are the same but when fansites were not a huge problem, it was the difference. Also we have no proof fansites do not follow privet schedules if they +
don't post the pictures 
They could be sasaeng and some of them happened to be when we thought they were not. Here is a thread of some of the most problematic ones. https://twitter.com/agustdickian_/status/1168380989128630273?s=19
They could be sasaeng and some of them happened to be when we thought they were not. Here is a thread of some of the most problematic ones. https://twitter.com/agustdickian_/status/1168380989128630273?s=19
How to know if a picture is from a fansite? They all have a name and include it to the picture for credit (see example pic 1). They post "preview" (pic of the camera screen) of pictures that will be for sale (pic 2). Medias' marks are bigger and look more official (pic 3). +
Following what I said, I think that all airport pictures should definitely be banned. But there are times were only official medias are there. Don't hesitate to search or ask to be sure if it's official. Also huge reminder that this particular one is a problematic paparazzi
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Including my thread about why some of us do not support Disp*tch: https://twitter.com/sugachim2/status/1339603544039596041?s=19
Including my mini thread about why some of us do not support Disp*tch: https://twitter.com/sugachim2/status/1339603544039596041?s=19
Friendly but necessary reminder that bullying is never ok and you should never bully fansites. They do not deserve any support and attention, that's all. Don't go insult them please.
Thank you for reading, sorry for my English 
You can give your opinion and ask questions, just try to make it argued please 
This is an interesting debate we need to talk about.
You can give your opinion and ask questions, just try to make it argued please This is an interesting debate we need to talk about.
Adding the experience of a friend at concert: https://twitter.com/Eternal7Dream/status/1343637876345622529?s=19
