Opinion: How do K-pop fans become problematic? Meet the akgae fan

By Carmela Calling

The culture of Korean pop music has reached new heights across the globe thanks to super groups such as BLACKPINK, EXO, TWICE, and BTS.

Fans express their love and support for their favourites in many ways. Within this fandom culture, there are multi-fandom fans, pure fandoms, sasaeng fans, solo stans – and a more troubling type: akgae fans.

If you aren’t familiar with the term, a solo stan is someone who supports a single member of a group without necessarily following the rest.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with that – it’s a personal choice to admire one specific idol, even if they’re part of a larger group.

However, things take a problematic turn when fans begin spreading hate toward the other members.

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Solo stans vs akgae fans

Derived from the Korean term akseong gaeinpaen, “akgae” translates to “malicious individual fan.”

Akgae fans are those who not only favor a single member but also disparage and degrade the others.

This behaviour can be destructive. Akgae fans often criticise the group as a whole, sometimes expressing the desire for the group to disband so that their favourite member can go solo.

Akgae fans tend to display certain telltale behaviors. They:

• Believe their favorite member receives little or no support from the group’s label.
• Think the group is holding their favourite member back.
• Dismiss fans who appreciate the entire group, often calling them “fake fans.”
• Portray their favourite member as a perpetual victim.
• Insist that trolling posts targeting their favourite member were written by fans of other members.
• Deny that they themselves are akgae fans, despite their behaviour.

The prevalence of akgae fans is undeniable. Their toxic presence persists and contributes to unhealthy fandom dynamics.

At the core of true fandom is respect. Genuine fans support all the members, acknowledging their collective hard work and shared success.

It’s perfectly fine to have a bias, but it’s equally important to respect and appreciate the rest of the group. After all, K-pop groups succeed because of teamwork – and their efforts should be celebrated as one.

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