COMMUNICATING THE INFLUENCE OF K-POP MUSIC TO SHS STUDENTS:

AN INTERPRETATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

(A Research Proposal)

Group 2 (AC4-1)

Abing, Celeste Hannah C.

Agosto, Jasmine Kate P.

Balais, Jairon Ric

Cruz, Samantha Jane B.

Encina, Jaira Sophia Rose H.

Fernandez, Princess Diane

Gariando, Mark Joseph D.

Llanets, Hazel A.

December 22, 2022

 CHAPTER 1

THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

Background and Rationale of the Study

Music in general, regardless of the language being used, tends to bring comfort and

magnifies the mood. But what makes Korean Popular music different than the rest?

Undeniably, most Filipino teens of today’s generation have grown up to be fond of cultures

beyond their own— K-Pop being one of them. As solely for an escape away from matters of

family, school, and work, fanning over celebrities and joining in on the trends could be one of

the common ways to cope in terms of relieving stress. With that, Filipinos have proven beyond

doubt that K-Pop indeed appeals to them, as it has gained further popularity in the Philippines.

Teenagers, specifically, are the ones who are mostly seen to be fond of what’s new in every

industry, through their curiosity or plain interest. Yet, as the world becomes more globalized,

their support for K-Pop goes to a deeper level as well, ending up to build much more immense

influence that is more than just mere appreciation.

Platforms such as live concerts, albums, music streaming services, and many others,

has been a way for K-Pop to build connection with their fans. In return, the dance

choreographies for each of their songs and even the lyrics of the songs itself are being

memorized by the said supporters, as a form of fanning all throughout. Due to such factors, it

had become a route for unleashing hidden talents of the many. Yet despite the positive impact

brought by such Korean Wave, their culture has also affected a negative passage leading to

concerning issues which should need proper counseling, most especially that the K-Pop fans

are teenagers.

With this growing K-Pop culture that has been on fire for decades now, having this

study will further dissect the lived experiences of senior high school students, mainly
influenced by their support for the Korean music, how it had first started to capture the hearts

of the Filipinos, and how it has created a change on their way of general perceptions in life.

Statement of the Problem

K-Pop music has become a venue for students to explore and discover new

things that could help them gain new experiences on their ventures. This study aims to learn

what experiences do the students have with K-Pop music.

1. What are the different experiences of senior high school students in K-Pop music?

2. What would be the possible advantages and disadvantages of the various experiences

shared by the senior high school students in K-Pop?

3. What would be the possible disadvantages of the various experiences shared by the senior

high school students in K-Pop?

4. What type of Phenomenological Communication Principle/s can be developed in such

experiences?

Significance of the study

This study is considered significant to the following:

• Students. The respondents will understand how relevant this study is for students,

especially when differentiating which of their experiences related to K-Pop that are

good and bad.

Scope and Limitation of the Study

This study focuses on the phenomenological effect of K-Pop music on students, how

they interpret its content, and how it has made an impact on their personal lives. Results of

such will only be among the students within the Integrated Laboratory School (ILS) of Leyte

Normal University in Tacloban City. However, this study will have limitations as qualitative

research is mostly open-minded, requires a more intensive analysis process, and gives the

participants more power over the data collected which may lead to several different theories

based on the various responses.

Definition of Terms

• K-Pop, in short for Korean popular music, refers to the type of genre being originated

and used in the country of South Korea, that also consists of a group of people sharing

their talents of singing and dancing.

• Globalize refers to the process of making it worldwide in scope or application.

• Fandoms refers to the state or condition of being a fan of a particular person, team,

fictional series, as regarded collectively as a community or subculture.

• Fans refer to a person who is addicted or fond of something or someone, may it be with

a famous person, song, and among other things.

• Stan generally has its own definition in the dictionary. In the world of K-Pop, it refers

to being a really active supporter of certain Korean music and/or artists.

• Hallyu, also more commonly known as the Korean Wave, depicts the popularity of

the Korean culture, including its music and series.

 CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

K-Pop

K-Pop has been around for ages but the first global breakthrough of the Hallyu wave

was not until the late 1900s. Jin (2016) classified this breakthrough into two levels, Hallyu 1.0

which would consist of the pioneers of the K-Pop movement and dating back from the late

1900s to the year 2007, and Hallyu 2.0 which would date from the year 2007 up to present

time. He also specified Hallyu 2.0 as the level/phase that maximized the use of the

technological advancements that emerged in 2008 such as smartphones and venturing into

social media marketing. To briefly define this phenomenon, Lee (2015) identifies Hallyu in his

study as the tidal wave of the Korean pop culture that generated outside of its homeland. He

also categorized the factors of this phenomenon in his concentric model of Hallyu into the

essential contents, semi-essential contents, para-Hallyu products/services, distributive

channels, and the short/long-term effects. The essential content which consists of the popular

K-Drama, K-Pop music, and other media products, is basically the entryway for most K-Pop

fans. The second strata which are the semi-essential contents would be the films, performing

arts, and culinary interests. Thirdly, Para-Hallyu products/services refers to their trendy fashion

items, high-end cosmetics, and language services, while the distributive channels mainly

include the broadcast/cable television and the Internet. The last category covers the short and

long-term effects such as the sales improvement in content industries and the higher

competitiveness in international trade and public diplomacy. Jin and Yoon (2017), also stated

that Korea is the only country to actualize both the growth of domestic cultural industries and

the export of several cultural products and digital technologies. It is, therefore, crucial to

understand the Korean Wave phenomenon through its own key dimensions, including the
growth of the Korean Wave as transcultural popular culture and digital technology developed

by a local force.

But despite its noticeably strong influence in other countries at present– especially to

its neighboring Asian regions– there are still some places that aren’t as supportive, usually

reasoned out by progressives stating their concerns about their own culture being wiped out or

replaced. In connection to this, Lee (2016) discussed in his study all about Japan and its anti-

Korean Wave sentiment. He states that this sentiment is vastly different from the former

mentioned reason. In this case, it is deeply rooted from the dark history of both countries

involved. Despite having claimed freedom and independence from Korea decades ago, some

locals still strongly express disdain towards the Koreans living in the area and this also includes

everything associated with them. This has become such a serious concern and issue that the

Osaka High Court strictly prohibited the use of hate speech, as advised by the United Nations

Human Rights Commission (Kubo, 2014). Similarly, China also expressed their disapproval

of the Korean Wave by implementing a temporary Hallyu ban back in 2016 as an economic

retaliation during their dispute with the South Korean government (Yang, 2019). During the

ban, all unapproved Hallyu content and events were halted, as well as shows or projects

produced by Korean companies. Respectively, the Chinese government loosened its

restrictions after two years, allowing Korean artists to promote their projects in the country

again and also stopped editing out Korean celebrities in their broadcasts and advertisements.

The Hallyu Wave

Hallyu, or Korean Wave, is the word depicting the popularity of the culture of the

Republic of Korea, including K-Pop music and K-dramas. The term Hallyu was first used in

the early 90’s after South Korea entered into diplomatic relations with China, in 1992

(Haugland, 2020). K-Pop has been around for ages but the first global breakthrough of the
Hallyu wave was not until the late 1900s. Jenkins (2021) classified this breakthrough into two

levels, Hallyu 1.0, which was more of a regional growth in popularity, occurring approximately

between the 1980s and the early 2000s. This presentation will cover Hallyu 2.0, which occurred

more globally starting around 2007 and went through the mid-2010s, at which point, Hallyu

3.0 began. Hallyu 2.0 was a result of South Korea taking advantage of new digital technology

and social media, mostly by posting contemporary K-Pop music on YouTube, as well adding

K-dramas to worldwide streaming sites. To briefly define this phenomenon, Lee (2015)

identifies Hallyu in his study as the tidal wave of the Korean pop culture that generated outside

of its homeland. He also categorized the factors of this phenomenon in his concentric model of

Hallyu into the essential contents, semi-essential contents, para-Hallyu products/services,

distributive channels, and the short/long-term effects. The essential content which consists of

the popular K-Drama, K-Pop music, and other media products, is basically the entryway for

most K-Pop fans. The second strata which are the semi-essential contents would be the films,

performing arts, and culinary interests. Thirdly, Para-Hallyu products/services refers to their

trendy fashion items, high-end cosmetics, and language services, while the distributive

channels mainly include the broadcast/cable television and the Internet. The last category

covers the short and long-term effects such as the sales improvement in content industries and

the higher competitiveness in international trade and public diplomacy.

Jin and Yoon (2017), also stated that Korea is the only country to actualize both the

growth of domestic cultural industries and the export of several cultural products and digital

technologies. It is, therefore, crucial to understand the Korean Wave phenomenon through its

own key dimensions, including the growth of the Korean Wave as transcultural popular culture

and digital technology developed by a local force. According to Agustina & Lukman (2017),

K-beauty trend is clearly part of the Hallyu wave. People have been particularly attracted by

flawless Korean women and Korean idols, who have persuaded them to adopt their beauty
regimens and purchase the cosmetics they use. People frequently look for Korean beauty tips

online, particularly young people with access to YouTube, or soon after the release of a new

music video featuring one of their favorite girl groups. The K-beauty trend includes skincare

products, cosmetic surgery concepts, and makeup products as well.

But despite its noticeably strong influence in other countries at present– especially to

its neighboring Asian regions– there are still some places that aren’t as supportive, usually

reasoned out by progressives stating their concerns about their own culture being wiped out or

replaced. Following Hallyu’s phenomenal growth over the past few years, the majority of

research on the subject have concentrated on how it benefits Korea’s economy and soft power.

But as its popularity grows, it’s also becoming clear that the adverse effects are a problem (Ki

Kim, I., Song, J. E., & Jang, W. 2014) Therefore, anti-Hallyu sentiments were typically

triggered by worries over local cultural identity, particularly among local youths. In China and

Japan, anti-Hallyu sentiment has grown in response to political issues rather than any direct

negative effects of Hallyu. Another element contributing to the increase of anti-Hallyu

sentiment is the profit-driven promotion of Hallyu without regard for shared cultural norms.

Locals are worried that Hallyu would threaten the country's pop culture industry. In connection

to this, Lee (2016) discussed in his study all about Japan and its anti- Korean Wave sentiment.

He states that this sentiment is vastly different from the aforementioned reason. In this case, it

is deeply rooted from the dark history of both countries involved. Despite having claimed

freedom and independence from Korea decades ago, some locals still strongly express disdain

towards the Koreans living in the area and this also includes everything associated with them.

This has become such a serious concern and issue that the Osaka High Court strictly prohibited

the use of hate speech, as advised by the United Nations Human Rights Commission (Kubo,

2014). Similarly, China also expressed their disapproval of the Korean Wave by implementing

a temporary Hallyu ban back in 2016 as an economic retaliation during their dispute with the
South Korean government (Yang, 2019). During the ban, all unapproved Hallyu content and

events were halted, as well as shows or projects produced by Korean companies. Respectively,

the Chinese government loosened its restrictions after two years, allowing Korean artists to

promote their projects in the country again and also stopped editing out Korean celebrities in

their broadcasts and advertisements. An anti-hallyu movement is also rising in Japan, Korea

and Japan share a long history of a love-hate relationship. They are closely linked to each other,

both historically and culturally. Si-soo (2014) stated that opinions vary when it comes to the

potential for a breakthrough in the conflict. A Japanese public servant living near Tokyo told

The Korea Times in an email interview that the ongoing conflict can been seen as a backlash

of conservative Japanese people against Korean pop culture that earned massive fame in Japan

in a relatively short period of time.

Fandom Culture

A fandom is understood as a target of nation branding through the country’s popular

culture. However, nation branding projects should not treat popular culture fandom as just

passionate consumers of domestic popular cultural products without understanding the

participatory culture of fandom (Lee, 2016, p. 12). As a way of building a positive image

and relationship with the Korean Wave fans, the Korean Wave industry should develop its

management to listen to the fans’ voices and reflect on how both the fans and the Korean

Wave industry can develop sympathy. The term fandom can be derived from the idea of being

fanatic, or fan of something; most often a television show, movie, or movie franchise, book

series, celebrity, etc. The purpose of being in a fandom is to connect with relating to a person’s

specific interest and then discuss this context with other fans online. These fans are often

called “stans” (Goswami, 2019). With the emergence of digital form, the fandom

communities tend to participate in a variety of online discussions related to their interests,

form group devoted to specific music genres and individual stars, encourage daily

interactions within the fandom, and between fans and the music industry (Theberge, 2015).

Due to South Korea’s restrictive and ethnically specific beauty standards, the country

has the highest per capita ratio of plastic surgeries in the world. This is why plastic surgery

is common among both female and male performers. The cult of beauty increases the already

fierce competition in the jobs market, since appearance is considered important in hiring

even for jobs where looks are of no consequence. For that reason, people pay a lot of

attention to their looks, not so much out of vanity but because they want to be successful and

socially accepted (Hinsberg, 2019). As to their global popularity growing further, there are

thousands of obsessed fans who have extensive networks that function as a totally unethical

business in which people trade detailed information on stars’ private life for large sums of

money: addresses, phone numbers, private photos and videos, their locations and activities at

any given moment. Also, as all K-Pop stars show the perfect façade of a supremely talented

and gorgeous, single, heterosexual star, seemingly accessible to fans of the opposite sex, they

maintain such illusion and prevent fans from becoming irrationally jealous, through being

prohibited to dating, at least at the start of their careers. These particular occurrences have

been normalizing manufactured and controlled identities, including too much authority on

their personal lives, leading to such problematic fan culture (Valge, 2019).

The Korean Wave fans also engage in voluntary activities to elevate their star’s

image. For instance, in Korea, the fans of the idol group ‘Shinhwa’ started donations in 2007,

and the philanthropic activities spread among the Korean Wave fans. The fans in different

regions organize associations and social clubs to participate in sociocultural events such as

fund- raising, donating to local/global charity, volunteering in emergency situation, and so

on. The philanthropic activities also develop the fans’ own reputation. However, the

participatory activities of Korean Wave fans are not always positive. The negative effects of
 Korean Wave fandoms are also becoming a critical issue as the popularity of the Korean

Wave is increasing, in particular that of K-Pop. K-Pop has different meanings among the

Korean Wave fans with a different degree of embrace by local cultures. An online K-Pop

fandom can have a negative influence and/or struggles while K-Pop fans fully use the

internet and SNS to support their stars. Cyber-vigilantism and other mechanisms are

representative examples found among K- pop fans. Other mechanisms by the high level of

online communications among the global K- pop fans are resulted as conflicts, such as

presenting “a strong sense of nationalism and even racism.” K-Pop idol group fandoms

sometimes show “assertive and devoted” actions only for protecting the chosen idol groups

in a collective manner (Jung, 2012, p. 3.1). According to Jeong (2016) the collective

behaviors and values of popular culture fans have been regarded as unusual by the general

public. Mostly, as Jenkins said, fans have been considered “cultural dopes” and as resistant

to the social system and cultural hegemony. The prejudice towards the fans was challenged

after cultural studies rooted in England. The fans were rather understood as active and

independent participants with own abilities of decoding and recreating popular contents

(Jeong, 2016, p. 39).

The ‘audience research’ considers a popular culture consumer as a social independent

agent, not as a passive receiver of media contents. According to the ‘audience research’ by

Fiske (1992/2002), a variety of audiences in the world can build a new cultural community,

an analytic community of popular culture (Jeong, 2016, p. 40). This perspective made

possible to conceptualize a mass media receiver and fan as a social independent agent.

Many disturbing stories showing the dark side of Korea’s entertainment industry

continue to be unveiled. Entering the Korean entertainment industry has always been the

dream of many young people, yet, in order to debut as a K-Pop idol, trainees not only have to

face harsh training, schedules, extreme diets, and exercise regimes, but they also become
victims of the negativity of Korean showbiz, such as bullying, discrimination, and sexual

harassment (“BlZoom”, 2021).

The advancement of cosmetic surgery technology and techniques have ended up

creating a ready-made and much wider access, as such nation increasingly becomes obsessed

with notions of Western beauty, boosted by the K-Pop industry. Parents in South Korea are

helping to encourage the importance of beauty in their society; as a middle or high school

graduation present, instead of luxury goods. It is now quite common for parents to foot the

bill for their children’s plastic surgery, which supposedly was only meant to increase their

child’s chances of getting into a prestigious high school or university, but then became much

deeper, like a solution or answer to their life and society problems. K-Pop has been the “face”

of South Korea, whilst their real faces are hidden behind more than a nip-and-tuck. If South

Koreans keep continuing such culture, they are only telling themselves that White phenotypes

are or should be the only type of beauty standard. Furthermore, they are ethnically cleansing

themselves psychologically and physically through plastic surgery (Tamblyn, 2013).

K-Pop idols as well, in the Korean industry, are being enforced to a fatalistic position

that can lead to a fatalistic suicide, as final option to escape the marginalized position. While,

suicide is a very personal act, it is deeply integrated into social constructions, mechanisms,

and apparatuses of power. Suicides of celebrities who embody certain ideals and serve as

personified projection surfaces for certain fantasies, indicate disparities in society at large.

The celebrity suicides evoke strong feelings in people closely related to the victims and also

in the fans. These feelings, in particular the anger about the discrimination and marginalized

of women, led to massive protests on International’s Women Day in South Korea in 2020

(Alexi, 2021).
 FRAMEWORK OF THE STUDY

Theoretical Framework

Figure 1. Theoretical Framework of the Study

This study will be using the phenomenological research design for the respondents

will be applying a qualitative approach that seeks to understand and describe the lived

experiences of an individual and it is a method that focuses on studying the phenomena that

have impacted an individual (Harappa, 2021). The approach investigates the everyday

experiences of human beings while suspending the researchers’ preconceived assumptions

about the phenomenon (Delve, 2022). With the phenomenology qualitative approach, data

gathered will be analyzed to understand and explain the K-Pop community’s fascination with
the culture and what exactly sparked this interest. This approach will be focused on every

individual who belong to the target strata and will be asked to answer specific questions

regarding how they discovered K-Pop and to analyze what these particular experiences mean

to the target strata.

Dance’s Helical Model is a model of communication depicting that communication

does not simply loop back onto itself at the end of its process. As opposed to what is portrayed

in circular models of communication, the process instead begins at the bottom and expands

infinitely as the communication partners contribute their thoughts and experiences to the

exchange (Beebe, Beebe & Ivy, 2014, p. 16). This model mirrors how the respondents’ basic

knowledge on K-Pop Music evolves into a more complex understanding of the industry and

eventually create meaning to these experiences. In application, this may be seen in instances

where a film enthusiast explores the K-Drama genre and finds the lead actor attractive, she

may then take note of his name from the credits and look him up later on. The same person

may happen to find out by herself that the lead actor is also a Korean artist and this leads her

to browsing the artist’s discography. Having no knowledge on the Korean language, she may

depend on the mood and melody of the song to sympathize with it. However, upon liking the

music, she would then look up the English translation of the song’s lyrics; she will then be

able to understand the message of the song compared to before. Upon playing the song a

couple times more, she may start forming an attachment to the song and find comfort in it;

maybe event start picking up a few Korean words as well. And start catching up on the

different

This process is endless and infinite. There is no ending to this cycle, but only a build-

up of all ideas and acquired information, and how everything gradually progresses into an

even greater understanding of the chosen niche. This theory is great at acknowledging the

impact of every little detail involved in the process. However, there is the disadvantage of
how one cannot go backwards and simply discard of a particular experience. There is also the

vague border of whether this theory is used as a communication spiral or a learning spiral.

Hence, why most researchers choose to not apply this theory into their studies by considering

this particular gap in Dance’s model.

 CHAPTER 3

Methodology

This chapter will show the research design used in this study, the participants of the

study, the instrument to be used in the study, the data collection process, and the statistical

instrument used in analyzing the collected data. The target of this study will be the students of

Integrated Laboratory School (ILS) of the Leyte Normal University (LNU).

Research Design

This study will employ a Phenomenological-Qualitative methodology. This type of

design provides a thorough understanding of the successful marketing methods that K-Pop has

widely advertised. Qualitative research, according to Nursing Research (n.d.), is a process of

naturalistic inquiry used to gain a deeper knowledge of social phenomena in their natural

environment, allowing researchers to witness society's feelings, ideas, and behavior in terms

of understanding and words. Phenomenological study entails a thorough examination of what

people's experiences mean to them. According to Bliss, L. (2016), phenomenological research

is a deep exploration of what experiences mean to humans. It is primarily concerned with the

research of ordinary human experiences in order to learn about people's common-sense

knowledge and the significance they assign to their own and others' experiences.

Phenomenological study necessitates a researcher's emphasis on people's experiences of a

phenomenon in order to collect thorough details that serve as a foundation for reflective

structural analysis, which discloses the core of the experience. Quantitative research method is

also going to be used since quantitative research is the most effective, it was used suited for

accurately assessing and measuring social phenomena 2003 (Nardi). This strategy is also
beneficial when a study requires measurement variables and hypotheses linked to a general

causal explanation Neuman (2003).

The researcher will use a Personal interview type of interview. According to Indeed

Editorial Team (2021) a personal interview is a one-on-one interaction between an interviewer

and an interviewee that takes place in person. Personal interviews are ideal if you want to speak

with a specific person and tailor your questions to them. Where also can ask follow-up

questions to gain more information. Personal interviews typically have higher response rates

than other interview options, making them ideal if you need to collect a large amount of

accurate data.

Research Locale

This study is going to be conducted in Leyte Normal University in Tacloban City,

Leyte. The researchers’ target locale is an educational institution that has a Senior High School

department, as senior high school students are the respondents of this study.

Research Participants

The chosen respondents of the researchers for this study are from the Integrated

Laboratory School (ILS) students of Leyte Normal University.

Institution No. of Students

LNU ILS 12

Table 1. Number of Respondents per School.

Purposive sampling was utilized in this study, which is a widely used qualitative
research method. Purposive sampling is a non-probability sampling approach chosen by the

researcher by picking particular elements and judgment, according to Research Methodology

(n.d.). Furthermore, because of the nature of the research design and its aims and objectives,

purposive sampling will be effective when just a small number of persons can serve as primary

data sources. Despite the fact that the expected number of participants is not yet saturated, these

interviews will attempt to reach saturation. A minimum sample size of at least 12 participants

is expected to be interviewed for a qualitative study to reach data saturation. (Clarke & Braun,

2013; Fugard & Potts, 2014; Guest, Bunce, & Johnson, 2006). Hence, explains how the

researchers came up with the needed number of participants for this study.

Research Instrument

The researchers will create a letter that would be given to the higher ups of the

respective academic institution. The researchers will produce questions for the survey which

are going to be questioned during the interview, that will help in gathering the data needed for

the research study to be a success. Each interview will consist of 3 (three) open-ended

questions to be asked to the chosen respondents. The given questions will specifically ask for

the respondents’ knowledge on the research topic which is K-Pop.

Data Collection

The researchers have decided as one to use the questioning method/technique.

Exploratory qualitative data gathering approaches are more focused on generating insights and

understanding the underlying reasons by digging deeper. Despite the fact that qualitative data

cannot be quantified, measuring and evaluating it can be difficult. Qualitative data gathering

methods are largely unstructured or, in rare situations, structured but only to some extent due

to a lack of measurability.
Data Analysis

The researchers will use the Content Analysis as the method in analyzing the data

gathered to answer the questions stated in this study’s statement of the problem. In qualitative

research, content analysis is done by keeping track of the researcher's interactions with the

subjects. Transcripts of interviews/discourses, observation methods, videotapes, and printed

records are all examples of communication channels. Its strength comes from its meticulous

methodological control and material examination. In other words, every part of the data is

grouped into themes based on secondary literature. The following are the eight steps in the

analysis method:

1 • Presentation of data

2 • Define the unit/theme of analysis

3 • Develop categories and coding scheme

4 • Pre-test the coding scheme on sample

5 • Code all the text

6 • Assess the consistency of the coding employed

7 • Draw inferences of the basis of coding/themes

8 • Present the results

Figure 2. Data Analysis of the Study

1. Preparation of Data: As discussed previously, there are several ways by which one can

collect the data for qualitative content analysis. However, one needs to transform the data

before the analysis can begin. From the data set which the researchers will be collecting,

the choice of “content” needs to be clearly defined and justified. Before initiation of data
 preparation, the researchers need to know if all the data collected should be transcribed

or not; should verbalizations be transcribed literally; and should observations be

transcribed as well. Answers to these questions are dependent on the objectives of the

study. However, everything should be transcribed from the beginning to save time during

the analysis process.

2. Defining the unit or theme of analysis: To define the unit or theme of analysis, the

researchers will classify the content into themes which can be a word, phrase or a

sentence. When deciding the unit of analysis, one theme should present an “idea”. This

means the data related to the theme has to be added under that unit. Furthermore, unit or

themes should be based on the objectives of the study.

3. Developing categories and coding scheme: This will be derived from three sources, the

primary data, theories on similar topic and empirical studies. Since the qualitative content

analysis can be based on both inductive and deductive approach, the categories and codes

need to be developed based on the approach adapted. In case of deductive approach, it is

important to link the interpretations with the existing theories in order to draw inferences.

However, in case of inductive approach the objective is to develop new theories.

Respectively, it is important to evaluate secondary sources in order to stimulate original

ideas. In order to ensure consistency in the codes, the categories as per their properties

with examples has to be defined.

4. Pre-testing the coding scheme on sample: Similar to quantitative data, pre-testing

qualitative data is also important. In order to ensure consistency, members of the research

team will have to code the sample of existing data. If the level of consistency is low

across researchers, then re-coding has to be done all over again.

5. Coding all the text: After the coding consistency in the previous stage, it is important to

apply the coding process to the data.

6. Assessing the consistency of coding employed: After coding, the whole data set validity

and reliability should be checked.

7. Drawing inferences on the basis of coding or themes: In this step, the researchers will

have to draw inferences on the basis of codes and categories generated. Also note to

explore the properties, dimensions and identify the relationship and uncover patterns in

order to present the analysis.

8. Presentation of results: To present the results under each theme with conclusions, the

results will be supported by secondary data and quotes from the developed code. Further,

based on the analysis, the researchers may also present the results in the form of graphs,

matrices, or conceptual frameworks. The results will be presented in such a way that the

reader is able to understand the basis of interpretations.

 CHAPTER IV

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

4.1 Experiences

a) K-Pop Fans’ Social Media Engagement

Social media has become a powerful connection between K-Pop artists and their

fans. K-Pop fans are participating with different fandoms on various social media sites

such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to keep up with their K-Pop idols.

Amri (2019) has claimed that K-Pop fans' social media accounts are used to access

various information about their idols. This explains why so many fan profiles will pop

up when you search for your idol's name on a social media site and provide you the

information you need to know. This is said by the participants in this research and one

of them mentioned that:

(Participant Number 4) “I used to have an Amino account for K-Pop. Like one

Amino account for each fanbase. I used to also join voting sessions for awards of the

artists. Amino account for K-Pop.” Amino is a network of communities. The app's

purpose is to bring people together based on their interests. You can build a customized

profile, follow others, and grow your own following. Then, you are able to either find

a community based on your passion or create your own and invite others to join you

(Zapal, 2018). In that instance, Participant number 4 spend more time on social media

engagement. She also added that she used to join voting sessions for the awards of the

artists. This statement can be supported by research conducted by Fadhila (2021)

through their organization- CfDS (Center for Digital Society) stating that K-Pop fans

understand the importance to inform you of the best ways to support the idol, including

voting and streaming, so the idol may receive the recognition they really deserve.
 Furthermore, social media has connected fans all over the world and improved

relationships between followers and artists. According to Cai (2021), through social

media, artists can post pictures of their daily lives and interact with their fans. Managers

of the agencies can also post music videos and accumulate views from several different

platforms. Moreover, with functions such as reposts or retweets, videos and pictures of

artists can reach a more diverse audience.

As been shared by other participants as well, they enjoy social media

engagement with their fellow K-Pop fans. As explained by Powell (2020), there are

million of K-Pop fans all around the world, but there are many social media sites where

one can find friends who they can talk to about their favorite idol. According to one of

our participants, she said that:

(Nepertine) “Actually, it’s really fun because like, joining K-Pop and joining

social media, you meet other people online as well and you get to vibe with them.”

The analysis of this study explains why K-Pop fans are significant contributors

on every social media platform. In other words, one can promote or boost the postings

if they need to be seen by more people and reach new and larger audiences. This means

that social media makes generating and distributing content very simple and

controllable. K-Pop fans’ social media engagement has indeed brought K-Pop artists

and their projects to global attention. K-Pop becomes about creating greater friendships,

fostering a newfound love for the music and their idols.

b) Attending Concerts

Going to live events can consume a lot of money and energy. But, this doesn’t

hinder K-Pop fans from attending. Beyond just enjoying a certain genre of music, being

a fan of K-Pop carries a distinct significance. Through a para-social interaction, it can

 range from offering a place for escape as well as emotional and motivational support.

Despite the perception that the fan-idol relationship is one-sided, the fan has in some

ways benefited from it (Jenol & Pazil, 2020). Fandom is more than just a pastime; it

also gives rise to a brand-new cultural phenomenon called participatory culture.

Participatory culture refers to the usage of selected media content by fans to develop

and replicate their own content in addition to listening to and viewing it. In addition to

attending fan conventions and gatherings, fans typically communicated by exchanging

tangible texts or works of art (Groene & Hettinger, 2016).

In a study conducted by Goldsmith University professor Fagan, attending a

concert for 20 minutes can immediately result in a 21 percent improvement in feeling

well. Additionally, it establishes a direct connection between high levels of wellbeing

and a nine-year increase in longevity, demonstrating a clear connection between

concert-goers and their lifespan (HelloK-Pop).

(Ari) “I also attended the concert of Black pink back in 2018 but I only

purchased for General Admission Ticket since I can’t afford a VIP because it’s

expensive. We went to Manila, and that was my first time to attend concert. My

experience is… it’s somewhat hot but fun. I enjoyed it a lot. Even though my seat is far

from seeing them, I can still feel the vibe.”

The analysis if this study explains that K-Pop fans attends concerts because of

the firsthand experience they can get. Although they can spend much money in

purchasing tickets, it’s nothing compared with the experience seeing their idols perform

on stage.

c) Purchasing Physical Albums/Merch

 Idol goods refer to products or mementos that are manufactured to gratify the

desires of fandoms and include the facial images of stars, such as on cups, towels, or

souvenirs (Kim, Lee J., & Lee M., 2018). Different idol merchandise are now being

released, including phone cases, cushion covers, key chains, outfits, albums, posters,

light sticks, balloons and more. In front of schools, stationery stores sold notebooks and

pencil boards with idols’ images, and entertainment businesses (like SM entertainment)

have even marketed H.O.T. fan cards and necklaces with each member’s DNA (N. R.

Lee, 2016).

(Ari) “As a K-Pop fan, I purchase their album and some photo cards.”

As shared by other participants as well, they have experienced buying different

K-Pop merchandise. The idol effect is without a doubt the primary factor influencing

consumer fans’ purchase choices. In a study on The influence of celebrity advertising

on fans’ consumption attitude, Nguyen (2020) came to the conclusion that “fans’

consumption attitude is substantially connected with celebrity attractiveness, celebrity-

fan consistency, and advertising creativity.

d) Listening to K-Pop Music

In times of stress, grief, or worry, music may give comfort and support.

Listening to your favorite music might help you get through difficult moments.

Furthermore, listening to music that uplifts you is a great stress reliever. In this instance,

K-Pop has made its mark globally because this type of genre incorporates a wide range

of sounds and influences. This is also known for their jazzy ballads or strong hip-hop

influences, while some are known for their upbeat songs that can uplift your mood while

listening to their music. Yusifzai (2021) has claimed that K-Pop itself has been crafted

with the goal of accessibility in mind. Catchy Pop tunes incorporating bouncy beats,

dance numbers, and positive lyrics sung by young idols has resulted in an approachable
 musical style that has successfully bridged cultures. Aside from that Romano (2018)

also claimed that K-Pop stars can excel at everything from singing to comedy to rap to

dance to social commentary. This explains why many K-Pop music is so popular

throughout the world. This is said by the participants in this research and one of them

mentioned that:

(Participant Number 11): “It gives me comfort when I listen to their music.

when I listen to their music especially if it's a ballad, I tend to read the meanings

behind the lyrics and that is what gives me comfort.”

Participant number 11 among other participants mentioned that listening to K-

Pop music can bring comfort and look through its meaning to have a better

understanding towards K-Pop. Listening to your favorite music without understanding

the lyrics will not suddenly make you smarter. Fans who explore further, on the other

hand, may be learning extraordinary skills.

Overall, the researchers led to an argument that listening to K-Pop music brings

comfort because their melodies are instantly stuck in your head on repeat and this will

help the listener to regain its focus. This also explains that listening to K-Pop on a daily

basis helps the brain to distinguish unfamiliar sounds. Learning the meanings of these

words and associating them with these sounds strengthens brain connections.

4.2 Advantages

a) Provides comfort and relieves stress

Music has proven to be therapeutic and a mood enhancing form of art, of course

it depends on what genre we are listening to, it is undeniable how our emotions find

connection in music. With the emergence of K-Pop Music its stans have stated that
 listening to K-Pop Music gives them comfort, helps relieve their stress and gives them

inspiration. According to Participant No. 5:

Participant No.5: One of the advantages of listening to K-Pop especially now

with all the performance tasks is finding the background music was easier and aside

from that I was able to get comfort from the music they produce.

In addition to K-Pop Music, K-Pop stars help fans feel closer to them by

interacting through social media, meetup events, and livestreams. This content is

typically lighthearted, though some idols also use their platform to discuss topics such

as anxiety and depression, and offer encouraging advice to people who are struggling.

(Amanda Yeo, 2020). Feeling a strong attachment to or drawing strength from a specific

idol isn’t unusual in K-Pop fandom. Commonly called “emotional support K-Pop

boys,” these artists inspire and reassure people through their music, livestreams, and

even just their general personalities, encouraging fans and offering comfort through

difficult times. Such positive influences can improve fans' psychological wellbeing,

especially when comfort is difficult to find elsewhere. K-Pop has even had a beneficial

effect on the psychological state of young people. Like any other K-Pop fan out there

Vienne also mentioned that:

Vienne: Their contents are more from vlogs, videos, and photos I guess you get

to see more of their life behind the scenes. I enjoyed that content and it relieves my

stress.

Many say that these frothy videos have helped them cope with the Coronavirus

blues – a term that describes the anxiety caused by the pandemic. (Young Jin, 2021)

b) Staying up-to-date with fashion trends

 The cause and growth of Korean Fashion is anchored in the emergence of K-

Pop influence, in every music video we see diversity of styles as it later on becomes a

trend, in a generation where technology is well utilized, marketing Korean Fashion is

easy, whether it is a wardrobe in a music video, an outfit of an actor in a KDrama or a

posted outfit of a K-Pop star on their social media account is enough to influence fans

in a certain style and this is why Korean Fashion is a reference icon. According to

Participant No.4:

Participant No. 4: Mostly with fashion, being more open, knowing a lot, and

broad to music genre. I think it's a plus.

These K-Pop inspired Korean outfits defined an era of escapism and

experimentation, dabbling in sportswear and streetwear - with colored blocked clothes,

baggy silhouettes, puffed-up vests, anoraks, and leather. (XSM, 2022). Korean fashion

is influenced by big brands and runway styles but the best feature of Korean fashion is

that it is adapted to suit the streets. Designers utilize fabrics and trends seen on the

runway in casual clothing and partywear that the youth can easily buy and wear

regularly. (Peter Minkoff, 2022).

Korean Fashion manages to be at the top of the trend because of its weather

adaptive idea, its trendy style and is aesthetically pleasing in the eyes, that is why

Korean Fashion is a reference icon.

c) Learning dance choreography for school activities

Dance and music are proven to promote brain stimulation. Dance requires you

to use multiple parts of your brain at the same time- music stimulates the brain's reward

centers, while dance activates its sensory and motor circuits. This increases brain
 power, improves your mental sharpness, agility, intelligence and increases your

attention span (Leila Mewburn, 2019). According to Ari:

Ari: Sometimes we perform K-Pop dances here at school for intermission

numbers, I also benchmark their outfits.

When we talk about K-Pop, we do not only think of colorful or glittery outfits,

beautiful backgrounds, we also think of the dance choreography. K-Pop groups usually

produce music that does not only contain catchy pop beats but also their groovy dance

steps, girl groups such as BlackPink and Twice produces a song and its dance steps to

which fans and other dancers will later cover. K-POP songs can sometimes be quite

upbeat thus not only being a fun activity but an exercise which helps build

cardiovascular system, strong bones and leg muscles. All the jumps, lifts, spins can do

you good (FLrla, 2022). These dance choreographies have also been used as an

exercise, because of its easy and catchy steps it has also been used in intermission

numbers in school or in any fun events.

d) Benchmarking group concepts/designs for school projects

Listening to K-Pop is just one of the to-do lists for every K-Pop fan who is a

student, but they also adapted using K-Pop as part of their school life. Fans who have

gained skills and expertise when it comes to content creation and of course dancing and

singing use this as their edge when it comes to their outputs or any other occasions

where you can use these skills. According to one of the participants:

Participant No. 2: Since they do inspire me to showcase my talent, I use such

gifts whenever we participate in presentations and in school.

Fans not only use media by listening and watching but they use this as a tool to

create media content, school presentations, and also for school works. Most especially
 when it comes to idolizing their favorite K-Pop groups or idols, to create and produce

their content. (Jenol and Pazil, 2021) Students often gain knowledge by watching media

contents of K-Pop normally by using their phones. Which also made things easier for

them to use this as an opportunity to give out the best content especially when it comes

to dancing. Being a K-Pop fan gave a big impact to every student who was struggling

with academic outputs that needed creativity, but with continuous idolizing their idols

they have come to use and enhance the contents that these K-Pop groups often release

for academic purposes.

e) Getting motivation to do schoolwork

K-Pop is more than just a trend and a genre to many especially for students.

People often misunderstand the concept where being a fan of K-Pop is not just a

distraction but it also gives the fan the inspiration and motivation to do good in their

career or studies. Students get inspiration from this music genre thinking that if idols

can do and overcome anything they desire, as students can too. Just like how many

tunes inspire students to work hard or to achieve their dreams, just by taking a look at

Twice's song ‘Breakthrough’, an uplifting song, this can help students who are

struggling to finish with their paperwork or readings. (Rundle, 2020) As said by

Participant No. 3.

Participant No. 3: I get inspired with the thought that if K-Pop artists can do

and overcome anything they desire, that I can do the same too.

Students find comfort after a stressful day from school and another way for them

to destress is by listening to music that can uplift their mood. No one can deny that

music gives us happiness as it stimulates oxytocin – a hormone related to positive,

happy feelings. (Brightwater, 2018) Music does not only boost our happy hormones but
 it also gives us the positivity effect that being a fan is not a hindrance but rather a

motivation that fans can meet them in the near future. According to Yunmei:

Yunmei: Sometimes I use K-Pop as an inspiration. I study hard for my idols so

that I can attend their concerts.

Expressing oneself using music can give out the best in a person, it gives them

inspiration and motivation. One can feel heavy with the emotional baggage that they

are bringing from stress, overthinking, and pressure but with K-Pop this gives them the

opportunity to finish their workloads by also watching some of their funny contents

online.

f) Being introduced and learning about different cultures

Another reason why people dream country to go is Korea is because of their

culture. Students learned their culture, especially their language through K-Pop music.

K-Pop is an icon for sticking to their native language when expressing their passion for

music. Despite the language barrier this did not stop students from listening and

idolizing K-Pop idols.

Students find ways to understand the music and its feelings more by learning

Hangul. Another advantage of listening to K-Pop is that the person trying to learn

Hangul can improve their skills as the lyrics are typically sung in Korean. Listening to

K-Pop can help you to learn new vocabulary and pronunciation. (News Director, 2022)

As a reason to learn the language, fans use this as a beneficial cause to learn about

cultural differences so they can be respectful of their pop idols. (anythink, 2021)

Current trends from Korea have also come through to fans from all around the world.

Trends such as trendy attires, Filipinos have also adapted this trendy culture to mix

match their clothes like their idols. Lots of fans emulate the fashion sense of their idols,
 by buying clothes with their friends and dressing up to look like a particular group.

(Delgado, 2018) According to Elrish:

Elrish: Advantage in a way that I support their group and I show my

appreciation to groups. As a student I was more up to date with dance choreographies

and their culture.

Whether it be dance choreographies, fashion trends, or the language, students

are up for anything that their idols do. This has influenced them more on getting to

know another part of their personality that they have never seen before. Idols are just

like friends to students who give them the impression to explore more than what they

can reach. With social media this has given them the utmost experience to freely express

their love for Korean culture.

4.3 Disadvantages

a) Splurging their allowance/savings on merch

Creating music and online content could be a way for K-Pop artists to connect

to their fans, thus, the fans are doing their best in return to keep up with the trends by

mainly participating to what is advertised to them. However, in order to be able to

maintain such contribution, there is a need for a huge budget as well, therefore, it is just

as important to learn self-control.

Most of the K-Pop fans tend to express their love for their idols through buying

different merchandise; such as t-shirts, albums, photo cards, light sticks, concert tickets,

and many more. Yet, such support is only often for pleasure without really considering

the level of its needs. This statement was supported by research conducted by

Kusumaningtyas & Sakti (2017), Pulungan & Febriaty (2017), and Praundrinagari &

Cahyono (2021). Such fanaticism is sometimes seen as a negative thing, as to going

 things beyond limits in achieving desires when purchasing the latest products of their

idols (Chung et al. 2008; Thorne and Bruner 2006). Especially regarding to its costly

prices, it generally leads to losing track of spending for other priorities as well.

According to Participant number 1 named Ari, she is currently struggling between

balancing her allowance at school and collecting for her albums and photo cards. Most

particularly in this time of pandemic, fans could also choose to order items in online

platforms, and so, online customers must evaluate potential risks as buying from e-

stores, so a perceived image of e-stores enables further impulse buying (Chen & Zhang,

2015; Wells, Parboteeah, & Valacich, 2011).

The analysis of this study had tackled about the significance of proper balancing

between our needs and wants in life generally. While it can be understood that it is quite

an addicting urge to keep buying things with their idols’ faces on them, being cautious

to also consider its level of needs, whether it affects lives positively, does not mean that

a possible negative outcome is to be disregarded.

b) Distraction from studies and resorting to procrastination

In the middle of today’s economic crisis, which is the Corona Virus, majority

of the people would undeniably choose to indulge in whichever hobbies that they have

been desiring to do, for at least with the intent of taking a break from stress. One of

which are the K-Pop fans, who are mostly students, that settle to unwind from their

academic responsibilities. Yet, as much as this can fully guarantee one’s lifting up from

rock bottom, too much on them may also tend to lose another one. Selecting

entertainment, and as well as the level of productivity, are both relative and would not

really be exactly the same with other people’s choices, as to why some leisure interest

could also serve as a distraction and could cause procrastination.

 Studies showed that while music can be very useful for creative people, those

opting to solve complex mathematical tasks might lower productivity results when

listening to music (K-PopStarz, 2020). Fans tend to be so obsessed that they sometimes

end up not paying attention to their class lectures, rather they keep listening to music

all the time. In other words, they get to divert their minds away from their studies, and

this leads them to poor academic performances (Refath, 2020). The more interesting

Korean videos are seen, the more likely they are to delay doing their assignments due

to spending their time just watching (Abimanyu et al., 2011). According as well to

Participant number 6 named Janina, she often failed to attend her virtual classes due to

her difficulty in balancing being a K-Pop stan and her other priorities.

The analysis of this study had emphasized an idea about carefully measuring

each time frame of everyday, which could be with a help of an alarm that may produce

a reminder to take a break from either an activity or enjoyment.

c) Being sucked into the toxic community of K-Pop

It has already been quite evident that majority of the K-Pop fans are young,

ranging from 15-20 years of age, and from many corners of the globe (Indrawan, 2021).

Such adolescence, as a matter of fact, is a unique stage of human development (Allen,

Waterman, 2019), as providing evidence to the existence of fan wars in K-Pop fandoms.

They have existed for as long as K-Pop has been around. Such feuds between fans of

different groups are proving to have a negative impact on the already misunderstood

community (Healey, 2020).

According to (Meidita, 2021), Hallyu culture may have caused a negative

impact, namely triggering fan wars that make them war of words because of differences

in music tastes, hobbies, and others that often occur in cyberspace. (Pertiwi, 2021)’s
 study also shows that fans who love their idols unconsciously behave excessively tend

to be aggressive. Concerns being thrown from different parties were mostly about

comparing their idols with one another; regarding the talent, physical looks,

characteristics shown in online content, and particularly the “Who’s-better-than-who”

arguments. From outright bullying to death threats, fans are tarnishing the reputation of

K-Pop by demonstrating an unwillingness to accept others feelings and thoughts

(Healey, 2020).

The K-Pop artists themselves are often mistaken as being a bad influence to

their fans, when in fact, they are also truly innocent, as the aggressiveness are even out

of control. Famous Korean personalities are also being bullied just solely for the sake

of winning in arguments and comparing them to the other well-known K-Pop artists

too. The analysis of this study had portrayed that even the fans tend to be giving out not

only support, but also negativities within the base.

4.4 Application

a) Taking inspiration from Korean fashion trends and group concepts

Jeon (2019) claimed in his study that K-Pop music is considered to be South

Korea’s most successful cultural exports and has significantly contributed in

popularizing Korean fashion into today’s trends through constant exposure and

promotions from Korean idols. Fanaticism surely contributed to this global

influence as well, considering that fans are usually fond of following or imitating

their idols’ gestures, way of speaking, and interests.

Three of this study’s participants claimed to get inspiration from the outfits that

they usually see is being worn by their idols, with one of them openly admitting that
 she would specifically try to purchase the brand that her idol is currently endorsing,

whether it be a clothing brand or a bunch of skincare products.

This kind of influence also applies to the group concepts that the idols would

have for their newly released albums and its corresponding photo teasers. One of

the participants mentioned that they would benchmark or take inspiration from

these concepts to come up with a unique design for their school activities and art

projects.

b) Learning how to properly manage their time and what to prioritize

As mentioned by Abimanyu, et al. (2011), students are easily distracted from

their studies when the video content that they are watching is interesting enough. This

makes the students lose track of time and unconsciously use up all of their spare time

into doing something leisurely, instead of being productive and doing their schoolwork.

This decision is what leads students into resorting to procrastinating/cramming their

paperwork hours before the due date.

Having already experienced firsthand the consequences of being too consumed

with K-Pop and choosing to temporarily neglect their studies– as well as their other

priorities in life– three of the participants have reflected upon their previous actions and

now pledged to have learned from their mistake. One of them specifically stated that

they have noticed that when they chose to momentarily enjoy K-Pop before cramming

all her schoolwork just made her even more stressed. She specified that this lead her to

the decision of revisiting her priorities and learning how to manage her time better now

that she is older and had already gained experience from this situation.

This participant can now laugh about her past decisions but this experience

and realization would certainly be carried on to all of her future actions, not only with
 her academic work but as well as other important tasks that she will be working on in

the future.

c) Learning about foreign cultures and societal issues

The ways in which K-Pop fan groups participate in sociocultural events such as

fund-raising activities; donating to charitable causes; volunteering; and protesting to

protect the rights of young artists are just some of examples of how these fans utilize

the Internet as a medium for Net activism (Jung, 2012).

Fifty percent (50%) of the participants involved in the study had admitted to

owning a fan account to stay updated with their idols and to interact with people in the

same fandom as them. Two participants specifically stated that they benefitted from

opening such accounts because they are constantly presented with various opinions on

relevant topics posted in the social media applications that they use. These topics aren’t

only limited to issues that concern the Philippines, but rather covers global/foreign

concerns. The mentioned participants also added that these online discourses have

helped them to be open-minded/culturally-aware and that they gain significant

knowledge by simply scrolling through them.

Participating or even simply witnessing such socially relevant

discussions/initiatives introduces the fans to a wide variety of sociocultural issues and

eventually makes them interested in learning more about the culture or topic at hand.

They apply this experience in an academic setting by adapting this knowledge into

further understanding the lessons they tackle at school, specifically have a deeper

understanding of related discussions.

 CHAPTER V

Conclusion

K-Pop has continued to become one of the topics that has left a strong impact in

influencing students. With this, it created various ideas as to what influence does K-Pop music

have on their personal lives as senior high school students. We started this study with the goal

of having to make an in-depth analysis about the possible experiences, influence, and overall

understanding as to what K-Pop has contributed in a senior highschool student's journey. This

study also used the Phenomenological-Qualitative method as our research model.

This phenomenological study asked the following questions:

1. What are your overall experiences with K-Pop Music?

2. With all those experiences that you have mentioned, what are their advantages?

3. In relation to number 1, what are their disadvantages?

4. How do you apply these experiences in your life as a Senior High School Student?

In answering question number 1, the respondents have shared their experiences on how

they found out that social media played a huge role in their overall experience. It created a

space wherein K-Pop brought out chances about creating greater friendships, fostering a

newfound love for the music and their idols. Aside from that, the respondents also shared on

how listening to K-Pop music comforts them and helps in learning new stuff about K-Pop that

strengthens their brain connections.

On the second question, the advantages that were shared are forms of inspirations,

motivation, learning about another culture, and etc. The respondents shared about their

realization that there is much more to the Korean Pop Culture, specifically K-Pop Music rather

than it just being some form of entertainment for the consumers.

Next in question number 3, the disadvantages ranged from monetary, distractions, and

the possible toxicity of the K-Pop community. In terms of monetary the respondents shared
how supporting their idols creates an impact in sharing a connection, but this support requires

a budget that can be quite steep especially for students. Having proper self-control and

balancing of needs and wants is important, whether it affects lives positively, does not mean

that a possible negative outcome is to be disregarded. Another disadvantage that they have

shared is how K-Pop has become a distraction to point that they disregard outputs and classes

to watch and engage to different contents, with this having to carefully measure each time

frame of everyday, could help in producing a reminder to take a break from either an activity

or enjoyment for it not to affect your own workflow. The last disadvantage found was the

toxicity of the K-Pop community. According to the respondents, having online arguments and

creating a divide between different fandoms can create an unsettling tension between the

community, and through this even the fans that tend to be giving out not only support, but also

negativities within the base.

Lasty, question number 4 tackles how they used their overall experience in K-Pop in their

lives as Senior High School students. Through K-Pop they have experienced trends that they

themselves have used in their daily lives, an example of this is inspiration from fashion trends

and concepts that they continue to adapt. Next, is proper time management and choosing

priorities, as mentioned on the previous inquiries about disadvantage time priority was one of

the issues, and through this realization being able to practice proper time management came as

huge help in redirecting their focus to something important rather than making it as a

distraction. Lastly, reading articles and analyzing different messages helped in shaping their

critical aspect and showed improvement on how they construct and analyze their own ideas. It

became a stepping stone on how they can be culturally aware/open minded by different topics

and discussions.

In conclusion, K-Pop music has influenced Senior High School students through

different ways. As stated in the results of our data, it shows the scope as to how and what each
student experienced in their journey on learning about K-Pop music and using it as influence

in their studies and their personal lives. Each one had different experiences in K-Pop music

that led to various interpretations on what their lived experiences are, through this we can see

that advantages and disadvantages are both present in each result, which makes each outcome

beneficial on finding the positives and negatives of how K-Pop music influenced a student’s

journey.

Recommendation

The researchers offer the following recommendations based on the findings and

conclusion of the study.

1) Senior High School Students must practice proper time management that will help them

prioritize their studies more efficiently. The balance between priorities and leisure time

should be highlighted.

2) Senior High School Students should minimize their active hours on social media to help

them avoid joining fanwars in K-Pop groups/pages and to refrain them from spreading

toxicity online.

3) Senior High School Students who are diehard K-Pop stans must observe themselves on

whether K-Pop brings positive or negative impacts in their life.

4) To future researchers with intent in furthering this study, K-Pop is a global phenomenon

that is acknowledged worldwide thus, future researchers can come up with studies about

its language, marketing, and fashion influence.

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 APPENDIX A
INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTION

Q1: What are your overall experiences with K-Pop Music?

Participant #1 (Ari) “K-pop music is different from what I’ve been listening. I
used to listen to English songs. But I got bored because their
songs are usually about heartbreak. At first, it felt strange
listening to K-pop music, but it’s fun because of their music
style and quality. As a K-pop fan, I purchase their album
and some photo cards. Sometimes, I memorize their dance
choreography and in terms of fashion, K-pop is my
inspiration because their style is so unique. I also attended
the concert of Black pink back in 2018 but I only purchased
for General Admission Ticket since I can’t afford a VIP
because it’s expensive.”
Participant #2 “I used to have an Amino account for K-pop. Like one
Amino account for each fanbase. I used to also join voting
sessions for awards of the artists. But I have never attended
their concerts yet.”
Participant #3 “Before the pandemic I used to be very active in listening
to K-pop and engaging with their activities but ever since
the school started K-pop has become my source of
comfort.”
Participant #4 (Janina) “I don’t participate in any online polls/voting, I only
support them through listening to their music. It has good
influence on me, I learn a lot at the same time it is
distracting my studies but it is motivating sometimes.”
Participant #5 (Nepertine) “Actually, it’s really fun because like, joining KPop and
joining social media, you meet other people online as well
and you get to vibe with them, and then they announce that
‘hey, there is said to be a concert) which I am not sure if I
can come because I do not have money or what but it’s
really fun joining Kpop (groups online).”
Participant #6 (Yunmei) “Well, it taught me a lot actually, I was happy sometimes,
sometimes I was sad. Like different kind of emotion I felt. I
don’t attend concerns since I do not have money.”
Participant #7 (Elrish) “I joined stan twt, wherein I vote for them as support, like
the "MAMA". I also buy posters and albums. In terms of
fashion, if they have a brand that they endorse, I try to
purchase.”
Participant #8 (Yna) “It’s really fun and enjoyable. I don’t buy merch, but I
follow them on Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, stuff like that.
I have a fan account for fun and to support them.”
Participant #9 “It gives me comfort when I listen to their music. when I
listen to their music especially if it's a ballad, I tend to read
 read the meanings behind the lyrics and that is what gives
me comfort.”
Participant #10 “So far so good since I have been a fan since 2018, but I
have only been stanning on one group and that is blackpink
and there I have been spending my leisure time listening to
their songs. Following their stories individually and I have
been buying their albums and merchandise. The
anticipation is very different when I am buying merchandise
or albums. I am only stanning one group. I make sure I make
the most of it however I have been a wise consumer when
buying merch, since my love language is buying merch.”
Participant #11 (Vienne) “I’ve been on Twitter. Since like every other K-Pop stan, I
get updates from there. I don’t go to their concerts or buy
their merch; I mostly subscribe to their online content.”
Participant #12 (Febster) “So far, I haven’t gone to any concert. I’m also not a fan of
buying merch because it’s not that it isn’t worth it but I just
don’t find it practical. I have bought an Enhyphen album
before but that was only once. I do subscribe to their online
content, specifically their YouTube account. I also created
a Twitter fan account to keep updated with them.”

Q2: With all those experiences that you have mentioned, what are their advantages?

Participant #1 (Ari) “K-pop music is helpful because it feels comforting

whenever I listen to their songs.”
“For me, I am entertained and I am also updated. It is like
Participant #2 a trend, so it feels nice to stay updated and be entertained
at the same time…Trend setters, maybe. They're influencing
each other.”
“One of the advantages of listening to kpop especially now
Participant #3 with all the performance tasks is finding the background
music was easier and aside from that I was able to get
comfort from the music they produce.”
Participant #4 (Janina) “Sometimes I feel like if I become successful and work hard
to be successful, I will meet them in person.”
“Listening to their music helps me, like whenever I am
Participant #5 (Nepertine) having challenges in life, and their song, one song from a
particular group, it helps me to move forward, like, you can
do it! It’s like their lyrics comfort me.”
Participant #6 (Yunmei) “Sometimes since I use that as an inspiration, I study hard
for my idols so that I can someday attend their concerts.”
“Advantage in a way that I support their group and I show
Participant #7 (Elrish) my appreciation to groups. As a student, I was more up-to-
date with dance choreographies, and I learn more about
their culture.”
“Life in general is really hard, and you add academics on
Participant #8 (Yna) top of that too. So, personally, it makes me happy. It makes
me de-stress.”
Participant #9 “I feel like the advantages of K-pop music as I said
previously that it brings me comfort, but my overall
experience in K-pop doesn't solely revolve around K-pop
music. The environment that I was in, especially in social
media makes me become aware and it lets me learn more
about them.”
Participant #10 “Influence, their influence on me. Since their music is about
confidence and I like dancing, seeing them dance also
inspires me that I can be like them in the future.”
Participant #11 (Vienne) “Their contents are mostly from vlogs, videos, photos. I
guess, you get to see more of their life behind the scenes. I
enjoy that content and it makes me relieve my stress.”
Participant #12 (Febster) “A big advantage was that I was happy. It was my stress
reliever.”

Q3: In relation to number 1, what are their disadvantages?

“Learning cursing words is one of my disadvantages as a
K-pop fan and the dance choreography is sometimes
Participant #1 (Ari) malicious. I am also struggling to budget my allowance
because as I have mentioned, I am fond of purchasing
albums and photo cards.”
“Maybe distractions, especially as a student, that I tend to
Participant #2 pull through my studies, and then it distracts me, like I will
[want to] watch this MV (music video) first before I study,
so it's a distraction.”
“Probably when I try to study and listen to them, I start to
Participant #3 dance to their music rather than study and focus. Though I
do not see it as a bad thing since that could also be my way
to de-stress from studying.”
“If you can’t balance being a K-Pop stan and your
Participant #4 (Janina) priorities, as per my experience, during Junior High
School/Pandemic, I was super hooked with K-Pop and I
usually don’t attend classes.”
Participant #5 (Nepertine) “Joining fan wars, like ‘Oh they’re better’ ‘we’re way
better’ that is the bad thing and disadvantage in K-Pop.”
“Sometimes, I also get distracted since I spend too much
Participant #6 (Yunmei) time with KPop, just like what they say ‘Kaka-Kpop mo
yan.”
“When I'm streaming, sometimes it occupies my time
Participant #7 (Elrish) wherein I have some important things to do but I tend to
prioritize what I'm watching.”
“I guess it’s very time consuming and I get distracted from
my schoolwork because of them. But it is not to the point
Participant #8 (Yna)
that my grades are being compromised, but I kind of
procrastinate.”
Participant #9 “I also feel that the disadvantage of this is the toxic
community of K-pop music. I learned a lot of things because
 of this and it's really toxic in general. I follow fan accounts
on Twitter and interact with my mutuals, but I don't engage
in any sort of fan wars for the reason that it is immature.”
Participant #10 “Lack of focus on the things I should prioritize as a student.
When I was grade 7 to 9 I lay low listening to them since I
tend to focus on K-pop. I lost track but eventually I
overcame it if you can control yourself.”
Participant #11 (Vienne) “It’s kind of bold but a disadvantage is the parasocial
relationship that the fans form with their idols. Some fans
tend to be overly delusional that they are entitled to their
idols and their lives and the decisions that they make.”
Participant #12 (Febster) “I think it’s time consuming. Since I was younger then when
I was active in my fan account, I still didn’t know how to
manage my time well.”

Q4: How do you apply these experiences in your life as a Senior High School student?
“I apply it to enjoy— and somewhat like go on a different
path. Like I've mentioned, American music mostly is
heartbreak songs and K-pop is like very "pop", you can't
Participant #1 (Ari) feel the sadness, it's fun. Sometimes we perform K-pop
dances here [school] for intermission numbers. I also
benchmark their outfits for school party purposes.”

Participant #2 “Mostly with fashion, with being more open, knowing a lot,
and broad to music genres. I think it's also a plus.”
“These idols are not just idols for me as they also serve as
an inspiration to me. Like how they think about life and I
Participant #3 adopt this kind of mindset and just like how they say to
study hard even in just a joking manner it inspires me
more to do study.”
Participant #4 (Janina) “I have learned how to create a balance (between K-Pop
and Priorities.”
“K-Pop is just like a hobby for me, listening to their
Participant #5 (Nepertine) music, it helps me to move forward so the application for
that is keep yourself up.”
Participant #6 (Yunmei) “I’ll use it in a brighter side like let it be my motivation and
inspiration to finish my studies.”
“I can use their choreography for dancing. Their outfit is
my inspiration for my walks. In terms of socialization, I am
Participant #7 (Elrish) having a lot of friends because they somehow can relate to
my likes, where we have a topic to talk about and have
fun.”

“I’ve learned how not to procrastinate as much because

Participant #8 (Yna) I’ve learned that I get really stressed when I’m cramming
all my works.”
Participant #9 “Actually, K-pop gave the opportunity to open a lot of
friendship because of the groups that I stan I created
connections.”
Participant #10 “I have mentioned earlier that I lost focus before I made
sure not to commit the same mistake twice. I get to sort
things out, prioritize what should be done first. I am still a
fan until now since there is nothing wrong with being a
fan.”
Participant #11 (Vienne) “There are some lessons like being cautious and careful
with the content that I watch and consume in the Internet. I
do take inspiration for my projects’ designs from their
official posters and the fanmade video edits posted on
Twitter.”
Participant #12 (Febster) “I think I was more aware of different things, different
cultures. Like on Twitter, I get to read different
opinions/perspectives on certain topics. Through that, my
perspective got wider/broader. I also take inspiration from
their group concepts for my schoolwork/activities.”
 APPENDIX B
DOCUMENTATION