Dazzling lights, enchanting sounds, and sharply matching dances. The world is actively and enthusiastically responding to the new Korean wave, a market which grew nearly $3.4 billion in the first half of 2012. Welcome to the world of k-pop! Thanks to all the global fans all over the world. Their admiration is the basis of how K-pop became the greatest export of Korea.

I am Korean and one of the frequently asked
question is 'Do you like K-pop?' and the most popular stereotype regarding Koreans is that 'they like k-pop'.

It is true that most of us like K-pop. In fact, we, the Koreans, are the only ones who can completely understand the message of K-pop songs and this includes the connotation that are hiding between words, props and actions. K-pop and the Koreans share the same culture so it is obvious that we are the ones who understand the 'true hidden message' most accurately. Because of this nature, I am repelled from k-pop.

If you listen to the top 10 songs on K-pop chart, you can easily find out that all of them are either saying 'you are so attractive' or 'can you please come back to me' or 'I'm going to ensnare you'. Those messages all seem meaningless to me and has tired me from listening to K-pop. Also, if you actually 'listen' to the melody of the songs, 8 out of 10 sounds similar. Since I'm the one who hates loud noise and fail to find a piece of my heart to love this type of music, K-pop is not favorable for me as it is for some people.

As I was reading 'Superman and me' by Sherman Alexie, it was easier for me to feel connected to the speaker. For him, he was suffering from the stereotypes that have been made by the people around him. But for me, I was suffering from the generalization that has been made by 1% of the people of my pool. Through the comparison of his situation and mine, I came to realization that people tend to see what they want to see. If certain things stick out, they easily make prejudices based on whatever stuck out to them. But every person has their own special characteristic that makes them unique. As Alexie's own experience tells us, it is crucial to be misconceived purely based on their prejudices; just because people categorized all Native Americans as less educated race, he had to face numerous hardships to achieve his dream, to be the author. Prejudice is beyond being repetitively told a certain thing; it is an obstacle that an individual must overcome in order to achieve their ultimate goals. Additionally, it may be torturous but then again, there's not an easy way to achieve a goal especially when the expectations are already set.

I consistently found out that Korean is one of those races that are most assumed and biased. If I say I'm Korean, People always ask me one of these questions; 'Are Koreans smart?' or 'Do they really study whole night?' or 'Are girls or boys in Korea cute?'. I can say 'no' to all of the questions above. It is true that we have to study hard because we have limited spots available to us in university. But that doesn't mean that all of us are smart. According to my friends in Korea, only 2 or 3 out of 45 students actually study during their class time. Just like any other race, Korean has its own oriental beauty that differs by individuals. Most stereotypes are build amongst those that are not familiar of the culture, the people, and the backgrounds. Therefore, it would not be wise to accept these stereotypes.