Dating and falling in love is an aspect of human life that is as essential and obvious as the existence of oxygen in the world. The tendency to fall in love or attraction is an element that actually makes us human. Thus, even celebrities, whose lives are in the public and stand out from normal people, fall in love when their person swoops into their life.
But their romantic lives are always a topic of heated discussions among the people, especially their fans. One of the most recent examples of this context is “The V-Jennie Dating Saga”
While the world wouldn’t be that much invested in two humans dating each other, the reason k-pop idol dating is a big deal is that there are certain rules that need to be followed by the idols when it comes to things that concern their image in the eyes of their fans. Dating is a part of it. So, to give you a clear idea of how the dating rules for your favorite idols work, we have compiled a small list of them right here!
1. Dating Ban
The beginning of a career is an important phase for every individual. But it is an especially very pivotal phase for a k-pop idol. These starting years would be the deciding factor for their future as an idol. Hence, to prevent any distractions, entertainment labels and companies put a dating ban on the first few years of idols. For example, JYP Entertainment has had a dating ban for three years after the debut of an idol/group.
2. Privacy
Every person requires their own time and the nature of privacy in their lives. But celebrities, being constantly in the public eye, do not have that kind of luxury. Their lives are always like a show, constantly in front of people. Hence, while idols date, the fans and paparazzi constantly keep an eye on them and sometimes even invade their personal space. Hence, their dating lives are on full display. This invasion is not only uncomfortable for the idols, but it also becomes the root of some problems, hence sabotaging their relationship and, in the process, being hurt.
3. Shipping
Now shipping, or linking idols or celebrities romantically is not an uncommon phenomenon in the k-pop world. They happen every time the celebrities involved have a project together or even have a friendly acquaintance/ relationship. In k-pop’s case, only a friendly interaction is enough to fuel up the rumor mills. Thus, the idols who are single are often pestered by their “fellow shipmates” names. Well, this may seem harmless, but those idols who are privately in a relationship may not only have problems but also would be irritated by this, affecting their relationship and mental health.
4. Influence of the fans
Fans are the people who are actually responsible for a celebrity’s fame and the love they receive. Hence, they are the ones who make the idol. In the k-pop world, fans are the real divine entities behind an idol’s success. Hence, to make them happy, idols often have to do “fan service”. It is basically taking part in acts or activities where they have to adhere to the fans’ demands and do what makes the fandom happy. In this process, they have to meet their “ship demands” which of ten lands them in uncomfortable situations. Thus, doing things for fans that make themselves uncomfortable often makes their personal lives troublesome when they are dating someone else.
5. Mental Health
The most important and crucial reason why dating is a topic on which the k-pop industry walks on eggshells is the idols’ mental health. When a person dates someone, their feelings and mind are involved and hence, the interference of the press, fans, and external sources not only ends up pressuring the couple’s relationship but also their mental health. They have unnecessary rocky phases in their relationship and in the worst-case scenario, these problems end in a hurtful break-up that worsens their mental health. On top of that, the press and fans make it worse by asking them questions that remind them of the painful memories they have or even make them uncomfortable. Thus, dating affects the overall mental health of the idols and makes them lose focus, and hurts them.
An important fact that people, especially k-pop fans, need to keep in mind is that idols are humans first. So they need basic luxuries and essentials like love, privacy, and good mental health. Violations of all these are not only shameful for us as fans but also as humans. We claim to love them but fail to give them things that we give to the people we love, that is love, care, safety, and most of all, the right to live their lives the way they want, without any restrictions and not hold them back. Hence, let’s respect these idols’ privacy and keep our beloved idols safe.