Graphics by Alissa Coden
𝙆𝙖𝙥𝙪𝙨𝙤 𝙈𝙤, 𝙅𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙖 𝙎𝙤𝙝𝙤 featured a story of a girl named 𝘽𝙚𝙖 (not her real name) who stole money from her family business to fund her K-Pop collection last March 5th. It includes about three thousand photo cards and more than fifty albums of her favorite artists. On top of that, she managed to get a hold of a ticket to the recent three-day concert of ENHYPEN called Manifesto in Manila. In total, her total expenses cost about PHP 2.7 million. But where did she get the money to own so much merchandise?
According to the story, her grandmother 𝘼𝙜𝙣𝙚𝙨 earns her income from selling plastic in the market. The more Bea buys merchandise, the more financial loss the shop suffers until it comes to the point of them drowning in debt. Agnes had to resort to selling their belongings to help pay off their debt, but they were still financially struggling. When Agnes first heard of the collection, she was devastated upon finding out what her granddaughter was doing behind her back. Eventually, the whole family agreed to help sell Bea's collection to earn back the lost money.
The netizens have varying opinions about it: some called the whole story an exaggerated scam, and some blamed it all on K-Pop being an unhealthy interest. After the episode was released, there were even a few reports of stolen photo cards under the misconception that every photo card costs a fortune. While we do not know the truth of the story behind the screens, K-Pop merchandise collecting is popular among today's youth. But why do people enjoy collecting K-pop merchandise, especially photo cards?
People have collections of their favorite things, and it is not just limited to K-Pop. From 𝙁𝙪𝙣𝙠𝙤 𝙋𝙤𝙥𝙨 to limited-edition NBA trading cards, collecting has always been a hobby for people. It's the same for K-Pop; as Bea stated in the story, there is this satisfaction when obtaining merchandise. Furthermore, since most albums have randomized photo card inclusions, the gacha-like system of which member you will get also gives a thrill.
But what is the hype with photo cards; why not print a picture of them? Well, official photo cards aren't just any photo, after all. And like any other collectible, photo cards will not be too heavy on the wallet when bought in moderation. The costs depend on multiple variables, like the popularity of the group and the particular member, the rarity of the photo card, and the shipping fee. While the average photocard costs about 200-400 PHP, the limited-edition ones (like NCT's special yearbook cards) can spike to a five-digit cost.
However, because of the obsession with obtaining merchandise, people resort to unethical means to get them like Bea. Whether it be from peer pressure or simply wanting a collection, some people may stoop low for it. Because of these reported heinous acts and the prices spent on merchandise, the public generalizes and looks down on K-Pop fans. In today's generation, if you are a K-Pop collector, people may harshly question your spending habits or assume you stole the funds from somewhere.
Therefore, the lesson we can learn from this feature is that while buying merchandise is a way of supporting your favorites, they are not required to be considered a fan. If you do not have the means to purchase them, you can show your love for them in other ways, like listening to their music.
Reference: GMA Public Affairs. (2023). Babae, nakuhang magnakaw ng 2 milyong piso para makabili ng K-Pop merch?! | Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JuOjLd5dZ8
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