The Foreign K-Pop Fan Who Became A Reporter To Get Closer To Her Idols

Many K-Pop fans dream of interacting with their bias at close distance – getting fan service at a concert, winning a fan benefit lottery, attending multiple fansigns, and more. The girl in this story went a step further and picked a career that would help her achieve this dream.

Ah Kim began her K-Pop journey when she got into Rain while she was a high schooler. Although she wasn’t able to fly to Korea, she always attended his events in Hong Kong, even skipping classes to do so. It was one of Rain’s events that inspired Ah Kim to become a reporter.

I was far away from oppa. I noticed that reporters didn’t need to line up and didn’t need to show up until close to the event time. They even got to interview him at a close distance. So I thought I had to become one of them to see oppa up close.

– Ah Kim

However, not everything was smooth sailing for her. Due to poor exam results, she couldn’t get into the program she wanted in Hong Kong, so she pursued her degree in Australia. She even went to Korea to study their language for a year.

But when she finally became a reporter, Rain enlisted in the military.

Rain in military uniform | Yonhap News

Even though Ah Kim couldn’t interview her favorite singer and actor, she still got the chance to work with other big names such as Kim Soo Hyun, Lee Jong Suk, Kim Woo Bin, and Lee Min Ho. She also interviewed K-Pop groups such as BEAST (also known as HIGHLIGHT) and FTISLAND and worked at the Mnet Asian Music Awards (also known as MAMA).

That’s still a dream come true, right? However, according to Ah Kim, she was conflicted.

Is it really a good thing when your hobby becomes your job? I was relaxed and happy when I stanned celebrities and watched dramas in the past. When it became a job, and the reason for watching a drama is to publish a long article, it became a burden.

– Ah Kim

Eventually, the entertainment industry in Thailand caught Ah Kim’s attention, and she decided it was better for her. To her, Korean celebrities are far away, like stars in the skies, while Thai celebrities are more approachable.

So, similar to what she did years before, she studied another language – Thai this time – and got plenty of opportunities to work with Thai stars. She even moved to Bangkok and still continues to fangirl to this day.

Would you decide on your career out of your love for K-Pop?