Ugh, I feel like I have to discuss this especially since the West obviously likes to prostrate themselves as right and I just want to clear the air with my perspective.
To start with the West is easy.
RPS is discouraged. You aren’t supposed to ship real people or make fictional stories about them because these are real people you likely never meet and only fantasizing about some (mostly sexual) relationship between real people. Apparently, it’s cool to hate on shippers (BXGs and Taekookers, especially the latter given how much BTS have been advertised as a family) that they will call delulu clowns, not knowing those fans will take the delulu clowns moniker to protect their celebs because it’s not like people are going to believe them until the celebs come out and confirm. When the news does break, the public will almost always say the fans will already know. Because of course. Not looking at themselves for assuming straight until otherwise and they were never going to believe the subset anyway so why hate on them? Oh, that’s right because RPS is degraded everywhere except het relationships speculations.
At the same time, while people don’t care which celeb gets together with another celeb, they do like speculating on their relationships. Brangelina is the most obvious case. Gossip from tabloids barely matters here since yellow journalism is scoffed at rightfully. Dispatch is a special case since not only they do the usual yellow journalism, they upped the ante with blackmail and deals with companies to divert or cover-up.
But even thinking of shipping two real people and you’ll be made fun of. You will be called a delulu clowns so... take the title and agree because you know you might be wrong but guess what you took their insults, knowing the majority won’t bother to look beyond the surface. I mean they were fully believing Taekook became distant friends on camera even though they are still close off the camera.
Even suggesting you like RPS is enough to get laughed at. Even when they are fully aware it's fiction, it's still laughed off. Even Youtubers who read their own RPF took in stride but clearly make fun of it. Though to be fair, even the fans know it's unlikely because these guys made it clear they are just friends. As I will say below, the RPS fandoms are smaller than it looks from its original fanbases. Look no further at BJYX, XFX, and MTJJ.
Nowhere has this disapproval for RPS is made more evident is Dan Howell and his coming out. While his coming out is just as powerful as Eugene Lee Yang, a point he cited is the speculation and the digging into personal lives just to fulfill one's shipping narrative scares him from coming out. Given how much it takes to even come out with the homophobia, internalized or otherwise, it's a part of his story in the Western lens.
Even in the Eastern fandoms, none except the toxic fans and antis would dig up personal lives just to destroy and/or fulfill their own narrative. However, Eastern RPS and fans who analyzed the possible sexuality of this and that celeb made it clear they are using publicly available info like interviews and variety show appearances. Stalkers and prodding into someone’s privacy or in the case of a celeb’s secretive life are bad, no matter how much you cut it. Saesangs, antis, and gf fans wouldn’t have the bad reputation they have now if it weren’t for their extreme behavior.
This is in stark contrast with the Eastern RPS recipients like BJYX and Taekook, who don't mind their shipping fandoms. Heck, if you are a BXG, GGDD is gonna show you bias over their own solos. V even likes anything in Weverse vaguely related to Taekook. BJYX and Taekook probably want support from them because their career would be in serious danger if they come out, not without respect backing them up. And y'know these RPS-ers are giving you comfort and you would want that because these guys are cheering you on with all their love for your love. All this in the Eastern lens.
I know that feeling from both sides. While I wasn't laughing at them, I thought it was stupid to even ship two real people together because it's not like they are getting together in real life and real people. However, as I fall into the rabbit hole of BJYX, I know I will be made fun of because I am apparently 'shipping' two real people together. Even when I make it clear I don't like to think the sheer fantasy of it, people will make fun of it anyway.
You can see how BJYX and Taekook, when taken out of context, just to make it seem like the people involved destroyed the ship indirectly. When in reality, the men involved have the opposite reaction and gave their shippers bias in almost every way they can when one incident took out of context just because RPS is so hated. I’ve never been so pleased that BJYX and Taekook kept on growing despite just how popular it is to hate on the ships and shippers. I want them to keep growing out of spite and to let them have their theories wearing clown garbs while these ignorant RPS haters don’t bother to look beyond.
Seriously, what I want the people refusing to see beyond ‘RPS is so repulsive’ to ask why BH is spreading the narrative Taekook grew apart when there are clear moments of intimacy in the intervening years of the so-called distance and immediately after the reconnecting? Tell me what BH and BTS have to gain to spread this false narrative. They’re a family and sometimes there will be distance. Well then, tell me why we still see intimacy during the so-called distance that the false narrative tried to pretend they never happened and it looked like the general public is ignoring them. When I see at the beginning of the year hugging and fondness at GDA with the little moments going forward and then several months later after quarantine reconnection talk, I dispute this narrative. Tell me why only Taekook and no one else. Tell me why we haven’t seen a vlive of only just them for a while until that obviously monitored vlive because those two aren’t alone unless you count that 2019 one where Jimin and Jin left them alone. There were Taekook selcas in the BTS World and one in Weverse for that fan meet but not an official one on Twitter aka the one known to the general public since the so-called distance began. Obviously, they still took selfies when you see candid pics of them doing so during the so-called distance, but just why?
More often you see the ship names for RPS turned into friendship portmanteaus. I saw this happen so many times that it's not even funny. There is nothing wrong with this because who wouldn't like a friendship name that sounds nice enough to describe closeness?
...Yeah, this runs into the problem of assuming straight until otherwise sexuality. This is so much of the problem of the West's perception of idols that they don't even think queer idols may exist on the higher grounds and do participate in fanservice. They think that fanservice is not only queerbaiting but also running the fantasies of hot people of the same sex having sex.
Now that doesn’t mean fanservice can’t be criticized. Even in the East. It has been criticized despite its major encapsulation in the entertainment industry particularly the idol life. Any kind of intimacy would be great for the fanservice.
Even bringing up that a closeted queer idol is this guy or this gal is gonna be laughed off and it's not the gf/bf fan! It's genuinely believed that this idol rumored to be queer in this industry would be seen as straight and only straight in the West. Boy, Aaron Yan shows this immensely.
Cultural differences aside, they don't bother to look beyond its surface and see that people don't care in the East because of the reasons below.
I'm gonna discuss more on the distinctions on how the East perceives it down below. Just because they were asked what is their ideal wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend doesn't mean they are automatically straight. I want to drink whenever the west even tries to think of Eastern RPS in the first place. I mean I'm already drinking right now due to current events and I don't want to get alcohol poisoning from the already disastrous year.
In the West, surprisingly, the fanservice comes in the form of queerbaiting in the show instead of outside it. Because shipping real people is bad and even fictionalized depictions of couples are enough for people to degrade. Because they don't know therefore they shouldn't write about them.
...I wrote that previous sentence, not knowing Destiel became canon in a bare minimum. In the most homophobic way possible. If I read this right, a guy confessed, love unrequited, and then guy then sent himself to hell or something. While I am happy for the Destiel shippers, they have to know it's just crumbs instead of the cake that CQL served. Even Korea's first mainstream BL series When Your Eyes Linger is better than this shit in America. But Destiel is just the continued queerbaiting in the West while the East has done better for the community! Even when it's just BL and yuri, all because it shows them as people and then sex! For the most part! Why the hell would I choose scraps when I can have a dish back in Asian countries' consumption of queer material even though it has its own flaws but better than Western queer material that isn't natural!? Why can't they take lessons from Love, Simon, and the better reps in their history than continuing queerbaiting!? At least those people know that queer people exist as people! Not dangling them like a bait into the lake but refused to have any fish take it.
I was in the middle of BTS and Taekook analysis after falling into the rabbit hole of BJYX so I didn't even know. All I can say is that Jiang Cheng managed to do this on his birthday but spite everyone by making it unrequited and went his merry way to party. So, Destiel shippers, go and celebrate because the dreadful year needs something happy for you guys even if it's not the best kind, while for me, let me celebrate in my neverending rabbit hole of BJYX and Taekook while wearing a clown outfit. Because I want to be happy during this stupid year. I mean I'm watching the Bachelorette in order to take my mind off.
Since the West has a tendency to not think things through, they believed themselves right and just in a black and white point of view. The way they see Asian politics - not even bothering to look at history and other things, just communism and the oppressive regime is bad but also the citizens supposedly bad for supporting government when said government has tactics to make the population, ignorant, complicit, and plied by safety and justice via their brand of propaganda - coupled with the culture war they started just shows the lack of self-awareness that is easily exploitative. America isn’t even self-aware to think their brand of propaganda makes the military good when in actuality just as bad in war and war crimes. Well, we got disillusionment with nationalism, cops, and systematic racism of black people but at the same time segregation is somehow back and support for the military is still there. While the push for reforms is evident due to pandemic making it obvious, most people are still used to the system and still think it works for the most part because they are easily plied by the safety the government presents; they don’t seem to notice just how broken the system really is so why fix what ain’t broke. All they see is black and white morality and believing themselves better just because of morals. And having a new president would not make everything better, the system has to change and people don’t seem aware of it yet. Seriously, I haven't seen an anti-war party in America for a long time now.
Sorry for the rant there but the core is still the same: West thinks itself better without any self-awareness or thinking of looking closer at a worldly matter than their own, and they don’t even look at themselves. And I get why people trust in the government with buying into propaganda because they truly believe they are in safe hands to keep them safe. In China’s case, also a relatively just though the citizens are aware of the corruption and abuse of power CCP has but not the police and lobbed criticisms at them; remember, for them, they don’t mind communism, it’s the abuse and corruption of power. They might be peripherally aware of an oppressive regime but the CCP makes damn sure to erase and censure incriminating history that the succeeding generations would not understand unless those who were there to witness to tell the story to the next generation. My One Piece knowledge is coming to a head huh? Ah, and I should mention this: do not pass generational hatred to the next generation, even when the hate is well warranted and there will be people who will never forgive and reconcile. It could lead to pointless hatred and loss of innocent lives. Given 2020, this advice is needed.
Really for something as trivial as RPS, the West sure thinks itself good. At the end of the day, it’s a piece of fiction and won’t harm anybody. Do you seriously think BigBang cared about the fanfiction written about them? I don’t think Martin Freeman and Benedict Cumberbatch care either.
Me though, for RPS-ers, go forth and keep writing and drawing. Even when you know that it's impossible and people will make fun of you for even thinking about the possibility of a queer couple or just having fun, I toast to you and your enthusiasm!
When I refer to the Eastern fanbases, I refer not only to East Asia but also Taiwan, Thailand, Philippines, etc.
In the East, yeah, it's inevitable. Even starring together in a show is enough for ships to happen. The same disapproval is there, just to a lesser degree since it’s huge and unlikely to go away. However, there’s a difference between mere shipping and collecting odd data that raised questions.
I will repeat to my dying breath about the Eastern fanbases: They will be clowns for the theories they believe to be true (queer sexuality and/or relationships, het relationships) based on public info because it’s not like everyone believed them anyway and saying this is fake when their version of fake is completely different in RPS fandoms. Once the truth comes out, the general public would be all ‘the fans already know’. I have seen this happen in the Aaron Yan incident and Chen having someone.
I do have to point this out: About 99% of RPS, heterosexual and queer, have a snowball’s chance in hell. Only one percent have a chance in happening. There are many closeted idols who may be dating other closeted idols, moreover a chance of coming out. It’s actually more easier to find closeted idols than trying to find who they are dating. That is if you know where to look.
There are distinctions to be made for those who do or don't ship these types.
- Shipping biases with each other with the het ones being accepted. While being seen as speculations because all celebs especially idols are straight apparently. Seriously, I have seen Vsoo all because of mere interactions and they’re not being laughed at. Either way, the idols won’t tell because of privacy. The only reason Exo’s Chen told us about his now wife is to share the happiness. Many idols do secret service level of hiding for their privacy. It’s not their duty to give fans candies unless they wanted a combination of showing off and hints at the reality of their relationship in subtle ways just like BJYXSZD. They don't consider that the closeted idols have no choice but to give ideal types at the beginning of their careers alongside the heterosexual idols just to give the illusion of dating. There might some truth like looking at what they like in features that could be transferred or simply answering by what type of person they think is cool that obviously can't be too obvious to the person they actually like or y'know they think is just cool for someone they aren't attracted to romantically and sexually.
- Fans who discover this would not say a thing because they know they will be seen as delulu clowns for the most part...except het relationships speculations. Because celebrity gossip of who is maybe dating who in an industry that basically forced them to hide makes it all the better. Except for queer closeted idols and relationships because they’re delulu. Even when closeted queer idols (and their groupmates) dropped hints, it’s still not believed because of delulu. Seriously, I have seen the same hints (matching items, getting things they won't normally buy, etc) from both heterosexual and closeted queer relationships, and guess who is believed in more and with just three hints while the queers have so damn evidence?! I just cannot wait for the coming outs in the future, forcing them to realize the situations and fans weren’t outing them as much finding out and theorizing because it just doesn’t make any sense why they say or do this. And to see their own homophobia.
- When there are gay ships, there will be gay rumors. Now rumors will always remain rumors and that's it; there might be some truth or where's smoke there's fire but regardless take rumors with a grain of salt until proven or have enough evidence to make it a second look. Just look at BXGs finding two fake rumors confirmed almost every time a new CQL BTS is released from the fansites. The reason Heechul didn't outright deny was to say he doesn't hate his queer fans and give them something to hope for. It is totally different from actual queers in the industry who goes to great lengths to hide and only slipping up from themselves or friends who know the relationship/sexuality. And even then those aren't believed either by the general public until after the person comes out. Because of course, the public would have rewatched past work now they have the knowledge.
- Much like gay rumors following ships, the same happens with dating ‘scandals’. If the words of idols are any indication, they do date albeit in secret. Unfortunately, the insanely popular idols like Wang Yibo and Jungkook are often accused of dating women they as much meet or rumored to. Remember, rumors are rumors and must be taken with a grain of salt. Of course, I have reason to believe these guys aren’t dating any of the women and even if they did, they won’t tell us anyway. Jk had to apologize for a FAKE dating scandal! It's fine to speculate who might be dating who but in the Eastern fanbases, they will keep it a secret and say knowingly they are clowns, unlike antis and paparazzi who will stalk to find definitive proof leading to celebs going all secret service just to secure their private life.
- Antis want ultimate proof they can proclaim to the wider audience, which is why they either stalk accounts/fansites or hire stalkers. It’s only through the work of fans keeping it hidden on the level of secret service as in if you want to know, you must make your own judgment through compiled evidence. The fans aren’t gonna tell you except they will by calling themselves clowns and the evidence itself fake. Except for their definition of fake is different and only if you really know what it really means then you may see it. May is the keyword here. You won’t get a definitive yes except only as a ‘fake, fanfiction, RPF, totally fake’ yes.
- An impossible ship that they know or believe to be so they can plug themselves in the guy/lady's shoes or buy into the fantasy. Like, say an older lady, who cares if she's married, with a younger guy. Wang Yibo is the poor guy in this case and many others as he has been shipped with his married costars even on DDU. Yes, there are ships with married people who have children! Yes, they are fully aware that it’s impossible but that is the point so they could fantasize.
- This also partly because of the idol fantasy that idol culture made for gf fans who like to imagine themselves or imagine two gals/guys together in the belief it's impossible.
- Another type of impossibility is that a gay couple is less realistic than a heterosexual relationship. Yes, this is a pattern of thinking. This does happen in the BXG fandom where both types happened. Yeah, this is all homophobia speaking in this course right here because it's pervasive. Thanks for assuming straight until otherwise!
- For example, the fantasy of XZ, a prince charming type, and Web, a cool guy type, seemed so much of a fantasy they will plug themselves into. Other BXG sees it as impossible shipping because this apparently has a slim chance of happening.
- If there is even the slightest chance of it being real, you bet there will be a backlash and hate from solo fans if they bother to look. The most dedicated fans will only bother to look and even then a majority won’t believe it. Because only a subset of fans will believe it anyway. The dedicated MTJJ and XFX might’ve seen the truth but remain in denial in all their homophobic glory.
- Genuinely believe to be true and will support them. See in the case of BXG and many, many RPS shippers. No, nobody should hate on them for believing to be true. Seriously, they do them. Heck, these guys are willing to call themselves delulu clowns if only to support. They are even aware that to have a queer relationship, these people they ship have to be queer as well.
- Like the rest of the fandom, they will cover up and/or throw things like saying the wrong thing under the rug to save the celeb's career unless the crime is really, really bad. In this case, their theories of queer sexuality and/or relationships are protected by the shield of delulu clowns. They are willing to take that clown moniker because even they know it and best to protect them that way. Besides, it's not like the large majority of the fandom will be RPS-ers outside of the subset. Believe it or not, even in the East, RPS fandoms are smaller than the base fandoms who basically call them delulu or just don't believe it. Because they don't look too closely and homophobia is pervasive with heteronormality is a thing all over the world even with strides made. Just because it looks seemingly willing to let it ease by doesn't mean it's large.
- If something that the celeb had done very, very bad on, imaginary or real that’s aired out to the public with no chance of fans covering it up and/or who might be the ones to circulate it themselves, you bet there will be vicious rumors and lies spread by former fans, antis, and fans to the point it could potentially discredit the victims and let the perps go free. This does happen in the West too but the Eastern fanbases are a whole other beast. The rumor mill in the Asian celeb industry is a constant avalanche. It gets tenfold when something really bad the celeb does, real or not. As an example, Xiao Zhan 227 incident with fans, antis, and the jealous people in the industry making up rumors such as Wang Yibo’s idol agency Yuehua accused of having a hand in the ensuing chaos; and the whole Woojin situation where people make up fake eyewitnesses taking an Instagram post from an unrelated person who was not at the scene.
- I should point out that there will be toxic fans who do support whatever ship they want would and antis doing it to destroy will manipulate info to make their celeb look bad or to make their ship look better over other ships, to the point of lies. Examples come to mind for me:
- Wang Yibo and Emily Qi situation that kept popping up every year that Web has enough and filing court orders. In this case, it's all lies from the antis who don't use logic and the MTJJ stans would believe it because as long as it's not XZ, it's fine. Not helped that Emily Qi already has a terrible reputation for stalking celebs and dating rumors because of said stalking tendencies; the latest incident with her brother didn’t help the situation any for he didn’t deny whatever relationship with Web. Thankfully I haven’t heard much since then and Web seems pretty well.
- Web's MTJJ stans made their idol look horrible by saying he's purposely giving XZ bad food as punishment (seeing their idea of Web giving XZ spicy wonton, an act of care and XZ loves and can tolerate spicy food at that point, is so homophobic and stupid because they didn’t bother to see it as mere friendship like the rest of the fandom who don’t look too closely at context and evidence.) just so he can't associate with XZ any longer; well, it works since Web can't publically wish XZ a happy birthday without backlash while his other CQL castmates can do it fine. For now, Web and XZ do reference each other through subtle means in public and spin their romantic relationship as a close friendship as they obviously aren't ready to come out.
- Antis and solos spin XZ and Web hate each other, the latter for the romantic relationship they are denying, being clowns about it. This is the same thing for those who think Taekook doesn’t like each other or not even close anymore even though they can clearly see the photographic evidence that they care about each other. They even used Taekook saying their relationship is not for the cameras to explain away the lack of closeness when things are much complicated like Bighit kept cutting back their interactions to even not even able to say their concern onscreen about one's overworking?! Why cut out someone's concern for their friend's health when the others can say it just fine?! It got to the point people believe they aren't close anymore and it took In The Soop to realize the 'distant friends reconnected'! There is still no Taekook subunit so what the hell are they afraid about a simple picture? Why couldn't they embrace in a concert!? Regardless you see a romance or not, denying love in its purest form is bad and especially homophobic when they are trying to show their romance in little subtle ways and seeing them as straight. Just so you know, painting gay relationships from the outside as hating each other is homophobic and should die in the bonfire. Isn't it a wonder why MDZS Wangxian worked as well as it did because the homophobia perceived their relationship as hate when that's the furthest thing from the truth?
- Antis spin the entire BJYX to their favor, saying they are using a same-sex couple to hide their het relationships; I have no idea where they got that idea when being in a het relationship for an idol is better accepted than being queer and in a queer relationship in a homophobic society that has yet to grant queer celebrities a stand without respect backing up. Have they seen Luhan and his girlfriend as an example? Because their relationship is accepted by the general public! I mean Exo's Chen now has a wife and kid but still accepted! Even Exo's Kai and Blackpink's Jennie's relationship was better accepted than a queer celeb couple! Just because het idols hide their relationships too means apparently beards and queer relationships don’t exist when they do.
- Toxic Jikookers who made the entire Maknae line look like terrible people by making it seem either Jimin or Jungkook completely ignore or dissuade Taehyung, who they make as an a-hole, in their activities. Ironically, it's the Taekookers who doesn't make the entire line look bad...well, except those who ignore things like the point of JK's Begin song was for every BTS member, not just Tae, even when it was originally written by RM due to Jk's struggling to write.
- Toxic ones have made it a point they will ignore actual relationships just to prove their ship. I have seen this from Exo's Luhan and Sehun shipping side. That's just one example and since I previously mentioned Luhan has a girlfriend and Sehun is taken by his boyfriend Suke... Again, it's fine as fantasies since y'know it's just a fantasy and the celebs don't care about RPS when Sehun struggled with his sexuality who has to worry about homophobia on top of it, and saesangs and gf fans are far more of a worry for any idol. Do the Chinese ex-Exo members keep in contact with their Korean members since I know Uniq still does keep in contact with Web complaining his Leo twin wasn't replying to him on WeChat in CQL BTS?
- People just see them as comfortable with each other as they are bros and ship them anyway or never did. This is easiest as people often shrugged off fanservice as bros being bros with each other. At the end of the day, fanservice is often shrugged off because these guys are comfortable doing it and it's just make-believe for these people anyway who are clearly having fun. Even in the East, not everyone has an RPS or care about it. Just because it’s normal doesn’t mean everyone does it.
Okay, first thing first, shipping real people is a thing in the East. Any celeb will be shipped together. Even married ones with kids! Do you really think celebs would shut down every single RPS they have and make it damn clear it's not gonna happen? Some queer celebs like Xiao Bao, the Waacker on SDOC3, actually don’t mind (outside of Web because he did not know he just stepped into the war that is BJYX and solos war, out of fear of a potential scandal with an idol since idol culture in the East is wild and intrinsically connected to the fans and he messed with the lion) shipping with Wallace Chung and Lay, actively encouraging it and the so-called love triangle when the Waacker already has a boyfriend from what I heard. And he moved in a different circle than the idol life. Seriously, it's heartwarming he's friends with them but his crush on Lay was fun and he kept on pushing the ship with Lay with that one wall-to-wall photo. I repeat he has a boyfriend yet he's happily pushing a ship with another celeb.
It’s a thing that happens but to be clear, RPS fandoms are smaller than you think. Despite its seemingly large size on social media, most people don’t bother despite the East seeing it largely normal. Yes, the majority of the fans will call them delulu. But at the end of the day, it’s no different to ship biases that are predominantly het ships like Vsoo but unsurprisingly that’s better accepted than people theorizing a gay relationship like BJYXSZD, not even caring to think closeted queer idols are a thing that does exist in higher grounds of popularity like Exo. Why else people seriously think Suho is queer?
This kinda runs into assuming the sexuality of straight until otherwise but also not assuming straight at the same time. It's not as big shaming as in the East because it's just seen as normal and they don't care. As a side effect, fans can actually uncover the sexuality of their celebs due to following them for so long and noticing oddities. Whether or not they believe it is up to them as I have seen MTJJs refused to think Yibo’s gay and I know Aaron Yan’s fans were not surprised that he’s queer. Like I said before, not every fan will follow the trail but the most dedicated fan will. This is why I firmly believe Sehun is gay for example or queer if you just want the not straight explanation.
Chen didn't even shut down or bother speaking out about any of RPS's of his and he married a woman and has a family now. Do you think they really care? BigBang didn't even bother to do anything, not even G-Dragon, and they feared saesangs more. BTS didn't even speak up much on this either as they still do fanservice and they should know it's inevitable. Yes, they make it clear they are a found family of bros, but they still partake in fanservice. At least not as late outside of simply Taekook. You can even find compilations online!
One of the reasons why Xiao Zhan was targeted was because an RPS will blow up China's fragility on the said topic one day and that unfortunate catalyst was BJYX. And y'know what? Even though AO3 was blocked in China now, BJYX is still going strong. Even though XZ and Web could easily shut it down - heck, XZ shut down his ship with Marius Wang easily during CQL promotions, and really after the 227 incident, XZ should have all the ammo to shut it down for good, but nope -, it's still going strong.
While you can shut down an RPS and RPS is seen as normal so much in most cases never shut down in China, not so much in Korea, and for them, it's just normal. Being fantasized as the ideal SO for the fans is enough of a problem on its own. Again, Kpop idols do give their numbers to fans and anybody they like. They just have to hide their relationship like the secret service. Seriously, what is worse, fans fantasizing a relationship or the belief of the gf fans who refused to consider their idol isn't dating them?
And it's not just China and Korea, it's the entire East except Russia and who else I don't know. But in most Asian countries, it's seen as normal.
Heck, BJYX, while it wasn't the name at first, was created shortly after XZ's first appearance on DDU. It only gained momentum due to CQL, both during and post-filming that fans noticed during P101, when the two are pretending to not know each other. Usually, when these two are pretending to not know each other like Weibo Awards, it's striking and BXG usually sees it as evidence, especially when subtlety is used like say sitting next to the seat where your love was supposed to be seated! Weibo Awards was a goldmine for BXGs.
That is how prevalent RPS is in China that even a minuscule interaction with another celeb is enough to create a ship.
RPS is not going away any time soon. Even though they can shut it down in China, most don't even bother. At the end of the day, every celeb just sees it as trivial. Every single Asian country just sees it as normal.
Seriously, although he shut down his with Marius Wang, XZ never shut down every single one of his CP. Heck, Cheng Xiao and Wang Yibo have their own RPS even though CX pretty much destroyed it by saying she thought he was a monk due to his lack of anything towards women. There are a dedicated few but that happened yet the sibling team doesn't even bother shutting it down. They're bros and it can be made clear by their interactions; seriously, besides trying to pair up a gay guy with a woman he knows, knowing Web's character, he would've got together with her by now if that's the case. Even if they have to hide it, it would've been evident how they treat each other as an SO in subtle ways. But nope, it's blatantly clear they see each other as sibs. Just because they didn't bother shutting it down in Weibo doesn't mean they aren't aware of it.
Most celebs don't even care or bother when RPS doesn't even encapsulate much of their fanbase. Believe it or not, Taekook and BJYX are only regarded as simply RPS and aren't as huge as their original fanbases. As much as they do trend and RPS fandoms have internal wars with solos, they are still smaller.
Because RPS appeared larger than its actual size no matter the support, it's easy to simply ignore or don't care. Believe it or not, the original fanbases are always larger than the shipper fanbase if you really look at the evidence. Just because the shipper fandom seems loud doesn't mean they are huge. There's a reason why shipping is a subsection, not the entire show.
This is why I find it hard to believe that people believed the reason Taekook separated in Burn the Stage was because of the shippers when no. People would rather believe they are drifting apart than even think of other possible reasons that aren’t canceled out. One reason does not negate others. Fanservice is a huge thing and for BTS being family, for two of them drifting apart and an idol company separating them because of shipping is idiocy. That’s the least of their problems. Seriously, when the dumpling fight is so well-publicized to the point American talk shows asked about it, do you think shipping would break them apart? Korean idol industry has loads of RPS; just because BTS explode in popularity does not mean other idols didn’t go through the shipping either. For Godoka’s sake, BigBang, Exo, and Super Junior went through it. Blackpink is going through it! It really goes to show how the West perceives RPS in the East, using their own RPS experience when it doesn't make any sense according to the idol industry.
Eastern fanbases have an unspoken truth that they will never air queer sexuality and/or relationship status out to the general public, saying they are mere speculations at large but echoing to those in the fanbase they believe it to be true because the general public and fandom never truly will seek the evidence or believe them. However, the general public will almost always have the reaction that the fans already knew so in a way, the fans' willingness to be delulu clowns for their celebs' sexualities and/or relationship status acts as a shield for the celebs.
Really, unlike the Western fanbases who are fully willing to air out anything remotely controversial and not even bother to look at public info whether or not their celeb is dating and/or queer, the Eastern fanbases will throw those messes barring really, really bad offenses under the rug to save their celebs' career and will protect the secrets like queerness and/or relationship status they know to be true due to heavy evidence that is only believed in the most dedicated fans. Only the most dedicated of fans who will catch up on theories and occurrences will notice and keep mum because the rest of the fandom won't seek it out or believe them anyway.
Fanservice is indirectly linked. Yes, it's not just boy on boy or girl on girl but also heterosexual. Flirting is encouraged albeit at a lower degree since not all idols are gonna date each other. And y'know that the dating ban is still there depending on the company. At the end of the day, Eastern RPS likes to ship idols with each other with minimal interaction.
Seriously, I saw Wang Yibo and Blackpink's Lisa being shipped even though it's pretty obvious Web has someone already if you really look at the evidence from TTXS/DDU alone (the point of contention for fans is to deduce who he is dating) and I don't care or bother to know about Lisa's status.
I mean I get why people would have some interest in celebs' love lives but in everyone's mind, especially in the West, every idol and celeb is straight so I am not guessing anyone. I'm drinking a lot this year and I don't want alcohol poisoning so I'm drinking in another sort of stuff that is more metaphorical.
Ah, fanservice. Fanservice has been criticized in the East because it’s inevitable too.
At the same time, the queer idols who do participate in fanservice make this a gray matter. When most criticize as devaluing same-sex relationships and turning it into vapid entertainment, the queer idols that are closeted and maybe dating another idol could use it as a form of public affection. Or don’t use it because they wanted their relationship to be true to themselves and can’t mold typical fanservice to their flirting style. Yes, I am using BJYX on the latter and Taekook for the former. Well, if you believe in them anyway. Which I do for BJYX and have yet to reach a decision on Taekook.
Besides, if Taekook is true and since BTS guys are well-regarded as handsome guys on top numbered lists in Asia, I will laugh that the top regarded most handsome guys are queer and dating guys. When their image presents themselves as the ideal bf to their gf fans. Yeah, you can tell my distaste for gf/bf fans.
Fanservice is all over Asia like Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, Vietnam, and so many others that are interlinked with each other to showcase this. They are also used to RPS which why I refer to it as the Eastern fandom that goes by its own culture and discussion. Mainly, from there, it’s less their queer material and leans to BL and yuri material that we will get most of the fanservice outside celebs. Though in some cases, the latter would be seen as extraordinary progressive just for showcasing a queer couple, damn the long history of BL and its tropes.
Thailand has so much of a prevalent BL fanservice outside of camera that in one case two actors went at it for FIVE YEARS. Everyone knew they are bros but they kept up the fanservice anyway. Thai BL fanbase has so many stories you would not believe just how long these guys would go at it even after their series ended.
Fanservice is inevitable in the idol industry in the East. Shipping real people is so prevalent in the East that major fandoms are created. Even BTS participated in fanservice even if just to show their affection for each other. I don't think they shut it down completely as much as they did saesangs who they tried their best to escape and the gf fans they actively discouraged.
If anybody wishes to see fanservice be taken away from the industry altogether, know that it would take decades to get rid of it if enough. But since not too many people care to think about it and the industry seemed to think that it works so it's gonna stay. Like I said, getting rid of fanservice in this decade is not gonna happen. It's gonna take many, many years.
For these idols, however, what they don't like to have stalkers and y/n fantasies. BTS V has been quite aggressive in this regard that even when he called out someone for having a y/n fantasy with Jungkook, the west took it as a blast towards Taekook. Seriously, when you really look at the situation, why the hell would a romantic situation comes up first in the mind? Besides, V himself doesn't seem to mind Taekook at all. Even if you don't see Taekook, he doesn't seem to mind the name and the implications and he has to know it's a ship. Y'know just like the other members who clearly didn't mind the ships as much as the saesangs. Clearly, it's the last thing on their mind when their safety is put at risk if their crazier fans step up. Even afterward, he clearly doesn't mind it as he even bought up Taekook in a vlive he did with JK but did he lash out or laugh at it? No.
I seriously wonder in a hypothetical situation, assuming Taekook ever comes out either as a couple and/or individually, the West felt like they were stupid. Because Taekook would make it clear they never hate Taekookers, only the gf fans, and thanking Taekookers for their support and hope their support still continues. It would open their damn eyes that Eastern celebs don't care about RPS despite its seemingly large size and if there is a queer couple, they would eat it up for the sheer comfort of having that support in a homophobic society. At the same time, the West would herald them as an out couple. Because the West is like that, celebrating while not looking at themselves too closely. Because y'know they assumed the sexualities of two men who have been in a committed relationship for years and the other members and the company knew the couple's status. But they have to hide it for their career. The only reason they came out was for their emotional well-being and hopefully sparking change, probably even help other coming-outs in the future just like Eugene Lee Yang and Dan Howell did.
Picture this for the West. Think the Beatles or famed boyband for that matter like Backstreet Boys but has a queer couple in it. Like, thinking in that way first and the shock there is a queer couple in a boyband after all and that people aren't delusional. That these guys never actively hate on their ship and instead took great comfort that there is support for their relationship somewhere in the world. Then visualize their surprise that other idol groups have one or two queer members like Exo and Itzy. That they see these guys just wanted the support from fans who managed to discover their sexuality anyway and never hate them and their ships because these fans will keep it a secret and not everyone will believe them anyway. Then envision them thinking NSync or any other relatively known boybands like Boyz II Men having a queer person on board. Remember, not all the groups might have queers in them but it would get their minds open as you are supposed to do. Izone's Sakura came out to a certain extent like she didn't say which, but it's clear too she wouldn't mind falling in love with a lady. That Web and XZ are queer.
There is a significant difference between thinking two members of One Direction were dating when those men outright stated they were not and never will while in a whole fucking industry as large and saturated as the idol industry there will be. And make it all the jaw-dropping that it might be the currently worldwide popular BTS has a queer couple in Taekook. I mean Ricky Martin used to be in a boyband so thinking every member in a boyband is straight is senseless. Why not take Ricky Martin as an example and make it into a pool of queer idols that are closeted out of their own choice or circumstances beyond their control but certainly wished to be open about their sexuality without backlash and only wanted support. If you want other examples, Exo has at least two queer members and Uniq has one member. Does that give you an idea? It's not every band but keep their mind open. What makes it worse is that the idol industry practically made a demographic gf/bf fans which they have to maintain as early unless they forgo it like BigBang, Holland, and that idol who came out as asexual.
Wow, it's like seeing that queer people do exist as celebs in the East and just because they haven't come out does not make them any less queer. Isn't it the same in the West where closeted queers found it hard to come out? Just like Ricky Martin and many others who found it hard to come out due to homophobia? Stop assuming straight until otherwise when their situation is far, far more worrying for their careers and only came out to their loved ones so far at the very least. Or they felt no need to air it out but comfortable in their skin because if you can't see their queerness, that's on you. This is the obvious case for Web and his DDU bros. Ricky Martin apparently came out to his loved ones if his accounts have anything to say.
This assuming straight until otherwise is a homophobic symptom that they have to see themselves that they aren't doing much better than the East nor do they care about why they can't come out if they couldn't see why their own celebs couldn't come out until years later. They assumed straight until otherwise for their own celebs until they came out!
And the people of the world look at themselves for assuming straight until otherwise when the idol industry has idols answer questions about their ideal gf/bf at the beginning of their career just to have that gf fans y/n dreams. Even Wang Yibo when he debuted with Uniq answered this with Suzy which when BXG noted she looks incredibly similar to XZ, giving a type. Queer people could also just give whatever person they think as cool to pass off as an 'ideal type'.
I already discussed gf/bf fans at length in a previous post so I don't want to reiterate it here.
Just yeah, RPS is such a thing in the East. It's not gonna go away. It's gonna take decades to take away fanservice but we shouldn't disallow public affection from real couples and friends. Even though people are gonna ship them anyway, it's better to display affection in public albeit friendly than pretending to smile at the camera.
Of course, there is a difference between RPS and actual queer relationships in the idol industry. There are queer people in there. Those who were rumored to be queer and those who had come out said enough. Why don't you take a look at your own celeb history, their coming-outs years down the line, and see why?
I felt like I lobbed critiques in the West than the East but living in the West is the need to make damn sure they see their wrongs and that they aren't the end-all-be-all in their cultural imperialism and lack of awareness. It's not that the East isn't wised up about their own lack of self-awareness either but living in the West, specifically, America, makes me want to scream about flaws they aren't even looking at. Especially their holdover over the East over things they supposedly hold themselves like getting better at LGBT when queerbaiting and a not-so-good rep for POC and queers is not better than fucking censored BL material in China! BL material in the East felt much better than the West who loves to criticize it without considering that their queer material seemed like a triumph just for having a happy ending! It's not that the East doesn't queerbait or have their own problems with POC in their countries. There might be unintentional Ho/Les Yay like people will ship things like Zosan and ZoLu, but at the end of the day, it's just a ship that isn't meant to be queerbaiting! But that's better than the potential of Johnlock, Destiel, and Merther that was taken away which the production knowingly teased in-universe but don't do much about it! Even if you aren't gonna make them a couple, be honest about your portrayal! Because queer fans are going to find and inject queerness in something even in another country's works that clearly isn't meant to be read as something like that when it has true stories, don't dangle the thread and take it away because you aren't gonna make it canon!
Besides, if I was living in the East somewhere, I would be ranting about the East more than the West.
Living in America and in 2020 certainly makes one feel old. Seriously, during the entire election, I felt like I'm going gray early and want to distract myself. Easy after I voted in early but I want to make it damn clear that America and the rest of the world are politically volatile and people aren't self-aware enough to look at themselves. No wonder people love to get invested in fictional politics because at least in there it's not ours even if it's a reflection.
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