K-Pop and Their Fan Artists

We see Twice on Youtube performing fun choreography to catchy hooks, run into BTS fancams while looking at those juicy replies from an argument on Twitter, and even catch Monsta X starring in We Bare Bears on mainstream TV. K-Pop groups are everywhere, bringing in new fans each and every day.

From personally starting my K-Pop journey with BIGBANG’s “Blue,” to now replaying BTS’s “My Time,” my relationship with the genre has been a rollercoaster, but something that has stayed consistent is seeing how passionate the music’s fan artists are. Here’s a round-up of some of these incredible artists.

Jaci

Jaci, a queer Chilean artist, started their journey with K-Pop when a friend showed them EXO‘s music in 2016, and they fell in love immediately. And when Jaci had a chance to draw a portrait in their art class, they went with EXO’s Chen. This was the first of many K-Pop inspired art pieces to be made! If you would like to peek at Jaci’s art, you can see it over on their Instagram, @butterbunmilk.

Has your favorite group changed you in any way? Whether it be making you more motivated to do something, helped you be more confident, give you a different perspective on life, etc. If so, when did you realize and how has this made your life better?

“Gosh, they have helped me in so many ways like, not only they are super inspiring and hardworking, but the fandoms themselves have become a family to me. I’ve met so many friends through these groups and through my art, it has opened opportunities, and I’ve also learned so much. Whenever I’m feeling down, I watch one of their lives or listen to their music, or ask for help in the community, because even though there are some really toxic people in the K-Pop world, most are incredibly kind and supportive, and even if they don’t know you personally- they’ll do anything to make you feel better because we’re in the same fandom and support each other like a family.”

Dany San

Dany is a Mexican artist who’s had interests in K-pop for about four years. It all started with a BTS recommendation video on Youtube, and that’s flourished to a strong love for BTS, NCT, and A.C.E. You can check out their art over on her Instagram, @dany.san.art.

Has being in the community given you a sense of belonging did not have before? Can you give us an example of the moment you felt belonging and comfort from the K-Pop community! If not, has the community pushed you away?

“I’ve never been treated badly from anyone in the community, actually they are all very nice and supportive.”

Hannah

Hannah is a bisexual artist of Asian, Black, and White decent, that has been a fan of K-Pop for six years! The music was introduced to her by friends, where she slowly became more dedicated to various groups. Some of her favorites are BTS, Blackpink, Monsta X, and Twice. Her work can be seen at @spacebunni3 on Instagram.

Since drawing KPop fan art, have your skills seen changes? If so, did you learn new techniques from seeing other fan artists’ work? What has been your favorite thing you learned since starting to draw KPop idols?

“Before I got into K-Pop, there weren’t many celebrities I wanted to draw. This led me to often choose character art over real-life studies, which then led to my anatomy drawing skills remaining mostly the same for years. However, since I started drawing K-Pop fan art, I’ve learned how to better draw people from life and create more realistic portraits. I’ve also learned a lot about illustration and caricature techniques from other K-Pop fan artists. Not to mention, the community has been such a loving and supportive one and I’ve made countless friends in it!”

Carman

Carman is a Canadian-born Chinese artist who’s liked K-Pop since 2017! She was initially introduced to it by listening to BTS, and through them found groups they are now very fond of like ATEEZ, NCT, Stray Kids, Seventeen, and MAMAMOO. Carman’s work is shared on Instagram, Twitter, and Tumblr with username @cchaiart!

What are things in the K-Pop community that you love? And what are some things you think the community can improve on? How do you think your issue in the community can be solved?

“I can’t speak for the entirety of the K-Pop community, but I absolutely love the creative side of it. Everyone is so supportive of each other and it’s just fun being able to see everyone’s creations while being able to enjoy a common interest. However, from what I do see of the rest of the community, it can be a bit overwhelming at times when lines are crossed and things get out of hand. But then again, it’s pretty normal of most fandoms, so I believe as long as we are willing to keep correcting each other, and work towards normalizing certain boundaries that shouldn’t be crossed, we can keep growing as a community.”