Don't hate, let them date

When news broke last week that buff, charismatic Big Bang member Taeyang was officially off the market, fans of the popular boy band, to my surprise, embraced his newfound romance wholeheartedly.

On social media, they showered him and actress Min Hyo Rin with robust congratulatory messages, some even going as far as to label them "the perfect celebrity couple".

Min had earlier snogged Taeyang in his sexy music video 1AM - talk about blurring the lines between reel and real life - and their on-screen chemistry was palpable, sizzling and stirring.

So why am I astonished by the overwhelming support that Taeyang has received thus far?

Let's just say he's extremely lucky to have mature, level-headed supporters.

Most of his fellow K-pop idol counterparts haven't been so blessed - their fans happen to fall at the other end of the spectrum: possessive, critical, and unpleasantly overbearing.

Last year, Girls' Generation's powerhouse belter Taeyeon and her boyfriend, EXO's baby-faced Baekhyun, apologised respectively to their fans after their agency, SM Entertainment, confirmed swirling rumours that they were dating.

Fans from both camps apparently didn't take to their relationship well and proceeded to leave harsh, offensive comments on their Instagram accounts.

At a music TV show Baekhyun was hosting, some members of the audience chanted "traitor, traitor, traitor".

Personally, I find the whole situation - Taeyeon and Baekhyun apologising to appease their fans - ridiculous. Everyone on this planet has the freedom to love and feel loved. What is there to be sorry about?

And all you maniacal EXO fanatics, who exactly has Baekhyun betrayed?

The poor lasses of Girls' Generation are always at the receiving end of unreasonable hate.

DISAPPROVING FANS

When Tiffany was still dating 2PM's Thai-American poster boy Nichkhun (they called it quits two weeks ago), many fans cast a disapproving eye.

Their stupefying reason? They badly wanted Nichkhun to date f(x)'s Victoria - his co-star on reality TV programme We Got Married - instead.

Another Girls' Generation member, Yuri, has also been getting a lot of heat since she went public with her romance with professional baseball player Oh Seung Hwan.

Netizens have been nothing short of rude when it comes to Oh's physical appearance, calling him "ugly" and "basic-looking".

Of course, being the superficial creatures they are, they simply choose to neglect the fact that Oh is South Korea's all-time best closing pitcher.

Now, if only K-pop fans across the board could be more like Taeyang's. Letting our idols date in peace isn't just a no-brainer, it's plain human decency.

This article was first published on June 10, 2015.
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