Take a Stand with Plus-Size K-Pop Fans’ New Viral Hashtag
A 21-year-old K-pop fan from Virginia takes matters into her own hands to stand up for plus-sized fans.
Not only is Arletta a new college graduate who will be pursuing her master’s degree this fall, but she is also a dedicated K-pop fan. She expressed to BuzzFeed News that her interest in the genre first sparked back in Middle School saying her favorite artists include ATEEZ, BTS, Chungha, EXO, GOT7, IU, MONSTA X, NCT, Seventeen, SHINee, and Twice. And that’s not even all of them.
The movement formed via a group chat that Arletta was apart of with other plus-size K-pop fans and thus the infamous hashtag “#BigKpopBitches” was born. Arletta’s friend Ta’Chyna (@keys_bum) coined the hashtag’s name. The purpose of the hashtag is to raise the spirits of plus-size K-pop fans everywhere. Ta’Chyna says, “When people started posting their pictures, I was so happy to see so many big girls be happy about their size and realize and understand that the tag is a safe space,” and “Completely judgement free, there was nothing but support from everyone and I think that was my favorite part about it all.”
#BigKpopBitches my chubby ass wanted to join too pic.twitter.com/UfHNI3bXJX
— ⁷ NSFR (@SLUTTYCHIM) May 12, 2020
Arletta told BuzzFeed News she initially feared the hashtag might receive a negative response, but was blown away with the positive repercussions she’d hoped for: “A lot of other people that participated said that they had never received so many compliments in their life and it was just a really positive time for them.”
am i too late #BigKpopBitches pic.twitter.com/Mbj6KsajqB
— ⁷ nsfr (@GCFUKHAE) May 12, 2020
i found out in 4th grade that I was fat. these pictures used to make me cry but I’m learning to accept them. thank you to whoever started this tag <3 #BigKpopBitches pic.twitter.com/O4Nq8DFe2S
— tiny ⁷₁₂₇ ↺ (@louderthanmark) May 12, 2020
Arletta’s movement was inspired when she recognized the lack of plus-sized representation in “Selca Days” hashtags saying she “noticed that a lot of the top ones were all, like, skinny people,” and “I even went to check the other fandoms’ selca days like nctzens, carats, orbits, ahgases etc. And like, don’t get me wrong, I still think it’s a good thing but while I’m pretty comfortable in my body, even I hesitate in participating in those days ’cause I’m not seeing people who are big like me.”
This hashtag is everything #BigKpopBitches pic.twitter.com/z8fRZ7bwod
— lovely BABY MOCHI⁷ | jk best boy (@ohhhitslinda) May 12, 2020
The way I had to bully her to make this thread @blackhoebi #Bigkpopbitches pic.twitter.com/swtprrwsy7
— Ta’Chyna⁷ (@keys_bum) May 11, 2020
Join Arletta in supporting plus-sized K-pop fans everywhere on social media now.
Writer | Tweet me @juliaroulhac
