Fanfic Isn’t the Problem. Forgetting It’s Fiction Is.

This is the Winirina photoshoot i'm talking about (in the part about shipping)

First of all I just want to say that writing/reading fanfic about real life people is a little strange, and in most circumstances is not okay. There is a little more wiggle room however, in the kpop industry due to how the industry markets itself. Kpop is essentially a fantasy. It doesn’t feel real. Instead it feels like an alternative reality that fans can escape to, similar to books, or movies. As long as fanfic stays a fantasy I think that fanfic is okay. Idols feel more like characters than real people, and frankly a lot of the time their persona that fans get to see is a type of character. 

Therefore, I would first say that AUs are completely fine because there is a very clear separation between fantasy and reality. Simply using idols names, and associating them with characters that you create, is different than writing about idols themselves, because in AUs, they no longer are idols, and they no longer are from this world. 

Additionally, self inserts or OC's are okay because the industry wants you to fantasize about being with idols, if that's something you like to do, go right ahead. As long as you understand that it isn’t real, just use it as a form of escapism. There are times where fans have genuinely believed that they were going to be with idols (we all remember Nayeon’s stalker) to the point where it becomes obsessive. This is crossing a line. 

Fics about ships can also be a little dicey, but as long as you keep the make believe out of reality, it is okay. Additionally, companies often play into shipping. For example, I once saw this photoshoot that Winter and Karina did, where it was so obvious that they were trying to give Winrina shippers some content. As I've stated in previous posts, the reason why companies do this is to get fans to interact with their content, and get attached to the group. If you like a ship, you are going to then keep up with the group to see more interactions or content between the respective idols. Companies playing into fans theories about relationships is very similar to how in tv shows the writers will sometimes specifically write scenes, or drop subtle hits at a potential relationship, if a ship is very popular. And they do this to keep audiences engaged, and entertained. One could argue that shipping fanfics could negatively affect idols. While this is correct, this is only true when people start believing that fanfics are reality. “Fiction” is in the name for a reason. I personally think that fanfic can, and is used as an outlet for fans to express their admiration for a specific pairing, without actually harassing them in real life. Because once shipping starts to affect an idol's real relationship, that is crossing a line. 

Other things that I would say are just not okay are explicit fics that are basically just smut, and continuing to write fics, if an idol, group, or pairing say they are uncomfortable with it.