The Harmful Impact of Bizarre Kpop Names

You might think that strange names filled with numbers and symbols, or names that are full sentences, are just fun quirks about the genre, but I'm here to tell you why the industry needs to put a stop to these bizarre names.

(NamuWiki, 2025)

Impact on Idols:

These bizarre names can actually have an indirect impact on idols. To the general public, there is often a stigma that kpop is not “real music” and it is not something that should be taken seriously. Strange names like AB6IX or TEEN TOP (Teenage Emoboy Emotion Next Generation Talent Object Praise) perpetuate this stigma by essentially proving the haters right. Group names have been getting weirder, and weirder, and they give an appearance to the general public that kpop isn’t a real form of expression and does not deserve to be taken seriously. This state of mind is then often passed down to idols. They aren’t taken seriously because people don’t think that the music they are making is something that deserves recognition. Idols are treated more like influencers whose music is often clowned on, than artists who are using music as a medium for self-expression.

Impact on fans:

These names can also have a direct impact on fans. Imagine someone comes up to you and asks, “What’s your favorite artist?” and the embarrassment immediately hits when you have to respond to this person with, “MBLAQ (Music Boys live in Absolute Quality).” Nobody should have to feel ashamed of sharing the type of music they like, but because of the feeling that they are likely going to be judged, they don’t share the name of their favorite artist. Personally, I know that I have stopped saying that Mamamoo are my favorite artists, and instead go with Dreamcatcher (who are my 2nd favorite - still one of my ults) because of all the weird looks I have gotten in the past. Additionally, some fans have even experienced being bullied for liking kpop simply because of stigmas surrounding the genre. Having outlandish group names, such as the ones previously mentioned, can 1.) increase stigma and stereotypes about kpop fans, and 2.) give bullies another reason to slander kpop fans.