I first discovered Kpop on March 25, 2011 at about 7:30 PM. I don't know why I remember this exact detail, but I find it somewhat relevant.

The first group I listened to was SHINee. On another website people were talking about Kpop and how perfectly perfect it was and how it was the best genre of music. I was skeptical at first seeing as I didn't speak a word of Korean (nor was I interested in anything Korean, really. I was more of a Chinaboo.) 

So I go on YouTube and type in "SHINee". Lucifer was the first video to pop up and I clicked it, still not sure of whether or not the four minutes would be worth my time.

Oh. My. God.

Kpop had to have been the greatest thing to be invented. I sat at my computer in awe, oggling over the five beautiful Korean men dancing and singing on the screen in front of me. The first solo shots of them immediately had me hooked. My god, was it possible for a person to be that beautiful? So I continued watching, utterly speechless. The vocals, the moves, the appearance was just amazing to me.

Why the hell wasn't American music like this? 

I spent the next hour with the video on replay, oggling over my latest obsession and cursing myself for not speaking/being Korean.

Of course, it was a school night and I had to be off an hour later. The next day I was preoccupied by this group "SHINee". As soon as I got home I ignored all homework and sat right on the computer, and literally spent four hours listening to all of their songs.

But it was so strange. When I first watched Lucifer, the biggest smile spread across my face and I was so happy. I didn't understand what they were saying, but the music made me feel good and I never wanted to stop listening to it. It was weird. The endorphins in my brain were going crazy and I couldn't get enough.

So then I branched out a little bit, listening to SNSD's "Oh!" and Beast's "Breath". However, nothing captivated me like SHINee.

B1A4 debuted and I fell in love all over again. As with Boyfriend.

I dunno how to explain it. I wasn't super sad before Kpop, I was okay, but as soon as I started listening to it my life got better. I was happier and Kpop was the music I could turn to when my mood was sour. Kpop just makes me feel so good and I don't know how I can love something that I don't understand so much. It really does make me happy, and even if my friends and family think I'm weird I won't stop listening to it. Even though I'm a new fan of groups that have been out for years and I'm judged for it I still won't stop. Because Kpop really makes me happy, as cheesy and lame as that sounds.