What makes you want to stan a group?

[Lilac]

What is a criteria that determines whether you would stan a group or not? Are there any of the aspects below which you consider when stanning a group?

• Music: How much of their music do you have to enjoy? Do you have to like almost all of their songs, some songs, or is just one song okay? It's almost impossible to like all the songs from the group unless the group has only a few songs.
• Talent: Do all the members have to be talented in your eyes? Or is good main vocal and good main dancer all that are needed to stan the group? Are filler members okay for you? Any special kind of talents you are looking for?
• Comebacks: How many comebacks a year is ideal for you to stan the group and to continue doing so?
• Amount of content: Is variety of content required or not? How about social media such as Instagram to give updates to the fans? Do the members have to communicate with fans regularly or else you would lose interest?
• Visuals: Would you prefer for all of the members to be good looking or only some? Maybe just one visual member is okay? Even though you may find that none of the members is visually appealing, perhaps you're stanning the group for other factors listed here?
• Personality: Do members have personalities that appeal to you in some way?
• Group dynamics: whether the members get along with each other or there's obvious distance btwn them. Group dynamic can affect how you see the members.
• Good leadership: I think that the leader can define the group in a way and hold the members together. Usually, the first impression I get from any group is formed by the leader and/or the main vocalist.

What I look for when stanning a group:

If I like some of their songs, that's enough for me to stan. Having a good number of songs in the discography is ideal even though quality over quantity for me in terms of music.

As for talent, I would prefer it if the majority of the members are talented and can do both (singing and dancing). If there are filler members, it's okay but they shouldn't take up more than a majority. I don't really want to see one member hard carrying the singing and dancing. When it comes to vocal talent, looking for members who can sing well live. Main vocal and lead vocal don't have to do hard hitting high notes though.

Having 1-2 comebacks a year is ideal. It doesn't necessarily have to be the full group comeback but if the members release solo works, I would be generally content. For BGs, a member going to the military is inevitable so a group comeback becomes difficult. As long as there are enough comebacks, variety content is not necessarily. Instagram updates are welcome, but I'm easy going when it comes to members communicating with fans.

Having great group dynamics is crucial. If there seems to be a tension btwn the members, I would definitely lose interest in the group. Good leadership is a must for me. There's healthy longevity with a solid leader who ties the group together. Arguments btwn the members are inevitable, but things get resolved faster with a good leader.

 

[hatmixx]

I don't think i choose who i stan ever. I am always drawn to groups or idols and have no choice but to keep going . Typically i am drawn in by a song. But, occasionally it is by 1 member.

For me the most important factor is variety programming/group based reality shows. This lets you know the members well. That's how i stan.

 

[dnb]

For me it's music above all else. I need to like most of their songs.

And the songs sound good only if they have good vocals. Which is why I end up stanning main vocalists.

 

[UMJI MOODS]

1. Music that I enjoy.
That is all.
Anything else is icing on the cake.​

 

[Beefy]

purely based on personality and group dynamics. I’ll casually follow groups for music but in order for me to truly be invested I need to like the members and enjoy watching their content! That being said I do highly value when a group is active on a form of social media, or has consistent content to keep me entertained.

 

[choively]

What Nara just said.
all the above​

 

[choively]

I don't think i choose who i stan ever. I am always drawn to groups or idols and have no choice but to keep going . Typically i am drawn in by a song. But, occasionally it is by 1 member.

For me the most important factor is variety programming/group based reality shows. This lets you know the members well. That's how i stan.

somewhat the same

 

[BianTwo]

I'll develop each aspect

• Music : probably the main point, I can follow a group and watch their contents even if I don't like their songs but it's not the same. As I won't probably go to their concert or not support them as much as I would.

• Talent : it's a bonus if they are great but I don't focus much on it. I trust most compagnies, especially those who are known, about training their idols. As long as they can sing and dance without doing too much mistakes or with confidence, it's good. For me it's a collective working team, not talented individuals gathered into one team. The "filler" member may have a precious role in the group's daily life for example.

• Comeback : at least once a year, or else you'll lose the attention and most casual fans. People will move on to another group. Two would be the nice number when you're less than 7 years old.

• Contents : no need to release so much like ITZY or TripleS, but at least one or two videos per week would be nice. As for SNS like messages or pics, it's not the hardest one so I'd expect at least to post or share times to times. Alternate with the members, post once every day, but don't get silent for two weeks unless it was announced. Not forgetting to have ENG subs, or else I won't be able to enjoy as much as I can.

• Visual : I won't be into K-pop if it wasn't for the visuals, so it's important. Of course you have PS, heavy makeups and tricks to appear more "pretty". Of course not everyone can be looking good equally but overrall, and because it's the country and the industry's standard, you'll find one or many idols who will look very pretty or who will suit your taste. Sometimes one is enough in order to look closer to the group and follow it.

• Personality : their true personality ? No idea. As long as they are entertaining and the group have various traits among the members I'm good. Maybe back in the days they may have "assigned" personnality (the comedian, the shy, the mysterious, etc) but it's possible that nowadays idols are less restricted and can express more their "true" self. But this could also be a PR move, as they are trained for this. I don't think I have one specific personnality who'll appeal to me, it could be cute, could be quiet, savage, etc.

• Group dynamic : it's always preferable to know that the members get along or manage to resolve their fights and arguments. They can be only colleague without being in bad term, I'm also good with that. It's still a job after all. But I don't forget about the passion, the market about them being close/best friends, so it's still better when they are truly close and caring for each other.

• Leadership : having or choosing the good leader will give an advantage and will lead to less tension in the group and/or with the company. It's not an easy role, especially when most idols are teenagers or at best young adults when they debut. This is linked to the group dynamic obviously as a good leader alone won't do miracles but it will help a lot.

As my conclusion : it's not only one aspect, it's a mix of many. Music, visual, contents, entertainment, being able to keep interactions with fans, etc.

 

[Bellamy]

Music, definitely. That's how I started even with the groups that I listen to occasionally. It was like this for Red Velvet and NCT.
The only group I supported since pre-debut was aespa since I got attached to SMrookies, then Karina got my attention, and now here I'm. I didn't like Black Mamba at first but I decided to wait for more music, just because I liked what I saw (personality and group dynamic). I like their music (not at the same level as RV and NCT) but I'm still waiting for their full album, that's the final deal.
Talent: you can't deny SM's vocalists in that department. Visual: I don't really care. Leadership is important. Contents too, especially if they are less than 5 years (aespa failing in this department during this competitive era is unbelievable).

• Comeback : at least once a year, or else you'll lose the attention and most casual fans. People will move on to another group. Two would be the nice number when you're less than 7 years old.

This! RV had two and aespa just 1. And that didn't feel good at all.

 

[frostpuddle]

Music and talent (vocals) are most important to me because I listen more than I watch. It can just be one song which I like a lot. I don't need all the members to be talented, but the vocals (e.g. main + lead) must not grate on my ears.

Then, group dynamics might make me take a step further and stan the group.

Visuals are a nice to have, I can always solo stan a member who has the visual I like.

 

[soozie]

Music is number 1 for me. If I don’t like the music then I’ll unstan pretty quickly.
Visuals and personality is probably number 2. I like looking at pretty people and fun personality is always a nice bonus.

If a group has a nice combo of all 3 then it’s a stan from me. I don’t care about the rest.

 

[kimsguardian]

do you need a reason to fall in love with someone??
maybe it's visual & personality for me, the music itself doesn't really matter for me.
you know how much i love nmixx or aespa even though i don't like most of their songs ​

 

[Tinyteez]

Usually the thing that makes me stan the group is their music if they have a song at least one that I like a first then usually that is enough for me to stan a group and then like more of heir songs. I also tend to stan groups from the concept like if the have an interesting concept for a group or in the MVs then I am drawn into stanning them. Or if they use concepts that I already like. Or they could have a good storyline in the MVs that is cool or like even connected because it is groups concept or whatever. A]i a, akso sometimes drawn into a group by the lyrics in their songs. Sometimes it because I fall in love with one of the members or get know a member or something. Tbh I feel like I don’t really chose the groups I stan they chose me instead.

 

[boo]

Usually group dynamic, variety and music for me. Talent and visuals help as well.