KUALA LUMPUR, March 10 — It’s easy to dismiss KPop fangirls as no more than impressionable youths screaming over their favourite idols.

But Malaysian teenager Yvonne Chen is a shining example of how loving a boyband can enrich your life in unexpected ways.

The 19-year-old BTS superfan possesses skills that any event organiser would be proud of, having co-hosted a birthday celebration for member J-Hope that was attended by hundreds of fans at Nu Sentral on February 22.

These gatherings are known as cupsleeve events in reference to the medley of fan-made merchandise handed out to attendees, including cup-holders, posters, photocards, banners, and more.

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Despite not having any K-pop idols on the guest list, cupsleeve events have no problem drawing a large crowd and they provide a place for fans to socialise and celebrate the achievements of their beloved celebrities.

“Fans can meet other fans and they can make new friends by finding common ground in their interests. It creates an environment with a sense of belonging for sharing the same interest and love for BTS.

“It is more meaningful to celebrate together as one because when it is the idol's birthday, the idol will check social media and they can see how much fans do for them and it makes them feel loved and happy,” Chen told Malay Mail.

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The walls of Chizu and Honzu at Nu Sentral were covered with pictures of BTS member J-Hope to celebrate his birthday. — Picture courtesy of Yvonne Chen
The walls of Chizu and Honzu at Nu Sentral were covered with pictures of BTS member J-Hope to celebrate his birthday. — Picture courtesy of Yvonne Chen

The Kuala Lumpur-born college student first fell in love with BTS in 2016 after watching the music video for their hit single Save Me.

Since then, she has been actively involved on Twitter as @yvonnethefeimao in a network of both local and international BTS fans, known collectively as the ARMY.

The recent cupsleeve event co-organised by Chen was part of a worldwide fan project known as Global Hope Cafe, spearheaded by South Korean fansite Adonis Hoseok to celebrate J-Hope’s birthday.

The exchange of fan-made merchandise is a huge highlight at these gatherings and K-pop lovers turn up in droves to collect goodies emblazoned with the faces of their favourite members.

A video shared by Chen's co-organiser on Twitter showed hundreds of adoring fans patiently waiting in line during the Global Hope Cafe event at Nu Sentral recently.

 

 

The birthday projects are a true litmus test of a person’s ability to coordinate large events and multitask under pressure, and it definitely was no easy task for Chen to secure a venue, plan the decorations, and pack goodie bags while juggling her personal responsibilities.

The escalating Covid-19 outbreak in South Korea also meant Chen had to navigate several hiccups in the shipping process of merchandise intended as gifts for attendees.

“In this case, the cup-holders that were sent by the fansite did not arrive as scheduled due to mishaps during shipping.

“As the organiser, I had to try to solve the problem and find out the cause of the delay. I also had to make a report to the customs department over the matter.”

Time management skills were key throughout the process and Chen made a dedicated checklist and set strict deadlines for herself to keep everything in order.

It’s not her first rodeo organising a K-pop-related event in Malaysia, as she previously set up a photo exhibition for BTS members Jimin and Jungkook at Ruang by Think City earlier in January.

Cafes are decked out with photos of K-pop singers during cupsleeve events and provide a haven where fans can socialise and bond over their shared love for an idol group. — Picture courtesy of Yvonne Chen
Cafes are decked out with photos of K-pop singers during cupsleeve events and provide a haven where fans can socialise and bond over their shared love for an idol group. — Picture courtesy of Yvonne Chen

Devoting blood, sweat, and tears into her efforts as a fan event organiser has been worth it for Chen, who loves the feeling of bringing BTS fans from all walks of life together in one place.

“I think it is really nice to bring smiles onto other people’s faces and see fans with mutual interests having fun and talking about BTS.

“It’s a great feeling to come together as one community and have good energy all around.”

She also finds solace and comfort in the septet’s hip-hop-inspired music and their lyrics, which often touch on subjects like self-love and mental health issues.

BTS’ close connection with their fans has always uplifted Chen’s spirits and she treasures the group’s efforts to create music that resonates with young people all over the world.

“I remember how member RM said at their 2017 concert in Seoul, ‘If someday our existence, music, performances, photos, and videos could decrease your pain from 100 to even 99, 98, 97, then our worth and value of being here is enough.’

“The messages that they convey to ARMYs are always so sincere and genuine. They are bona fide and I love how they are always so grateful to their fans.

“They’re witty and funny and their brotherly love for each other is just so endearing. They never fail to bring a smile to my face.”