#BigKPopBitches: Plus-Size K-Pop Fans Start Hashtag to Represent Themselves

The hashtag, #BigKPopBitches, started to pick up more traction on Twitter this week, as more plus-size fans join to celebrate their bodies without fear of criticism.

For a long time, K-pop fans have shared “selcas” — the Korean term for selfies combining “self” and “camera” — all over the internet, partly as a declaration of support for their idol groups and acts.

Fan selcas can be as simple as selfies of themselves — with a K-pop reference in the caption — or a more elaborate post including photos of their idols that are collaged, superimposed or augmented reality-processed with their own.

 

The sharing of selcas eventually evolved into “selca days,” which many fandoms allot for posting on certain days of each month.

While the selca culture has become more unifying for those within particular fandoms, some within the fandom may still feel left out, especially when it’s difficult to find others they can identify with.

This prompted multi-fandom Twitter user Arletta to start #BigKPopBitches. Scrolling through photos of selca days, she “noticed that a lot of the top ones were all, like, skinny people.”

“I even went to check the other fandoms’ selca days like nctzens, carats, orbits, ahgases etc. And like, don’t get me wrong, I still think it’s a good thing but while I’m pretty comfortable in my body, even I hesitate in participating in those days ’cause I’m not seeing people who are big like me,” she told BuzzFeed News.

Arletta sought to create an inclusive hashtag that would represent “big” fans from all fandoms. She found some help in her friend Ta’Chyna, who came up with #BigKPopBitches.

Arletta eventually took the idea to her group chat to discuss publication. “While I’m fine with getting fatphobic comments, I didn’t want anyone else to get them and feel bad, but luckily it doesn’t seem like anybody did,” she told BuzzFeed News.

As of this writing, there have been at least 100 tweets using the hashtag.

“I heard about #BigKPopBitches and it made me happy so I decided to post some pics of me,” one wrote.

Check out more tweets below:

Feature Images via @Prince_minnimin (left) and @HAUGHTYFORYA (right)