I was still new to the K-Pop scene when 2NE1 debuted. I was instantly hooked. Lollipop and FIRE were on repeat on my iPod for days (until I Don’t Care came and then that was on repeat instead). The four captivated me with their music and who they are. They really are my favorite group.
And it’s not just that their music is catchy, or that it has a good beat. 2NE1 inspires me. They are strong, beautiful women who actually care about their music, and who care about their fans. They are not afraid to show who they are, and I think that’s one of the reasons why I love them so much. They will not fade into the background under insults and opposing forces. They stand tall and tell the world, “I don’t care, I am the best.” I find that so attractive in a world where women are supposed to be these delicate flowers that can’t stand up for themselves and have no voice, or are just pieces of meat in short skirts and high heels that only live to glorify sex and to be items.
Everytime I listen to their dance tracks, I just want to get up and dance and shout and be proud of who I am. When I listen to their ballads, I just want to cry because those feelings are my feelings. They sing about being strong, about being yourself. They sing about what it feels like to be lonely, what it feels like to think that you are ugly. What they sing about is what it is like to be human.
I love them because they don’t cower under insults. CL and Minzy are both told that they aren’t pretty. Dara’s told she’s not talented. Bom is constantly under fire over whether or not she had plastic surgery, or if she’s gained weight. People are constantly telling them that they aren’t talented and they’re not good enough, they’re not pretty enough. But they just stand up taller, they show their talents even more. They show just how absolutely beautiful they are, inside and out. Even if they were completely unattractive physically, they would still be beautiful, because they are beautiful people on the inside.
I love them because they are so, so, so talented. CL not only leads the group, but raps and sings. She is one of the best rappers I’ve ever heard, and her singing voice is so unique. It fits her so well. She also dances so well. She is so fluid and has so much energy. Minzy is one of the most talented idols I have ever seen. She is only seventeen (or eighteen in Korean age), but she is one of the best dancers in most likely the world. She makes it look easy to be that good. Her voice is beautiful, and she can rap with the best of them. Dara doesn’t always get a lot of parts, but she never lets them be second-rate. She gives her parts all of her effort, and her parts are always top notch. Her voice is so lovely and airy. She also has so much energy and gives her best all the time. No matter what outfit or hairstyle she is sporting, she has the ability to pull it off. Bom is one of the best singers ever. Her voice is so low and beautiful, and her voice has so much power. She can sing with such strength, or she can hold it back and make her voice haunting. She has the ability to fit any genre of music with her voice, being convincing whether it’s Hip-Hop or R&B or pop. As a group, they are talented as well, for all four know several different languages, and their English sounds like it’s their native language.
I love them because they don’t fall into the stereotypes. They are strong and powerful on stage, and make whatever stage they are standing on their home. They control the stage and mesmerize the audience. But when they are off the stage, they are so humble and kind, and downright adorable. They aren’t stuck into just being one thing. They can be strong, but they also can be just four ordinary girls with a soft kindness and silly, cute sides. But no matter what side they are showing, they are themselves. It’s not an act.
I love them because they are proud to be themselves. They don’t try to cover up in make-up, or try to show false personalities. They show themselves, and they will never change just because the world might want them to be different. They won’t change just so that their albums will sell more (and they honestly don’t even need to) or so people will like them more. They are unique in a world full of cookie-cutters, and they are who they are, and you just have to take them as is. So just get out the club if you ain’t feeling their sound.
I love them because they love their fans. They are constantly trying hard and giving their best for their fans. They always want their music to be something that their Blackjacks enjoy. They are grateful for their fans, and it’s obvious that their fans mean the world to them. They are always all smiles whenever it comes to their fans. You never hear about the girls being rude or mean. They honestly are beautiful people on the inside.
I love them because they are not afraid to show how they feel. Their song “Ugly” is an ode to this. They show that they have fears and insecurities, something that most performers don’t sing about nowadays. But even in these insecurities, they are strong enough to show it. They show us an absolutely beautiful side of them. They show us that they are human, that they bleed just like you and I do. Whereas showing your insecurities would be considered a weakness by some, it is just one more way that these girls are strong and fearless.
They are beautiful. Every single one of them. I love them so much that sometimes it’s all I can do to not cry when listening to their songs or watching their perfomances. I have loved them since the beginning, I love them now, and I will love them forever. Nothing people say about them will ever change my mind, because these four girls are the type of people that deserve the love that their fans show them.
You might think that I’m crazy, or that my love for them isn’t worth it, but I don’t care. I love 2NE1. I love Park Bom, Park Sandara, Gong Minji, and Lee Chaerin. My love will never change, never decrease. I wish them only the best in their lives, and I will be rooting for them until the very last. Girls, you are beautiful, and you are strong, and you are crazy talented, and you are my inspiration. I love you, and I will always be proud to call myself a Blackjack.
2NE1 fighting! Now and forever!
