Korean pop music, more commonly addressed as K-pop, has garnered listeners significantly across the world. From major events like the FIFA World Cup to Luxury brand fashion weeks, K-pop artists are now ruling the world. With extraordinary skills in dance and music at the same time, K-pop has successfully breached the barrier of language.
What makes K-pop bigger than the Western acts is definitely the dedicated fandoms. The fandoms know precisely how to make a concert fun. Fan chants are a significant segment of these concerts and performances from the fans’ end. Now, you might wonder what is a K-pop fan chant and why K-pop fan chants are important. Let’s see!
Fanchats are made to show support to the artist throughout the performance. It can be singing out loud some parts of the song or chanting the names of a group’s members in order. Fans usually come up with fan chants by themselves; however, the company often provides fan chants for new songs on online portals. This article will be helpful as a K-pop fan chant guide for beginners, as well as diving deep into its history and significance.
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What Makes Up a K-pop Fan Chant?
As mentioned, K-pop fan chants are made to support the performing artists throughout the performances, which helps keep a solid engagement between the artist and the audience. It is a method to reassure the artist that the fans are invested in their music and are actively supporting it.
Even if it was limited to more prominent K-pop artists in back days, fan chants are now used for every artist and their performances on music shows like Music Bank, Inkigayo, etc. The structure is pretty simple: if it is a group performance, fan chants include a rhythmic cheer of all the members and the group name during the instrumentals and repeating catchy keywords or phrases throughout the song, mostly in verses or bridges. More often than not, fan chants are included throughout the whole song.
BTS’ Mic Drop was one of the most popular fan chants that garnered international attention. Released in 2017, Mic Drop was a colossal hit and ensured a major breakthrough in the West for BTS.
The fan chant starts with the fans chanting the members’ names in order: “Kim Namjoon, Kim Seokjin, Min Yoongi, Jung Hoseok, Park Jimin, Kim Taehyung, Jeon Jungkook, BTS!” The names are repeated twice during the song’s opening instrumental. As the song flows, ARMYs(name of the BTS fandom) cheer with catchphrases from the song, like “Mic Mic Bungee” during Jhope’s verse and “I do it, I do it” during Suga’s verse.
Prior to the appearance of artists during music shows, companies release fan chants in advance so that fans can learn and sing along accordingly during the recording of the performance. This article will also explore some popular K-pop fan chant meanings and examples.
How to Learn K-pop Fan Chants?
If you are new to K-pop and are worried about not knowing how to learn K-pop fan chants, don’t worry; we are here to guide you. Fan chats are easy to follow. Here are 3 simple fan chant tips for K-pop beginners:
- Learn Member Names: Learn the names of the members of the group you are following in order. Usually, the order starts with the leader’s name, followed by the rest of the members in descending age order. If you learn the members’ names, you’re halfway there!
- Watch Videos on YouTube: Since almost all K-pop groups have fan chants and separate live performances uploaded on YouTube, you can choose the song that you like the most(usually title tracks) and follow the chants.
- Use Chant Guides: The artists’ companies often provide fan chant guidelines. However, sometimes, fans also make their own chants and share them on a shared social media handle or forum.
Source: https://www.usbtsarmy.com/fanchants/dna
This is an example of an official fan chant of the song “DNA” by BTS.
Top 10 Popular K-pop Fan Chants
Fan chants have become a defining feature of live performances, especially for K-pop artists, as they feel included in international recognition, creating an electrifying connection between idols and their fans.
Here’s a look at 10 popular K-pop fan chants, their significance, and how they amplify the concert experience.
“Mic Drop” is one of BTS’s most dynamic tracks. The remix collaboration with Steve Aoki and its fan chant elevates the song’s fiery energy. ARMY starts by chanting the members’ names with the opening instrumentals.
During the verses, fans shout “BTS!” at key moments, adding to the intensity of the performance. This chant embodies ARMY’s unity and enhances the bold, rebellious vibe of the song. The eccentric fan chant was a testament to how famous BTS had become when the entire stadium chanted at the 2017 MAMA Awards in Hong Kong.
In 2009, SHINee shook the K-pop world with the evergreen song “Ring Ding Dong.” Its legendary fan chant perfectly captures the song’s hypnotic energy. Shawols chant the members’ names after every verse sung by the said member and cheer during the iconic “Ring ding dong, ring ding dong, diggy diggy dong.” This chant has become a classic, reflecting SHINee’s influence in K-pop history.
Legendary boyband BIGBANG’s anthem “Bang Bang Bang” from the album MADE features an explosive fan chant that perfectly matches the song’s intensity. VIPs chant “BIGBANG!” and the members’ names before the music begins, followed by catchy words from the rap verses to the mighty cheers during the chorus (“Bang bang bang” and “Pangya Pangya Pangya”). The chant emphasizes the group’s legendary status and fan devotion.
Debuting in 2019 under the same agency as BTS’, expectations with TXT were high, and without a doubt, their debut song, “CROWN,” fan chant reflects their youthful and playful image. MOAs chant the members’ names at the start and join in harmoniously during the catchy pre-chorus“Who You” part. The chant celebrates TXT’s vibrant energy and connection with their fans.
With SEVENTEEN’s large group of 13 members, their fan chants are a spectacle. Their most popular track became a never-ending encore song during their concert, “Very Nice,” due to the catchy chorus. Fans chant words from almost every line in the song, which is a lot, and it garnered significant attention from other idols during award shows. They also sing the full outro with Seventeen. The chant highlights CARAT’s love for the group while complementing the song’s high-energy vibe.
The fan chant for BLACKPINK’s iconic hit “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du” emphasizes their strong stage presence. Fans chant “BLACKPINK!” during the introduction and the iconic drop, “Hit you with that ddu-du ddu-du du.” The simplicity and timing of this chant make it accessible for fans of all experience levels. It complements BLACKPINK’s bold and charismatic performance style.
TWICE’s “Cheer Up” features a playful chant that mirrors the song’s bright and cheerful energy. Fans chant the members’ names—Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, Tzuyu—before the music starts. During iconic moments like “Shy, shy, shy,” ONCE adds enthusiastic cheers, making the performance interactive and fun. This song became incredibly famous amongst male fans who actively participated in the fun-filled fan chant.
Another A-listed boy group, EXO’s “Love Shot” fan chant, is short yet sultry and elegant, much like the song itself. EXO-Ls chant “EXO!” before the song and during the chorus, creating a synchronized rhythm with the group’s performance. It perfectly complements the group’s polished stage presence.
ITZY’s debut song, “Dalla Dalla,” carries an empowering message of self-love, and MIDZY enhances it through their fan chant. Fans shout the members’ names at the song’s start and emphasize lyrics like “I love myself!” and “Don’t care, don’t care” and “Dalla Dalla” at the chorus. This chant connects ITZY’s message and their fandom’s energy.
“Red Flavor” by Red Velvet is probably the catchiest summer song that features a lively fan chant that matches the song’s bright tone. ReVeluvs chant the members’ names and cheer during the chorus with lines like “This is my favorite flavor!” This chant creates a festive atmosphere during performances. Even after 7 years, the song remains a favorite among K-pop fans.
Impact of K-pop Fan Chants
Fan chants are more than just words—they’re a way for fans to engage with their idols and contribute to live performances. They amplify the energy, create a shared experience, and make concerts and performances feel like a celebration. The 10 mentioned fan chants are considered to be the best K-pop fan chants for concerts due to the energy they bring to concert-goers. It also helps idols figure out where their fans are seated in a collaboration concert, or award shows like MAMA and MMA.
Final Words
Being a K-pop fan, learning fan chants is like an essential tool, especially if you want to have the concert experience fully. It makes you feel included with thousands of other fans and makes a way to feel connected to the artists who make music for their fans. We hope that this ultimate K-pop fan chant guide helped you to understand the K-pop culture better and encouraged you to learn the fan chant of the idols you love. Let us know which K-pop fan chant is your favorite!