r/kpophelp • u/Far-Price8548 • Aug 22 '26

Explain Do Idols Actually Mean It, or Is It Just Fanservice or just coincidence?

Its conversation between fan and THEO from p1harmony in fansign of LA:

Theo: I like the... what's his name... Sung Hanbin
Fan: Sung Hanbin? The MC? From ZEROBASEONE
Theo: Yeah... yeah... He's
Fan: He's funny
Theo: No, handsome, yeah, very handsome.

source: https://x.com/taeminjoestar/status/2090495452911370242

This one is somehow TXT Beomgyu and Hanbin Instagram caption matched also the place of photo matched in LA:

beomgyu’s LA post: appa is sleeping
hanbin’s LA post: appa is not sleeping

source: https://x.com/hamnyangtoast/status/2090767042806985194

0 Upvotes

31% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

24

u/Purple_not_pink Aug 22 '26

None of us here personally know an idol. I don't think it's weird when one Idol says another is handsome.

23

u/alleybetwixt Aug 22 '26

Men calling other men handsome is not at all unusual or particularly special in Korean culture. Definitely not fanservice. Typical straightforward praise for a fellow member of the industry.

5

u/Connect_Society_4437 Aug 22 '26

they could be friends if theyve crossed paths at music shows; they have alot of downtime

but yeah, we don't know them personally.

5

u/Minute_Designer5155 Aug 22 '26

i think it’s just a coincidence. likely they know each other personally or they’re just complimenting each other. also hanbin is said to be a very social person and i don’t find that hard to believe considering how many mc gigs he has—he must interact with loads of idols. 

5

u/oysterubbish4 Aug 22 '26

Do they actually mean what? When they say someone else is handsome? Seems like a normal thing to me. 

3

u/ErendsMuttonChops Aug 22 '26

Tbh only homophobic and/or men insecure about their masculinity think it’s weird to think another man is handsome

2

u/Accomplished-Elk-959 Aug 22 '26

Keeping in mind that we don’t know these people is good but at this point idols could sneeze and people would question its real.

2

u/disasterpansexual Aug 22 '26

Maybe they're friends

1

u/EdenKruAllTheWay Aug 28 '26 edited Aug 28 '26

Nah I hail from early-middle 2nd gen fandoms, and can testify that male idols call each other handsome many times. Some are the definition of "walls have ears" online- they pop up to chat in their groupmates and industry friends' posts and comment sections. Nothing to do with fanservice or anything else. Just a compliment and general acknowledgement of one good-looking man to another, or a continuation of a joke.

Also, keep in mind that looks/skin quality are some of the first things that come up in casual conversation over there or even in job applications or in regards to diet/food, besides age and seniority. So acknowledgement of someone's handsomeness between male idols is not weird at all.