Insider perspective: BJYX
As someone who has worked over 10+ years in the Asian music industry, I figure it would probably helpful to explain my perspective on BJYX a little more in depth. (I talked a bit about it here.)
As a general rule of thumb, industry pros treat RPS as a marketing tool and 99% of the time, it’s never real. We know that fans really like and are into RPS, which is why fan service is so huge. We also know that ships can make fans even more invested in artists, which can be a huge boon for whichever pair of artists are being shipped. The artists themselves are also very much aware, and enjoy the reactions fans give them when they actually engage in overt fan service.
But the idea that fan service has any root in reality is ultimately a “white dream” (or wishful thinking). I hate to be the one to break it to everyone, but the majority of Asian male pop stars are very, very, very straight. As I stated previously, I’ve seen these guys in private settings partying it up with pretty women, models, and even escorts. I’ve personally witnessed them request pretty girls be brought in to party with them when they’re at after show events or out on the town in private VIP rooms. It’s actually pretty well documented that “wholesome” idols are not really as wholesome as you might think.
Knowing all of this, having seen as much as I have, I pretty much never put any stock in RPS, and initially had the same extremely skeptical, eye-rolling reaction to Yizhan that I do to virtually all other ships. (Especially if I actually happen to personally know the people in that pairing, lol.)
So the fact that even someone like me, someone who largely scoffs at all things RPS can believe that BJYX might potentially be real is the last thing I ever expected. Here’s my perspective on all the things that more or less convinced me. (Disclaimer: None of the speculation is “real.” It’s just speculation.)
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