The conversation that always seems to spring up around Black n White is interesting, and today it flared up again because of the photos she, or rather the account, posted on Twitter.
A lot of people are saying that she probably bought the photos from a photographer who was there, or that she got them from Getty Images. To be fair, that could be true. But those photos are not cheap, and I am not even sure it is possible to buy exclusive rights to a photo from Getty to the point where nobody else can access it.
I'm good at digging through Getty, and I haven't been able to find those photos myself, and as far as I know, when you buy a photo from Getty Images, you are usually purchasing a licence to use it, not exclusivity. Unless, of course, she bought the photos directly from the photographer and simply asked them not to sell them anywhere else, which is also possible. Or, or she was there. She took the photos herself.
The point is that this person, or group of people, because we honestly don't know, clearly has a lot of money at their disposal, or at least enough money to do all of this. And I do not think that is something that should be dismissed as insignificant.
At this point, I think it is perfectly reasonable to assume they have access to a fairly considerable amount of money. They put up billboards, organise exhibitions, travel around the world just to take photos of two people, and then post those photos online for free. And now they are posting concert videos as well.
That is genuinely impressive, and it does make you curious about why they do it. Beyond the explanation they have given themselves, including in their latest post, that they are simply fans of Jimin and Jungkook and that there is nothing wrong with that. Although that explanation is enough. They like them. Is their money. That's it.
Now, what is really fascinating is the level of curiosity and speculation they generate. People seem endlessly intrigued by them, largely because the subject is Jimin and Jungkook. Here come the double standards.
There is another fansite, I think it is called Nuna, if I am not mistaken, that is dedicated to Taehyung. I have seen that fansite absolutely everywhere he goes. Airports, overseas schedules, brand events, you name it. They seem to be everywhere. And yet, I have never really seen anyone question how they manage to do it. I have never seen that account being reported or treated like some kind of criminal. Certainly not to the extent that Black n White has been criticised and accused of all sorts of things over the years.
That is why the double standard can be so frustrating. When it comes to Jimin and Jungkook, that scrutiny does not just stop with them. It extends to their fans and their fansites as well.
And that is where I think the real issue lies.
If Black n White were a fansite dedicated to a single member, I genuinely do not believe people would spend nearly as much time trying to investigate, expose, discredit, or speculate about them. Fansites with significant resources exist throughout the fandom. Fans who travel constantly, attend events around the world, organise projects, and spend large amounts of money on idols are not exactly a rare phenomenon in K-pop.
What makes Black n White different is not necessarily what they do. It is who they support.
The reality is that a large part of the fandom has always had a problem with Jimin and Jungkook being viewed as a duo. Whether people want to admit it or not, that discomfort has existed for years. The moment someone consistently supports both of them together, records both of them together, or centres their content around both of them together, they attract a level of scrutiny that does not seem to apply elsewhere.
That does not mean everyone who criticises Black n White is motivated by that. Some people have genuine concerns about fansite culture in general, and that is a perfectly valid conversation to have. But it is difficult not to notice that the intensity of the reaction often seems disproportionate.
The account is discussed endlessly. Their motives are questioned constantly. And yet when other large fansites spend enormous amounts of money following members around the world, very few people seem interested in asking the same questions.
That inconsistency is hard to ignore.
At times, it feels as though some people are less concerned about what Black n White is actually doing and more concerned about the fact that they openly support Jimin and Jungkook together. Because supporting them as individual artists is generally accepted. Supporting them as a pair, a duo, or even simply as two people whose careers and friendship are documented together is where the controversy suddenly begins.
That is what makes the discussion feel less like a conversation about behaviour and more like a conversation about fandom politics.
We already know that Jimin and Jungkook recognise her. Jimin has directly thanked her for the support she has given him over the years. Just think back to the video call she won during the promotion of FACE. It is also pretty obvious that Jungkook recognises her. They have posed for her photos, looked directly into her camera, and acknowledged her presence on multiple occasions.
From what we have seen publicly, neither of them has ever appeared uncomfortable around her or uneasy when she has been present. So if there is what seems to be at least a degree of acknowledgement, and arguably even approval, from the artists themselves, why do some fans feel so threatened by her?
That is the question I keep coming back to.
Because when you strip away all the theories, assumptions, and speculation, what remains is a fansite that appears to be run by someone, or several people, with substantial resources who choose to dedicate an extraordinary amount of time, effort, and money to supporting Jimin and Jungkook.
People are free to find that unusual. People are free to be curious about it. I certainly am.
But curiosity is one thing. Treating them as though they must be doing something sinister simply because they are dedicated to Jimin and Jungkook is something else entirely.
And sometimes it feels as though the simplest explanation is also the one many people are least willing to accept: that they genuinely like Jimin and Jungkook, enjoy documenting them, have the means to do so, and do not see anything wrong with supporting them together. And if you genuinely see something wrong with that, then the problem lies with you, not them.