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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#201: K-popular

South Korean girl group Blackpink recently made history by becoming the first Asian act to headline Coachella, performing in front of over 125,000 people (and millions more tuning in via live stream). This isn’t the first “Korean Wave” (or Hallyu) to reach foreign shores; before Blackpink and BTS there was PSY with “Gangnam Style” and groups like BIGBANG and SHINee, to name just a few. Now we’re on to a 4th generation of idols taking over social media with dance challenges and catchy tunes. 


K-pop is a fascinating universe with some of the most dedicated (and at times overbearing) fans in the world. Like all things, it comes with the good and the bad. Behind the uplifting messages, the discipline, and the talent also lies a high-pressure industry, one which has sparked debates about artist exploitation and the price people are willing to pay for fame. This week's prompts are inspired by K-pop, its fans, and the dizzying highs and lows of megastardom.

This week's prompts

Set your story at a large entertainment venue, after the show has ended, amongst the discarded plastic cups and confetti.

Adults – 53 stories

Write a story from the point of view of a “sasaeng” (an obsessive fan).

Character – 34 stories

Write a story about someone who has put “Blood Sweat & Tears” into getting where they are — only to question whether it was worth it.

Angst – 47 stories

Write a story inspired by SHINee’s “Ring Ding Dong”, where someone can’t get a song out of their head no matter how hard they try.

Funny – 16 stories

Write about someone who has always done something as part of a group, and is now starting to set out solo, or vice versa.

Character – 20 stories

Stories

“Even the Angels Don't Love Me” by Allan Bernal

Submitted to Contest #201

“Oh the angels, even the angels don’t love me…”           Lisa sang quietly to herself as she picked at her earrings. For some reason, she had woken up this morning with a stinging sensation in her ears. She fiddled with her small stud earrings, slowly becoming paranoid that somehow she was having an allergic reaction to the jewelry she had worn for a decade already. Perhaps even a deadly reaction…           “I’ll slip through their ...

6 comments 6
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“Earworm” by Cindy Strube

Submitted to Contest #201

Earworm I’m  not a pop fan.  Make it stop, man.  Can’t you stop it?  In a shop, it  was the first time  that I heard it  (heard it for the first time),  Yeah, and it’s catchy.  Who’s the tune by?  It’s a loop now— still repeating  when I’m eating,  when I’m sleeping. Words are kinda sketchy;  little bits of nonsense put together with this: Cling-clang boom-boom Shaka-shaka snap-snap!  It’s a mind trap.  Shaka-shaka snap-snap!  Shaka-shaka snap-snap!&nbs...

5 comments 5
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“Shallows” by Abigail Selinger

Submitted to Contest #201

TW: Substance abuse / use “What is it?” Marissa asked, peering down at the small pill. “Just something to help the fun be more…fun, you know?” Ashley replied, reaching for Marissas’ wrist and gently placing the small pink pill in the palm of her hand. Marissa stared at the pill resting in her hand, a mixture of curiosity and apprehension swirling within her. As she studied it, her friends chattered excitedly around her, buzzing with an eagerness for the night of festivities that awaited them. They had been planning this outing for we...

1 comment 1
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“Only Through His Grace” by Sirjoe Mays

Submitted to Contest #201

Kirk grew up in a church, loved the church and served at the church but over time as he grew up he became detached. He and his friends created a secular rap group by the name of The Misfits that became so big they started touring all over the world. Kirk loved all the fame, money, girls and jewelry he gained from his career but for some reason he still felt empty inside. The group it’s self was pretty big but Kirk was the man of the group everyone and I do mean everyone loved him. Until one day he decided to just get up and pray mid studio s...

1 comment 1
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“The Last Act” by Angela Early

Submitted to Contest #201

Angela stood in the arena, standing at her seat long after the other attendees had left. Perhaps to continue their celebrations elsewhere. She was stupefied to say the least. Her favorite band, The Epiphanies, long since disbanded, had agreed to perform a series of concerts, never to tour again once they were done. She had never been allowed to attend their concerts in her teens, what with super strict parents. In her early twenties she could find nobody else to go with, she was alone in her love for them. Given that at that age, she would r...

2 comments 2
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“A Message from More Than Just a Fan” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #201

A Message From More Than Just a Fan            Well, last night’s concert of the Wholly Tearers is now over, and it is the morning after.  It is time for me to clean up the mess left by the roaring fans. And because it was a loud rock band, and alcohol was sold by the plastic cup, I have to do a lot of cleaning. The big broom and I will be doing a lot of dancing together this morning. I shouldn’t really complain, though. I got to hear and see a great concert pu...

4 comments 4
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“Solo Red Cup” by Angie Ashton

Submitted to Contest #201

        She had saved her money for months, pulling extra shifts, doing odd jobs whenever she could, delivering meals to strangers and carting strangers around in her Aunt’s car because her own would never have been approved by any of the ride share apps. Not that her Aunt would have noticed, the regimen of meds she was on these days had rendered her mostly catatonic. Fortunately, her insurance and savings had been enough to have in-home care, including the hospital bed, monitors, and an asso...

2 comments 2
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“After The Show” by Kale Gordon

Submitted to Contest #201

Caution: Some fool language is used in this.  The polished gray concrete was sticky to the patrons that headed towards the lobby of the large concert venue after the encore had come to an end. The Post-Rock band Ultrasonic Tentacle Monsters had just finished their encore. Very few of the concertgoers stayed in hopes that the band would come on for one more surprise. “One more!” A bearded drunk patron yelled while slinging the clear plastic cup which held his sixteenth cup of beer. The beer sloshed into his face and got on his biker j...

0 comments 0
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“Vanderbilt torment ft. PRESidenT” by Pres T

Submitted to Contest #201

*Warning this story contains themes of Mental Health, Substance Abuse, Physical abuse, and suicide Reader discretion is advised* Dear Young Prezzy,  I’m here, writing to you again. I figured this would be the best way to reach you since your Instagram DMs are probably full. And also when I come to think of it, who in 2023 still writes fan mail, well besides me? I deleted my instagram anyways; bullies, trolls and idiots kept spamming me with complete and utter garbage. Telling me that “I should end it all”, that “I’m ugly” and social...

3 comments 3
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“Elergy of Chainsaw” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Submitted to Contest #201

“Hi, Celia Ruttelege here from Out About Town Podcast and today we are going to visit with Miles Abbersaul, the lead singer from the legendary hard rock band Chainsaw.  During the 1980 and 1990s this band was on top of the hard rock charts, leading the way for other heavy metal bands such as Metallica and Linkin Park.  Drug addiction and constant feuding among the members of the band ended their days of glory as the All-American heavy metal band.  Last week Colin Reicht passed away from liver cancer.  Condolences for the ...

2 comments 2
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“Another Race to Run” by Rose Farrell

Submitted to Contest #201

Fourteen years. And seventy-eight days.  All those days, upon months, upon years of waking up before the sun;  stretching my body out before pushing it to its breaking point–then further.  Countless workouts that made me want to give up. Not eating certain foods.  Refusing to go to movies with friends because I needed to be at the track the next morning.  Losing those friends, because they couldn’t understand why I needed to be at the track the next morning.  Everything, the pain, the suffering, the fierc...

1 comment 1
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“Blue Rings and Golden Handcuffs” by Felix A Bergmann

Submitted to Contest #201

SENSITIVE CONTENT Suicide, substance abuse, mental health Christopher Leon had been waiting in his manager’s office at Blue Ring Media for over an hour by the time his manager finally burst through the door at 8pm. The man was frantically moving some artist or other’s tour date around for the 3rd time this week over the phone. “…and tell him that’s the last fucking move he’s getting!” he blasted into the phone, slamming his finger on the end call button so hard it was audible when he hit the screen. Christopher hadn’t even turned around. H...

2 comments 2
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“Mom, Do You See Me?” by Callie Whittaker

Submitted to Contest #201

Abuse/Eating Disorder/DeathThe efforts I’ve made to be loved by you.Mom, do you see me?The words I spew about things you do go right over your head, as if there is no worth in saying anything at all. If I'm lucky I’ll get a slap or two. I understand you loved him, and now he has passed, but why can’t I be good enough for you?Mom, will you ever see me?Or have I wasted my efforts and the little happiness I have left on you? I have worked so hard to get here. To get him out of our life, why can’t you believe me on that? I loved him too, but it ...

2 comments 2
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“Ear Worms” by Vanessa Zone

Submitted to Contest #201

You have likely experienced “Ear Worms” or “Stuck Song Syndrome” which often occurs after listening to a catchy piece of music. The tune then gets stuck in your head, and it is difficult to shake it off. Psychologists refer to this phenomenon as “Involuntary Musical Imagery”. Whatever you want to call it, for most people this is usually a minor annoyance.  For Tim, however, it was something more. For starters, he had no idea where he had first heard the melody. He did not know the words to the song or if it even had any.&...

3 comments 3
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“Sending a Message” by Cassandra Zimmerman

Submitted to Contest #201

"What? I can't hear you!" Mika's voice sounded muted, underwater, lost in the seascape of screaming fans. She gestured a circular motion with her hand and pointed to the stage. After this. Already smiling, our grins both widened. I gave her a thumbs up. Ring ding dong. It’s ringing in my head.. Fitting. And even as SHINEE, the kpop artist currently onstage, sang their famous song, I still couldn’t get It out of my head. I jumped and swayed with the crowd, as if I could dance away the incessant haunting song that’s been stuck in my head...

0 comments 0
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$250

Prize money

170

Contest entries

94

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jun 09, 2023 EST

Won by Chris Miller 🏆

Title: The Bequest

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

Prompts | Big Blue Hand | 2024-11

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