The K-Pop industry created a lot of goods derived from K-Pop artists. That includes albums, photocards, lightsticks, and many more. Of course, albums and photocards are the most popular products among K-Pop fans as they are collectable items, yet other items might be interesting to have as well. Such as lightsticks, that allows fans to cheer on their favorite artists at various events in a more personal way than by turning on the flashlight of their phone. But there is one more goods derived from groups that fans often miss on, despite all of its great advantages, the official membership.
Memberships are usually composed of a fan kit and an ID card of the official fandom. Of course, not owning a membership does not mean that you are not an official and very dedicated fan. But some events and contents are only accessible for those holding the official fandom card. That is why it is considered an official good, because it serves for identification of a person. Owning a membership is not a must when staning a group, yet it has many advantages fans might not know about. So let us tell you why you should get your favorite group's membership.
1. The membership kit, full of the best goodies
This might be the most basic motivation to get a membership, yet it is well worth it. The membership kits are always full of various goodies, usually produced in a limited quantity as it won't be for sale apart from the membership sale. But It is not necessarily the number of goodies that matters, but often, the quality and originality of it. Because memberships are only released once a year and are both representative of the group and the fandom, it often contains some of the most unique goods a group can have. For example ONEUS had in their first membership kit a little blanket with official colors of the group and each member's name, birth date, and zodiac sign with their constellation. Fans were so impressed by the quality and originality of this good that it went quite viral among the fans. But not only ONEUS other groups also have incredible goods in their membership, and you surely will want to own them too.
2. The photobook and photocards
Just like an album contains a photobook and one or more photo cards, so does the membership. This is part of the membership kit, of course, but as it is similar to other common collectable goods in K-Pop, this alone is a reason to be hyped up about the membership. For each membership released, the group will find a unique concept to shoot, and this will follow all the way to the design of he entire membership, including the packaging and the other goods. Usually the photoshoots done for the membership are quite different from the ones done for albums, they're pushing the concepts further and are more extravagant most of the time. And not only the photobook but the photocards are also something you should look forward to while purchasing a membership. Because this time the photo cards won't be random like in the album as you get one of each member! What a nice way to complete your photocard collection in an easy and fast way!
3. The official fandom member card
Of course, when thinking of the membership card, it sounds like it is just a regular card with a name on it, well that's not true. The official membership card has usually a special design printed on it, according to the theme and concept of the membership. So for each membership that is out, the membership card changes as well, with a new design. So for each new membership you'll also get a new official fandom card! But of course, the design of this card is not the only thing that makes this card special. Indeed, each membership card is customized with your name, and you even get a little space on the card to sign it, this way it is your very own fan card. And beyond the physical attract of this card, it can also get you access to special contents and events, which you might not have a chance to attend without it. So it might look like a regular card, but its power and beauty are greater than what you might think.
4. The special advantages of membership members
As mentioned previously, the membership card unlocks plenty of great opportunities for you to see your idols, or enjoy their content. One of the most accessible one, even for fans overseas is the exclusive membership content. This usually includes a special behind the scene of the membership photoshoot along with some behind the scenes pictures. But that's not all depending on what platform you purchased the membership from, it is different for every group, you may have exclusive posts or chats with the group or some specific members! That already sounds like a great advantage, especially for fans who are overseas, but that's not all. The membership can also give you an access to concert ticket or other events' pre-sales. This way you can secure some good seats for your next event. Of course that is not a daily advantage, but it is still a priceless one. And last but not least, if you turn out to be in Korea while your favorite group is promoting and you have the membership, you might get a chance to attend their pre-recording for a music show, or even the live broadcast. In order to do this, you'll have to apply according to the agency's guidelines, those are usually posted on one of the group's SNS before each application for attendance to live broadcasts, so make sure to check all of your apps!
Those are the 4 biggest advantages of owning a membership, but as you get yours, you might find more reasons as to why your favorite group's membership is a good purchase to make!
