NAME: Farah Farzana

AGE: 15

HOME: Malaysia

INTRO TO K-POP: Though she had been a longtime fan of Big Bang, Farzana wasn't exposed to other K-pop groups until she saw a broadcast of the 2012 Mnet Asian Music Awards. "At that time, the only K-pop act I knew was Big Bang," she said. "But the rest, I thought they didn't exist. This music has changed my life."

FAN BENEFITS: "I know a lot of K-poppers in other countries," Farzana said. "I gain a lot of pen pals. I also learn a lot of things about K-pop from other fans. Because of K-pop, I learned the English language, so it could be easy for me to interact with others international fans."

FAN CREDENTIALS: Farzana claims she has lost friends over her love of K-pop, but tries to not let it bother her. "Before I became a K-popper, many people [in my town] wanted to be friends with me. But now, I lost them," she said. "They don't know how to respect my favorite groups." Many of her Malaysian peers even disdain her love of South Korean pop. "I always get bashed by the haters," Farzana said. "I always show them how respect much respect K-pop idols show towards Malaysia, but they still hate the fact I love it. Sometimes it makes me feel sad and I feel like I want to cry, but I need to hide it. I don't want people to see my weakness."

FAVORITE BAND: Big Bang

WHY BIG BANG IS BEST: "It's Big Bang that made me fall in love with K-pop," Farzana said.

LOVE FOR SM: Though Farzana's heart will always belong to YG Entertainment's Big Bang, she also has a lot of love for rival K-pop record label SM Entertainment, particularly the groups Exo and Girls' Generation. "Of course I love Exo!" she said.
"Besides their cute and innocent faces. They are really talented and also very funny. I have watched their television show 'Exo's Showtime,' they always make me laugh until I have butterflies in my stomach." Farzana says that she also has a special respect for Girls' Generation. "They are my idols," she said. "The members of Girls' Generation are very beautiful, cute and innocent. Their voices are also unique. I watch their music videos every day on YouTube. It's part of my daily routine."

FUTURE PLANS: "I want to study hard, then I hope to get a scholarship to a Korean university," she said. "It would be great if I could attend Gongguk University in Seoul. I really want to go there. But my dream is to audition for a K-pop record label."

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