‘We want people to shine’

When Yunuen Paramo and Jimena Sifuentes first met at California State University, Bakersfield as freshmen in 2021, they both learned they shared the same interest: Korean popular music, or K-pop.

Thinking that it would be fun to share their love of K-pop with other students, the duo attempted to start their own club on campus. There was just one problem: they were told they could only start a new club if they were sophomores or higher.

After waiting a year, Garcia and Sifuentes finally founded the K-Pop With You Club in 2022, despite having some concerns about whether it would gain traction with students.

"It was scary at first. We thought 'what if no one shows up to our meetings?'" said Paramo, president of the club. "After realizing there's a lot of people on campus who like K-pop, we realized we made the right decision."

Over the past two years, K-Pop With You has held meetings and hosted several on-campus events, including skate nights, carnivals, dance workshops and Maniac Frights, a Halloween-themed fundraiser. The club has more than 20 active members and major events draw upwards of 50 students.

The goal in forming the club is to provide a safe, welcoming space for students where they would feel comfortable sharing their passion for K-pop with others.

"I felt like a lot of people don't feel safe being themselves and tend to hide themselves and be shy around each other. We want people to shine," Paramo said.

Vice President Sifuentes said they "wanted to create a club where people could hang out, relax and make friends…to just make the college experience a little more fun."

The pair had only recently become interested in K-pop before starting K-Pop With You in 2022. They not only fell in love with the music but also became inspired by it.

"The music is great and you also get to learn about a different culture," Sifuentes said. "Just seeing how the groups are formed - you see them so young going into this career, wanting to achieve their dreams, which seem so far-fetched but they're now achieving them. It's helped me push through my studies."

Prior to establishing the club, Paramo and Sifuentes often felt uncomfortable admitting to people that they liked K-pop. They said it would sometimes spark insensitive comments from people.

"There are a lot of the questions you get when you say you like K-pop like 'do you even know Korean? Why are you listening to it?'" Sifuentes said.

"I feel people think if someone likes something a little different, that there's something wrong with them," Paramo said. "A lot of people think only children like K-pop, but that's not true. People of all ages like it. K-pop artists do all kinds of different genres of music. They don't just focus on pop music."

Sifuentes said the club allows students to feel they can share their love for K-pop without feeling judged or criticized.

"It's great being able to feel free where you're not hiding anything about yourself or feel that you have to act a certain way," she said.

The duo said a lot of club members are initially shy when they first join but that over time, they open up and develop strong friendships with each other.

"It's great when we see them coming out of their comfort zone and laughing and talking amongst each other," Sifuentes said. "We've seen students come to events by themselves and leave talking with a group of other club members."

"I've heard from members thanking us, saying 'I feel safe. I've made friendships I never thought I would have made without this club,'" Paramo said.

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