In 2015, two friends with a vision launched What The Kpop. Our anniversary is October 15th, and this year marks our tenth anniversary since launch. We celebrate ten amazing and wonderful years with our fans, thanking everyone for being with us until this time and choosing to make WTK your home for all things Hallyu. At the same time, as previously announced, we will also make this our final day of operations and as a team. We cannot thank you enough for your unwavering support. As such, some of the staff would like to share their personal messages to readers below. From all of us, to all of you, with all of our hearts… THANK YOU.
“Hello, WTK viewers and staffs! I was privileged to be part of this company for 10 years, and I am so grateful to our Boss, Amy for acknowledging my skills as a writer even though English is not my major language. To be a part of this circle feels like having a family from the other side of the world sharing common interests which are K-pop, K-drama and K-culture. I was able to share to the world what speaks to my heart and mind through this platform. WTK gave me inspiration and I will treasure it forever. It may be sad for WTK to say goodbye, but hopefully we will always remain in each other’s hearts and continue to share memories going forward.”
– Ging1030 signing off. (Features Writer)
“Thank you for reading our articles, following us, and your support after all these years!
Because of my time with WTKpop, I was able to experience some pretty cool things and meet some pretty cool people, too!
Top jobs hands down would be when I got to report on B.A.P’s Moon Jongup and Jung Daehyun fan events in NYC, attending Mozart the musical in Korea, and B.A.P’s Bang Yongguk, NCT 127, NCT DREAM, IU, and One Ok Rock concerts in Atlanta!
This is a reminder to you who is reading this. As we grow older, it is okay to change, and you will change. While I feel bittersweet closing this chapter of my life, I am ever more curious and excited for whatever is ahead as I focus in a new direction in my life. Only you will know when it is time to let go and move on. Don’t fear it. Embrace it. Only then, will you grow.”
-Ann P. (Staff Writer, On-Site Reporter)
”Thank you to all the fans who hype up their faves on our SNS posts. You all made everyday updates worth it. I’d just like to say, ‘This is not and END, but an AND’.”
-Lucilene B. (SNS Manager, Assistant News Writer)
“Thank you for all the wonderful memories both as an original member of the team and as a friend. I enjoyed being ‘The OG Birthday Poster.’ The influx of groups coming in and personal affairs drove me away [but] I’ll never stop loving Kpop as a whole. Take care and don’t be a stranger. 💖💖💖”
-Rich B. (Official Poster of Idols’ Birthdays and Photos on WTK SNS and Calendar Genius- so says the Boss!)
“Congratulations to What The Kpop on a race well run! It is rare for a media outlet to treat Korean celebrities as people first and performers second, and you can all take pride in the integrity and honesty that you have demonstrated in your coverage.
Amy (What The Kpop’s director, founder, and editor-in-chief) has been a dedicated supporter of ‘Prayers for Oppa,’ my devotional prayer book for performers and their fans, since it was first published. I have always appreciated her support of the book through What The Kpop and other platforms and her enthusiasm in sharing it as a resource for fans and performers alike. God has used Amy mightily and effectively to bring more attention to the need to pray for performers and to get ‘Prayers for Oppa’ into the hands of even more people. I am truly grateful for her.
To the readers: I hope that both What The Kpop and ‘Prayers for Oppa’ will continue to be valuable resources for you for years to come. May you always remember that your fellow fans and your favorite performers are people just like you who struggle with the challenges of life and need the love, security, and salvation that come through faith in Jesus Christ. Your prayers are meaningful, and they truly make a difference.”
Teresa Santoski
Author, “Prayers for Oppa”
Click here to buy a copy of “Prayers for Oppa.”
(Teresa also volunteered her time to be on a very important WTK Radio broadcast concerning fans’ responses to artists’ deaths and what we can do to thelp make our online community a safe space for all. She has also been kind enough to look over things for me as a professional writer, so I consider her an adopted part of our team! -Amy)
“Being part of What The Kpop has been such a meaningful chapter in my life. Through our shared love of Korea, I got to meet some incredible people who reminded me of the power of music and culture to connect people across the world. WTK wasn’t just a site — it was a community built on passion, kindness, and of course, the fans.
Thank you for letting me be part of this amazing journey, for every piece we told, and for every fan who supported us through the years.”
-Panamami, Features Writer (Who Holds The Record For The Most Read Article On WTK- Woohoo!)
“I joined WTK as I was fresh out of high school in 2016! I am such a big person on community and really found that with WTK. At the time, I didn’t have many mutual K-pop fans and really found that! I got to experience a lot as a part of WTK, from writing to videos, making quizzes to attending concerts, and much more! It has been a great time. Even though, as I progressed and began my professional career, ultimately moving away from writing, I still found joy in the community that was made and I truly believe we have Amy to thank for that! WTK has a forever special place for me and I am so grateful for people I met and experiences I got to have because of it!
(P.S I’ll treasure my WTK tshirt for life haha)
Thank you for a joyous 10 years of WTK!”
-C, News Writer, Features Writer, Event Reporter, K-pop Dancer Extraordinaire, Fun-Bringer to WTK (so says Amy)
“A huge thank-you to all the support we’ve had throughout our 10 years here at What The Kpop 🙏 It was a fun, meaningful experience being a fan next to everyone, and as a fellow WTK Editor, Social Media Manager, and Photographer. You’re always welcome to say hi 👋 to me, and maybe we’ll interact again one day as I’m on track towards my goal of becoming a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner! 🫶💙”
-Sarah Yuen 🌈 ✨ @sapphir3bluu (Editor, News Writer, SNS Manager, Photographer)
“Hi everyone,
I’m Leon Nguyen — some of you might know (or might not!) that I was the co-founder of What The Kpop alongside Amy :). And yes, I am a HUGE IU fan, hehe.
After about a year of launching What The KPop, I moved back to my home country, Vietnam, after finishing college in the summer of 2016 to pursue my photography career. That was when I had to step away from my co-founder role and fully trust Amy’s vision to lead What The Kpop forward — and honestly, I (and everyone) think she did a fantastic job, against all odds!!!
We started What The Kpop because we were tired of seeing so much of the mainstream media reporting on baseless gossip about idols, actors, and actresses. We wanted to focus on what truly mattered — their projects, whether it was a new song, MV, movie, or drama. And I think everyone on the team really stayed true to that mission.
Even after stepping down from my co-founder role, I continued supporting Amy and What The Kpop in any way I could. Some of you might remember a few of my concert photo galleries from back in the day — those were such amazing experiences! Amy somehow always managed to pull strings to get us media passes alongside other big outlets — hooray, Amy!
What you guys achieved together was truly against all odds. The media landscape has changed so much, and while I’m sad to see What The Kpop close its doors, I’m incredibly grateful to Amy for all her hard work over the past 10 years. Who would’ve thought a small independent outlet like ours could last that long? You all proved them wrong — and I couldn’t be prouder.
Amy, I wish you all the best with your health and everything that’s ahead. Remember, we’re always here for you — and I’ll definitely still check in now and then to talk about our favorite idols 🙂
Best wishes to everyone, and good luck in all that you do.”
— Leon (WTK Co-Founder, Photographer)
“Over eight years ago, I found WTK by chance and applied on a whim. That was sheer luck and everything else was fate. I’m very grateful to have been part of most of the team’s journey throughout the years.
Behind-the-scenes, there were days that weren’t as smooth-sailing as we hoped but we still pushed through. If I had the chance, I would do it all over again without any regrets. Much thanks to Amy and Justin for letting me run wild in WTK.”
-Katherine@yourlocalswampwxtch (Lead News Writer, Features Writer, SNS Manager, Assistant Editor)
“I was a fan of What The Kpop way before I joined the team as a writer. I always admired WTK for refusing to engage in rumours or clickbait like so many other outlets, instead focusing on honest reporting that reflected a genuine love for artists — especially underrated K-pop groups that others completely overlooked — even when they had far more resources to cover ALL groups regardless of popularity.
As someone who was constantly messaging those outlets, trying to get smaller and underappreciated groups noticed, WTK was a breath of fresh air. It was a space where every group was valued, and where my passion as a fan was genuinely understood and appreciated.
So when I got the chance to become a writer for them, it truly felt like a dream come true. Being part of a team that embodied the same values I admired so much was incredibly meaningful. It meant more than I can express when fandoms, or even artists themselves, acknowledged and appreciated our work. I’ll always be thankful to WTK for giving me the opportunity to experience that validation from both sides: first as a fan, and then as a writer.
As What The Kpop celebrates its 10 year anniversary while also preparing to say goodbye, I’ve been reflecting on all the amazing moments I’ve had during my five years as part of this team.
I hope that even as WTK comes to an end, fans will continue to support content that shares its same values. It’s up to us as fans to give our attention to news outlets that prioritise integrity and show genuine respect for artists. That’s how we keep K-pop a fun and inclusive community built on a shared love of the genre, rather than rivalry and sensationalism.
Thank you to every fan and fandom who supported and appreciated what we at What The Kpop worked to bring to the industry. It’s been such an incredible journey, and I’m so proud to have been even a small part of it.”
– Justin E. (Assistant Director, News Writer, Editor)
A Final Word From Our Director, Founder, and EditorIn-Chief, Amy:
“And that’s a wrap, dear readers. After ten years, I struggle to know what to say. To be honest, now that the moment has come, I don’t even know quite how to begin. Thank you doesn’t seem like enough. I suppose it never will. Even after all this posting all day, I still ran out of time. I wish we could have hosted one last radio show together, but even then, I would have still run out of time, wouldn’t I? Maybe it’s the hesitancy to finally call it quits just like when we had a great show and everyone still wanted to keep talking in the chat room while the music was playing… that’s a bit what I feel like tonight. Because as soon as I go “off air,” then the show is truly over. Ten years is a great run though, and I can’t ever say thank you enough that you allowed us to express our thoughts, our opinions, that your chose our articles to bring you news, that you trusted us to bring you the facts. I promise you… I’ll always stand by this promise… our team worked incredibly hard to make sure that our news was unbiased, factual, never clickbait, and was reliable. We never compromised on those issues, and I feel proud of that. Thank you for standing by us even when we weren’t the biggest media outlet out there and for watching us become a name that you knew you could trust. We trusted you too, and we knew… our readers were different too. I wish I could tell you each thank you, but I hope you can feel the sincerity. For every message, comment, and moment spent with us, I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart. I wish this could have lasted for so much longer. (But don’t unfollow because something new and fun is coming to this account/space- K-pop related of course!). For the time we were together, for the years I spent with you, and for the youth I spent with you, it was truly and most sincerely a pleasure.
Back during my radio show nights, I used to have a way of signing off, so if you will allow me the indulgence, I’ll use that here one final time…
Thank you for joining me. This has been your host Amy, on behalf of What The Kpop. Until next time, happy listening. Good night.
💜”
