Hello and welcome back to HallyuTones – always focused on sound, stage and substance!
Social media is an inseparable part of K-Pop fan culture. From music video releases, to live content and fandom coverage, it is the medium that propelled K-Pop to global prominence.
Today’s guest is someone at the forefront of K-Pop social media content creation. Viktor (VI:K) is well known for his K-Pop videos and skits shared across both Instagram and TikTok.
Through his sizeable audience he has continually promoted many of the most formative K-Pop acts through fun and entertaining short clips. From his flawless lip-syncs to his energetic dances, his videos capture the excitement and distinctive energy that only the K-Pop genre can deliver.
Read on below to discover his journey into K-Pop and content creation, how fandom supported him through his hardest times, and his recommendations for newer K-Pop fans!
Interview:
Q1. Hello and welcome back to HallyuTones! Please could you introduce yourself to our readers?
Thank you for having me! My name is Viktor but most people on the internet know me as VI:K. I am a French content creator who mainly does K-Pop content focused on 1st, 2nd and 3rd gen K-Pop. I mostly do lip-sync contents and skits. I release videos on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube shorts.
Q2a. Your content primarily focuses on K-Pop groups from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd generations. What draws you to older K-Pop releases for your content rather than newer releases?
I would say that I am drawn to these releases due to nostalgia, as I grew up with them. I do this because I’ve always wanted to find people on social media who love the same things as me. I realised that there weren’t many people who posted K-Pop content, and so I just decided to make that space for myself.
Q2b. How did your journey with social media first begin and why?
I initially made a TikTok account with my friends and family with comedy sketches and it didn’t work out.
Then I decided I’m just going to do something I’m really passionate about which is K-Pop. I decided to do it by myself without sending to friends and family to see if it works. Somehow it did – I wasn’t expecting to get many views very quickly but it did, and so I continued doing it.
To this day it’s still hard to realise just how many people my content touches and how much people enjoy what I do. I receive a lot of messages with people thanking me for what I do, and it’s hard for me to realise I am having a positive impact on people’s lives through posting K-Pop videos. People are so kind and so thoughtful – that is the best gift you could possibly receive when creating content.
Q3. When did you first discover the K-Pop genre; and who were the first artists you stanned?
When I discovered K-Pop as a kid, I was drawn in by the ‘perfect world’ that K-Pop shows. Everything was beautiful to me. I had a very hard time as a kid, so I was escaping to this world of sounds, and the wider community. It put all of my problems in a little box, allowing me to focus on something different. I could come home and watch music videos, variety shows, and escape from all the hard things in life. It was so different to what I was used to in France. It’s completely different to our music and culture so I was immediately drawn in.
As for the first artist I stanned, it’s kind of a funny story. I was in a supermarket in 2009 in the middle of nowhere, and I was in the TV section. I saw they were playing ‘Genie’ by Girls’ Generation. There was no sound but I was drawn in by the visuals. At the end it showed their group name. I went home, searched up Girls’ Generation and fell down that rabbit hole. Then I discovered 2NE1, T-ARA and BIGBANG.
Q4. You are known for your short form videos lip syncing to hit K-Pop songs, from which you have gained a lot of praise for your accuracy – do you memorise the lyrics to each song, or do you utilise a script to help you?
It’s a mix of everything. I always choose songs I’ve been listening to for years so I know most of them. I try to be as accurate as I can, so if I don’t really know the pronunciation I learn before. It doesn’t take me more than 5 minutes to learn the part of the song that I’m going to do. If I see in the post that my pronunciation is not good then I won’t post it.
Q5. Last year you were unfortunately a victim of a fire in your apartment. How has this experience affected you and do you feel that your audience have helped you through this difficult time?
It was one of the most traumatic experiences of my whole life. It was not just losing everything, I was in the apartment at the time and I feared that it was the end. I don’t know by which miracle I managed to get out, but it changed a lot in my life. I had to move, I had to figure out everything, and I lost my phone, papers, and electronic devices. You do not realise how important your phone is in those situations to access your papers, accounts and details.
However my community on social media has been out of this world. I am so thankful to everyone that has been helping me. I received so many messages, so much support from people. Just knowing that people were rooting for me to get better, even if they don’t know who I am was amazing. The same people who said I make their life a little bit better every day said that they wanted to give back to me now. For example, I didn’t want to start a GoFundMe at first as I don’t like asking for help.
Everyone was so incredible with me and the community I have is so positive. I don’t get hate comments, people are so kind and they made me want to continue doing it. To this day people still ask me if I’m doing OK, checking in with me and if things are going better. It’s such a gift.
The K-Pop fandom can be so supportive. I have mums and dads in my messages, older and younger people all supporting me. This community is so much more than just being a fan, it’s people being there for and supporting each other even if they don’t know each other.
Q6. What does K-Pop mean for you in your own personal life?
K-Pop is so much more than music. I am here today because of K-Pop. I went to South Korea and had the most amazing experience there. I lived there for almost 2 years. I’ve met some of my best friends through K-Pop. I would not be the person I am in today if it wasn’t for watching that music video in the supermarket.
I believe that there is a lot of stigma for people going to Korea because they like K-Pop, but I am not ashamed of it. I finished high school and didn’t know what to do with my life. I didn’t want to go to college or work right away. I wanted to discover the world. My mum said I could either go to college or visit another country. So that’s what I did – if I didn’t discover K-Pop I never would have gone there.
Q7. You have been lucky enough to have some interactions with K-Pop idols over the years. Which K-Pop idol interaction was the most exciting or impactful for you?
That’s a hard question because all of them feel so surreal to me. I would never have guessed a year before I started posting that actual K-Pop idols would notice me. Every time I see someone in my comments I’m amazed.
If I had to choose one or two, I’d say firstly Soyeon from T-ARA, she liked 3 of my posts. I cried a bit because T-ARA is my number one group. It’s insane that she saw what I did and enjoyed it – even if it’s a small gesture it means so much to me. It’s crazy to be a fan of someone for so long and to have them acknowledge what you’re doing.
I also had a member of S.E.S. (Bada) comment on one of my videos for ‘I’m Your Girl’. She commented on the video saying ‘OMG you’re really enjoying this song. I got really overwhelmed seeing you. The reason I sang this song is for moments like this, thank you’.
Q8. Many of your videos involve you singing in the kitchen. Which K-Pop songs do you feel are the ultimate cooking soundtracks?
I’m always drawn to listening to BIGBANG when I cook. There is a good mix of ballads and energetic songs. I know most of their songs well. I like to cook with a bit of energy and dance when I cook. I know that I’m going to like the songs, so I start up my playlist, get in the mood and unwind.
Q9. With the recent release of K-Pop Demon Hunters, many young people are becoming K-Pop fans for the first time. If you had to recommend some 2nd or 3rd gen artists to a newer fan, who would you recommend and why?
I have to say 2NE1 because I don’t think there would have been a K-Pop Demon Hunters without 2NE1. They shaped what K-Pop is today. For 2NE1, the Crush album, many of the songs sound modern even now.
If I had to choose another group, I would choose f(x). Their songs are very consistently good. Their songs don’t feel like they were just made for sales. If their songs were released nowadays they would still feel fresh and timeless.
Nowadays, many songs focus on trends, but I feel these groups’ music is long lasting.
Q10. If you could bring back one 1st or 2nd gen act for a new album in 2026, who would you pick and why?
f(x) – I would love a new album from them. It feels impossible and it breaks my heart, but I’d love a new release from them. I think they have always been very experimental so I think they would try something fresh. I don’t know what they would produce but it would differ from what we are listening to today.
Q11. You often dance in your videos – what is your favourite K-Pop choreo of all time?
For me, it’s Roly-Poly by T-ARA. I dance to this song all the time. It’s so easy, it gets in my head and I have to dance! Sometimes I’m just out with my friends partying and I’ll play this song and start dancing.
Q12. What is the most precious K-Pop album in your collection and why?
Nowadays I don’t really have a lot but I have a signed T-ARA album. It’s their EP called ‘And & End’ which has ‘Sugar Free’ on it. From my old collection it was my first ever K-Pop album, a true treasure, which was ‘I Got A Boy – Jessica Version’.
Q13. As a French K-Pop fan, how has the K-Pop community in France changed over the past decade?
It’s a complete 180. The French community back in the day kept things very ‘hush hush’. There were not a lot of people back then who could relate to you, especially in small towns or cities. Where I live, when I first discovered K-Pop I knew no one who liked it. In high school I met a few EXO-L’s but it was very hard to find a community in France.
Then Twitter happened. I was very much involved in stan twitter back in 2014/15. It’s where I met my ex, and I met a lot of people there. People still message me nowadays remembering my old account on there. That felt like a time capsule where everyone knew everyone, because K-Pop was still not mainstream. I had a lot of good memories with this. Nowadays it [K-Pop] feels huge and it’s everywhere.
Now K-Pop is here. I’m still surprised these days when I hear a K-Pop song in a movie or in a store when I’m shopping. I could never have imagined it happening back in the day. It still feels surreal to me how much K-Pop has grown. People listen to it now without even knowing they are listening to K-Pop!
Q14. What is the most memorable K-Pop experience that you have had?
One of the most memorable K-Pop experiences was when I was in Korea when I went to SMTOWN. There was Girls’ Generation. Out of nowhere they played ‘Hoot’ which is my favourite song from them. I was dumbfounded when they played it as they barely performed it, and I started crying. I couldn’t believe it so I screamed so loud. Korean girls all around me were looking at me screaming the song and doing the choreography.
Q15. While you are predominately known for your love of older K-Pop idol acts, which currently active K-Pop acts do you follow or enjoy listening to?
I have to say LE SSERAFIM. I love their songs, especially ‘Perfect Night’, ‘Eve, Psyche & The Bluebeard’s Wife’. I also like KiiiKiii – I really enjoyed ‘404 – New Era’ and that whole album. I like when there is UK garage, techno and house style music. I enjoy that style with my friends, so when we go out clubbing I love that type of music. I really enjoy this trend in songs like ‘CELEBRATION’.
I’ll put these songs on and my friends also enjoy it because it fits their style or sound. While they may not like the older songs, some of my friends enjoyed more recent songs like ‘LIKE THAT’ by BABYMONSTER. K-Pop is so much more than people think and is a lot more varied than general audiences think.
Q16. Lastly, do you have any messages for your viewers and anyone who may just be discovering your content for the first time?
Thank you for being here, thank you for watching and supporting me. Thank you for being so positive all the time. Everyone is always so kind. It’s hard to have a social media community that doesn’t have hate. Thank you for always making my day better. I couldn’t see my life right now without social media. It helps me through the darkest times, so I just wanted to say thank you.
Thank you so much to VI:K for taking the time to share his experiences with us. K-Pop is not just a music genre but a global movement. Because of this fact, people are drawn together from all over the world through mutual interest. At its best, fandom can change lives and support us through our hardest moments. To each and every K-Pop fan out there – don’t be ashamed of what you like, share your interest, and support one another. There is power in community and you can make a difference to other people’s lives while enriching your own in the process.
To support VI:K please follow his accounts at the links below:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xivbdrgn?igsh=eGNnN3I3dmNieWw0
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@xivbdrgn?_r=1&_t=ZN-98udgZQP86A
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