Since this post is obviously gonna be deleted I didn't really proofread my comment, so I'll try to make my point clearer. If you compare fans of kpop - or actually music groups in general, specifically boy bands - and fans of sports, fans of bands get way more flack and are shut off for liking intensely something "stupid" that is "just entertainment". In my opinion, the difference in attitude is because music fans are more girls, while sports fans are more guys. So when people like OP use words like "virus" to describe kpop fandoms while events like the World Cup are treated like a national holiday... I see it as another example of how common it is to belittle interests that appeal have more female engagement.