Emily Rios is a huge K-pop fan from South Florida who does reactions on her YouTube channel. She has been on a break from the YouTube world but is preparing to return this year. I decided to interview her on her thoughts and how she plans to return to the YouTuber lifestyle.
Her Campus (HC): Why did you decide to do YouTube?
Emily Rios (ER): I started my K-pop reaction channel during the second half of my senior year in high school, which was in 2016. My channel didn’t take off until mid-2017.
HC: How nervous were you in your first video
ER: I remember being SO nervous because I didn’t want anyone to hear me. I remember talking in a low volume and stumbling on words many, many times. I was self-conscious at the time. I ended up locking the door in my room, got dolled up, set up the equipment and started recording! I believe my first video was unboxing iKON’s album.
HC: Do you ever look back at your old videos and wish you could change anything?
ER: Oh my goodness, no I can never go back and watch my old videos because I get so embarrassed to look at myself. I honestly wouldn’t change anything and I’m really happy with how I made my channel the way it is!
HC: How do you prepare for a video?
ER: Preparing for a reaction video is a full day thing. Since KST and EST times are completely different, the music videos tend to be released very early in the morning! I would have to put an alarm on for eight in the morning, straighten my hair, do my make up and get ready to film around 10:30 a.m.
HC: What was your favorite video you’ve done?
ER: My favorite videos that I’ve done are my reaction videos to BLACKPINK and TWICE. I’m a whole girl group stan! Another favorite video of mine is me “REACTING TO FILIPINO STARS” which was made by an impulsive decision. It’s my most popular video on my channel and I plan on doing a second part to it soon!
HC: Do you watch any other Youtubers for inspiration?
EC: When I started my channel I took inspiration from the original K-pop YouTubers that helped me grow my admiration for this genre. They’ve reeled me into groups that I didn’t know existed. I remember watching a reaction video and thinking, “I can do that! But I want to do something different. What’s going to make me stand out?” So I started experimenting with editing and took a lot of inspiration from Vine. I get a lot of comments calling me “meme queen” because my videos have a lot of references, clips and audios of popular memes over the years!
HC: What told you it was time to take a break from YouTube?
EC: I realized I needed a break when I wasn’t looking forward to filming my next video. The pressure got higher and the numbers in views and subscribers increased. I felt like I was at a point where I wasn’t doing it for myself anymore which defeats the purpose as to why I started in the first place.
HC: Since you have decided to come back to YouTube in 2020, what do you hope to change?
EC: I hope to change my outlook on the sudden departure as to why I left. I hope that this time I will be more consistent and bring out content that I’ve done before. I won’t change anything though. I want to do reaction videos again. The K-pop industry has changed a lot since I’ve been gone. Its popularity skyrocketed in America in ways that I never thought it would before. So who knows what happens next or what this would mean for my channel? I guess we’ll have to wait and find out.
HC: What advice would you give for the first time YouTubers on how to make their channel grow?
EC: I have a whole YouTube video on how to start a K-pop reaction channel. My biggest advice is to be yourself. Don’t focus so much on the numbers because it’ll come eventually. Don’t expect to gain 10,000 overnight. If you are thinking of doing YouTube for the sake of “fame” then you’re doing it for the wrong reasons. Your first YouTube videos won’t be the best and that’s okay! I’m STILL learning and it’s been…how many years? It’s all about growing as a person, as a creator, and it’s all about being the most authentic person that you can be. Your viewers will see and feel that through the screen. They know a lot more than we do. Trust me, they’re smart. Trust them and trust the process.
All photos courtesy of Emily Rios.
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