Weverse, Bubble, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Youtube are platforms through which K-Pop idols communicate with their fans. V Live was also a major platform until its closure on December 31, 2022. Communication with fans is what allows fans to develop feelings of adoration for their favorite artists and get to know their off-stage selves.
While there are these large-scale services facilitating artist-fan interactions, there are also fan pages. Run for fans by fans, fan pages aid in the cohesion of fandoms and strengthen the relationship fans have with their favorite idols. They also support artists in gaining new fans.
Below are the ways through which fan pages have a part in making K-Pop as popular as it is today.
Keeping fans up to date with idols’ schedules
Idols attend a wide range of scheduled events including music shows, concerts, fan signs, and variety shows. As much as idols are busy, it can be difficult for their fans to keep up with them on their own accord because the content is uploaded onto multiple sites, some of which fans may not know of. This is where fan pages are a one-page stop for all their needs.
Many of the scheduled events idols attend are physical events such as concerts, fan signs, or other public appearances. Although there may be official photos and videos released by the media or the artists’ company, the nature of these events makes it difficult for fans who aren’t able to attend themselves to see what goes on. Often the photos and videos posted by fan pages reveal more than the official content. They reveal more personal interactions with fans, funny and cute incidents, and in-between moments.
For international fans, who make up a significant portion of fandoms, this is extremely helpful to keep them in the loop on things happening outside of their country.
Because of the wide range of content social media users sees, it is also effective in exposing artists to people outside of the respective fandom.
Inside jokes and references belonging to the fandom
What would being a K-Pop fan be like without the mountain of inside jokes and references about an artist?
Whether it be Stray Kids' Bang Chan’s “I’m foive”, SEVENTEEN's SeungKwan’s “Starbucks limited beverage…isseoyo?” or TWICE's Sana's “cheese kimbap”, photos, videos, and Twitter memes of these inside jokes and references are part of what brings the fun to be a K-Pop fan.
Not only does it bring fun, but inside jokes and references also strengthen the bond between fans and idols and also amongst the fans themselves. It’s something that belongs to them and brings them closer together.
Supporting idols
Fan pages also play their part in supporting idols’ music. As an open and informal way to communicate with each other, fans can coordinate their virtual movements to be more active and increase artist visibility. Fans often get hashtags trending on Twitter, stream and listen to released music as well as reminding and instructing fans to vote on music shows.
On January 9, 2023, within one hour of LE SSERAFIM Huh Yunjin’s release of her solo song 'I ≠ DOLL’, fans on Twitter got #HUHYUNJIN_IDOLL trending with 12.7k tweets.
Building a sense of community
Nothing worth doing was ever done alone. The same applies to the world of K-Pop where being a fan involves passion and devotion. By posting multimedia content and commenting, open and casual two-way interactions between fans dissolve feelings of loneliness in their experience of being a fan. They can discuss an idol’s latest music video or how something an idol spoke about during a V Live broadcast was meaningful to them.
Additionally, news of artists’ achievements, such as 1st place wins on music shows, sales records, placing on music charts, or winning at award ceremonies, are shared and celebrated through fan pages. Doing so allows fandoms to feel proud that they did something together to support their artist while openly sharing the joy felt for the artist.
It’s hard to imagine what the world of K-Pop would be like without the existence of fan pages.
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