Between universes: Fan positionalities in the transnational circulation of K-pop

Abstract

Transnational fans of South Korean pop music (K-pop) are known for their cosmopolitan sense of belonging and community beyond geocultural boundaries. Academics who are also fans (i.e. aca-fans) and who have conducted recent ethnographic studies have developed a favorable perspective on the potential of global K-pop fandom. While acknowledging the alternative force generated by the grassroots K-pop universe, this article suggests that transnational fans do not constitute a homogeneous group; rather, they inevitably have to negotiate their own positionalities, such as race and gender, when engaging with K-pop’s virtual fan universe. Drawing on qualitative interviews with K-pop fans in Canada, this study comparatively analyzes how young people of White and Asian backgrounds experience K-pop as an emerging cultural genre whose meaning is not yet clearly situated in their local contexts. The study suggests that transnational fans’ experiences reveal the gap between the socially divided real universe and the cosmopolitan virtual K-pop universe.

Estimating the Price of Fanatism: A Case of Indonesian K-Pop Merchandising Market

“…This phenomenon also shifts fans' buying behaviour on cultural products and in return creates a fans economy, where consumption is a medium to show their dedication and emotional identity of their close-knit community (Cicchelli and Octobre, 2021;Liao, 2021). This fan economy has driven the merchandising market to become a segmented yet lucrative business across the globe, becoming a transnational phenomenon (Yoon, 2022;Oh, 2017). Previous studies on other sectors, like sports and movies, have shown that this type of fan economy has driven merchandising prices unrealistically high and yet fans still show a willingness to pay even more (Javani, 2012;Özer & Tokay, 2006;Affuso & Santo, 2018).…”