Social Meanings and Functions of Being Global K-pop Fans

Abstract

With K-pop hitting the world, a variety of articles on the Korean wave are pouring out, but research on K-pop fans, one of the key factors driving K-pop's success is lacking. This paper explores what are global K-pop fans on the basis of observation notes and media data centered on events in 2018. It analyzes the social meanings and functions of global K-pop fans with a focus on the participatory culture of the fan communities. The findings indicate global K-pop fans have been empowered and diversified into professionals, social activists, and whistle blowers. Moreover, significant questions explored in cultural studies are answered. First, in contrast to the way in which pop culture spreaded based on the Western-centered neo-liberalism, K-pop is seen as an unprecedented cultural contra flow case of the spread of culture from the Third World to the developed world, and the voluntary participation by K-pop fans made it happen. In addition, K-pop created a third space where fan communities create new culture somewhat resistant to cultural industries by cultural capital centered on global conglomerates. The results of the study help us understand a new social identity of ‘global K-pop fans’ and their social functions in relation to a new variety of cultural play that they have creatively constructed to spread K-pop worldwide. Furthermore, this study points out ways in which fans seek cultural appropriation based on K-pop hybridity by incorporating the unique collective Korean cultural identity into their own fan community culture.