My identity as a K-pop fan

During almost 23 years of my life, finding answers to questions like “Who am I?” and “Why do I exist?” has proven challenging. Some people have been acutely aware of themselves since they were in their twenties, while others spend their whole lives finding their unique way of being human.

I was born during the generational transition from digital immigrants to digital natives (Prensky 2001). Even though Vietnam, my home country, officially connected to the global Internet network in 1997, it wasn’t until I turned 13 that I had my first Facebook account. Since then, internet and technological devices have partially shaped and changed my mindset, creating who I am today.

This case study delves into my identity as a fan of Red Velvet, a Korean pop (K-pop) idol group.

I still remember vividly the first time I heard about K-pop, through an out-dated television when I was 10 years old, thanks to my cousin. After buying one of the first DVDs of her favourite K-pop boy band, she gathered some kids in my neighbourhood and displayed the disc with excitement and a dedicated explanation. Their energy, catchy music, and attractive images from the video awakened my curiosity as a ten-year-old kid and made me start admiring someone called “celebrity”.

Even though Red Velvet is not my first favourite K-pop idol, I engage with them the most and consider myself as a “true fan” of them. As a person who is easily moved by beauty, I was impressed by the elegance of one Red Velvet member named Irene, who is also the reason why I spent more time doing research about Red Velvet and becoming their fan. In fact, Irene is often praised as the epitome of the Korean beauty standard, as her face has all the features the Korean beauty standard looks for. However, I contend that creating a standardised image for all idols in the Korean-pop cultural industry through the use of similar makeup looks and fashion styles has resulted in a homogenisation of their appearances and restricted their diversity.

Starting with Irene, I started reading information about Red Velvet and watching their videos on YouTube in order to get an overview of who they are and the genre of their music. As a person who always loves to be creative, their music genres and concepts have never disappointed me. I love the way they are not afraid to try new things and take risks with their music and visuals, which keeps fans intrigued and interested in their comebacks. Naturally, I participated in their fan club pages on Facebook, followed their Instagram, and subscribed to their YouTube channel.

Official fan club names hold significant importance in the K-pop industry. Red Velvet and their company took a unique approach to naming their fan club that differs from other groups whose fandom names are typically assigned by the company. This approach not only made the naming process interesting, but also enhanced the interaction between the fans and the idols by giving fans the ability to define themselves. In January 2017, SM Entertainment announced that Red Velvet’s fan club name would be decided by the fans themselves. Fans were asked to submit suggestions, and ultimately the fans themselves chose the name they deemed the best, resulting in “Reveluv”. This unique approach not only allowed for greater fan engagement, but also provided an opportunity for fans to feel a sense of ownership and connection to the group.

According to research conducted by Riyanto (2020: 101), it was found that the characteristics of Reveluv fandom on Twitter can be divided into two identities: active fans (fans who consume and produce) and passive fans (fans who only act as consumers). Within the Reveluv fandom on Twitter, there are also active fans who enjoy fanart, fansites, fan projects, and trading cards. These fans actively produce and consume works such as fanart and fansites, which allows them to develop their hobbies in writing, drawing, and photography.

However, these days, fans not only create fan works but also turn them into commodities, such as Red Velvet-themed fanart and various fansite merchandise. Fans with these characteristics tend to have virtual identities, formed through their personal activities in finding fan works like fanart and fansites. Fans give meaning to their fandom through cultural activities that allow them to become more immersed in cyberspace activities as if they had their own world, including interacting with other fans about their works.

On the other hand, I personally consider myself as a passive fan, which suits my personality in my daily life. This type of fan refers to a term called parasocial relationships, the imagined or one-sided relationships we, as media users, form with celebrities or other media personalities. Riyanto (2020: 106) described passive fans as those who have a strong desire to keep up with the latest news and information about their favourite artists, including their personal lives, status updates, and creative output. This has become a regular part of their daily routine, as they turn to online media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter to access such information. These fans tend to consume rather than produce works such as fanfiction and fan books, but they do download them and enjoy them privately. Fans with these characteristics usually tend to have real identities because their identities as fans are formed through activities in an environment containing peers. Through interactions with peers, they are introduced to fanfiction and fan books.

Being a fan of something often involves being part of a community that forms a collective identity. Ultimately, I define myself as a fan of Red Velvet and a part of the Reveluv community. Instead of someone who invested a huge amount of money in consuming their idol’s products and services, I support my idol by streaming the group’s music, promoting their events and activities, and defending them against negative criticism. It is no doubt that the way fandom is practiced has now entered a new phase, where fans are not just consumers, but also producers. This practice reveals that the belief that internet devices only have negative effects on youth is not entirely accurate, as they can also have a positive impact if their creativity is properly channelled.