Jealous K-pop fans try to dictate their idols’ private lives

K-pop star Karina posted a handwritten apology on Instagram earlier in March. The apology came after she acknowledged that she was in a relationship with actor Lee Jae-wook. It opens a window into the world of K-pop’s super fans. They stream their favourite stars’ music round the clock to boost chart rankings.

When news of Karina’s relationship broke, some fans drove a truck to her management agency. The message read: “Is the love given to you by your fans not enough? 38; Blackpink and Jisoo are reportedly dating. Korean media columnist Jeong Deok-hyeon says K-pop fans often view themselves as being in parasocial relationships with their idols.

Taylor Swift’s Super Bowl attendance is said to have singlehandedly boosted TV viewership of the game, making it the most-watched broadcast in the US since the 1969 Moon landing. Some believe the artistes themselves and their management agencies have facilitated a false intimacy between idols and fans. Even as recently as 10 years ago, it was common practice for K-pop agencies to ban new stars from dating or even having a personal mobile phone. Agencies have also begun creating social apps for their artists which appear to offer fans a glimpse of their idols’ everyday lives.

Some stars have also bought gifts for fans or offered them one-on-one calls. SM, the K-pop-producing powerhouse behind groups like aespa, introduced an app in 2020 designed to look like a one- on-one messenger app, but is in fact a group chat where the idol drops messages for thousands of fans at once. Some fans felt Karina should have posted her apology in a fans-only forum - rather than on a public platform. There are a dozen different digital music platforms for K-pop, each with its own Top 100 chart.

Super fans divide and conquer by organising themselves into teams to navigate the rules. Large fan groups organise themselves so that different members take on different roles. They consider the idol a product. And if you want to see the product on the stage for a long time, the artistes, the fans, and the management will all have to put in hard work.

ARMY, the millions-strong fan group for the world’s biggest boyband BTS, has taken on philanthropic projects on behalf of the band. Some police comments online to make sure negative comments about their idols are reported. Some fans rent out entire cafes for such events, which will also feature merchandise. Many of Karina’s international fans took to social media to express their outrage that she had been compelled to apologise.

Some Korean fans also pointed to the international coverage of her apology, saying it was embarrassing. But as K-pop widens its global footprint, attitudes in the industry could be opening up too. K-pop albums raked in a record $243. 8m overseas from January to October last year.

Japan, the United States and China were the top three buyers. BTS, who have been named special envoys by the UN, was invited to perform at its New York headquarters in 2021. Some of Karina’s fans in South Korea have continued to vouch for her. There was nothing to apologise for…Whether you are a celebrity or a regular person, you need close friends,” said Jeong So-yeon, a 33-year-old fan based in Seoul.