Abstract
Today K-pop has achieved a cult-like status globally. The tangible influence of K-Pop is paraded by the legions of fans mushrooming worldwide staking a claim to the ‘K-popper/K-pop fan’ identity. No longer is K-pop an international subculture, it has broken into the global mainstream, thriving and growing rapidly as more and more fans join the community. This paper explores fan identity and performance, more importantly the idea of fan identity of an ‘international’ fan. Part of an ongoing research that compares and analyzes transnational fanculture, this chapter looks at the Bangladeshi K-Popper. It examines certain fan attributes: from listening to the music, to purchasing albums and merchandise, to bonding with other fans and being part of a heterotopic imagined community, and utilizes the performance of fandom to critically deconstruct their social identities. Using an ethnographic approach, several one-on-one interviews were conducted with Bangladeshi fans, along with a survey and observations of fan events. Given how wide the fan-community is, this paper focuses on a small sample, looking at the fans of current popular groups to see how they define their identities of being a fan in an international community.
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Notes
- 1.
‘K-Pop Takes Over, From “Gangnam Style” To Global Domination’, 11 October 2018. Retrieved from https://newsroom.spotify.com/2018-10-11/k-pop-takes-over-from-gangnam-style-to-global-domination/ (last accessed 11 May 2021).
- 2.
All interviews are audio recorded and were conducted in English.
- 3.
The survey was conducted using Google Forms. The form can be accessed at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-VKDuvzWiutFIzvhyrDCSj16Twhx6UmmNg_PzREYCEE/edit.
- 4.
Survey responses can be accessed at: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19kkq_41HAh8P22qlATt9L8w29UrbDagMtwVyP1UYhR4/edit#gid=2019319961.
- 5.
Fan events attended to gather data were K-Meets hosted by BD-K Family in 2016 and 2017 as well as fan community meets hosted by Get Your K-On.
- 6.
Content created by fans includes but are not limited to writing fanfictions on fanfic websites, creating artwork, fan-run websites and blogs such as ‘koreaboo.com’, memes on Twitter and other social media, donating rice wreaths for charity, purchasing billboard ads to celebrate anniversaries, user-created content on entertainment news-sites such as ‘allkpop.com’, participating in forums such as Reddit and Soompi, creating fanchants and participating in official fan-cafes, etc.
- 7.
For example, BLACKPINK’s highly anticipated first album titled ‘The Album’ is approximately $18 without shipping.
- 8.
For example, EXO’s lightstick costs $32.
- 9.
BD-K-Family is the first fan community based out of Bangladesh.
- 10.
Get Your ‘K’ On is a multiplatform fan community based out of Bangladesh.
- 11.
Voting for music awards is a heating topic between fans who always vote in order to make their favourite idols win. One famous incident happened between EXO-Ls and VIPs for Mnet’s ‘M! Countdown’ in 2015.
- 12.
News articles regarding Korean netizens reacting to girl group 2NE1’s 2015 MAMA performance and member Park Bom receiving plastic surgery were published in 2015. One article was published on Allkpop: https://www.allkpop.com/article/2015/12/korean-netizens-react-to-2ne1s-surprise-performance-at-2015-mama.
- 13.
Chart manipulation to increase number of sales and views is a sensitive topic for fans as every fandom wants to believe in their group’s popularity without external (and illegal) help. One such incident of chart manipulation accusations happened in 2013 when top agencies asked prosecutors to investigate ‘sajaegi’ (chart manipulation).
- 14.
The legendary fanwar between H.O.T and Sechskies during their peak rivalry in the late 1990s was referenced in the K-drama ‘Reply 1997’ aired on TvN (Korean TV channel), as well as by H.O.T member Tony An in JTBC's programme ‘Please Take Care of My Refrigerator’.
- 15.
Most scholars talking about Bangladeshi cultural spirit discuss the phenomenon in Bengali. The ideas presented here have been gathered through ethnographic means, personal life-long experiences and discussion with cultural scholars.
- 16.
Musical compositions by Rabindranath Tagore.
- 17.
The interviewee’s real name has been used with consent.
- 18.
Refer to Footnote 4 to view all respondents’ answers.
- 19.
Ibid.
- 20.
‘Proud’ is one of the tracks from TVXQ’s second Japanese studio album titled, ‘Five in the Black’.
- 21.
‘B.A.B.Y’ was a special song B.A.P created and performed at a fanmeeting for their fans in 2014.
- 22.
‘Lucky’ is one of the songs from the repackaged debut album of EXO titled ‘Growl’ released in 2013.
- 23.
Refer to Footnote 4 to view all respondents’ answers.
- 24.
Ibid.
- 25.
Ibid.
- 26.
Ibid.
- 27.
Name retrieved from BD-K-Family Facebook page.
- 28.
Ibid.
- 29.
The interviewee’s real name has been used with consent.
- 30.
Ibid.
- 31.
The term ‘bias’ refers to a fan’s preferred group member; their favourite group member.
- 32.
Refer to Footnote 4 to view all respondents’ answers.
- 33.
The interviewee’s real name has been used with consent.
- 34.
Ibid.
- 35.
One-on-one interview was conducted with Tahrima Ihsan on 8 April 2020.
- 36.
The interviewee’s real name has been used with consent.
- 37.
One-on-one interview was conducted with Thio Wangkhem on 11 April 2020.
- 38.
One-on-one interview was conducted with Tina Zahan on 12 April 2020.
- 39.
Refer to Footnote 4 to view all respondents’ answers.
- 40.
Ibid.
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Arif, K. (2022). Looking at Fan Identity: The Bangladeshi K-Pop Fan. In: Roy, R.K., Das, B. (eds) Korean Wave in South Asia. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-8710-5_5
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