Acknowledgements
Although very cliché, I would like to thank my
family. They support me consistently in
so many ways that I don’t think I could ever repay them. This includes not only
putting up with my obsession with Japanese and South Korean cultures but
embracing them fully and listening to me chatter about it all incessantly!
Not only this, but my family have helped me keep
going when I have felt like giving up and always help me occasionally
battle/tolerate my worst enemy – my own mind!
I would also like to thank all the lecturers that
have helped confirm to me my love for Media Studies and the more eccentric
academics (most notably Tara Brabazon) that have taught me that being an
‘academic’ doesn’t mean you have to lose your energy and passion.
Lastly, I would like to thank every person that helped me along with this project, including in
the less obvious ways that they probably do not realise. Also, even though they
probably won’t see this, I would like to extend my gratitude to every British
K-Pop fan that assisted me in my research for this project. I never expected to
gain half the response I received – so interesting and helpful! What a
dedicated fandom!
Oh, and thanks for all the lifts Dad! Literally
couldn’t even try for this degree without you.
Abstract
This research project sets out to explore the
existence of South Korean Pop (K-Pop) music fandom in the UK. Through the use
of online surveys and an auto-ethnographic case study, how UK K-Pop fans
consume and bring the genre closer to them through the use of social networking
will be explored. This also includes what moves the South Korean entertainment
agencies have taken to address the UK audience and what effect this has had on
the genre’s presence in Britain.
Additionally, the research will investigate why the
fandom has maintained strength to stay in the UK, bringing a previously
locally-orientated South Korean rapper PSY and his single ‘Gangnam Style’ into
the limelight in his attainment of a UK number 1 in 2012. How this development
has or has not affected the existing UK fandom and what the fans now think of
the genre’s future in as part of the UK mainstream in the aftermath of ‘Gangnam
Style’ will also be assessed.
Fandom, in its various forms, is an area that has
been subject to much academic scrutiny for many years. Past theories on this
topic will form the background of this study, as well as the more recent
conclusions drawn in work on K-Pop fandom specifically. It is an interest of
this study to not only present new and locally specific research results, but
to briefly outline how much (if at all) those findings can align to those
previously presented.
Words:
10,990
Cover
Image: By Holly Smith.
1.Introduction
1.1. Research question
How do British K-Pop fans access South Korean Pop music and why does K-Pop fandom continue to exist in the UK? What role does social media play in the advent of K-Pop popularity in Great Britain?
1.1. Research question
How do British K-Pop fans access South Korean Pop music and why does K-Pop fandom continue to exist in the UK? What role does social media play in the advent of K-Pop popularity in Great Britain?
1.2.
What is ‘K-Pop’?
South Korean Pop music
(or K-Pop as it is commonly known) today is a genre that can trace its origins
back to the early 1990s. This genre of music is known for adopting a song
structure and style more commonly found in Western music, but adding a distinctly
South Korean flavour to it. K-Pop is known for its diverse - and often
extravagant - style in both its music and video production. The stars are often
referred to as ‘idols’ and permeate into various areas in the entertainment
industry, having endured long training schemes to ensure a level of competency
in doing so. This has resulted in the genre's powerful influence on many areas within
South Korean society.
South Korean
entertainment agencies have utilised social networking sites as channels to
globally advertise the K-Pop idols they have trained. As a result of this, the
genre has spread rapidly throughout neighbouring Asian countries as well as
intercontinentally. This has, in turn, led to the buzz words "Hallyu
Wave" to be coined and used frequently by many media outlets. Whilst the
phrase can be literally translated to the "Korean Wave" - it has
taken on a much broader meaning than this. All that is "Hallyu" will
be regarded as having South Korean origins but possess a wider global appeal.
1.3.
Social networks facilitating ‘participatory fandom’
There are many
fan-created groups and UK-based news sharing websites online. Fans often use
social-networking websites to connect with one another and share their passion
- there is no exception for British K-Pop fans in this aspect. Social media
plays a big part in many consumers’ lives in the 21st century and
the internet has effectively pulled the continents of the world together,
allowing us access content from various countries at the click of a button.
Jung (2011) outlines in her research on the genre’s dispersal across Asia that
fan-created forums and websites dedicated to particular idols were not hard to
come by. The user (or online consumer) has now become a producer and the lines
that formerly separated the two are blurred in society.
The term ‘prosumer’ has
been coined by Jung (2011). This term recognises that fans are now able to
become active consumers. The many parodies of South Korean rapper PSY’s viral
hit song ‘Gangnam Style’ that were uploaded to the video-sharing website YouTube in 2012 strongly confirms this.
As an example, Japan has not taken such a brazen approach in the distribution
of their media content. South Korea appears to make their productions a lot
easier for international consumers to access and encourage fan participation
through things like global competitions.
1.4.
‘Gangnam Style’ breaking British barriers
The fact that PSY
became the very first K-Pop act to ever gain a UK number one and the various
K-Pop fan events that occur all over the UK on a frequent basis shows that the
Great British fan base for the genre is leaking out from the virtual world into
the real one and is even pushing its way into the mainstream consciousness in
Great Britain. This specific subject has been much understudied in academia,
therefore, through this research project - how and why K-Pop is able to exist
in the UK will be focused upon.
1.5.Aims
and objectives
The aim of this research is to gain an insight as to
how K-Pop fans consume music and associated cultural artefacts with particular
reference to social media, how they believe it affects them and what they
predict in terms of the genre’s success in the UK in the future.
o
To identify how and why K-Pop fandom
exists in the United Kingdom, using both online questionnaires and auto-ethnographic
research.
o
To apply chief theories on fandom to the
niche area of K-Pop fandom in Great Britain.
o
Explore the role of social media in
bringing K-Pop to the UK by looking at fans’ use of sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
o
To extract what fans think about the
future of the genre in the UK through the online questionnaire and if they foresee
any level of success for K-Pop in Great Britain as time passes.
2.Literature
review
2.1. History of fandom research
2.1. History of fandom research
There
has been a great amount of academic research conducted into the area of fandom.
It is difficult to segment these research results into strict contrasting
groups. However, if you were to arrange results into two simple binary
oppositions; you could say that there is perception of the fans that cut themselves
off from society and works against it versus the perception of the fan that
uses their fandom to help them gain social benefits. There is also the argument
of fans being passive consumers versus them being altogether very active in
their consumption.
There has been a
caricature of sorts drawn up by many media news outlets, suggesting that the
“fan” is someone who holds up a one-sided relationship with their idol in an
aim to compensate for an inadequate life (Horton and Wohl, 2006). This may be
interpreted as a supported theory when one considers studies carried out within
fandom communities, which have found that fandoms often exercise harsh rules
and regulations within their community and push out individuals who do not meet
the ideals of a “real fan” (Fiske, 1989). The manifestation of “Symbolic
Convergence” (Cohen, 1985), whereupon fandoms demonstrate their unity through
wearing the same colour or using the same hand gestures to show their
membership, can mirror the united front of an army of soldiers that have a
power which threatens wider society’s cultural norms and values. There have
even been suggestions that this ‘Celebrity Culture’ many popular media fans
engage with has become a religion or sorts, where fans may worship their idols
and view them as a divinity (Ward, 2011, 3-4). This is especially prevalent in
Hill’s (2002) suggestion that fans will work against the producers of the media
content that they are a fan of when they continue to engage with texts that
have been cancelled or discontinued. Hill suggests that producers want the
audience to be open to accept new stories and ideas, which can result in
significant tension between the two groups.
The term ‘fan’ may
often be used as a derogatory term, especially when concerning women (Garratt,
1984). This could be an aftermath of the apparent proliferation of female
“groupies” during the 1960s, as society has often been known to condemn female
promiscuity more than males’. In short, very negative interpretations of fans
are not uncommon in the history of fandom research (Wohlfeil and Whelan, 2012).
However, there have
been many more recent studies on fandom that have argued against these ideas.
Music fans have been known to take messages from music and make it fit in with
their culture and local surroundings (Bennett, 2000). This means that fans can
be seen as ‘active’ listeners and can pick and choose from their consumption in
whichever way that benefits them on an emotional level. Fans have not always
been known as the crazed monsters many media outlets would have you believe. There
are often fans who will re-address the power balance between the performer and
the audience by heckling during a live concert (Duffett, 2009). We can see this
as the fan exercising their power and reminding the artist that their
consumption is key to said performer’s success (Frith, 1978). It has also been
noted in studies of Elvis Presley fandom, that fans will often “develop
self-defining relationships with celebrities”, meaning that they will actively
adopt perceived attributes of the star through their fashion and behaviour
(Fraser and Brown, 2002: 200).
2.2.
South Korean pop: The industry and the fandom
In contemporary South
Korea, the main dominators of the entertainment industry are often referred to
as “The Big Three” - SM Entertainment
(founded by Lee Soo Man in 1995), YG
Entertainment (founded by Yang Hyun Suk in 1996) and JYP Entertainment (founded by Park Jin Young and Hong Seung Sung in
2001). All three companies trade on the Korean Stock Exchange (KOSDAQ) (Joo and
Oak, 2012) and often fiercely contend for the top spot.
These
companies produce many of South Korea’s top entertainers, ranging from actors
and comedians to singers and idols. Many of these individuals will audition for
the company at a very young age, if they pass, a contract is drawn up by which
the company promises to train, feed and house the individual, fostering any
talents they already possess and gearing them up for a life in the limelight.
In return, when the individual finally debuts (usually following an average 5-7
year training period), they are often obligated to remain loyal to the company
and return all the money that has been previously invested in them before they
can claim any income they make as their own. The companies act as a
simultaneous springboard and safety net for the individual and effectively own
all rights to anything that is produced for or by the artist until the contract
ends. Many of these companies also own their own record labels and have solid
partnerships with major TV broadcasting companies in South Korea, which ensures
that they maintain a certain level of control in every aspect of their talents’
professional lives.
The
three companies are often accredited with beginning the aforementioned ‘Hallyu
Wave’, consisting of South Korean cultural artefacts packaged to suit a global
audience. It is also defined as:
“…a hybrid culture that contains elements of both
the Western and Asian cultures. Hallyu is neither a rejection nor reaction to
the US‐ and Western‐Europe‐oriented culture, and
it represents a new hybrid culture that has captured the influences of both the
West and the East.”
- Kim and Ryoo (2007: 145-6)
- Kim and Ryoo (2007: 145-6)
The
first country to be affected by Hallyu was Japan in the late 1990s. A South
Korean drama series called “Winter Sonata” (Gyeoul Yeonga) enjoyed an extreme
level of popularity in the country. This was followed later by the arrival of
K-Pop on Japanese shores, resulting in groups such as SM Entertainment’s Girls’ Generation and YG Entertainment’s BIGBANG gaining much Japanese success
thereafter.
This
success continued throughout many other Asian countries such as Thailand and
Indonesia. A study two academics undertook on young Thai individuals’
engagement with the genre suggested that many were completely swept up by
K-Pop. For them, it became an integral part of their lives, influencing them to
take up dance and Korean language lessons as well as opening them up to new
social groups (Siriyuvasak and Hyunjoon, 2007). This high level of success
launched South Korea into economic centrality in the capitalist system, where
they had previously lagged behind Western capitalist counterparts the USA and
UK, their circulation of “visual art” has propelled them into the world of economic
power (Wee, 2012).
CEOs
of “The Big Three” latched onto the success they had experienced in Asia and
began plans to reach out to other continents. It was understood that the
concept of “Asia” as a whole is something much more foreign to Western
audiences than in the literal sense alone, so they proceeded to manipulate
their content into something that would be suitable to even wider global
markets. What resulted is something often known as “Pan-Asian” where the
idiosyncrasies of Asian countries are diluted, allowing consumers to develop “a
new imagined ‘East Asia’” that they feel comfortable with (Otzmagin, 2011:
272).
The
global K-Pop fandom that has resulted from the “Hallyu Wave” utilises social
media and is often shown as incredibly active in their consumption. Jung’s
(2011) term “prosumer” supports this and in her study on Indonesian K-Pop fans
placed YouTube K-Pop dance covers
created by fans as a common occurrence in recent years, also noting that such
fans have even been able to become minor celebrities as a result. This, coupled
with how the Thai fans often used the genre to help them in varied aspects of
their lives shows us a very active and savvy consumer.
“Hallyu”
has a dark side that has been unearthed by many observers. A new breed of fan
has been born known as “Sah Saeng” fans. This name is taken from the Korean
words “Sah Saeng Hwal” which means “Private Life”. These fans mirror the
behaviour of the 1960s “groupies” that arose in the UK during “Beatlemania”,
but are unwanted and altogether more aggressive and have been known to hold international
fans in a lot of comtempt (‘delacroix’, 2009). There have been many suggestions
that Korean media industries have become ruthless in their quest for global
recognition (Shim, 2006: 10) and frequently accused of over-working their stars
into states of severe exhaustion. The dominance of “The Big Three” also results
in an extreme polarity in success levels in its entertainment industry, the US
magazine ‘The Economist” even noted in a brief article on the genre that
“….only a handful of [talents] are famous enough to benefit...” (The Economist,
August 2012).
The
limit of success the K-Pop genre can attain on international shores has yet to
be fully ascertained. Many sceptics have suggested that the tumultuous history
South Korea has shared with some of its neighbours mean that solid barriers
have been placed against it (Chua, 2006: 40). The runaway international success
of YG Entertainment’s PSY and his 2012 single “Gangnam Style” has already been
put under the microscope by many academics, with many suggesting that Western
listeners are simply on the lookout for the “new Gangnam Style” instead of
really interested in what the genre has to offer (Cardew 2013). These uncertain
factors will be confronted in this research project.
2.3.
Pop music fandom in the age of social media
In the 21st
century, the internet and social media specifically are integral parts of our
daily lives, especially in the consumption of modern media texts. A lot of
research has been given to the area of social media in recent years, in an aim
to find out what affect it is having on our lifestyles and behaviour. Many
believe that the younger generations’ preoccupation with the world of Web 2.0
will have an adverse effect on their health and well-being, but many studies
have suggested that social media is an ally to education and other
institutions. It will remain a big part of young individual lives today, so
they should be worked with rather than against (Paul et al, 2012). Carol and
Landry’s (2010) research into how internet users use the still existing online
profiles of friends that have passed as a place to let out their grief showed
just how important social media can be to the currently young generation:
“One respondent said he or she believed that “the
greatest appeal to Facebook groups is that no one wants to grieve alone,” while
another said Facebook offers “a community where they can grieve in a ‘safe
place.’”… Given how important these sites seem to be in life, perhaps it should
not surprise to find them playing central roles in death, as well (Hafner,
2009).”
- (p.348)
- (p.348)
Social media has also played
a large role in giving power to fan communities. The term “Online Community”
has been seen as something which is not difficult to understand, but “slippery”
to define solidly (Preece, 2000) as there are many different types. Booth
(2010) suggests that fandom existed before the internet because fans would get
together, but that the internet has made this an awful lot easier now and, as a
result, being part of a fandom is less marginalised as it once was. Many have
argued that, even if fandom continues to be marginalised by wider society, the
internet will still have had a positive effect on the practice because it
allows fans a comfortable place to maintain their subculture (Bell, 2001).
With the help of forums
and social-networking sites, fans are able to converge in one place and
traverse geographical boundaries. Online fandom communities have been known to
emerge and grow rapidly in cyberspace and members are able to help each other
by the exchanging of information on the media text that they are a fan of
(Levy, 1995). This idea precedes the revelation that fans exchange information
and also create original work (e.g. fan-fiction) in order to help them gain a
higher social status within their fandom, this makes fandom a “participatory culture”
(Jenkins, 1992). This has also become known as the “cultural economy of fandom”
(Fiske, 1992), where fans will not mindlessly consume to benefit the artist, but
rather consume out of the pleasure and social mobility that they can derive
from it. Baym (2000) conducted an extensive research project on an online soap
opera fan group and found that, even though participants had never met in real
life, many considered one another as friends. This shows that online community
members are able to enhance their social lives through this practice.
Though these theories
suggest that fans only work to benefit themselves and other participants within
their specific fandom, it has also been suggested that fans can create products
that they could give back to the companies that their favourite artists work
for (Shafer, 2011). This suggests that countries that are more open sharing
content -such as South Korea - will benefit highly from the partnerships
between producers and consumers, as the internet has now allowed the latter to
come together and become innovators (Leadbeater, 2008) . This idea is further
bolstered by the theory that “on-line” relationships are often “woven into the
fabric of off-line life rather than set in opposition to it” (Baym, 1998)
suggesting that negative perceptions of fandom should be dropped as it is not
so alien and strange as a lot of media outlets have let on in the past.
Brooker’s (2002) research into Star Wars fandom put forward the idea that many
people who saw the film when they were a child were inspired to embark upon a
career in computer technology because of their love of the franchise, which
means that their role in wider society was effectively cemented due to their
activity as a fan.
Given
fans’ penchant for actively using social media in their consumption, it is not
surprising that the media producers themselves are looking to utilise the
technology in their promotions. American alternative rock band Linkin Park used Facebook and YouTube to
stir up anticipation for one of their albums. Gallo (2012) noted that “…more
than 42 million Facebook users have clicked "like" on the band's page
and at least three of its videos have each been viewed more than 70 million
times…” This suggests that the band have hit the right vein and gained a lot of
success from this modern promotional venture. When the coffee brand Starbucks was experiencing a slump in
sales, they took to Facebook and Twitter to gain more custom. They
encouraged users to share photos and comment on the page as well as offering
competitions. This encouragement of active engagement from consumers proved to
be very fruitful for the company (Bryson, 2010).
“The
Big Three” South Korean entertainment agencies have also picked up on social
media’s influence on music fans’ perception, engagement and consumption and use
is as the main channel for getting their content to international fans:
“Korean content available worldwide includes…high-definition
clips…also alternate versions of those videos, teasers, behind-the-scenes
footage, live shows and even dance practices. (Contrast that with Sony Music
Japan's YouTube channel, which isn't even available stateside.) [This]…not only
cultivates a fan base but keeps it engaged….PSY,
SMTOWN, BIGBANG, SM Entertainment
and 2NE1 are in the top 50 YouTube
music channels by number of subscribers…when SM Entertainment noted that YouTube videos for Girls' Generation
were getting heavy traffic from Japanese viewers, the label launched the group
in Japan.”
- (Kwak, 2012)
- (Kwak, 2012)
All
three companies are present on one form of social media or another and all
three provide English translations on their updates. Their official blogs, Facebook pages and Twitter accounts will give everything from tour announcements and
competitions to behind-the-scenes, exclusive photographs of stars. It has been
found that users respond best to photo and status updates (Kwok and Yu, 2012)
and this is exactly what they provide the fans.
In Eastern Asia, K-Pop
fans using YouTube to share their covers of K-Pop songs and dance routines has
helped more people all over the world to become aware of the music in a new and
creative way (Jung, 2011). Continuing from Leadbeater’s aforementioned idea
about how consumers have now become innovators, the fact that K-Pop fans have
utilised their favourite music in ways that can even make themselves become
minor viral celebrities, as well as their construction of websites dedicated to
their idols has led to the term “prosumer” to be used (Jung, 2011) meaning that
“consumers” are now “users” or “producers”. This has resulted in a dramatic
change in the way fandom is studied (Lamarre, 2011). Arguably, this can be
applied to users in the UK K-Pop fandom, but as Jung’s research applies only to
neighbouring Asian countries, this particular research project should work to
see how true this is for British fans specifically.
It can be said that there have been more theories on
fandom that express a quite positive view on the subject. This could be a
result of newer technologies making the fan communities more visible to the
rest of society and more a part of the mainstream. The fan may no longer be
seen as the social recluse that is ruled by an unhealthy obsession, but rather
as an active member of society that moulds their consumption around themselves,
thus, making it part of their lifestyle as opposed to their life in its
entirety.
2.4.
Fandom research: Conclusion
Some may suggest that
it is the media themselves that actually help to construct the fan subcultures
that they so frequently condemn (Thornton, 1994), but one can see from the
majority of other theories outlined here that it is hard to deny that fans are
incredibly forthcoming in their media consumption whether the text be a
television programme, film or musical genre (which will be the focus of this
particular project).
If we are to look at
how audiences are believed to consume media texts in general, these later
theories in fandom fall more in line with Stuart Hall et al’s (1992)
encoding/decoding theory in that an audience member is not passive in how they
take in media texts. This idea is furthered when one reflects upon the
aforementioned idea that the lines between media producers and consumers have been
blurred thanks to the emergence of new technologies in the 21st century.
The inner-workings of
the South Korean entertainment industry are one very different from that
existing in the UK. The producers are clearly very active in their distribution
methods as are the Asian fans that consume it. From previous research, social
media seems to be one of the only current gateways for this genre to
disseminate internationally. This project will focus on this process for UK
fans specifically.
In any case, it is
clear that the area of fandom research is a very complex one. It is for this
reason that a multi-method research approach will be adopted. Both online
questionnaires and ethnographic research shall be employed to obtain results
for this project on the existence of K-Pop fandom in the UK. This shall be
elaborated upon further in the next section.
3.Research
Methods
A multi-method approach
will be taken for this research project in an effort to maximise the validity
of the results and to utilise the strengths of both quantitative and
qualitative methods. The two research
methods that will be used here are online questionnaires and auto-ethnographic
research.
3.1.
Online surveys
The online
questionnaires will be carefully planned out long before they are distributed
as there are many different ways to ask questions (Blaxter et al, 1945), this
will help ensure that the answers adhere to the aims foci. The plan is to
distribute these on the internet among K-Pop fans that live in the UK through a
fan-made, British K-Pop news sharing website called UnitedKPop. Questionnaires need to be produced and implemented with
a high level of care in order to result in the most useful data as possible
(Denscombe, 1998) so a majority of closed questions shall be featured, followed
by a few open questions that require a little more detail in answer completion.
This will make it less likely that participants will get bored and also “deepen
the texture of analysis” (Seale, 1998). It also should be noted that people
filling in a questionnaire may not answer truthfully about what they think or
do (McNeill, 1985).
3.2.
Auto-ethnographic research
Auto-ethnographic
research will also take part in this project – a participant observation case
study. The participant observation will from one of the UK concert dates of
K-Pop group BIGBANG that took place
at Wembley Arena in December 2012.
Auto-ethnography offers
a chance for the researcher to get fully immersed in what they are studying and
is a way of acknowledging that, as a K-Pop fan researching the subject myself,
looking at the area from a completely objective standpoint would be
impossible. It must also be noted that
it is the interest of this research to see how fans engage with K-Pop personally
and auto-ethnography gives the researcher the choice to remain silence about
their feelings or to include them when they see fit (Tsalach, 2013: 78).
Anderson and Austin saw in their studies of leisure activities that using the
auto-ethnographic method often provided them with “unique opportunities for
rich, vibrant, often playful and engaging writing” as a result (2012: 139).
The BIGBANG concert that features in this
project was taken at the second of two Wembley Arena dates (the 15th
December 2012). These dates marked the group’s first performances in the UK.
Ethnography is said by
some to gain a lot of criticism for its validity (Brewer, 2000). However, the
aims and objectives of this particular research project call for more detailed
results and, thusly, it would be most beneficial to experience how K-Pop fans
socialise first-hand. This idea is further supported when considering the ideas
stated in the past academic literature on the subject, which draws up the area
of fandom as a very complex one. The researcher must always make sure that
ethical decisions are made continuously throughout the process of researching
(Ellen, 1984) and it is to be understood that this method is possibly one of
the most difficult to carry out, but the results may be the most useful to
answer the research question posed for this project.
3.3.
Research methods: Conclusion
The
aim of this research is to see how UK K-Pop fans bring the genre all the way
from South Korea to where they live in Great Britain in a way that satisfies
their needs as a fan. This is why social media plays such a big part in the
project and why these research methods have been chosen in particular.
The
online questionnaires are appropriate because they will strike desired
participants at the site where they engage with K-Pop – the internet. It can be
quite safely assumed that all UK based K-Pop fans will have competency in
computer work and therefore find an online survey as something simple and
non-threatening to complete easily and quickly. The ease factor should amount
to the maximisation of data collection, but also offer an individual insight
into how each participant consumes.
Ethnographic
research is a qualitative method that is personal in its nature. The
participant observation will allow for findings taken from the inside of the
fandom, but in a trusting environment. It has been noted that, no matter how
carefully the research is carried out, answers to questions regarding
preferences or values cannot be answered by science (McIntyre, 2005), therefore
a research method that one can get involved in alongside participants on a
micro level will be the most beneficial. As a fan of the genre myself, the
potential for a biased viewpoint as a researcher has to be taken into account,
it is for this reason that auto-ethnography has been specifically chosen.
Rather than fight this issue, it would be beneficial to somewhat embrace it and
use it to benefit the findings. Combining quantitative and qualitative research
will increase validity and generalizability of the findings because it allows a
researcher to observe from two different perspectives.
During
all parts of this research project, whenever and wherever possible,
participants will be made fully aware that they are taking part in the research
and able to refuse to be included at any point. It has been discovered in many
studies involving observation that participant awareness of the presence of
research teams can cause a Hawthorne Effect to occur (Leonard and Masatu,
2010). However, for this particular research, this is not a problem as the
subject matter is not sensitive or contentious in nature.
4.
Research findings
4.1.
Online survey results
1.
When
did you first hear about the K-Pop genre? (Year and Month)
2.
From
what source did you hear about the genre?
3.
How
important would you say social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter
are in your engagement with the genre? (1 = Not at all, 4 = extremely)
UK
K-Pop fans citing of social networking sites’ extreme importance in their
consumption shows a knowledge that they themselves have to actively seek out
K-Pop content through the use of this media.
4.
What
is your main source of information about K-Pop artists?
The
graph shows a primary dependence on K-Pop news websites (possibly ones such as
allkpop.com that translates news sourced from official South Korean
broadcasters and celebrity Twitter
feeds into English). However, the platform Twitter itself proved a strong
popularity, UK fans may be gathering their information from the official South
Korean Entertainment industries’ accounts or from their Twitter friends’
individual information sharing. This shows a strong sense of online community
as agencies and fans will share information to their followers, whom they are
aware have interest in said information.
The process of information-sharing through mailing lists was so minimal that is does not show in this chart, this shows the fast speed of development in the world of technology, British K-Pop fans now use a faster means of information-gathering in K-Pop news websites and Twitter feeds that give them updates in real-time. Other sources of information that were specified included Tumblr which is a micro-blogging site with a strong presence of ‘photoblogs’, often used as an image-sharing platform by many fandoms. There was also a fan-made LiveJournal community called “Omona They Didn’t!’ that specialises in sharing news on the South Korean Entertainment industry. This again, shows a strong online community in information and content sharing processes. Also mentioned was the use of many social-network websites combined for information sourcing which suggests proficiency in modern technology use.
The process of information-sharing through mailing lists was so minimal that is does not show in this chart, this shows the fast speed of development in the world of technology, British K-Pop fans now use a faster means of information-gathering in K-Pop news websites and Twitter feeds that give them updates in real-time. Other sources of information that were specified included Tumblr which is a micro-blogging site with a strong presence of ‘photoblogs’, often used as an image-sharing platform by many fandoms. There was also a fan-made LiveJournal community called “Omona They Didn’t!’ that specialises in sharing news on the South Korean Entertainment industry. This again, shows a strong online community in information and content sharing processes. Also mentioned was the use of many social-network websites combined for information sourcing which suggests proficiency in modern technology use.
5.
How
connected do you feel to your favourite K-Pop artists through social networking
sites? (1 = Not at all, 4 = extremely).
As
fans of a genre that originates in a country many miles from where they reside,
the majority UK K-Pop fans are shown here to still feel quite connected to
their favourite K-Pop artists through social-networking sites. This may be due
to the major entertainment agencies using these channels as the main mean of
communication with international fans, as well as many individual South Korean
celebrities having personal Twitter, me2day and Instagram accounts open to public perusal. This gives fans an
up-to-date insight into their favourite artists’ more private, daily lives
which may lead to a slight feeling of a connected relationship.
6.
What
sources do you use to watch music videos of your favourite artists?
Somewhat
unsurprisingly, YouTube/Google Video is used by every single one of the
survey’s participants. Given the fact that most Korean Entertainment agencies
now have an official channel on the website as well as many of the K-Pop
artists individually means that any new music video releases will be uploaded
onto this platform first. YG Entertainment artist PSY’s viral hit ‘Gangnam
Style’ music video released in 2012 currently stands at 1,510,841,926 views at
the time of writing (officialpsy) on YouTube and SM Entertainment’s SNSD
(Girls’ Generation)’s music video ‘Gee’ currently stands at 100,641,962 views
since its release 3 years ago (sment),
which gives a slight idea as to how much traffic K-Pop videos receive on this
website.
7.
Has
your interest in K-Pop influenced other areas of your life?
Only
one participant suggested that their interest in K-Pop did not influence any
other areas of their life. This suggests that the majority of UK K-Pop fans
have used the genre to enhance other areas of their lives. Most suggested that
they have gained more knowledge about a different culture and have been
inspired to visit South Korea and have started to learn the Korean language as
a result of being a K-Pop fan. Many suggested that their interest has
influenced their career paths (one stated it has “helped fuel [their]
determination to become a Cultural Anthropologist”) and what they are now
studying. A participant used this comment box to also mention that “it has made
a new identity for me and I rely on it for so much that I genuinely don’t know
what I would do without this culture, without it I have nothing…” showing what
an immense level importance that the K-Pop genre now has for some UK fans.
8.
Do
you purchase K-Pop merchandise? If so, what sort?
CDs
are the most popular item of purchase for UK K-pop fans that took this survey.
This may be because K-Pop CDs are often quite different from CDs offered by
Western artists, with many made of high quality materials, offering small
random photo selections of members, A3 posters and detailed lyric booklets. The
fact that UK K-Pop fans make an effort to buy K-Pop CDs over the readily
available Mp3s suggests that this is a way in which international fans bring
the foreign genre closer to themselves, Posters also offer a way for British
fans to bring the artists closer to them, especially when considering this
genre is not often available on as a part of UK broadcasting.
9.
If
you do purchase K-Pop merchandise, by what means?
The
importance of the internet in a British K-Pop fans’ consumption is again
illustrated in these results. The vast majority rely on e-commerce in their
purchase of K-Pop merchandise. 31 participants use K-Pop events to purchase
items, these include the few K-Pop concerts that have been held in the UK and London
MCM Expo which offers merchandise from many different fandoms. Some that chose
the ‘other’ option interestingly mentioned Hyper Japan in their comment, which
is a bi-annual festival held in London that celebrates Japanese traditional and
popular culture, this shows the connection that South Korea now has with Japan
since the birth of the ‘Hallyu Wave’.
10. How do you get information about
fan gatherings in the UK? (e.g. K-Pop themed club nights).
When it comes to K-Pop events on a local scale, we
again see the strength on the online community. Participants seem to rely on
word-of-mouth when it comes to learning of local K-Pop-related events,
favouring Facebook over all other social network platforms. Twitter and
(presumably) UK originated K-Pop news websites are also used in almost equal
measure here which again shows that strong sense of community.
11. Do you actively create/run anything
K-Pop-related?
Working
against the ‘prosumer’ theory, the majority of survey-takers do not actively
create or run anything to do with K-Pop. When focusing on what is fan-made however, we can see blog
post and vlogs taking precedence, Blogs and vlogs are platforms on which fans
can share their opinions on factors and events that take place within their
interests, so even though the majority of UK fans here do not actively create,
there are arguably still ‘prosumers’ present in the sharing of opinion and
subsequent provocation of discussion within the fandom. Other answers included
music video covers and the making of “t-shirt and plushies” which suggests some
level of innovation by consumers.
12. Do you want K-Pop to be part of the
UK mainstream? Why?
For the “Why”
part of this question, a large comment box was provided for participants to
fill in. This revealed that, despite the fairly even split between answers that
the chart shows, participants’ feelings on the subject were - in reality - a
lot more complex than this. To look at this more accurately, one would say that
feelings split into three categories: “Yes”, “Yes, but only because I want it
to be more easily accessible for me” and “No”.
“They
deserve a lot more credit than they are given globally”
Most
participants that were a solid “Yes” appear to be so primarily because they are
aware that it would be beneficial for their favourite artists themselves if
they gained global fame. They hard work of the entertainment agencies and their
artists does not go unnoticed by UK fans and is mentioned frequently in many
answers. Some suggest that the sheer variety of music available in the K-Pop
genre will mean that there is something for every music fan in Britain and that
this is something rarely known by people outside the fandom. Many also
expressed a desire for the UK to “accept
more international music” and wanting to hear more “foreign music in the UK as
most of the time American and English music is quite repetitive…”
“I
wish there was an “I’m not sure” option!”
There
were many participants sitting firmly on the fence for this question, many
expressed wanting to access K-Pop more easily than they currently can: “…so I can purchase merchandise and albums
in local music shops…”, however many of these answers would start with
hedging phrases such as “To an extent…”
or “Of course I would…but...” in
which the pros would be immediately followed by the cons, suggesting a level of
anxiety that was also shown in the
comments following “No” answers.
“…I
like k-pop to be a thing I can put in a box or a pocket and carry around with
me…it’s MINE, my own…my precious…”
The
above quotation illustrates the presence of fear of K-Pop becoming something to
be shared in the mainstream, while this participant’s imitation of the Lord of the Rings character Gollum might
be humorous, it also shows a powerful sense of ownership and a profound anxiety
that it might not ‘belong’ to them in the future. This sense of ownership was
also continued as some participants stated that they would not want people
outside of the fandom to “hurt” or “make fun of” idols, when expressing this
sentiment some even used the possessive pronoun “my”.
Many
also disliked the idea of the genre becoming too “Westernised” and that, if it was to become mainstream in a “non-asian” country “it’s not true to its heritage anymore.” One participant even typing
“*cringe*” in their answer,
suggesting physical convulsion brought on by embarrassment at people outside
the K-Pop fandom trying to embrace the genre as their own. This clearly shows a
dislike for the genre to become any more ‘Pan-Asian’ than it may already be and
shows UK K-Pop fans’ want to protect the genre from being treated “disrespectfully”. Many also expressed
how they would not want K-Pop “to become
as mainstream as Justin Beiber...” and many did not want the artists to
become similar to Western artists like “One
Direction or Little Mix” which they felt may happen if the genre joined the
UK mainstream.
“Gangnam
Style” – which, last summer, was the first K-Pop track to become the UK number
one – was also mentioned frequently here, with many seemingly not wishing the
situation to occur again: “I noticed that
everyone from K-Pop loved Gangnam Style, and as soon as it was mainstream,
K-Pop friends were saying they don’t like it” and “…originally I thought yes until Psy made it big…”. Many
participants seemed slightly annoyed at the fact that, because PSY’s music is
often fun and humorous, UK listeners may begin to think that all K-Pop artists
are the same. Some participants arguably felt that this one song was not a fair
representation of the genre, but that that said representation is now cemented
in the minds of people outside of the K-Pop fandom.
13. Do you think K-Pop offers you
anything that Western music does not? If yes, what?
“Higher
all-round production values. More emphasis on dance and group coordination.
More diversity in performer skills compared to Western music…”
One
of the main points mentioned in what K-Pop offers its fans that Western music
does not was the differences in the perceived level of effort that goes into it.
Many mentioned “Awesome dance routines”,
with choreography arguably being one of the main focal points in K-Pop
production. One participant simply states: “Talent.
Period.” And another: “I think that
unlike western celebrities, Korean idols are nearly always famous for hard work
and talent rather than just being a noticeable or outrageous personality” which
gives an idea that K-Pop fans are tired and disillusioned with what Western
music offers them in comparison. Many also hinted at a higher level of
open-mindedness and experimentation in K-Pop: “heavy styling of males as well as females…”, “…fashion in each group changes often…”, “K-Pop is like western music, but supercharged” which seems to give
K-Pop fans a refreshed feeling. Interestingly, in spite of geographical
boundaries, Some participants mentioned that they feel more connected and
closer to their favourite artists because “they’re
very active”. This, and comments like: “instead
of being just singers they do much more to entertain…” and “The product of a group as a whole is
marketed allowing fans to enjoy not just the songs, but the fashion, the shows
they participate in, the personalities of the members etc.” show again,
that it is not just the music itself that attracts international fans to the
genre.
“Something
else besides butts and boobs!...”
Another
major component that made itself known in these answers was the difference in
censorship levels between the two genres. Rather than UK fans finding the more
conservative nature of South Korean culture a difficult adjustment, a
preference for this approach was often shown. Some quotations, such as: “More often than not, K-Pop is kind of
more…wholesome?” suggests that the more reserved Eastern culture that K-Pop
stands against is also something different for Western audiences and has even
become an item of appeal on its own.
“…nice
oppadul to look at…”
The
unity and love for the K-Pop fandom as a whole was also shown in these comment
boxes. There was a lot of humour in answers that it is likely only fellow K-Pop
fans would understand. This was present in answers that specifically referenced
idols or discussed difficulties certain K-Pop groups have faced in the past.
Another interesting factor that was shown in the survey was hybridisation of
the English and Korean language to communicate ideas. The words “oppadul” (the plural suffix used when a
girl addresses a group of older males) and “aegyo” (purposely initiated cute
behaviour) were used intermittently and no explanation of the terms followed as
it is assumed that they will be comprehended by all interested in this topic.
One participant recalled a time during which K-Pop group Block B were going through difficulty with their agency and fans of
other groups flocked to Block B’s YouTube
videos and left comments of support: “…saying
things like blackjacks support you, kissmes wish block b good luck etc.”
14. Do you feel as though you are part
of a community as a K-Pop fan? If so, would you say it was a local, national or
global community?
“Global – Before K-Pop I never thought that
I’d have close friends I spoke to daily in countries such as Sweden, Indonesia
and Saudi Arabia among others…”
At
a single glance, the majority of participants do feel like they are part of a
community – a global community. Many suggest that social media is at the heart
of this feeling of global connection: “Social
media definitely makes everyone seem connected over a common love” and “The internet has ALWAYS been at the centre
of the community”. There were some that pointed out it is a global
community due to South Korean Entertainment agencies’ movements to open a
global market. Some also suggested that a local K-Pop community was so hard to
come by that they felt seeking a global one on the internet was necessary: “…barely knowing anyone locally that has the
same taste as me.”
“…Even if we don’t all understand each other
we all share the love for KPop…”
A few provided some
very heartfelt comments in their answers such as: “Global family n_n” and “In
all honesty I feel like k-pop is the ONLY community I am a part of…K-pop is the
only community that accepts me and understands me in a very special way.”
The use of the word ‘family’ and capitalisation of words to emphasise points
shows that a very emotional connection is present for some participants, one
that perhaps goes beyond a simple sense of belonging and into a sense of
loyalty and gratitude.
“…I feel a bit out-cast due to the fact I’m
not as “over the top” as a lot of the fans I see are!...”
Despite
the primarily positive response given to this question, the answers hinting
towards more negative sentiments held within the fandom cannot be ignored. The
feeling of discomfort at other fans behaviour and mentality was occasionally
expressed, both on the local and global level. One participant mentioned: “For me it’s national, since there is a bit of
tension between international and Korean fans…” suggesting that the native
response to K-Pop ‘going global’ has not been entirely positive. A few comments
throughout the entire online survey mentioned ‘Sah Saeng’ fans and “crazy fangirls” working to put
respondents off from identifying themselves as part of a K-Pop fandom. One
survey-taker simply writes: “don’t like
the fangirls though” in the comment box for question 14.
15. Lastly, what do you think the
future holds for the existence of the K-Pop genre in the United Kingdom?
This question was left
open-ended and a large comment box for participant answer and explanation was provided.
It is for this reason that the overall picture of what UK K-Pop fans feel is in
the future for the genre in Great Britain is very complex. However, answers can
be split into three rough categories for the interest of analysis: It will go
mainstream, it will stay as a niche and the hope for a good future whatever
happens.
“K-pop is growing constantly…”
Many
suggested that “Gangnam Style is only
just the Beginning” in terms of the popularity of the genre on UK shores,
with many again citing the sheer variety of music offered by the genre as one
of its main selling points for UK listeners. Once again, the importance of the
South Korean entertainment companies making an effort to connect with the UK
was mentioned: “So far only YG have
[actually held]…auditions [in the UK], but if kpop keeps growing over here…I
can see us being open to auditions for more of the companies”. This shows
the vital role that the agencies play in the distribution of content to wider
audiences. This fact also came under criticism by some of the participants who
suggested that the companies need to take more notice of the UK as a K-Pop
fanbase if they want the genre to be truly successful here: “I hope it grows so Korean take more notice
and send [their] acts here to perform. Hopefully there is an SM Town London in
the near future!” The fact that there was an SMTOWN concert (where various acts from SM Entertainment come together to perform in one event) held in
Paris in 2011 was seemingly a point of contention for many respondents. Many UK
K-Pop fans seemed to feel ‘let down’ by the company in that the UK was
effectively overlooked on that tour, this has had a knock on effect to what UK
fans feel will happen with the genre here: “If
we don’t get much more interest [of the ‘Big Three’ agencies]…I worry that
k-pop in the UK may fade away too soon.”
“I think Psy has shoved his toe through the
flood gate, causing the British public to look up and take notice, but all
they’ve seen so far is his toe and can’t actually see much else. However, the
gates are open now and stuff is trickling through. Some of us of course have
been standing on top of the gate for a while, ready to dive into the other
side…”
“…I don’t think the majority of people in the
UK see it as a valid genre; more like “that funny Korean music”…”
One participant
communicated their opinions through the use of a flood-gate analogy, which
suggests that K-Pop once faced a formidable barrier against the UK market that
PSY’s success has managed to breach slightly, nonetheless the damage to the
barrier was only minuscule and has only generated a slight peak in interest in
the genre, leaving those standing on top of the flood-gate (pre-existing UK
K-Pop fans) alone. This idea was echoed in many responses to this question,
which suggested that – while the genre may gain more members in its UK fanbase
thanks to PSY – it would never gain a full and prolonged access to the
mainstream such as what is currently enjoyed by ‘American music’ in Great
Britain: “I don’t see it over-taking American
music…”.
Some also suggested
that only a few K-Pop groups would gain success in Great Britain: “…the more hip-hop oriented groups such as
Big Bang would be best suited to this…” This may be partly due to
participants’ assessment of the generalised UK music taste but also to a
perceived “stigma” that Western
listeners may hold against the genre: “…I
think that for many people in the UK kpop will always be ‘foreign’…”
suggesting that success in the UK mainstream would be impossible for K-Pop as
many British listeners will always view it as something entirely different from
themselves and find it difficult to accept. There were also many that expressed
a slight fear in how their favourite artists would be perceived by a UK
audience: “My biggest hope is that people
are kind and treat [K-Pop artists] with respect…” and “Korean ‘shit’ (friends Y U NO understand[?]) will have lost its
novelty…”. Many also cited the language barrier as one of the main reasons
for K-Pop’s lack of success in Great Britain: “I think most people in the UK would prefer to understand [song lyrics]
without having to look them up” and when one participant suggested K-Pop
artists could produce songs in the English language, they continued: “…well would it still be considered K-Pop
then?” which, along with many other answers for this question, suggested a
severe dislike in the thought of any K-Pop artists changing to appeal more to a
UK audience. Many simply disliked the idea of K-Pop becoming mainstream
entirely: “The uniqueness of KPop makes
it different than artists we have in the UK…once they [UK listeners outside of
the K-Pop fandom] listen to KPop it will be different….Lol.” The use of the
online expression ‘Laugh Out Loud’ suggests wanting to soften the harshness of
their honesty, which shows an awareness of difference between the K-Pop fans
and those who are not and how this opinion of wanting to remain separate may
cause tension between the two groups.
“Hopefully it’ll be sold in more shops and
lots more kpop concerts :D…xx”
Another
factor that was given in many of the participants’ comments was the strong hope
that the K-Pop genre would have a bright future in the UK no matter what that might
hold. Many fans were adamant that the fanbase would grow only slightly or even
stay the same in the future and there was a slight sense of contentment at that
prognosis. However, one of the most prevalent of hopes shown was that, once
again, K-Pop would become more easily accessible for the already existing UK
K-Pop fans. Comments such as: “I just
hope there will be more concerts”, “…I
hope something like a project or event could happen in the near future for us
UK fans soon :)” and “…groups will
want to come to the UK as part of their tours (hopefully!)” show that these
fans may not mind if the genre stays niche or does not gain much wider success,
as long as it means that existed UK fans are noticed and taken into account as
supporters and consumers of K-Pop.
4.2.
Auto-ethnographic case-study: BIGBANG concert (Wembley Arena – Saturday 15th
December 2012)
In
March 2012, K-Pop boyband BIGBANG
began their world tour following the release of their hugely successful fifth
studio album entitled ‘Alive’. Myself and many other British fans (known in the
BIGBANG fandom as VIPs) I frequently
socialise with online expressed our want for a London concert. I checked the BIGBANG official Facebook page for the daily announcements of confirmed tour dates and
venues. In mid-October, the announcement was finally made: BIGBANG would be coming to London Wembley Arena for the first time
to perform a concert for British VIPs.
I
remember my Facebook and Twitter newsfeeds filling with K-Pop
fans’ excited chatter. Many were incredulous that this development was actually
true, having experienced the many similar rumours in the past
Despite
the fact that ticket sales where opened only a few days after the official
announcement was made, they completely sold out in about three hours. This
caused YG Entertainment (BIGBANG’s agency) to add another London date – the day
before the one initially announced.
Two
Facebook event pages where set up for the two dates by the British K-Pop
news-sharing website I write for - called UnitedKpop.
I watched the wall fill with comments. Most consisted of fans wanting advice on
what accommodation options were cheapest and if there were people from their
local area to travel down and stay with. Many of them were coming from
far-reaching areas of the UK, including Scotland to see the group perform. I
remember finding it slightly strange that these people – strangers - were
seemingly so comfortable to organise rooms to share with one another, but their
mutual excitement for the concert was apparent as many were already organising
K-Pop pre-parties in their respective rooms. I remember also seeing a lot of
people mentioning that they had bought tickets for both nights, which surprised
me as the cheapest tickets started from around £65.
On
the night itself, we got the merchandise about two hours before the venue doors
were due to open, but the line was already stretching for about 25 metres ahead.
I bought an official ‘Alive Tour’ hooded jacket and yellow crown light stick
(the colour and symbol associated with BIGBANG). I remember looking at the
expensive packaging and feeling very excited that I now had official YG and
BIGBANG goods which I can only ever usually buy online. The line was getting
increasingly long behind us as we left to go to a nearby fast food restaurant
to eat.
I
don’t think I had ever seen a restaurant so busy as this one; there were hardly
any seats left to sit on. I looked around and saw many of the people wearing
the same black hoodie I had just bought and holding carrier bags adorned with
BIGBANG’s logo. I caught the eye of one girl and we smiled brightly at one
another. I remember wanting to go over and talk to her – to ask her where she
was from and what her favourite BIGBANG song was, but it was so busy I had to
quickly move on to eat instead.
Inside,
the excitement was almost palpable. BIGBANG’s music videos were played on the
big screen while fans waited for it to begin. Many were singing along loudly
and screaming as each new video started and each member appeared on screen. My
brother looked perplexed, mentioning that he had never been to a “gig” like
this one before, despite attending many concerts in the past. I sang loudly
myself and mumbled along to the Korean words I still do not quite know even
though I have listened to the songs countless times. A girl in front of me
turned and laughed at my attempts and I couldn’t help but smile with her. I
noticed that the volume in the entire concert hall would dial down considerably
every time a song got to a Korean verse. This made me laugh and supports the
idea that music is a universal language. We may not know all the words, but it
doesn’t mean we enjoy it any less as fans.
BIGBANG
finally came out, and the crowds below the seating area surged forward. The
screaming was one of the loudest sounds I have ever heard. Throughout the
performances, the group spoke to the audience in stilted English. They spoke of
how nice it was being in London and one of the members kept mimicking what he
thought was a “British accent”. A sea of yellow crown lightsticks illuminated
the venue for the entire event, swinging and swaying along to all the songs.
As
we left the venue and walked to the tube station, I noticed that many people
were wearing Jeremy Scott Adidas Wings
Shoes which were advertised by BIGBANG’s fellow YG Entertainment group 2NE1.
There were also a lot of fans wearing a BAD BOY/GOOD GIRL hat that one of the
BIGBANG members wore in a music video.
There
were many pictures uploaded to Facebook in the following days, many fans were
comparing shots and expressing jealously at the fact that others’ were of such
high quality compared to their own or that they were situated so close to the
stage. I also saw many pictures from a BIGBANG after-party that was organised
by Invasian a company that organises Asian themed events in the UK.
4.3.
Auto-ethnogrpahic case-study: conclusion
From
this experience, we see many academic theories at play. The role the social
network play initially in letting fans see the concert announcement and the
role it continued to play in the fans’ organising of social groups to come
together and attain accommodation. The merchandise allowed concert-goers to recognise
fellow fans and helped me sense a friendly environment amongst strangers.
(Cohen’s ‘Symbolic Convergence’ theory, 1985).
I
laughed with them as we stumbled through the Korean lyrics and, despite our
differing backgrounds, I could feel the connection and sense of elation fans
felt to be enjoying what they loved as a group.
Jenkin’s
‘participatory culture’ was shown as fans shared their personal photos of the
event, and Fiske’s ‘cultural economy of fandom’ can be said to have been at
play as fans congratulated others and expressed envy at the original photos
they produced.
5.Conclusion
5.1.
How and why is K-Pop here?
Undeniably,
one of the reasons why K-Pop is able to exist in Britain is the movement that
the players in the South Korean entertainment industry have taken to represent
themselves on various platforms within social media. Gallo’s (2012) research on American band Linkin Park’s album promotions showed
that use of social networking is a viable means of gaining consumer attention.
The entertainment companies of South Korea have gone much further in their
investment in the technology as was outlined in Kwak’s (2012) work. It is also
worthwhile to point out that PSY’s ‘Gangnam Style’ only entered the UKTop40
chart after the music video on the rapper’s official YouTube channel gained a
colossal amount of views.
The
efforts of the producers may only been seen as half of the battle though, the
content and consistent updates may be enough to catch international consumers’
attention, but it is not necessarily enough to ensure their financial input. It
is through this that what UK fans get from the genre has to be questioned. From
the research conducted throughout this project, it has been shown that the
average UK K-Pop fan feels they gain a lot from the genre. Many went as far to
say that it has influenced their identity and career choice as well as
encouraged them to gain new skills in a new language or venture into dance classes.
These findings are almost a mirror image of what was found in Siriyuvasak and Hyun
Joon’s (2007) research into Thai K-Pop fans’ consumption of K-Pop. This
suggests that the UK fans’ sense that they belong to a global community may not
be that far from reality.
5.2.
Fandom research: does it match up?
Despite
the overall positive image of the fandom painted by the findings, there are
some darker sides shown. The fact that females are occasionally mentioned in
terms such as “crazy fangirls” adds
weight to Garratt’s (1984) conclusions that ‘fan’ is a word in itself often
used as a negative attribute to females. Research has even shown that this
behaviour often alienates certain members of the fandom, making them question
their participation in the group. There were many comments that alluded to a
high level of possessiveness and fear of loss, this may support Horton and
Wohl’s (2006) argument of the one-sided relationship fans can hold with their
idols, their fear of loss and sense of ownership is only on their side and the
idea that fans are using the fandom to compensate for an inadequate life may be
bolstered when considering a particular answer given about the K-Pop community
being the only one they feel they belong to. However, this point is only
supported by a minority of answers given and many participants showed awareness
of these perceptions of fans and make effort the work against it.
Cohen’s
(1985) theory of ‘Symbolic Convergence’ was also shown throughout the study, in
not only the purchase of merchandise including coloured lightsticks to identify
loyalty to certain sub-fandoms, but also in the use of hybridisation of
language in words such as ‘oppadul’ and ‘aegyo’.
5.3.
The vital importance of social media
The
existence of social media appears to be the life-blood of the UK K-Pop fandom.
As previously mentioned, the internet gives access to content from various
countries, giving British K-Pop fans up-to-date news on their favourite artists
in real-time and even providing them with a sense of partial connectedness to
the artists. Social media was shown to play large roles in both the online
survey results and the auto-ethnographic research in this project, providing
knowledge of events as well as spaces to socialise and discuss topics with
other K-Pop fans. UK fans featured in this research were shown to be fully
aware of the role that social media plays for them as consumers, and displayed
a high level of competency in the use of modern technology, often using many
sites in conjunction with one another and using the facilities to create
original content in the form of blogs and vlogs. They are perhaps not
“prosumers” in Jung’s (2011) original sense of the word, but in fans-sharing of
opinion and engaging in debate about events in the K-Pop world, they are indeed
active consumers.
5.4.
Fans thoughts on the future of the UK K-Pop scene
The
majority of survey-takers saw the future of the K-Pop genre in the UK to be
bright – be that on a very small or larger scale. Some were sceptical of its
ability to break into the UK mainstream and maintain its position there
permanently. However, this research has shown that this result is not desired
by already existing UK fans as many either wanted the genre to stay niche so as
not to lose it’s ‘special’ qualities or to simply become popular enough so it
was more easily accessible for these individuals.
Overall,
here a very complex picture of fandom that is positive in the majority is
shown. Many fans appear to work the fandom into their daily lives and would
rather keep it as a separate entity to the mainstream UK culture rather than
force it onto what Fiske (1992) has been known to term as the ‘official
culture’, one of the reasons for this being that the UK fans want something
‘different’ from this.
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