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The power of fandom was on display in Downtown Los Angeles last week as thousands of K-pop devotees gathered for KCON, a three-day celebration of South Korean pop culture.
KCON was like a family reunion for many attendees, many of whom explained in the new episode DifferenceThe “Strict Business” podcast. K-pop is growing in popularity around the world, but its most ardent fans are still happy enough to be with those who “get it.”
“You stay for the music, the newsreel, the costumes — all the cute, fun, flashy stuff. And then you stay because you make friends,” says KCON-goer Epiphany, who lives in North Hollywood.
Discussions with other teenagers and twenty-somethings at the conference and two concerts at the Crypto.com Arena revealed that social media, media use, and online affinity groups have huge real-world effects. The growth of K-pop, especially outside of the American entertainment conglomerates, has had a major impact on the South Korean economy.
Moreover, the trends that fueled the growth of K-pop are being played out in other areas of media, allowing artists to have direct contact with fans and promoting contests and trading cards that allow fans to gain exclusive access to their favorite ” idols, as K-pop artists are known.”
Whitney, who traveled to KCON from Chicago and met up with friends from Atlanta, touted the appeal of the “High Touch” meet-and-greet events, which allow fans to make a momentary connection with their idols the way sports teams start or start. Ultimate Games – When you go online to exchange a short finger tap with players.
“Having that little five-second eye contact is totally worth it. To us, anyway,” Whitney said. “To other people, that sounds crazy, but it’s definitely worth it.”
There’s no denying the appeal of K-pop or the expectations of its fans. Hollywood has a lot to learn from the organic growth of this market, especially in countries as far away as Brazil, Turkey, Mexico and Korea.
“What really got me at first was the fan culture he was surrounded by, because people treat each other like family,” said Cristina, Epiphany’s classmate. “And you know, there’s all these freebies and events, it feels like a family because you love the members that you love, that you know, and they show love to the fans. But the fans themselves love to rally around something we all love and care about.
It is “strict business”. DifferenceA weekly podcast featuring conversations with industry leaders about the media and entertainment business. New episodes launch every Wednesday and can be downloaded on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher and SoundCloud. Click here to sign up for the free “Tough Business” newsletter.
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