팬덤의 진화: ‘스타’를 소비하는 방식에서 ‘사회’를 바꾸는 힘으로 > K-wave Trends

The recent activities of singer Lim Young-woong’s fan club ‘Daegu Heroes’ Generation (Daegu Nubuya)’ heard in the Daegu area are a clear example of the evolutionary nature of this fandom. They did not just stop at promoting the singer's popularity, but pledged a considerable donation of 12 million won to the Daegu Community Chest of Korea and became the 22nd members of the ‘Sharing Leaders Club’. What is noteworthy is that their sharing is not a one-off event, and since 2021, they have been continuously implementing multifaceted support measures such as sponsoring child protection facilities, providing daily necessities, and volunteering with briquettes. This donation will also be delivered to the Seo-gu Disabled Protection Workshop and used to support practical independence and improve welfare. This can be said to be a manifestation of mature civic consciousness, showing how fans gathered in the name of a star can participate in solving real problems in the community.

Not only Lim Young-woong's fan club, but also the fandoms of other singers such as Jang Min-ho and Lee Chan-won are expanding their positive influence in their own ways. Jang Min-ho's fan club 'Daekyung Min-ho Special Forces' carried out voluntary fund-raising activities at the concert site and donated money to the Red Cross, which also shined in disaster situations such as supporting recovery from past forest fires. Lee Chan-won's fan club is also taking the lead in local education and protecting the vulnerable, including providing scholarships to his alma mater and donating daily necessities. These activities prove that the fandom goes beyond simple ‘fandom’ and acts as a strong supporter and watchdog of the local community. In the end, a ‘virtuous cycle’ was formed in which the star’s good deeds motivated fans, and that energy in turn created a social virtuous cycle.

Meanwhile, in the sports world, it is observed that the club's strategy towards fans is rapidly changing from ‘performance supremacy’ to ‘centering on fan experience’. Yongin FC, a new team, focused on providing thorough local fan service and attracting family audiences instead of traditional assets such as championship history or star players. Popular animation ‘Catch! The bold collaboration with ‘Tiniping’ succeeded in attracting children and their parents to the stadium, and was an attempt to redefine the soccer field as a play and cultural space beyond simple viewing. This strategic approach was effective in overcoming the limitations of a new team and strengthening the fan base in the hometown. Ultimately, sports clubs also clearly recognize that their future survival will be determined by the value and enjoyment that fans consume at the stadium.

Of course, fandom and public interest do not always have positive repercussions. The cases of neighborhood restrictions and booing from citizens that occurred while former U.S. President Trump was watching the NBA Finals show that the appearance of celebrities can sometimes be a factor that hinders fans' unique enjoyment culture. Entry delays due to security screening and pedestrian control caused great inconvenience to fans who visited the stadium, and were criticized for damaging the peaceful viewing experience that ‘true fans’ should enjoy. This is an incident that raises awareness of how when an individual in the public spotlight uses his or her influence, it can infringe on the rights of others and the order of the community. This suggests that as fandom culture expands, social responsibility and etiquette commensurate with its influence also become more important.