#cybervigilante

[fightwing]

“  don’t worry your head,  just go to sleep.  ” / from kory, maybe when dick is freaking out abt mar'i flying 🥺 / @cybervigilante

" i'm serious, honey. " dick isn't quite pacing YET but he's certainly not relaxing into the sheets of their grand bed like they both should be. it's not like there were many experts on half-human, half-tamaranean babies. in fact, the only child who even fits that demographic he currently knows of is snoring into their baby monitor at this very moment. " should we babyproof everything? can we if it's a flying thing instead of a running around corners thing? " mar'i was LEARNING to fly and still hadn't nailed the landing, but like many other babies she was wildly determined to try. and while dick spent most of his life in the air, it was a very different kind of panic seeing your toddler touching the ceiling. ( . . . maybe dick had some apologies to make to bruce and alfred. ) he turns towards his wife, long fiery red hair splayed around her as she finds much more comfort in their daughter's development than dick was at the moment. he's reminded then that all the parts of mar'i he sees himself in are probably just as foreign to her, and that, JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, they were in this together. " when did you start flying? "

[fightwing]

dick HATES being out of the loop. and wally, ever expressive and ever emotional --- was very easy to read. his deadpan expression was meant to shame dick into realizing he can't play dumb, but the issue was dick wasn't PLAYING anything. in fact he was very much serious because his best friend in the whole wide world was mad at him and he was supposed to know why. the answer comes shortly, albeit doused in frustration. easier to spot, for sure but while he'd known gotham was never his friends FAVORITE place, he always figured he ultimately didn't mind it. at least, he always came when dick asked. it's only when his friend's pale features pooled crimson that they broke any real ice. but dick frowns at the admission --- wonders if he's made one of his favorite people feel unloved but then gets immediately overshadowed by the feeling of understanding. roy harper was a lot of things. A LOT. dick got the jealousy, sometimes. he wants to ask if something happened between the two of them, if there was some breaking point to cause all of this that dick had stepped into, but he can tell wally's working up to it. instead, dick waits patiently, watching the flicker of wally's gaze dance around their surroundings and him. no longer on the defensive and looking more to comfort, dick's fully turned towards wally with his hands crossed over bent knees. one foot is pressed beneath wally's own stretched legs, the other bent and folded beneath. he's watching wally as he finds the words he's searching for and dick's chest aches a bit with the clear admission of his perceived inadequacy. the way wally --- usually so bright and excitable, seemed intent on making himself smaller in his hurt. there's no refuting that. they all get some level of comparison to their mentors but something about the red hair had people confusing the two. and with a name like speedy, it was rarely the archer who got mistaken. roy was a spectacle in many ways, some parts of it even mirroring that of g.a. but there was no denying wherever roy harper went, he was bound to make an impression. it's the next part dick takes issue with. roy may get under his skin. may get him to places no one else on this earth has taken him emotionally --- their fights long, drawn out and complex, but roy harper made them BETTER. he pushed them, farther each time to become more than the mold of their mentors. to become themselves. with a bit of tasteful teasing here and there to really set a fire that burned down the forest. " kf, there wouldn't BE a team without you. " certainly wouldn't have lasted as long if someone wasn't there to pull them back together whenever they fell apart. hell, " i'm still trying to convince bruce the titans are a good idea, and it's been years. " batman was certainly not the flag-bearer of the teen titans and for as much as dick pushed against that, his duties were undoubtedly split sometimes. in fact, in the early years there was a real and constant fear that robin wouldn't be able to stay, and dick was still, to this day fighting that fight. donna and garth loved the team as much as he did and roy did too (even if he pretended he was too cool for it sometimes) but it was WALLY who held on tight enough for them to stick. wally who probably talked barry's ear off about the other sidekicks, wally who followed dick out when fights or missions went bad enough that the acrobat seriously considered the legitimacy of bruce's arguments. wally who reminded them they were more than the battles they fought. if wally was doubting his importance, dick had a LIFETIME of rebuttals for that. his hand lands on wally's forearm, squeezing softly and blue eyed gaze unwavering as he says " you're the one who keeps us together, man. we need you. " and maybe selfishly but most importantly, " I need you. " he can feel the heat rise on his own face at the honestly of his admission, but firm in the truth of his words. the impossibility of wally west. " you're one of a kind, wall. "

the reassurance only lasts so long, wally's tightly clenched jaw and stern features dimming in intensity only to shift into wry disbelief the second dick claims he hadn't looked at roy the way he had perceived ⸻ like the archer was some kind of glistening knight rescuing a damsel rather than a friend stepping in to help another. he draws up to his elbows to raise an eyebrow pointedly at dick, knowing he'd be stubborn but expecting a little more honesty from his part. it's then that he sees the genuine confusion drawing his brows, his mind working itself so hard around wally's perception that the taxing process reflected itself on his young face. it should feel good for him to have come upon a realization before dick grayson of all people, yet he only feels a faint relief that the magnitude of what his friend feels for the archer remains a blindspot the to the boy wonder himself.

‵ actually, i don't give a damn about spending more time in gotham than i need to. ʹ he shuts down not being invited as a gripe he held with straight-faced monotony that wavers as soon as the apology-slash-excuse moves onto his perceived lack of inclusion. this was much more tethered to the truth, and wally flushes from the neck up in embarrassment of how childish the real reason for his upset sounded when laced in the frank clarity of dick's voice. he breaks eyesight like a coward, sight trained on the empty plains they occupied and the sway of tall-grass caught amidst rustling winds. even nature seemed to mock him, seeing in the open field's undulation a reflection of dick and roy's carefree dance. wally frowns, closing his eyes to the realization he was being a big baby about all of this.

‵ bingo, rob. ʹ he somberly accepts, swallowing his pride. ‵ not the part where i feel unappreciated, 'cause it's always a fun and rewarding time when i get to rescue you instead of the other way around. ʹ a bright chortle rattles from his chest up to his shoulders, looking back at dick with fond eyes and his characteristic boyish, skewed smile. ‵ i'm - i guess i do feel left out ... but i can't say i'd feel this strongly about it if it was anyone other than roy harper that the press caught you with. ʹ sure, it would have bothered him regardless ⸻ the overflow of his burgeoning feelings for dick often transcended the limits of friendship in a way that terrified him and of which he was always, unfortunately, conscious about with every interaction, but such awakening he was much less prepared to face and willing to smother. ( especially considering the rage anything less than masculine normalcy would stoke in his father, to whom he was already such a big disappointment )

it's the fact that roy seemed intent on seducing people away from him before he'd gotten a chance to feel secure about his place with them, a continuous stealing of his thunder and a dampening of all the efforts he put into seeming at least fractionally interesting amongst exceptional company. ‵ people still call me speedy. ʹ wally grumbles through pouted lips; ' and no one ever mixes him up with kid flash ' goes unsaid. ‵ i miss the days we only saw him three times a year. ʹ comes his quiet admission, the most candidly honest he'd been up until this point. a limited appearance like groundhogs and santa claus, such was the ideal way someone so outlandish and all-absorbing as roy harper should present himself to the rest of society.

[arcwave]

Power went out before i shot the render I on my phone. Fuck. Im over it. Bike is an old z brush model but the cyborg is new. #render #cyberpunk #cyberhunk #cybervillian #cyberai #cybersavior #cybervigilante #bodytransfer #cyberimperial #cyberpimpin #cyborg #render #octanerender #conceptart #conceptsketch #oculusmedium #glenedenscifi #scifi #zbrush. #3ddesign. (at Gleneden Beach, Oregon) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBeEKLnjvAC/?igshid=1vynhdykaxh6m

[ajkiranwrites]

Writeblr Introduction

About Me

Hello, fairly active Writeblr, chronic procrastinator, write fantasy, action, paranormal, queer romance. Looking to meet some writing buddies!

Works in Progress

The Undead Necromancer Paranormal - Laila Kivris is a low-level necromancer but an accident turns her into a vampire, she must confront losing her powers and facing her new life. But when people start resurrecting back as vampires, she must partner with the elusive Dr. Sheven before the sleepy town gets the nightmare of the century. Three Amethyst Cures Fantasy - A graduate student trying to finish her thesis on a mysterious illness spreading through the Intangibles city, Esther realizes things are not all that they seem when the royal family gets involved. With a coronation coming up and her cute roommate trying to assassinate her for her thesis, survival is no longer guaranteed.

Livewire Action - Evelyn a.k.a Livewrire's life turns upside down when the CIA suspects her of being the cybervigilante Livewire. Her best friend clears her name, but someone at the CIA isn't convinced. Agent Vivien will stop at nothing to expose Evelyn and puts her on the team to hunt down Livewire. Now, Livewire must face her past and glances that Vivien keeps throwing her.

[thelittleredheadedmusician]

Minor DC Character Aesthetics 9/?: Barbara Gordon - Batgirl/Oracle

“Sorry, the tapes aren't online. Grossly unfair to us cybervigilantes, if you ask me. I'm thinking of writing my congressman.”

[vinnipereiraartiste]

Cybervigilantes

[audrey-inspo]

♦️ + india eisley

meet nicola dudley, the twenty four year old hacker. she’s known for being protective, sardonic and intelligent, she can also be angry, dangerous and judgemental . it’s amazing the lessons they teach us all growing up, not to judge the book by it’s cover, watch out for the quiet ones. it seemed no one learned with nicola. a small, soft voiced girl many underestimated her, but they didn’t see the anger that seethed in nicola. as she watched her peers succumb to misogyny, adopt the scary messages the world sends out about beauty, love and sex. after completing a diploma in computer programming, the lightbulb clicked and she was determined to use her mousy impression to her advantage. a cybervigilante, nicola protects her fellow girls of any walk of life from abuse, exposure of their bodies, or other dangers. it’s hard to be anonymous, no thanks for your work, and yet the fear of legal action looming by. she may look like a lamb, but challenge her on what she’s doing for feminism, and you may find your secrets exposed to the world.

0483938.2029: i believe in hell and i am in it.

Peach pits are poisonous. This is not a mistake. Girlhood is growing fruit around cyanide. It will never be your for swallowing. - Brenna Twohy

quick factszodiac: cancergender: ciswomanpronouns: she/hersexuality: queerhouse: slytherinmbti: intj

gif by the incredible @leejiuen

send me a ♦️ + a fc and i’ll create a character on the spot

[medicangels]

Sorry, the tapes aren't online. Grossly unfair to us cybervigilantes, if you ask me. I'm thinking of writing my congressman.

[two-leeps-blog]

Popularity of K-pop fan culture activities

By Lau Zhi Xin

U1630093E

Introduction

In May 2018, hit K-pop boy group BTS took their first top spot on the Billboard 200 chart with their Love Yourself: Tear album. This is also the first time any K-pop album has clinched the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart. BTS albums have also continuously topped iTunes Top Album charts across different regions, with their latest album Map of Soul: Persona dominating the charts of at least 86 regions.

The success of BTS in international markets outside of South Korea has been described as “breaking through the glass ceiling of Asian pop in the United States”, and has earned BTS the title of “the biggest boy band in the world.” While BTS’ music and performances are key reasons to their popularity, it is undeniable that their fans and the Internet have a hand in propelling them to these successes.

K-pop fandoms have become such key contributors behind the success of K-pop idol groups that they can potentially determine whether K-pop groups or idols survive in the industry. Along with their K-pop idol groups, K-pop participatory fan culture is also gaining prominence worldwide, and it is thus crucial to examine the extent of their popularity.

Background

The idea of fandom was defined by Jenkins (2010) as a social structure and cultural practice conceived by engaged consumers of mass media properties, and “participatory culture” is explained as a method used by fans to claim their rights to participate in media culture by creating new works out of materials originally produced by the culture industry (Jenkins, 1992).

In the case of K-pop, Jung (2012) described participatory fan culture as an example that distinctively brings emphasis to the fan groups’ initiatives, as well as their active and collective involvement in online activities. Devoted fans often participate in various fan support activities to show their affection and support for their idols, as well as help to keep them in the news.

Participatory fan culture in South Korea is not something recent, but it rose to prominence only in the 1990s with the fans of popular K-pop groups such as Seo Taiji and the Boys, H.O.T and Sechkies, also known among K-pop fandoms as the first generation K-pop idols. Participatory fan culture has also evolved with each generation of K-pop idols and has taken many forms across the years – coloured raincoats, balloons and fan chants in the 1990s, lightsticks, fan banners and mass dances in 2000s, fan support events and projects of the 2010s.

Popularity spanning across different types of activities

While traditional participatory fan culture remains relevant in K-pop today, it has gained such immense popularity that products of today’s participatory fan culture have taken on many new forms including fan slogans, cup sleeve events, subway station advertisements and involvement in good causes in the name of their K-pop idols. These fan support activities vary in terms of number of fans involved and engaged, as well as the amount of money spent.

Fan slogans

Fans slogans can be viewed as an evolution of fan banners used to cheer for K-pop idols at concerts and weekly recordings. Fans are involved in the entire creative and sale process, from taking photos of their K-pop idols, to designing fan slogans and selling them to other fans. Fan slogans are sold to fans in South Korea as well as across the globe with the help of other fans acting as group order managers (GOM) who will coordinate the sale and order in their respective countries. Fan slogans offer a more individualised option than traditional fan banners to a small extent, as there are many varied designs of slogans that fans can purchase, depending on what they like.  

Cup sleeve events

Fan support in the form of cup sleeves is a relatively new addition to this participatory fan culture as it only started to grow alongside the strong and still expanding café culture in South Korea. As with most products of participatory fan culture, cup sleeves and cup sleeve events are designed and organised entirely by K-pop fans themselves. Cup sleeve events are typically held at cafes to celebrate an idol’s birthday, anniversary or achievements. With the café decked in merchandises and posters of a K-pop group, fans can collect specially designed cup sleeves with a purchase made from the café. Such events often see a high turnup as they also act as a venue for fans to gather and get to know the community, as well as sell or trade their own merchandise

Subway station advertisements

Besides the typical advertisments for brands and organisations, subway stations in South Korea also frequently feature fan support advertisements for K-pop idols. These are typically put up to celebrate an idol’s birthday, anniversary or achievements as well. Collectively, fans will raise funds to buy advertisement spots at different subway stations. Such subway advertisements contributes to K-pop idol’s popularity and are effective methods to show fans’ support. In 2018, NU’EST’s JR showed his appreciation to L.O.Λ.Es for the love that he has received by going around subway stations in Seoul displaying his birthday advertisements to greet fans, and repeated this once again in 2019. Trainees who appeared on the recent Produce X 101 were also gifted with their own subway advertisements by their fans even though they have yet to officially make their debut.

Involvement in philanthropy work in the name of their idols

Perhaps the best outcome of participatory fan culture is fans’ involvement in good social causes in the name of their idols. Ever since 2007 when fans of Shinhwa’s Shin Hye-sung donated “fan rice” to celebrate his first solo concert, this charity trend has now become widely popular and common. These are carried out to celebrate idols’ birthdays, anniversaries and achievements, but they also serve to make K-pop idols look better to the public and create a better reputation of the fandom itself.

Popularity in terms of scale of projects

Fandoms and individual fans have to pay for such fan projects, usually through donation drives carried out among the fandom or from their own pockets. A whole-page coloured advertisement in a daily newspaper in 2014 cost about ₩10 million and a subway advertisement can cost between  ₩1.5 million and  ₩4.5 million, depending on its location. According to Seoul Metro, there were 1,576 subway advertisements dedicated to K-pop idols, a sharp increase from the 76 in 2014.

K-pop fandoms, similar to K-pop itself, thrives on competition. Such activities of participatory fan culture only continue to expand in scale and popularity, as it is often seen as a competition between and even within fandoms. Subway station advertisements dedicated to K-pop idols have already taken step further to include an entire cabin in subway trains itself. In August 2019, fans of BTS, also known as ARMY, decked out subway trains in Seoul to celebrate Jungkook’s 23rd birthday. In honor of RM’s birthday, ARMYs also donated a total of ₩1.994 million to build a forest of 1,250 spirea prunifolia in the Jamsil Hangang Park.

Popularity on an international scale

K-pop participatory fan culture is not limited to South Korea alone and has spread across the globe. International K-pop fandoms often replicate these activities of participatory fan culture in their home country, or they may change it to be relevant to their location. In order to match the donation made by Korean ARMYs to build a forest in honor of RM’s birthday, international ARMYs also made a donation of ₩9.12 million to build a second forest. In Singapore, subway advertisement for BTS was put up by local ARMYs in June 2019 at Dhoby Ghaut MRT station to celebrate BTS’ 6th anniversary. This was the first of its kind in Singapore, but is unlikely to be the last.

K-pop fans have also managed to put up advertisements on Times Square ads promoting their K-pop idols, and according to Branded Cities Network who have worked on multiple K-pop advertisement campaigns in Times Square, these are usually sponsored by fans in China, which further highlights the international popularity of such activities. K-pop idols who have been featured on Times Square advertisement spaces include EXO, BTS, Wanna One’s Kang Daniel and NCT’s Taeyong.

Instead of donating rice or planting forests that are now common charity trends by fandoms in South Korea, French ARMYs have recently organised a litter picking activity. This was in part an effort to counter the bad press that Korean ARMYs received for littering outside cafes after celebrating Jungkook’s birthday. French ARMYs picked up cigarette butts littered on the streets in France and stored them in plastic bottles.

Conclusion

As the popularity of K-pop continues to grow across the globe, we cannot say for sure when the craze will burn out. However, it is clear that the popularity of K-pop fan culture has also grown tremendously with the idols. In terms of variety and number of activities, financial scale and manpower involved, as well as countries and regions which they take place in, activities of K-pop fan participatory culture are likely to continue to grow and fandoms compete to outshine one another.

References

Jenkins, H. (1992). Textual poachers: Television fans & participatory culture. New York: Routledge.

Jenkins, H. (2010, January). Fandom, Participatory Culture, and Web 2.0 - A Syllabus. Retrieved from http://henryjenkins.org/2010/01/fandom_participatory_culture_a.html

Jung, S. (2012). Fan Activism, Cybervigilantism, and Othering Mechanisms in K-pop Fandom. Transformative Works and Fan Activism, 10

Koh, V. (2015). Exploring participatory fan culture of Korean pop fans in Singapore. Retrieved from https://repository.ntu.edu.sg/bitstream/handle/10356/62443/GP_HSa14_55.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=n

[saynomoretoday]

PalmerBot3671 (Hostile CyberVigilante Model Mk. I), midCOVID-19 experiment (vi), scavenged hardware. Norwich, March 2020.

[originalbatgirl-blog1]

❛  Sorry,  the  tapes  aren’t  online .  Grossly  unfair  to  us  cybervigilantes,  if  you  ask  me .  I’m  thinking  of  writing  my  congressman . ❜

[fightwing]

“When I say I love you, it’s not because I want you, or because I can’t have you. It has nothing to do with me. I love what you are. What you do. How you try.“/ from kory @cybervigilante 💗 / (ask meme)

dick's thoughts scramble for a second. it's like being thrown off script, like scratching the record tape, like playing a song backwards --- he has no idea what to say to that. more importantly, what he FEELS about that. dick's always prided himself on his resourcefulness. that when someone needed him, or needed anybody, that he could be there, fighting the good fight. he'd found love to be synonymous with effort and sometimes it felt like all dick did was TRY, TRY, TRY. only to reach the false summit and try again. kori was different. she didn't WANT too much from him. didn't need it anyways and yet still, impossibly, incredibly and without strings, judgment or disappointment. it was too much sometimes, enough dick didn't know what to do with it or how to reciprocate properly . and miracle of all miracles is that kori UNDERSTOOD. seemed to get him in a way even he didn't. that's what made this all so hard. there were tears that stung his eyes but he'd never been afraid of that. not with her. not like this. instead he rose a hand to her cheek, cradling the soft skin there and dipping his head like they were the only ones present in this moment in time. that they could stay like that and time would freeze for them. -- but there was a shadow hanging over his head. bruce was dead and gotham was descending into a kind of chaos NIGHTWING could never reign in. no matter what choice he made it would be the wrong one. he'd make a horrible batman. for himself, for tim and damian, for GOTHAM. but not taking it was getting people killed, promoting imitators who were destroying the legacy bruce DIED to protect. so either he failed to make the choice or he'd fail under the weight of it and the only thing grounding him back to earth in that moment was kori. he had to try. he would always try. "and if i'm wrong? if i make the wrong choice, if i---if i fail?"

[fightwing]

HE RECOILS LIKE HE'S BEEN HIT. thinks, maybe, it would be less of a shock if he had been. " bruce knew. " his voice is flat. bruce had known. clark & dianna knew. wally west, dick's best friend in the universe & probably every other, had told bruce wayne, dick's most known confidant and neither of them had told him. wally he gets --- he's always been self sacrificing like that and had probably wanted dick to not do exactly what he was doing now. hadn't wanted it to change anything. but BRUCE? dick doesn't know what hurts more, the secrecy or the fact that he's still, after all this time, SURPRISED by it. and if he knew and hadn't solved it yet, then that was WORSE. bruce was a lot of things --- even things dick had regretted calling him, but above all else he was METICULOUS. never met a problem he couldn't solve, so whatever his reasoning may be for not filling in his for-all-purposes SON on the details, the worst was that dick grayson was a DETECTIVE. and a damn capable one at that. and with wally at the center of it all, he had one hell of an incentive to work harder than he ever had to fix this before it broke. all this time --- all the time they knew dick could've been HELPING and yet instead he was benched without a word considered otherwise. he's offended, overwhelmingly so, and has some choice words to say about bruce's silence on the whole thing when wally's interjection reminds him why he's here. that the storm brewing behind dick's throat will have to wait for a more appropriate audience. without having to say it, wally came to say goodbye. and just like that, the fire is extinguished. stamped down like a weak campfire. he's asking him, his best friend through it all, to stand down. that all the frenzied planning, all the nervous fretting, didn't matter to him right now --- not even the slim chance that the titans, together, could solve this, he's asking, in what he believes to be his last moments, for a friend. dick's shoulder's slump, the fight drained out of him and replaced with weakening resolve. he swallows. a one, two nod before straightening himself into the person he should be in this moment. " yeah. " his voice feels suspiciously constrained. tight with emotion he works hard to push past. " yeah, yeah, of course, walls. " he steps back, the door moving with him, inviting him in. " always. " he waits till wally's entered, door closed softly behind, before the headspins really catch up to him. right hand on his hip, left hand running a ragged line through his hair he takes a measured breath in and out. he feels like he's just gotten off a work-in-progress rollercoaster. like the sudden drops and stops are still guiding his actions. " just . . . give me a second. " he'd been asked to be normal, but not expressly forbidden from thinking through solutions together. whether it's nature or nurture that renders him incapable of not thinking through every possibility at the moment, he doesn't know, but the rush of every complicated thought talking over each other is sickening. FOCUS. all he's got to focus on now is working through his best friend's wishes. there's still too much worry between his brows when he finally situates himself enough to ask: " um... can i get you anything? "

Wally had made peace with the severity of his situation before showing up at his best friend's doorsteps. he had run the numbers alongside Jesse himself, had analyzed every possible outcome and alternative with Max and Jay, and had even considered dusting off Barry's old cosmic treadmill to run back to a time before this problem had presented itself to see if another way out could be found, the logistics of which stood too harmful to the time-space continuum to try, thus sealing his fate. he had been an active participant in all the tried and failed attempts to ensure his survival, knowing well the how's and why's surrounding the unobtainability of such a certainty ⸻ so why does hearing his grim prognosis echoed back to him in Dick's troubled tone cause a latent fear to stir in the pit of him ?

he lingers on this dawning mortification all the while panic kicks in on Dick's end, spending the bulk of the other's frenzied listing of trustworthy names they might bring in to boost his chances stricken by his impending doom. “    Bruce and the League know.    ” Wally pipes in quietly, a half-hearted shrug and pleading gaze cast in hopes it would quell whatever additional hurt this information might cause. “    y'know, with me being a Leaguer, too, and all, he's kinda like my boss. we also have a duty to inform the big three of any potentially fatal or time-altering event we may encounter, so since this could be both those things ... i had t'let them know.     ” try as he may to explain it all away, he knows the fact Bruce knew about this before him and kept it all to himself won't sit well with Dick.

he hates to put a damper on all the hopefulness Dick had mustered to this point, the courage and unwavering conviction he held as he situated himself upon the worn throne of leadership and tried to hold the reigns of yet another seemingly impossible situation to solve. it was a sight Wally had been lucky enough to witness time and time again throughout his life, seeing it again here as the sand in his hourglass seemed to grow thin left him with a longing for more life with which to view the beauty of it with. yet this optimism would do nothing to change improbable odds, nor could they feasibly solve the quandaries of a primordial entity such as the Speed Force in the span of an evening even with the rest of his closest friends up to bat ⸻ though the idea of gathering them all in a room before he inevitably faced down the odds stacked against him felt good to him, ideal, even, when considering it might just be the final time.

“    Dick, stop. get outta your head for a sec and listen to me.    ” he implores in hopes it'll snap the acrobat out of his analytical state and into the present moment, precarious as it may or may not be for Wally. “    Jay warned me off telling you guys earlier on 'cause it would make you all worry before things were clear. now that they are, i wanted you to be the first to know. Dick, i came here to ⸺    ” ' say goodbye ' is on the tip of his tongue but it won't come out. the phrase '10 percent' keeps flashing in his mind's eye, reminding him there was hope, slim to none yet hope nonetheless, that this could simply be a 'see you soon.' “    to hang out with you. you can keep throwing around ideas if y'want, and tomorrow we can call all the Titans up and we'll knock our heads together til' we're doozy over this. tonight, though, can't it just be me and you ?    ”

[kmusicincontext-blog]

Discussion #1 - Venice

What are the problematic characteristics of current K-pop "fandom"? Would it be possible for idols to begin implementing a different relationship dynamic with their fans, and if so, how?

K-pop fandoms are intense. While fandoms in general do a great job showing love and support to their idols, K-pop fandoms especially go the extra mile to show their love and support, so that they can gain recognition, whether it be through jogong (tributes, for example, buying gifts for idols or a truck selling drinks and refreshments for the crew of a drama set the idol is starring in) or doing acts of service in the name of the idol (tree-planting, rice donation etc.), as we have learned during class. However, this love and support can end up causing problems for other fandoms, when these fans get overzealous in trying to gain recognition from their idols, resulting in the fandoms clashing with one another. This clashing between fandoms, can eventually result in what Tinaliga calls “toxic competitive performativity…[where] fans no longer just support their idols’ music and highlight their successes but in the process demean or even directly attack idols’ or fandoms just because their interests and beliefs don’t align” (2018: 4). I believe that this “toxic competitive performativity” is what results in fandoms being generalized in a non-favourable way. An example of this can be found in a Reddit thread under a post titled “What are aspects of Kpop fans that you can’t stand?”, and a user under the username raisin_ states that “[they] can’t stand those who will judge a groups fans based on the actions of just a few.”

Another problem with K-pop fandom lies within the anti-fandoms. Just like how fans will do everything and anything to support idols, anti-fans will try to find every way to harm these idols, whether it’d be the idol’s reputation or the physical well-being (for example death threats). One example of anti-fans harming an idol’s reputation is Tablo’s incident regarding his academic credentials. Anti-fans created online communities such as Sangchinse and Tachinyo, and through that “[accusing] Tablo of fabricating...evidence of his degree and [displaying] his personal documents” (Shin 2015: 133). By doing this, Tachinyo members “[placed Tablo’s life] under a microscope, and the smallest biographical details faced close public scrutiny” (Jung 2012: [3.5]).  Not only did these anti-fans invade Tablo’s privacy,  they also “[positioned him] as not only an individual fraud but also a public enemy” (Shin 2015, 140). These anti-fans were able to do this because they are convinced the ability to stay anonymous on an online platform allows them to say whatever they want, and vent out their frustrations (Shin 2015: 136). In some ways, anti-fans are similar to sasaeng fans, except instead of invading an idol’s private life in hopes for intimate relationships, anti-fans invade on an idol’s private life in order to find ways to damage their reputation and ruin their image to the public.

I think it would be possible for idols to begin implementing a different relationship dynamic with their fans, by stating explicitly their hopes and expectations for their fans, and to be aware of what their fans’ behaviour. This way, the idols will know what their fans are thinking, and maybe fandoms will be able to get along and support each other while supporting their idol groups.

Bibliography

Jung, Sun. 2012. "Fan Activism, Cybervigilantism, and Othering Mechanisms in K-pop Fandom." In  "Transformative Works and Fan Activism," edited by Henry Jenkins and Sangita Shresthova, special issue, Transformative Works and Cultures, no. 10.

Shin, Haerin. 2014. "The dynamics of K-pop spectatorship." In K-pop- The International Rise of the Korean Music Industry, by Roald Maliangkay JungBong Choi, 133-145. New York and London: Routledge.

Tinaliga, Brittany. “At war for OPPA and Identity: Competitive Performativity among Korean-Pop Fandoms.” Master’s Projects and Capstones (2018): 1-52.

“What are aspects of Kpop fans that you can’t stand?” reddit. 

https://www.reddit.com/r/kpop/comments/3eveun/what_are_aspects_of_kpop_fans_that_you_cant_stand/ (accessed 2019/01/22).

Responses:

There are many instances where the fans see their idol interacting with other idols, staff members, or even other fans, and have felt the sense of betrayal in the actions of their idol. Interestingly, their rage and sense of betrayal is directed towards the other party, not their particular idol, as they believe that they are 'perfect', and therefore, the other person's fault. These near-delusions seem quite far fetched, but happen quite often.

- Sarah

While I mostly agree about what you said, Venice, about how idols should explicitly their hopes and expectations for their fans, and to be aware of what their fans’ behaviour, I believe that this method will not always be the best. In cases like when Xiumin told his fans that he was receiving too many gifts, an idol explicitly stating what they want (or do not want) from fans is effective. However, in other cases, this method might be ineffective, and perhaps even backfire. For example, in the case of fandoms fighting with each other, if an idol tells their fans directly that they do not enjoy being supported by fans that demean other groups, the fans might revolt and accuse the idol of being non-appreciative of their love. On the other hand, if the idols simply show friendliness towards the rival group by mentioning the group in a good light on say, a variety show, then the fighting fandoms are more inclined to get along because of their idols’ friendship with each other.

- Emily

As Emily has stated, this is an issue that must be delicately handled. Fans even go at it amongst themselves trying to defend their respective idol/group, without either side backing down. Although in this case, the idol may not be directly involved, the virtual 'fanwars' can bring their image down, and even cause a bigger misunderstanding.

- Sarah

I definitely agree with what you’ve mentioned in your discussion, Venice. Fans do a great job of showing various kinds of support for their idols! However, as you mentioned, fans and fandom can definitely be a toxic environment. I’m part of some fandom’s online and I do see quite a lot of “fandom wars” because people disagree with what others say, which then results in users fighting with each other and even then insulting the idols they adore.

In terms of the second part of the question, I don’t necessarily agree that the idols should be aware of their fans behaviour. What I mean by this, is that how people act online (interacting with other fans from either the same or other fandoms) is something that no one can control. A lot of the negative interactions I see online stems from the fact that a lot of these people don’t understand how to have a healthy debate with each other. Like Emily noted in her comment, if an idol chooses to address things that happen between fandoms then it could lead to the fans turning their backs on their idols.

I do agree that idols need to change the dynamic between themselves and the fans; however, I think it will be very, very challenging thing to achieve and highly impossible.

-Kirin

Referring back to Emily’s comment regarding rival groups, Kirin’ comment on online behaviour, as well as fandoms fighting with eachother, I would like to point out the difference of fandom behaviours in real life, compared to those online. When fans are congregated in the same environment- for example, in our ASIA 327 classroom- even though everyone may be different in their favourite groups, we do not often see people fighting in the classroom regarding which K-pop group is more superior. It is rather interesting to notice that K-pop fans often behave more aggressively on the internet, when it comes fighting with those from rival groups, or expressing their own ideas. In real life, however, fans seem to be more quiet, and sometimes might act as if they respect their rival groups, when they actually think the opposite.  

-Lily

A little off topic, but I think there’s also a difference in how people interact on the internet versus in real life, since on the internet you can be anonymous, which could explain this dissonance -- this may allow for people to voice more “problematic” opinions and bash other groups to make their biases look better, etc. more easily as they are hiding under a ‘mask’, rather than, for example, (especially) in a classroom setting with an authority (the teacher) overlooking discussion where they may not feel as comfortable voicing these opinions in real life. Also people just enjoy reading drama on the internet so these opinions tend to just get more attention in the form of retweets and the like.

-Michelle

Because no one has done this yet, I would also like to present the relationship, viewpoints and actions of sasaeng fans in the K-pop fandom. (In text citations, as well as bibliography for quotes and examples I use will be attached as well.)

Everyone wants to be noticed by their idols, thus for some very devoted fans, they buy expensive, front row tickets to concerts, or spend huge amounts of money to buy bulks of albums, in order to attend fansigns; however, many groups with huge domestic and international fan base, such as EXO or BTS, have countless fans worldwide that not everyone could be remembered by names, not even close to becoming close friends with their beloved stars. In addition, K-pop idols are often busy and packed with schedules that they do not have time to notice each and every one of their fans, even though they might wish to.  One problematic characteristic of the current K-pop “fandom” is fans intruding their idols’ personal lives, in order to become remembered by them, even in a bad way. These are called Sasaeng fans.

Sasaeng fans’ behaviors began by the hypothesized desires for bodily connection to kpop idols, as well as being recognized by them (Williams 2016, 85). Sasaeng fans feel that if they attend a concert, there will be thousands of other people attending, and that their favorite stars would not know who they are. But as sasaeng fans, they will be recognized and noted by their idols (Park et al 2012).

On November 1st, 2018, an article in Allkpop stated that, GOT7 Yongjae’s fans were sending him messages to his personal social media account. They wanted to be recognized by Yongjae, and I think that they indeed have achieved their goals; however, not in a good way. Yongjae posted these photos onto his Instagram account, reminding his fans to give him personal space and privacy.

An article in Allkpop, published July 21st, 2018, stated that a Sasaeng fan called Baekhyun during his Instagram live. Instead of spending some time chatting with his fans during his busy schedule, it was interrupted by the sasaeng fan, and we could infer that he or she called Baekhyun only during the Instagram live, so it would be paused, thus he or she could be recognized by Baekhyun.

Thus, comparing to Venice’s discussion above, I rather think it would not be possible for idols to implement a different relationship with their fans. However, many idols still have different ways of recognizing their fans. In a safe way, of course.

On November 12th, 2018, an article on Kstarlive stated that Chanyeol sat beside a crying fan during a fan sign. This shows that Chanyeol deeply cares about his fans and acted rather like an older brother by sitting beside the crying fan, comforting her.

Also, even if fans did not spend huge amounts of money on front row seats in concerts, or go to fan signs, Baekhyun also replies to his fans on his twitter account!

I look forward to hearing more about everyone’s views on this topic!

- Lily

Similar to Lily's opinion, I too concur that it will be near impossible for the existence of these types of fans to cease. There always will be people who have their own views and opinions as to their methods of showing their love. I do believe that it is possible to keep these sorts of actions and incidents to a minimum with through the constant mutual understanding and abidance of common sense by the other fans. This sort of behaviour is certainly more memorable, but it is possible to overshadow these negative instances with a larger number of positive ones.

- Sarah

One thing with fandom I think worth discussing, which I think is related to Lily’s response but to a far lesser extreme, is the sense of entitlement that often comes with supporting idols. Many fans dedicate and invest hours upon hours on end, and huge sums of money to support their “bias”, which often creates feeling as though they’re entitled for something back. Of course, that is not to say that fans do not deserve ANYTHING back. Oftentimes it is enough for fans to see their idols happy and successful. Usually, efforts to work hard on stage, act cute or charismatic and engaging with the fans in a healthy way is suffice to “repay” that sense of entitlement. It only becomes problematic when this sense of entitlement becomes delusion.

Many fans fall in “love” with their bias. I for one am guilty of this, often referring to my bias as my “husband” out of affection for example. But sometimes, when this gets coupled with entitlement, fans may feel like they actually deserve to date or marry their idol, and that the idol should not be romantically involved with anyone else. They begin wanting to know everything of their personal lives, and creating almost a fantasy wherein they are in a relationship with that idol, and when the idol does something to break that fantasy (dating scandal, etc) it creates anger for the fan. This can lead to dangerous behaviours, even going as far as situations such as death threats (as seen in APink). This is also often why fangirls get such a bad reputation, as those outside of fandoms see them as delusional and perhaps crazy.

Another issue about this is that this sense of entitlement is often reinforced by idols. When asked about their “ideal type” or if they have a boyfriend or girlfriend, many idols will attempt to please their fans by saying stuff such as “my ideal type is (insert their fanclub name here)” or “my fans are my boyfriends!”. While these playful, albeit somewhat cringey responses seem harmless to most, to some it may reinforce these feelings of entitlement and delusion, further causing them to feel like they and the idol are soulmates and MUST get married or whatnot.

Another side of the issue of entitlement is when fans perceive an idol to not do enough for their fans. An example of this is BlackPink’s Jennie’s controversy of being lazy on stage. While a number of fans tried to provide reasons for her lack of energy on stage, it still caused many people to feel upset as Jennie did not perform during their concerts nearly as energetic or as well compared to her group members or as well as she has in the past. She would on occasion forget her lines, despite only having like 4 songs to remember, causing more criticism. Whether or not she was being lazy, or had some ongoing issue to cause this, we don’t have the answer, and I’m not trying to bash Jennie. However, would you pay $100+ for an idol to not even try to give a good performance? Situations like these often justify fans’ feelings of entitlement.

- Michelle

Bibliography (Lily’s Responses):

“EXO’s sasaeng fan admits to calling Baekhyun during Instagram live after multiple denials.” Allkpop.

https://www.allkpop.com/article/2018/07/exos-sasaeng-fan-admits-to-calling-baekhyun-during-instagram-live-after-multiple-denials/ (accessed 1/20/2019).

“GOT7’s Yongjae reveals more of the messages he received from sasaeng fans.” Allkpop.

https://www.allkpop.com/article/2018/11/got7s-youngjae-reveals-more-of-the-messages-he-received-from-sasaeng-fans/ (accessed 1/20/2019).

Park, S.Y., Park, J.I., & Yang, S.M. “[ENG SUB] In Depth Look of Sasaeng Life”, YouTube video, 9:45, posted by “JVD”, March 23, 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QEDhh89ZLs&feature=youtu.be

“This One Fan Could Not Stop Crying for the Whole Fan Meeting… This is What Chanyeol Did to Her.” Kstarlive.

http://www.kstarlive.com/This-One-Fan-Could-not-Stop-Crying-for-the-Whole-Fan-Meeting----This-is-What-Chanyeol-Did-to-Her-602328/ (accessed 1/20/2019).

Williams, J. Patrick. "Negotiating Fan Identities in K-Pop Music Culture." Symbolic Interactionist Takes on Music (Studies in Symbolic Interaction), no.47 (2016): 81-96.

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