Obsessive pop fans strike discordant note
Significant impact
An article about fans' mentality, posted on the question-and-answer website Zhihu by Beijing Normal University's psychology department, states, "Since fans form bonds in their mind with idols, they are able to fantasize that they have the celebrity's characteristics and can feel better about themselves.
"Teenagers, especially girls, tend to worship pop stars, who they see as good-looking, talented and hardworking. They find satisfaction, companionship, engagement and confidence by participating in activities related to their idols."
The global rise of K-pop in the past two decades has had a significant impact on the younger generation in China. In recent years, the country's entertainment industry has also witnessed exceptional growth in the number of young potential idols, known as trainees, who are mostly teenagers and receive professional training in singing and dancing to become pop idols.
There are also a rapidly growing number of competitive online reality shows, which produce solo pop stars and boy or girl groups.
The growth of the entertainment industry and these reality shows have produced a booming "fan circle" sub-culture.
Sun Jiashan, a researcher at the Chinese National Academy of Arts, said the sub-culture has changed drastically on the Chinese mainland. During the 1980s and 1990s, pop stars from Hong Kong and Taiwan dominated the entertainment market. Fans expressed their love for their favorite stars by going to their concerts, fan-meeting events and collecting products related to their idols.
Now, with the growing impact of social media platforms, stars share their lives and fans take part in and contribute to their idols' work, from the early days of training to the start of their careers.
"Pop idols and their fans are now closer than before, because of social media platforms. However, some bad behavior by fans and misconduct by entertainment companies have brought chaos to the market, which needs to be regulated," Sun said.
