A Study on the Fandom Culture of Chinese Virtual Idol based on Henry Jenkins' Fandom Culture Theory

February 28, 2023  |  Vol.9, No.2  |  PP. 509-520  | PDF

AUTHORS:

Wei Wang, Dept. of Visual Contents, Dongseo University, Korea

Seungwoo Cho, Dept. of Visual Contents, Dongseo University, Korea

Hyewon Koo, the 4th Brain Korea 21 Project Future Visual Contents Innovation Convergence Education Research Group, Dongseo University, Korea

KEYWORDS:

Virtual Idol, Henry Jenkins, Fandom Culture, Participatory Culture, Textual Poachers

Abstract

Henry Jenkins’ concept of “Textual Poachers” dealt with the tension between the producer of the text and fans who appropriates the text. However, the tension between producers and consumers has been resolved by transferring the official agency’s authority to build and nurture idols to fans in Chinese virtual idol fandom culture. The relationship between fans and idols has also shifted from one-sided dependence to symbiosis by building a clear reciprocity between them. Therefore, fans have become creators with the important roles and meanings as idol’s agencies, not just poachers of text. The form of media has changed with the times, and this change has led to the reversal and transfer of media power relations. Fans have undergone changes in their status from a complete audience to a participant who takes the initiative. Especially, fans of Chinese virtual idols are empowered to create virtual idols’ works and personalities by themselves because they got the maximum space of creation and the initiative for their idols. Thus, fans’ participation activities are no longer limited to the "reproduction" of meta-text, but can enter the "production" process of meta-text in a true sense. The fan-participating culture of Chinese virtual idols shows new characteristics such as more generalized public participation, reversal of power between producers and fans, and products of fans that easily enter the mainstream.

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References:

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Citations:

APA:
Wang, W., Cho, S., Koo, H. (2023). A Study on the Fandom Culture of Chinese Virtual Idol based on Henry Jenkins' Fandom Culture Theory. Asia-pacific Journal of Convergent Research Interchange (APJCRI), ISSN: 2508-9080 (Print); 2671-5325 (Online), KCTRS, 9(2), 509-520. doi: 10.47116/apjcri.2023.02.41

MLA:
Wang, Wei, et al. “A Study on the Fandom Culture of Chinese Virtual Idol based on Henry Jenkins' Fandom Culture Theory.” Asia-pacific Journal of Convergent Research Interchange, ISSN: 2508-9080 (Print); 2671-5325 (Online), KCTRS, vol. 9, no. 2, 2023, pp. 509-520. APJCRI, http://fucos.or.kr/journal/APJCRI/Articles/v9n2/41.html.

IEEE:
[1] W. Wang, S. Cho, H. Koo, “A Study on the Fandom Culture of Chinese Virtual Idol based on Henry Jenkins' Fandom Culture Theory.” Asia-pacific Journal of Convergent Research Interchange (APJCRI), ISSN: 2508-9080 (Print); 2671-5325 (Online), KCTRS, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 509-520, February 2023.

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