Idolisation and Parasocial Relationships: How Falling in Love With Your Celebrity Crush is Marketable
By Secretive Plotter
On the comments section of any post of any celebrity that’s of the correct age (eligible) and appearance (hot), two types of comments stand out: those that yell indistinguishable phrases, only the word “DADDY” being legible, and others which mention “husband” or “wife”. These two phrases usually differ in number depending on the type of post. If the celebrity is smiling dashingly at the camera, winking, the comments tend to gush over them, begging to be ‘Wifed Up’. If the post is in black and white, tantalising muscle or an expanse of smooth skin exposed, the comments would be full of thirsty comments, such as those filled with emojis “🔥🥵💦” and practically feral screams.
As celebrities become more enticingly eligible, pictures posted practically every day from the mundane coffee run to the sick concert shots, as information is pried out of them for their ideal type, as they lean into the “eligible bachelor/bachelorette” slant that their audience so loves, more and more of their fans fall into what is called a parasocial relationship–and if you haven’t clocked it already, this phenomenon is most common in the K-Pop spaces. K-Pop has grown tremendously from its hip-hop and techno origins in the 1990s, to one with incredibly diverse music and fans. Along with the huge global growth in fame comes a change in K-Pop culture, where, alongside the music, K-Pop fans are invited to see into the lives of their favourite artists via livestreams and vlogs, and meet them at fanmeets and live calls. K-Pop artists’ entire lives are broadcasted for their fans to see. As their fans consume more content and get to know their media personas better, as they meet them up close and are treated kindly, as they buy their merchandise and concert tickets–a one-way bond is formed between the fan and the artist.
While most fans are aware that their celebrity crushes are fundamentally unattainable, a select few are convinced that they will be the exception to the rule–one out of millions of fans. Some of these fans, in their obsession, stalk their idols, following them to hotel rooms, finding out their addresses, and lurking in the lobbies of their company buildings. These fans, labelled “sasaengs” in South Korea, are a prime example of parasocial relationships gone very wrong. Not only do they invade the privacy of people whose lives are already so public, but they are also criminals who filch the property of idols in acts of gross indecency, all in the name of recognition from their favourite idol.
Yet, parasocial relationships aren’t inherently negative. Although most people criticise K-Pop fans for being “delusional” and for forming a parasocial relationship in the first place, they actually lack an understanding of what a parasocial relationship can be. It’s simply a one-sided relationship where one person extends emotional energy, time and money on a person while the other doesn’t know that they exist, and manifests in any fascination with a celebrity, sports team, or athlete. They’re often a relief from the burdens from complementary relationships, and a way to model and identify with an empathetic individual they relate to. As people become more isolated from the people around them, and closer to the world embodied through our devices, parasocial relationships are a way to provide companionship and relatability.
Companies and agencies are aware that fans will do anything to get closer to their idols–marketing albums, lightsticks, fan meetings, subscriptions, merchandise, in order to profit off of the idols’ image. You want things to remind you of your idol, to show off your liking for that idol–and the companies know it. Why else would they release new merchandise, announce new collaborations, and appearances at festivals every week? Why else would they create a subscription website for live streams–one subscription for each member? Even the free content is an investment for the paid stuff–the more emotionally invested you are, the more money they can rob you off. Most fans are happy to do it and support their artists, but it is important to be aware that very few of it can go to the company’s artists if the company is money-hungry.
Overall, parasocial relationships are very much a thing, and are very easy ways for corporate greed to flourish. It is important, as a fan, to be aware of how to be a healthy one and to not endanger the safety of yourself and your idol.