From idol obsession to simping for fictional characters, why can we kind one sided, parasocial relationships, and the way does this manifest in East Asia?
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro + notorious parasocial instances
2:38 What are parasocial relationships?
6:14 China pt 1: Parakin followers exerting stress
13:17 China pt 2: Parasocial relationships in escaping stress
21:52 Korea: Cultivating parasocial relationships
29:24 Japan: Creating lasting parasocial bonds
37:56 Conclusion
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Sources referenced
Tutorial papers
Derrick, J. L, et al. (2008). Parasocial relationships and self-discrepancies: Fake relationships have advantages for low shallowness people. Private Relationships, 15(2), 261β280. doi:10.1111/j.1475-6811.2008.00197.x
Jung, S. (2011). Fan activism, cybervigilantism, and Othering mechanisms in Okay-pop fandom. Transformative Works and Cultures, 10. doi:
Lax, G. and Mackenzie, M. (2019). Towards All Odds: Need and Monetisation in Japanese Cellular Video games. [online] Out there at:
Reysen, S. et al. (2021). Transported to a different world : the psychology of anime followers. Commerce, Texas: Worldwide Anime Analysis Challenge.
Shibuya, A. et al. (2019). Male and Feminine Recreation Gamersβ Preferences for Recreation Characters and Actual-world Personalities in Japan. [online] Out there at:
Tukachinsky, R. H. (2011). Para-romantic love and para-friendships: Improvement and evaluation of a multiple-parasocial relationships scale. American Journal of Media Psychology, 3(1/2), 73-94.
Weru, J. (2023). You Donβt Know Me, however I Love You: Parasocial Relationships and Their Impacts. Rising Writers, [online] 6, p.10. Out there at: [Accessed 15 Jul. 2023].
Zhou, N. (2021). Parasocial Relationships in Social Contexts: Why do Gamers View a Recreation Character as Their Youngster? Recreation Research, [online] 21(2). Out there at:
Zhuang, L. (2019). The Influences of Idol Impact on the Buying Choices of Their Followers. [online] www.atlantis-press.com. doi:
Internet articles
[Anon.] (2022). Okay-pop is being trashed: the waste behind it. [online] Novasia. Out there at:
[Anon.] (2020). 9 Of EXOβs Worst Experiences With Sasaeng Followers. [online] Out there at:
Dong, X. (2016). Elder Rights in China. JAMA inner medication, [online] 176(10), pp.1429β1430. doi:
Fany et al. (2022). The Okay-pop followers economic system: emotional bond, countless assist and overconsumption. TFR. [online] Out there at:
Wang, L. (2021). Chinese language Idol Present Shut Down Over Spilled Milk. [online] SixthTone. Out there at:
BGM references
EXO – Obsession, cowl by Johnny:
Demongummies – Zero (lofi combine)
Massobeats – midnight
Music Limitless – documentary BGM
Anime used for transitions: Good blue
Thanks for watching π and wow, in case you’re nonetheless right here, look here is an otter: π¦¦
tags: video essay, cultural commentary, social commentary, web evaluation, evaluation video, parasocial relationships, parasocial interactions, one sided relationship, societal stress, china, korea, japan, east asia, asian expectation, asian household, obligation, household expectation, filial piety, kpop, jpop, cpop, followers, fandom, bts, bts military, fan tradition, obsession, sasaeng, parakin, kpop followers, idol, korean idol, movie star, movie star tradition, obsessed followers, devoted followers, fandom energy, management, youth with you, idol actuality present, anime, fictional characters, genshin affect, gacha, otome video games, courting simulation, on-line, on-line mates, madisyn brown, salem tovar, shanspeare, kidology, accented cinema, stephanie soo, olisunvia, kookielit, edvasian, aini
source
Are you an aussie? Your accent is very similar, or are you british?
Thank you for explaining this. Delving into c-drama and k-pop and tiktok made me almost scared how unhealthy some fandoms are. It is very interesting to get the backstory to this.
i liked kpop for a long time, and kind of have revisited it with distance the past few years. i have definitely been able to notice more when i am really feeling parasocial with it, as in highschool i was DEEPLY obsessed with it. i listen casully and watch youtube videos about them, but it wont ever get to that place again where i was before because of things (like this video is saying). the parasocialness is unhealthy for the givers and the recievers. idols can be held accountable for their actions as well. i cannot bare to watch fancalls, have weverse, or vlive, as its literally all strange exploitation of the idols themselves. its very true about more access over anything especially in the kpop universe now. personal ig pages, selfies every day/week, fancalls, weverse posts, tiktok challenges, dance challenges. its all bizarre. i dont know who to feel for anymore, i certainly dont feel for the idols nor the fans. but i think thats the best way to look at it, its fun but⦠you have to know the distance you need from it to feel happy with yourself, and your life. seeing it for what it truly is, is super super important, thank you for this video!
I'm so glad a younger, less mentally well, much more obsessive me did not have access to money or self confidence to actually go too far with any of my parasocial relationships. Even now I collect a lot of prints and little figures and plushes of things and characters I like because looking at (and touching for the plushes and dolls) genuinely gives me bursts of serotonin – I genuinely consider them a sort of mental health product. But I know how to manage my finances and even if there's something I really want, if it's too expensive or something I'm well enough to go without it and it won't cause overwhelming distress. A younger, less well version of me would've been different.
Also Kirby's been a favorite character since early childhood who I absolutely have a parasocial relationship with, I love keeping him near and listening to soundtrack music and looking at his little smile genuinely soothes something in me, so I set my phone theme to picture and icons of him and have a phone widget that's a little flipbook album of "happy" pictures that's full of him, and genuinely it helps me so often to look at him for a second. Yes he's fake but also he's my friend who roots for me and I sincirely love him.
No wonder so many are so messed up.
as an avid enjoyer of the ensemble star franchise being an leo tsukinaga oshi, i saw myself in this video teehee *+..~ it was super informative getting a glimps of what other fandoms look like/what people in other countries do. i would love to hear more about the chinese side of things, plus if you want to ge deeper into the japanese fandom/oshi culture, there is so much to uncover, you will not be dissapointed!
Right…
As a ex kpop fan, I have pondered on this for very long and I realised the parasocial relationship was because of not having a solid group of friends or no love life (like they show in tv for high schools) but as my situation and I improved, and all the lack things became something I had plenty of and was secure, during that transition I simply strayed away from kpop and got into western pop or Taylor Swift specifically, also, the music, I still listen to it sometimes but it's not my primary taste anymore. I do realise how fucked up it was now :')
As someone who is an active ARMY and fully leans into the parasocial relationship, I think it's absolutely essential for one to understand parasocial relationships before they engage. I've been a fan since the stay gold era, and was aware the entire time that my feelings were parasocial and being manipulated for money. This year will have been my fourth in the fandom, and every day I am more astonished by the lack of awareness we have when it comes to boundaries and respect for autonomy. I like to project my feelings onto them in my life, but in no way would I want that to bleed into theirs. My wants are mine alone, and it's not fair of me to expect someone else to cater to them even if I support them with everything I have. That's MY decision and my prerogative. I am an active twitter stan, and I participate in fundraising, streaming goals, image protection, and pr stunts daily. It is hours and hours of unpaid labor. When I look at it from a third party perspective, I'm being absolutely ridiculous and I need to get my shit together. But it makes me feel good to take care of the people I love, even if they aren't aware my my contribution is barely a drop in the bucket. We all need to seriously teach people who get sucked into these predatory schemes and help them make educated decisions before going forward, for their sake and for the sake of their idols.
Surprising how many mentally fucked up people there are in the world roaming free.
If you have a cat you might be in a parasocial relationship πππ
I categorise my positive feelings towards people to reinforce how I should feel towards those people. Idols and celebs are in the "admiration" camp, I can act like a fanatic and share everything abt them to others, but they are in a different world from mine. Fictional characters are in their own camp, its all no real so I should already know the boundaries.
While I'm still, like, pretty active in my fandoms, and I do still get that anxiety from scandals, I've had more and more moments of me stepping back and going "lmao they're paid to do this." And, like, 4 years ago I would have been super upset by this realization but now it's just like. Yeah. Like yeah that's simply it. And it's very interesting to look back at myself from 5 years ago, the girl who would jump on BTS content IMMEDIATELY, to one who's just in her own space now while still being pretty active. Idk TT like I'm not gonna say I'm over my parasocial relationships because I'm not by any means but I've definitely matured, and me watching videos like this without losing my shit proves that to myself <3
Some of these fans are clearly infatuated with the idea of idols they create in their headπ. They don't really support the person. They're only after the unrealistic image of that person that they imagined and twisted into their own sense of reality.
holy cook
The only time I feel it's reasonable to idolize another person, is if they are masters of their craft, celebrity or not, and their craft just so happens to be your passion/hobby.
itβs crazy that some people are so obsessed with someone that will never know they exist
I have seen how Chinese and some other fans are so obsessed with their idol that affected idol at some point. There is no freedom for idols there. They will be like mouse and cat chase.π’π’π’π’.
I think the problem is they represent themselves too perfect and that backfire them by obsessed fans. According to Chinese govt. Idols considered should be considered a role model in their life that shows fake double face of so many idols who don't show true face in public. Freedom of expression is not there. They just talk too sweetly, which kind of funny
15:10 The Cultural Revolution didn't happen in the 1980's but between 1966 until 1976, the year Mao Zedong died.
Ya I never understood the idol thing as a guy.
I never understood idolizing people in entertainment. The only people worth idolizing are people who do actual good deeds.
I feel like Iβm America, para-social relationships are looked down on a bit more, or the celebrities are able to respond a bit more independently. The amount of power para-social fans have over in Asia is scary
That first story is wild, was the dad mentally ill? Why would he sell his house so his daughter meets a celebrity? Dude was not right.
You are pretty! I'M from Buenos Aires
Great video
IMO: developed countries have these types of problems.
LEE KNOW I LOVE YOU
LEE KNOW TE AMO HOMBRE DE MI VIDAππππ
girl u need lee know in your life
Should say dangers of one-sided lust on the thumbnail
1:41 only child syndrome Affects only children their parents and they become a nuisance to society. Chinese law cteated a whole generation of only children who are maladjusted.