Can KPOP survive without Parasocial Relationships?

  • The other day I was watching PD of Form of Therapy (youtube channel) reacting to Girls Planet 999. He brought up some comments made by others about the fact that the industry makes money on these parasocial relationships you're talking about.


    And he replied something like this: yes, the industry makes money on these feelings of love, of care that the fans have towards their idols. But is that really an issue? Isn't it better than to make money on fear, hate, distrust and such? I thought he had a good point.


    At the end of the day, it's up to everyone to know their place.

  • Of course the industry could survive without parasocial relationships.


    The numbers they'd be getting though? It'd be nothing similar to what it is now.


    Like I don't think the hits are reliant on the parasocial aspect, but the album numbers definitely are.

  • You'd probably see an end to album sales being kpop's biggest money maker. But I think kpop could still survive without parasocial relationships.

    I think if we looked at the khh and krnb side, that can give us an idea of how kpop would function if they didn't rely on parasocial relationships as much.


    It never was.

  • hard question to ask in a vacuum the simple answer is of course it will survive but it might not be the same kpop as we know it today


    would certain groups have less sales and fans - maybe probably

  • Nope. Half of these groups would not even sell half a million. Companies rely on fans who are obsessed and super bonded towards their groups to keep their sales up. Parasocial relationships are good for anything, just look at YouTubers with fans that have been there since day one still supporting them because they believe that they know that YouTuber now on a personal level. Kpop would NOT be as big at all.

  • The other day I was watching PD of Form of Therapy (youtube channel) reacting to Girls Planet 999. He brought up some comments made by others about the fact that the industry makes money on these parasocial relationships you're talking about.


    And he replied something like this: yes, the industry makes money on these feelings of love, of care that the fans have towards their idols. But is that really an issue? Isn't it better than to make money on fear, hate, distrust and such? I thought he had a good point.


    At the end of the day, it's up to everyone to know their place.

    While i agree that it's better to use "love" instead of fear i still find it unhealthy when kpop fans become delusional to the point of thinking their idols actually love them or when they feel like they know them or call them cringe names like "omg (insert idol) is the most precious thing i the world he is oh so perfect", i am obviously talking about the hardcore cases, i think we all have said things like "awww (idol) is so cute i love her" but as long as we aren't delusional i think is fine, like you said at the end of the day they aren't hurting anyone (well most of the time) i think people should remember the most idols don't even show their true self, but while i think most people know this they also think "but my idols is one of the esceptions" or "some of them do act the way they are like my idol" at the end of the day kpop is a business and idols will market themselves in a desireable way to have a lot of funs, either by portraying themselves as pure, innocent, etc

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