My personal experience, but when the pandemic hit (a little after 4th gen started) I stayed at home like everyone else and was really only online, that was the outlet. It fucks with me, it fucks with almost everyone especially teens that are still emotionally developing, to grow up in this environment and become chronically online. There's a jarring sense of melodramatics and dwindling empathy—which, mind you, has always existed in the Kpop fandom, but the pandemic heightened these effects and some fans misdirect that towards idols and hyperfixate on them.
