K-pop music has taken the world by storm, but the glorification of celebrity life conceals the difficulties that K-pop idols endure, such as the commodification of dating due to the contracts they sign to debut. These restrictions that talent agencies impose on idols can be an infringement on their human rights and also negatively influence their mental health; the high maintenance of their relationship status can also have an effect on how their fans perceive them. Female fans can develop parasocial relationships with celebrities, possibly leading to an unhealthy obsession that converts them into stalkers who place idols’ well-being in jeopardy. This study aims to analyze the limitation on the dating of male K-pop idols to scrutinize its effect on the aforementioned stars and their female fans. This gives rise to the question: How can we hold stalkers accountable and have authorities involved to prevent male K-pop idols’ stress and anxiety? I investigated how the commodification of personal lives can have a toll on people, and I explored attributes of parasocial relationship development. Additionally, I examined posts made by stalkers and idols on social media and also observed methods used in the past that were made to protect famous people in the entertainment industry in other Asian countries. All current studies seemingly indicate that stalking affects its victims and that actions should be taken to defend celebrities from both fanatics’ immoral activities and their companies’ extreme supervision, but the link between the works I have inspected may not be substantial. Further steps involve having the government and non-profit organizations in South Korea band together to hold stalkers accountable for their actions, provide resources to promote idols’ mental well-being, and regulate the talent agencies’ contracts to achieve the rehumanization of K-pop idols.
The Anxiety and Stress Induced By Parasocial Relationships Formed Between Female Fans and Male K-Pop Idols
Category
Psychology 2