The Transnational K-Pop Industry's Influence on Feminist

Narratives in China: The Role of Fandom Culture

Zijun Xu

School of Media and Communication, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea

Keywords: K-Pop, Fandom, Sino-Korean Culture, Feminism, Social Media.

Abstract: Although the relationship between feminist discourse and the K-pop industry has gained increasing attention,

the role of transnational popular culture in contributing diffusion of feminist narratives in China remains

insufficiently explored. Employing Parasocial Interaction Theory and Agenda-Setting Theory, the research

highlights how mediated intimacy with idols fosters feminist engagement among fans. Through large-scale

digital platforms such as Weibo, fans' emotional bonds with idols translate into active discussion and diffusion

of feminist expressions, which are subsequently amplified by Chinese media outlets. This dual mechanism

enables feminist discourse to transcend the boundaries of fan communities and enter public consciousness.

Findings reveal that K-pop is not merely an entertainment product but a transnational cultural force that can

facilitate ideological shifts. In this context, fan-based interactions serve as a catalyst for transforming celebrity

actions into public feminist dialogue. The study thus contributes to the broader understanding of how global

pop culture intersects with local social movements in digital China.

1 INTRODUCTION

In recent years, the intersection of K-pop culture and

feminist discourse has gained significant scholarly

attention. Since February 2015, the emergence of the

first major online feminist movement in South Korea,

#Iamfeminist, marks a significant cultural conflict

between feminism and pervasive misogyny (Kim,

2021 & Shen, 2023). In response to this societal

evolution, the K-pop industry started to seamlessly

integrate feminist narratives into massive products

and marketing strategies.

The influence of constructions of girl power, a

new image of being powerful, fearless and

independent, is still a matter of debate. Sun et.al

critically assess this trend, highlighting that while

some fans and scholars regard girl crush style as

female empowerment that successfully challenges

traditional representation of femininity, others reject

it by arguing it is nothing but a commercialized

product rather than a genuine feminist expression (He,

2024 & Sun & Paje et al, 2022). Some still hold the

point that girl crush style is still sexy and appealing to

the male gaze, which intensifies the existing

patriarchal system and reinforces gender norms (Lu,

2023 & Li, 2024). This dichotomy underscores the

complexity of interpreting the feminist message

generated by the K-pop industry.

In recent years, the growing engagement of South

Korean celebrities with feminist discourse has

prompted large-scale discussions across Chinese

social media platforms. This development has led to

an emerging body of Chinese scholarship that

investigates the K-pop industry's role in shaping

feminist consciousness among its fans. Zheng

highlights how fans of BTS and Blackpink interpret

gender performances and social messages. It finds out

that BTS's emotional expressiveness and critique of

masculinity resonate with progressive male fans,

while Blackpink's confident, independent image

encourages female fans to engage with feminist ideals

(Zheng, 2023). In addition, Jin further narrows down

the scope to the role of K-pop in shaping feminist

narratives on social media platforms in China,

concluding that K-pop influences Chinese fans and

audiences through idols' advocacy and lyrics (Jin,

2023). Two studies confirm that K-pop serves as a

primary conduit to pass Korean feminist narratives to

Chinese audiences.

This study aims to investigate an underexplored

relationship between K-pop fandom culture and the

evolution of feminist discourse in China within the

frame of Parasocial Interaction Theory and Agenda-

204

Xu, Z.

The Transnational K-Pop Industry’s Inﬂuence on Feminist Narratives in China: The Role of Fandom Culture.

DOI: 10.5220/0014359400004859

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Politics, Law, and Social Science (ICPLSS 2025), pages 204-209

ISBN: 978-989-758-785-6

Setting Theory. While existing scholarship has

primarily examined how K-pop idols and industry

influence gender representation and empowerment,

relatively little attention has been given to the

transformative role of fandom communities as active

agents in constructing and disseminating feminist

narratives. By analyzing how digital fan practices

facilitate the articulation and circulation of feminist

ideas, this study seeks to fill a gap in transnational

feminist research. It further provides a nuanced

understanding of how popular culture--particularly

within the context of Chinese media flows--can

function as a vehicle for social consciousness and

gender-related discourse.

2 THE RISE OF K-POP CULTURE

IN CHINA

The term Hallyu, or Korean Wave, was first coined

by Chinese media in the 1990s to describe the

growing influence of South Korean popular culture,

particularly among young women in China (Jin, 2023

& Kim, 2015). China was not only an early adopter

but also became one of the largest overseas markets

for Korean cultural exports (Sun, 2020). Scholars

argue that cultural proximity is a key driving force

behind this success, as East Asian societies share

similar values and aesthetics shaped by cultural

exchange since ancient times (Chen, 2018).

Moreover, South Korea effectively localized Western

popular culture into a form more compatible with

East Asian sensibilities, acting as a cultural

intermediary between East and West (Kim, 2021). As

a result, K-pop culture has become one of the most

culturally acceptable forms of foreign popular culture

among Chinese audiences. With its expanding fan

base, it has also emerged as an increasingly visible

and influential subculture within Chinese society.

According to Sun, the evolution of Hallyu in

China can be divided into three phases, each shaped

by changes in media technology (Sun, 2020). The

first phase (mid-1990s to early 2000s) was dominated

by Korean dramas (K-dramas), with titles like Jewel

in the Palace achieving widespread popularity among

middle-aged women (Sun, 2020 & Jang, 2012). The

second phase (2005-2013) marked the rise of K-pop

idol culture. As internet platforms like Baidu Forums

(it used to be the major Chinese forum) expanded, the

distribution of Korean content moved beyond

traditional TV, and the target demographic shifted to

younger audiences (Ahn, 2012). During this time,

Hallyu diversified to include not only K-pop idols and

hit dramas like My Love from the Star but also

Chinese reality shows adapted from Korean formats,

such as Where Are You Going, Dad? .

Since 2013, the Korean Wave has entered its third

phase with the rise of Sina Weibo, or Weibo, among

Chinese youth, marked by the mature development of

K-pop fandom culture. Fan communities evolved into

complex and systematic ecosystems engaging not

only with idols but also with politics, fashion trends,

and social issues. Given the varying influence and

target audiences across the three phases of the Korean

Wave, it is necessary to note that this paper

specifically focuses on how K-pop culture has shaped

feminist narratives in China during the third phase,

where K-pop culture mainly gains its development on

Weibo.

3 THE STRUCTURE OF K-POP

FANDOM CULTURE IN CHINA

The term fan is described as a person who actively

engages in supporting or admiring something--such

as an object or person--and fandom refers to a group

of fans who voluntarily come together to support their

admired objects or people (Hellekson, 2015). Chen

has argued that fandom culture is a participatory

culture that consumes a culture while producing it

(Chen, 2018). It is a culture that transforms from

media consumption to produce new texts, culture, and

community. Accordingly, Chinese K-pop fandom

culture has gradually developed into a systematic

cultural regime governed by its norms and hierarchies

rather than being an entirely free-form (Sun, 2020).

Since the rise of Sina Weibo, the major digital space

where fans interact, among young Chinese users, K-

pop fandom culture has gradually coalesced around

three leading components: Official fan clubs, fan

leaders, and translation aggregator accounts.

3.1 Official Fan Clubs

After 2013, K-pop fan clubs emerged as the main

backbone of the fandom regime on Weibo, originally

transplanted from the Baidu Forum. These "official"

fan clubs are now run by Chinese fans rather than by

Korean entertainment companies' staff (Chen, 2018).

Official fan clubs serve as a primary information hub

for Chinese fans, and any information as long as it

relates to their idols will be uploaded by the fan club.

As official fan clubs are carrying out such heavy

workload of works, members from official fan club

are recruited through formal application process, and

The Transnational K-Pop Industry’s Inﬂuence on Feminist Narratives in China: The Role of Fandom Culture

205

assume specialized roles according to their talents --

translation teams convert Korean-language news and

social-media posts into Chinese; design teams

produce graphics and subtitled videos; writing teams

craft contents for celebrating idols' birthdays or

letters; and operations teams schedule and publish

posts. Although all members working for the official

fan club work voluntarily, their coordination and

collaboration resemble that of a formal organization.

Beyond daily operations about information

release, the official fan club also plays a crucial role

in bulk album purchase--an important indicator of K-

pop idols' commercial value. First-week album

purchase is specially valued in South Korea, as it

contributes to music chart ranking and total

performances (Sun, 2020). To facilitate international

purchases, official fan clubs work with Korean

retailers (e.g., Ktown4u) and are responsible for

organizing large-scale buys. To push up sales, the

official fan club also produces "fan products"

(blanket, budget, photo frame, etc) printed with idols'

photos, which are available once a certain threshold

is met. Moreover, official fan clubs organize

collective actions--organizing a charity donation,

sending feedback or complaints to idol agencies,

fundraising for supporting events, and collaborating

with other official fan clubs. Thereby, fan clubs

exercise leadership within the fandom culture,

functioning as a surrogate for the entertainment

agency within the fandom. It not only serves as the

authoritative source of information for fans but also

often becomes the first point of contact for non-fans

seeking to learn about the idol. In this sense, the fan

club effectively represents the public image of the

idol in China. Consequently, the fan club has become

an indispensable institution within the structure of

Chinese fandom.

3.2 Fan Leaders

Popular fan leaders refer to an influential figure that

has a large number of fans who function as opinion

leaders, cultural intermediaries, and economic agents

(Wu, 2021). Wu once argued that a small number of

fan leaders exercise disproportionate control over a

large number of individual fans (Wu, 2021). They are

responsible for decoding messages related to their

idols, providing their interpretations and setting a

collective agenda, organizing fan activities, and

uniting individual fans. In hierarchical fandom

culture, fan leaders occupy a superior status, shaping

group attitudes and behaviors (Roslan & Nasharuddin

et al, 2024). Empirically, fan leaders can be

categorized into a) promotional-only leaders who

focus on sharing aesthetic contents, b) aggressive

leaders known for in-fandom conflicts and toxic solo

stan c) advocacy-oriented leaders who focus on

advocating for their idols' rights and expressing their

ideas. Different from aggressive leaders, advocacy-

oriented figures are not inclined to attack other idols

and get involved in fierce fan conflicts, but more

likely to focus on expressing their ideas and sharing

idol-related content. Although fan leaders can be

roughly classified into these three types, most of the

leading figures combine elements from multiple

types.

Recent scholarship highlights the significant

power and authority Chinese fan leaders wield in

shaping fan behaviors within Chinese fandom culture.

Fan leaders in Chinese fandom culture use

empowerment, incentives, and crisis narratives to

inspire emotional and economic contributions (Xiao,

2024). These influential fan leaders disseminate

strategic directives and direct fans to engage in large-

scale coordinated activities--ranging from data

boosting and album purchasing to online

engagement--to bolster their idol's success. In

addition, fan leaders cultivate a sense of duty among

followers, leading to a collective conformity over

autonomy (Wu, 2021). Their power stems from their

high status, digital fluency, and ability to foster

collective identity among fans. This top-down

influence underscores their pivotal role in China's

fandom economy and media ecosystems.

3.3 Translation Accounts

Translation accounts are an indispensable component

of Chinese K-pop fandom culture, even though they

are different from official fan clubs and fan leaders.

Popular in recent years, translation accounts are

mostly run by individuals who are fluent in Korean

and knowledgeable about Korean popular culture.

Unlike official fan clubs and fan leaders who serve

only one idol, they don't have a bias one. They usually

curate and translate high-interest news for the whole

K-pop industry, sometimes even including socio-

political, economic, and cultural developments in

South Korea. Their broad interests and large

followings make them crucial information

disseminators for people who are interested in Korean

popular culture. Same to fan leaders, translation

accounts can also be classified into two categories: a)

multi-media accounts--sharing news, videos, and

images with minimal personal bias and (b) text-

focused accounts--often criticized for preferentially

sharing negative news, thereby attracting

heterogeneous and sometimes contentious audiences.

ICPLSS 2025 - International Conference on Politics, Law, and Social Science

206

Due to their unique nature--characterized by a

lack of bias and a consistent focus on trending content

related to K-pop idols--translation accounts attract a

wide range of K-pop enthusiasts. The most popular of

these accounts have amassed millions of followers,

with individual posts frequently receiving over

thousands of likes. Given the substantial size of their

audience, the trending posts often extend beyond the

sphere of K-pop fandom, scrambled by Chinese

domestic media for reports and capture the broader

public's attention. As a result, translation accounts

represent one of the most influential types of accounts

within the K-pop fandom, distinguished by both the

scale of their followership and their capacity to shape

discourse across fan and non-fan communities alike.

4 THEORETICAL

INTERPRETATION OF THE

INFLUENCE OF FAN

FUNCTION

4.1 Theoretical Background

This study employs two interconnected theories to

explain how online feminist narratives flow from K-

pop fandom to the broader public: Parasocial

Interaction Theory and Agenda-Setting Theory.

Parasocial Interaction Theory, first introduced by

Horton and Wohl, describes how individuals form

one-sided, emotionally intimate relationships with

media figures. It is often seen as an imaginary

relationship experienced by fans and idealized

celebrities (Horton &Wohl, 1956 & Perdana, 2019).

This relationship is considered one-way because most

fans who are in age range of teenagers and young

adults develop strong emotions toward and feel close

to their idols even though their idols don't know them

(Sulianti & Lubis et al, 2018). This theory explains

why most fans are passionate about engaging in all

discussions related to their idols, defending their idols

or supporting their behaviors.

While Parasocial Interaction Theory explains K-

pop fans' emotional investment and solid support for

their idols, Agenda-setting theory helps to explain

how media outlets inspire to expand K-pop idols'

controversy to influence broader audiences beyond

the fan community regarding feminist narratives.

Agenda-setting theory proposed by McCombs and

Shaw, argues that media can influence public opinion

by pointing out what is considered important

(McCombs & Shaw, 1972) . It seizes public attention

on a topic which the media are likely to highlight.

4.2 From Fandom Intimacy to Public

Discourse: Parasocial Interaction

and Agenda-Setting Effects on

Feminist Narratives

To understand how feminist narratives circulate from

K-pop fan communities to the broader Chinese

public, this study applies Parasocial Interaction

Theory and Agenda-Setting Theory as

complementary frameworks that trace the trajectory

from affective fan engagement to media-driven

public attention.

As the effect explained by Parasocial Interaction

Theory, in the context of K-pop fandom, idols are

meticulously mediated to encourage this form of

attachment. Fans--especially young women--

frequently perceive idols not only as entertainers but

as aspirational figures whose attitudes and values

resonate with their own lived experiences. When

idols are seen engaging with content or causes

associated with gender issues or feminist thought,

these actions--actions usually portayed by fan leaders

and official fan clubs as positive or righteous,

promoting gender equality and striving for women's

rights and interests--are often firstly disseminated,

interpreted and encouraged by official fan clubs and

fan leaders as sincere endorsements. This perceived

alignment can activate strong emotional responses

and catalyze discussion within fan spaces, as fans feel

compelled to defend, amplify, or embody the values

they associate with their idols. When a large-scale fan

discussion is observed by translation accounts, they

intend to participate in the discussion by tracking and

uploading news and posts related to this event from

South Korea, extending the discussion beyond a

certain fan community, but to the whole K-pop

fandom.

Such fan-driven discussions often originate within

digital platforms like Weibo, where K-pop

communities are highly active and tightly networked.

These online spaces serve as echo chambers in which

feminist interpretations--whether explicit or implicit-

-are repeatedly circulated, reinterpreted, and

politicized by official fan clubs and fan leaders. These

early discussions constitute a subcultural phase of

feminist discourse, wherein meaning-making is

grounded in shared parasocial identification and

collective fan solidarity.

However, as the volume and visibility of fan

discourse increases, Agenda-Setting Theory becomes

relevant. When discussions within fan communities

gain sufficient momentum--especially those related

to gender politics--they often attract the attention of

Chinese media outlets. These outlets, driven by

The Transnational K-Pop Industry’s Inﬂuence on Feminist Narratives in China: The Role of Fandom Culture

207

audience interest and social or political relevance,

may choose to amplify these controversies or

conversations, thereby reframing them within a wider

sociopolitical context. Through this process,

narratives that were once confined to fan subcultures

are elevated into broader public discourse.

This transition reflects a two-step diffusion

model: first, feminist interpretations emerge and

circulate within fan communities through parasocial

engagement by official fan clubs, fan leaders and

translation accounts; second, media institutions adopt

and recast these narratives, shaping their public

resonance and political significance. As a result,

feminist ideas originally mediated through idol-fan

relationships gain legitimacy and visibility beyond

the fandom, reaching more diverse and less

ideologically aligned audiences.

Together, Parasocial Interaction Theory and

Agenda-Setting Theory offer a robust analytical lens

for tracing how feminist narratives migrate from

emotionally charged fan spaces into mainstream

public discourse. This layered process illustrates how

fandom cultures, often dismissed as merely

recreational or apolitical, can serve as generative sites

for gender-conscious political communication in the

digital age.

5 CONCLUSION

This study has examined the complex relationship

between K-pop fandom culture and the evolution of

feminist narratives on Chinese digital platforms. By

analyzing how parasocial relationships and media

framing contribute to the flow of feminist discourse

from fandom subcultures to the broader public, this

research underscores the sociopolitical power

embedded in popular culture. K-pop idols, through

curated intimacy and symbolic actions, become focal

points around which fans organize not only emotional

support but also ideological engagement.

The application of Parasocial Interaction Theory

explains why fans are motivated to defend and strive

to amplify idols' perceived feminist expressions.

Meanwhile, Agenda-Setting Theory clarifies how

Chinese local media outlets' selective coverage can

elevate these discussions to a societal level. These

interlocking mechanisms help illustrate the

transnational nature of feminist discourse in the

digital age, where Korean pop culture interacts with

Chinese sociopolitical realities.

As shown through this framework, the K-pop

fandom space functions as more than a site of

consumption and entertainment--it becomes a space

of political participation and a transnational channel

of expressing feminist ideas. This study suggests that

mediated celebrity culture plays a significant role in

shaping collective consciousness around gender

issues in China. The findings invite further research

into the role of transnational popular culture in

advancing feminist agendas and highlight the

importance of digital fandoms as emerging political

publics.

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