The Korean Wave, or Hallyu (한류), has captivated global audiences through the popularity of K-pop artists, Korean dramas like ‘Squid Game’, and films such as ‘Parasite’. This phenomenon has boosted...Show moreThe Korean Wave, or Hallyu (한류), has captivated global audiences through the popularity of K-pop artists, Korean dramas like ‘Squid Game’, and films such as ‘Parasite’. This phenomenon has boosted South Korea’s soft power, motivating people to become fans. This thesis investigates whether K-pop, as a soft power tool, has a similar effect on audiences in the Netherlands. An open-ended questionnaire was sent to 12 K-pop fans and 11 non-fans as a control group. Thematic analysis reveals that the K-pop fan group shows they are motivated to seek out more Korean-related content and have a more positive perception of South Korea. In contrast, the non-fan group acknowledges South Korea’s growing positive reception but express uncertainty. A theoretical framework to analyze soft power has been established. The study suggests K-pop can positively influence perceptions of South Korea, contributing to its soft power, though this is more the case for people who are already K-pop fans as opposed to those who are non-fans.Show less
In this thesis I discuss the influence of toxic fans on movies themselves and the mutual relationship between toxic fans and creators using fan studies and theories of toxic geek masculinity and...Show moreIn this thesis I discuss the influence of toxic fans on movies themselves and the mutual relationship between toxic fans and creators using fan studies and theories of toxic geek masculinity and fandom. Starting with Gamergate as a boiling point that affected the 2016 Ghostbusters remake, which resisted toxic fans explicitly. As well as analysing the Star Wars sequel trilogy, in particular The Last Jedi and Rise of Skywalker. Showing how coordinated attacks influenced the trilogy whilst it was being made.Show less
Since the release of her software in 2007, Vocaloid Hatsune Miku has taken the world by storm. She first reached number one on the Japanese charts in 2010, being the first non-human to own that...Show moreSince the release of her software in 2007, Vocaloid Hatsune Miku has taken the world by storm. She first reached number one on the Japanese charts in 2010, being the first non-human to own that success. Most of Hatsune Miku’s music is created by fans, alongside music videos, illustrations and song lyrics and is shared among fans worldwide. This thesis examined how fandom works and whether there is a common notion of fandom to be found in academia. In this paper I have been trying to answer the question how the Hatsune Miku fandom fits into the notion of modern international fandom and how they deal with object attachment, gift economy and gatekeeping. The Hatsune Miku fandom deals with the previously mentioned concepts similarly to other fandoms, however it has a unique position as a fandom that is entirely based on the online productivity of fans and the creation of your own unique experience as a fan, which is different for anyone, as there is no official narrative.Show less
This thesis is focused on the foreign reception of visual kei performers. Through an analysis of the concept of masculinity and the online fan community this thesis attempts to grasp the different...Show moreThis thesis is focused on the foreign reception of visual kei performers. Through an analysis of the concept of masculinity and the online fan community this thesis attempts to grasp the different discourses on masculinity that exist within Japan and beyond.Show less
Op 17 mei 2011 verschijnt in de Huffington Post de volgende kop: Lady Gaga: ‘Institutionalized Religion Impacts Values, Affects Teen Suicide’. In het artikel stelt Lady Gaga dat “The influence of...Show moreOp 17 mei 2011 verschijnt in de Huffington Post de volgende kop: Lady Gaga: ‘Institutionalized Religion Impacts Values, Affects Teen Suicide’. In het artikel stelt Lady Gaga dat “The influence of institutionalised religion […] is vast. So religion then begins to affect social values and that in turn affects self-esteem, bullying in school, teen suicides, all those things”. Ook wordt in het artikel verteld dat Lady Gaga haar shows ‘pop cultural church’ noemt en dat zij gelooft dat haar ‘church’ een betere invloed is dan traditionele instituties. Deze en vergelijkbare uitspraken, gepaard met het feit dat Lady Gaga in haar muziek en performance overvloedig gebruik maakt van religieuze symboliek, maken het interessant om Lady Gaga fandom vanuit een religiewetenschappelijk perspectief te bekijken. In hedendaagse westerse samenlevingen lijken mensen aan steeds meer variërende zaken betekenis te ontlenen, zelfs aan populaire cultuur. In deze scriptie wordt geprobeerd te analyseren in hoeverre Lady Gaga fandom voor haar fans de rol en functie van religie kan aannemen. Hoewel Lady Gaga fandom misschien geen religie is, functioneert het wel op vergelijkbare wijze. Er zijn meerdere kenmerken die het aannemelijk maken dat Lady Gaga fandom voor haar fans de rol en functie van een religie vervult. Ten eerste biedt Lady Gaga haar fans een zingevingssysteem; een coherente set opvattingen over goed en kwaad en de manier waarop de wereld georganiseerd zou moeten zijn. Ten tweede biedt zij een rolmodel of ideaalbeeld, aan de hand waarvan de fans hun identiteit kunnen vormen. Ten derde krijgen de fans het gevoel actief betrokken te worden bij wat Lady Gaga doet; op deze manier binden de Little Monsters zich steeds meer aan Lady Gaga en speelt zij een steeds belangrijkere rol in hun leven. Ten vierde zorgt Lady Gaga voor sociale cohesie; de Little Monsters zijn één groep met één doel. Ondanks het feit dat de monsters geen fysieke groep kunnen vormen creëert Lady Gaga voor hen een ruimte om zich wel één groep te voelen, namelijk het sociale medium ‘littlemonsters.com’. Daarnaast spoort zij hen aan om lokale, fysieke groepen te vormen. Al met al vertoont Lady Gaga fandom dus opvallend veel overeenkomsten met religie, wat ervoor zorgt dat we aan de hand van deze case study zowel meer te weten zouden kunnen komen over de aard van religie, als over de aard van fandom.Show less
The work of the Japanese contemporary artist Nara Yoshitomo is followed by groups of loyal fans, which consist mainly of young women. In this thesis I will investigate the relationship between the...Show moreThe work of the Japanese contemporary artist Nara Yoshitomo is followed by groups of loyal fans, which consist mainly of young women. In this thesis I will investigate the relationship between the works by Nara Yoshitomo and these young female fans. These fans feel attracted to his work and at the same time engage with his work in various ways. This situation brings forth the following questions: what elements are there in the artistic language of Nara Yoshitomo that these fans find so appealing? How do they interpret the art by Nara Yoshitomo? And what is the relationship between Nara's art and these groups of young female fans? I will answer these research questions by discussing 'Your Childhood' (2001) and 'Aomori dog' (2005), two works by this artist that involved interaction with his fans. I will interpret these works from the eyes of its fans by observing their reactions on fan sites and blogs, applying the concepts of 'shoujo', 'nostalgia' and 'transitional object'. Eventually I will conclude that Nara’s fans appreciate the cute and nostalgic visual elements in Nara’s art as ‘shoujo’ or ‘nostalgic subjects’, as these young women are known for their consumption of cute and nostalgic things in order to escape temporarily from their social obligations. However, the belief that Nara’s fans act solely as passive consumers of his art may be challenged since they also play an active role as producers around Nara’s art via a wide range of participatory actions targeting his work.Show less
