A Virtual Ethnography Study: Fandom and Social Impact in Digital Era

Abstract

Along with the advancement of Information and Communications Technology, the internet plays a massive role in South Korean idol groups' rapid growth. Global fans quickly become one of the crucial elements that heavily influence idol groups’ global popularity. BTS Army is one of the largest music fandoms in the past several years. This research analyzes fan culture using the case of BTS Army community in Surabaya. This research employs a qualitative method under a virtual ethnographic approach. This research conducts participant observation, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, literature studies, and documentation on collecting the data. This research finds that online media provides a space for the mem Army community in members Surabaya to actively interact with each other as they share ideas and discussions over various BTS activities. The online interaction also leads to offline activities (e.g., regular fan-meetings, BTS members’ birthday celebrations, and other social activities). The research concludes that global fandom also acts as social agents. The observation of the BTS Army community in Surabaya shows that BTS’s charity works (e.g., Love Yourself campaign) influence the fans to be more involved in various social movements such as hosting multiple charity events.

Local language programs in cultural radios to maintain Indonesian national identity

“…This method has the suitability and advantages of understanding the practice of radio mediamorphosis developing towards convergence, understanding radio listeners attachments with various internet communication media, providing documentation of good broadcasting practices in the virtual world, and understanding media consumption habits (Perala et al, 2012). Media consumption includes when, where and how audiences consumed media content, how audiences use several digital channels to communicate (Deuze et al, 2007;Kusuma et al, 2020).…”

Interweaving identity and digital fandom social movements: A case study of the “BTS Army Indonesia Peduli Bencana”

“…Today, fandoms communicate and interact primarily through online media in addition to the traditional offline meeting. The fandom's reach is not limited to specific regions and can quickly develop globally (Kusuma et al, 2020). Online media brings the fans closer to their idol despite living geographically far from one to another.…”

“…As the fandom adopts the idol groups' values, they act as passive recipients, producing fan cultural identity (Kusuma et al, 2020). The "ARMY Indonesia Peduli Bencana" is not officially initiated by BTS or BigHit music label.…”

“…BTS is considered an idol group with a clear vision of their identity, which will affect the cultural identity of fans who also act as social agents (Kusuma et al, 2020). As a brand ambassador of UNICEF, BTS voicing about "Speak Yourself" at the UN assembly since 2018.…”

“…Fan studies see that a fan actively and creatively participates in developing the social identity of a fandom. Fan studies represent fandom positively and tend to study fan communities and practices (Kusuma et al, 2020). This study explores the digital activities of the BTS "ARMY Indonesia Peduli Bencana" project, which was coordinated by the Instagram account @btsarmyina.project.…”