Fangirls online: Gazing at hot korean men in tight pants

Kristine Ask

Assistant Professor at NTNU@kristineask

kristine.ask@ntnu.no

Phd project about World of Warcraft:- Knowledge- Everyday life- Community

«AND NOW IM PREGNANT!»

Talking to others about kpop

But Im not alone

Plan

Fandom and gender Case: Football vs

Beliebers Fangirls

Fanfiction and slashing

Case: Kpop – The future of fandom?

Part 1: Fandom and gender

Fan: Supporter, afficionado

Difference between «liking» and «being a fan» identity

How we treat fans and fan communites vary depending on who the fans are, and what they are fans of gender

Are there any fans here?

Beliebers: Fanatic

Kjernen: Dedicated

Weird clothing (community and identity)

Weird clothing (community and identity)

Strong emotions

Strong emotions

Desired customer group

Desired customer group

Community practices and policing

Community practices and policing

Summary: Being a fan is -

A way of engaging with culture A way of accessing and participating in a

community A way to more intense cultural

experiences A way of bringing agency to the

user/reader

Jenkins: Participatory Culture

Context: Active user and Web 2.0

Relatively low barriers to artistic expression and civic engagement

Strong support for creating and sharing one’s creations with others

Some type of informal mentorship Members believe that their contributions

matterMembers feel some degree of social

connection with one another 

Part 2: Fangirls – a primer

Fanfiction and slashing

Fancultre + tumblr = True

Fangirling:• Positions the women as the

subject, and the men as objects

• Stereotype: “hypersexual, mindless obsessive whose desire is inappropriate and excessive” (Healey, 2009:154)

• Subversion of text with emphasis on womens issues, desires and body

Example of «The female gaze»

Fanfiction

Fiction written by and for fansUses existing universe and/or

characters Increasingly also about celebrities (RPF)

Fanfics II

Fanfics III

Fancrafts

Fanart

Fan activism

A deliberate attempt to tell other stories

Slashing I: What

Based on homosexual subtext

Tropes: Buddyslash – Ron/Harry Frenemies - Harry/Malfoy Powerslash – Harry/Snape

Example: Harry Potter and the Brokeback Goblet http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9D0veHTxh0

Slashing II: Why

1. Guy on guy is hawt2. Opposes heteronormativity3. «No real people were harmed during the making of this»4. More exiting narratives5. Wider representation of love, relationships, sexuality, gender

and race

Can Fandom Change Society?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9Zum7azNIQ

Summary: Fangirls

Internet as main arena Participatory culture

User/Producer Highly productive

Against heteronormativity

Female desire, body and agency is dominant

Part 3: KpopThe future of fandom?

What is kpop?

Kpop: The future of fandom?

State supported Capitalist venture Designed around the fan experience

Official fanclubs (That actually do something)

Fansigns Comebacks Variety shows, k dramas, MCing,

radiohosting etc. «Year around experience»

Example: EXO

Example: Fanservice

Conclusion:

Fangirl communities are examples of «safe spaces» for women online Highly productive Subversive in nature Exitement and lust

Reproduces objectification and sexualization

Agency in leisure time agency in other areas?