I’m Not Rich Enough for K-Pop Fandom
Have you heard of BTS?
Apart from being the world’s top pop act, the Korean boy-band is also a case study in how to create a well-fed cash cow. The recipe? Carefully nurturing a fan system, where true loyalty comes at a very steep price.
From a $20 annual membership to their official fan-base, to concert tickets which cost the fans months of their savings, from a constant supply of $50 albums to an extended universe of merchandise and BTS themed-stores, this is one fandom that demands a lot from their stans (stalker+fans)…monetarily.
And therefore, wealth inequality plays itself out in yet another context - as you will find in this thought-provoking post by Nia Tucker for GEN (Medium).
Reading time: ~15 min