language
click purple links
The idol’s presence in their fans’ lives is all the stronger when you consider that there are almost no language barriers when it comes to interpreting their messages. Whether it is lyrics, MV, variety shows, award shows, SNS messages or anything else, a translation will be added to the content if it is not accessible at first glance. However, the tangibility of the idol's self, as manifested by the clarity of their message, is undermined by a lot of factors, for example when automatic translations made by traditional communication platforms do not match the spirit of the idol or when the nature of the content seems too spontaneous and therefore too difficult to summarize.
![]()
![]()
Fans thus often take it upon themselves to relay the idols’ words within and beyond the glocal fan community. The act of fansubbing relies on fans’ knowledge of and desire for the culture and life of their idol, but there can even be customized translations from a KPOP company's editing team.
![]()
![]()
In variety shows where the content has more of an exclusive nature or is directly related to a band's concept, editors often break the fourth wall and, aside from the normal translation, address fans directly, as if they were understanding of their feelings for the idols. This tactic is especially valuable because it materializes the fans with the idol through this apparent collective consciousness and implies the ways in which the idol inhabits the fans' daily lives through the mental space they occupy.
![]()
take me to
