'Never too old to be a superfan'

For years, Lim Su-hyun believed the happiest days of her life were behind her. Then, six years ago, she found joy again — in the voice of trot singer Lim Young-woong, whose popularity rivals that of many K-pop stars. Every morning after saying her prayers, the 82-year-old opens YouTube to listen to his songs, a daily ritual she says has given her life new meaning. Lim began losing her eyesight in 2018 after being diagnosed with glaucoma and macular degeneration, forcing her to give up many of th

K-pop's fan driven promotions get more subtle, sophisticated

K-pop promotions are becoming increasingly interactive and concept-driven, as artists move beyond traditional teasers and social media challenges to create more campaigns that invite fan participation. Girl group Le Sserafim’s latest social media rollout for its upcoming single “Celebration” is one of the most recent examples of this shift. The quintet recently launched the “#TimeToCelebrate” campaign across its official channels, encouraging fans to share and celebrate everyday moments. Moving

Finding BTS when they needed them

Among fans of BTS, known collectively as Army, there is a saying shared across the fandom: You find BTS when you need them. For British fan Maxine Wilson, the phrase feels literal. Wilson discovered the group in 2018 while struggling with severe depression and a rare form of epilepsy. After an argument with her father, she threw her phone against the wall in frustration. The screen lit up and YouTube had opened — and a BTS song began to play. “I just remember sitting on the floor crying and the

Wealthier overseas fans reshape power dynamics in K-pop

With BTS’ full-group comeback less than two weeks away, Chinese fan communities have recently announced large-scale promotional campaigns that will dominate some of Seoul’s most visible digital billboards. Jungkook’s official Chinese fan club said it will broadcast a congratulatory video for the singer’s comeback on the 60-meter landmark megascreen at the Koreana Hotel in central Seoul from March 20 to 22. Chinese fan club Baidu V Bar has planned an even larger campaign for V, securing the massi

BTS returns — and so does Army

BTS' return this month will be the most closely watched K-pop comeback in recent memory. But the spotlight surrounding the comeback is not focused only on the artists. It is also turning to Army, the worldwide fandom that has played a central role in BTS’ rise and stands as one of the largest and most organized communities in pop music today. By the numbers alone, Army is formidable. More than 44.7 million users follow the group on X, while 33.5 million users are registered on Weverse, the globa