This is a video documentation of the lecture “K-pop Natives: Popular Music Industry and Fandom Culture” held during the Guide to Popular Media at the 11th Seoul Mediacity Biennale, which took place online on October 2, 2021. Accompanied by DJ sets from Yoonha Kim, Bokgil, and DJ GCM, the lecture explored the dynamics of the K-pop industry and fandom culture.
Guide to Popular Media was a lecture series held every Saturday at 5 PM from October 2 to 23 at SeMA Hall, consisting of four sessions. It was designed to expand the Biennale’s main theme by examining diverse trends related to Korea’s evolving media landscape.
This documentation captures the first session, featuring music critic Yoonha Kim and Bokgil, the organizer of the Sad K-pop Party, who discussed the dual nature of K-pop: as both an immersive fantasy and a very real part of contemporary culture. Drawing on the firsthand experiences of the speakers as both participants and consumers within the K-pop scene, the lecture delved into specific topics such as the evolution of the K-pop industry and fandom culture, and the negotiations that consumers engage in between idols, the entertainment industry, and broader societal structures.
Lecturers: Bokgil and Yoonha Kim
Featurings/Performer: DJ GCM
