""Arirang is being framed as a return to the group's Korean roots, albeit one that signifies a new, more mature era for its members, who are now in their late twenties and early thirties.""
""Intense fandom is nothing new-just ask the Beatles-but K-pop stans are particularly invested in the lives (and livelihoods) of their favorite idols, even paying for the chance to message them directly.""
""This further privatization of what we call parasociality, if that can be monetized and organized, it really is the final frontier of the pop star.""
BTS has released a new album titled 'Arirang' after a four-year hiatus due to mandatory military service. The album signifies a return to their Korean roots and represents a more mature phase for the members. Accompanying the album are a live-streamed concert and a documentary on Netflix. The hosts discuss BTS's carefully crafted image and the intense devotion of their fanbase, ARMY, highlighting the monetization of parasocial relationships in modern fandom.
Read at The New Yorker
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