2 minute read
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Risks
Still, the very androgyny that pushes for gender equality can also generate negative responses from insular individuals. Even after BTS became wildly successful on international charts, fans reported harassment from peers, often for “being a fan of a boy band that ‘looks like girls.’”18 To some, the gender fluidity of these bands provides a basis for condescension, playing into the xenophobic and misogynistic nature of white, hegemonic masculinity. Ultimately, the decision to bring in K-Pop idols must be calculated and managed to offset these reactions. When executed successfully, a collaboration could be exceptionally valuable to a variety of stakeholders, including players, game companies, and K-Pop idols and their fans. The success of previous K-Pop collaborations proves the viability of this solution in generating revenue, though not necessarily in addressing inequalities.
Both the androgynous nature of these groups and the activist identity of their fanbase make K-Pop bands prime actors in challenging the hegemonic masculinity of the esports industry. K-Pop fuses a unique combination of defying traditional expressions of masculinity and an outspoken, progressive fanbase. After pinpointing these aspects, the seemingly niche suggestion of K-Pop collaborations becomes a much stronger solution. Using specific K-Pop bands, like BTS, to promote gender equality in esports also generates revenues for both industries by drawing two very different communities together to expand each market, earning profit while addressing the social issue of harassment in the competitive video game scene.
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3 Lambert, Coryn, interview by Jessie Zhao, “Online Gaming as a Woman.” 2022.
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8 Louie, Kam. “Popular Culture and Masculinity Ideals in East Asia, with Special Reference to China.” The Journal of Asian Studies, vol. 71, no. 4, 2012, pp. 929–943., doi.org/10.1017/ s0021911812001234.
9 Stolze, Katherine. "Kpop's Influence on Redefining Masculinity within Heternormative Regimes." (2021). digitalcommons.denison.edu/cgi/viewcontent. cgi?article=1099&context=studentscholarship.
10 Lawler, Richard. “Travis Scott's 'Fortnite' Concert Drew 12.3 Million Concurrent Viewers.” Engadget, 24 Apr. 2020, www. engadget.com/fortnite-travis-scott-astronomical-051908825. html.
11 Liao, Shannon. “League of Legends' Virtual K-Pop Band Is Helping the Game Attract a Whole New Audience.” The Verge, The Verge, 11 Nov. 2018, www.theverge. com/2018/11/11/18076272/league-of-legends-virtual-k-popnew-audience.
12 Hollingsworth, Julia. “K-Pop fans are being credited with helping disrupt Trump's rally: Here's why that shouldn't be a surprise.” CNN, Cable News Network, 22 June 2020, www.cnn. com/2020/06/22/asia/k-pop-fandom-activism-intl-hnk/index. html.
13 Kim, Priscilla, and Ethan Hutt. “K-Pop as a Social Movement: Case Study of BTS and Their Fandom Army.” Journal of Student Research, vol. 10, no. 3, 2021, doi.org/10.47611/jsrhs.v10i3.1772.
14 Garst, Aaron. “Riot Games did Everything Right to Support VALORANT’s Women.” Upcomer, 6 Oct. 2021, upcomer.com/ riot-games-valorants-women.
15 Lambert.
16 Porter, Michael, and Mark Kramer. “Creating Shared Value.” Harvard Business Review, 22 Oct. 2020, hbr.org/2011/01/thebig-idea-creating-shared-value.
17 Mahoney, Owen, and Shiro Uemura. “Nexon Q4 2020 Investor Presentation.” Nexon, 2020, pdf.irpocket.com/C3659/HTFv/ IKCY/OpYs.pdf.
18 Liu, Marian Chia-Ming. “The 'Separate but Equal' Rules of American Music Awards.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 30 Jan. 2020, www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/07/26/ separate-equal-rules-american-music-awards.
Photo Credits:
Monkey Business/Adobe Stock—page 30
Stackie Jia/Unsplash—page 33
Ajeong_JM/Wikimedia Commons—page 34
