"I don't understand what you're saying now, but you are cute, I love you ": Global communication between South Korean gay male YouTubers and fans from overseas. Issue 6 (18th August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lee, Jin
• Is Part Of: Feminist media studies. Volume 21:Issue 6(2021)
• Page Start: 1044
• Page End: 1049
• Publication Date: 2021-08-18
• Subjects: LGBTQ+ -- YouTube -- influencer -- global fandom -- K-pop -- BL culture; Feminism -- Periodicals; Women in mass media -- Periodicals; Mass media and women -- Periodicals; Feminist criticism -- Periodicals; Mass media and sex -- Periodicals; 302.23082
• DOI: 10.1080/14680777.2021.1959372
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1468-0777

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The increasing attention to South Korea's media cultures, originating from the global K-pop phenomenon, has extended to social media celebrities in South Korea (hereafter Korea), including LGBTQ+ YouTubers. Although these YouTubers' channels are run in Korean, it is easy to find non-Korean comments on their videos, posted by followers from overseas, with emojis like ❤ . Through comments, global fans show their support to the Korean LGBTQ+ YouTubers, and the YouTubers often engage in conversation with them by speaking and commenting in English. In this short essay, I explore global interaction between Korean gay male YouTubers and their global fans and discuss the potentials and limitations of these YouTubers' global popularity.