K-pop fans' love for their singers goes well beyond the music they listen to and the concerts they attend. Loving a K-pop idol becomes a part of daily life. In the genre's ever-evolving fan culture, two key trends stand out on social media: photocard decorations and "yejeol-shot." Essential to this part of fandom is the photocard, now an indispensable piece of merchandise packed inside K-pop albums. The term yejeol-shot, combining the Korean word for “etiquette” (yejeol) and "shot," as in a phot

K-pop fans often arrive at concerts carrying bags filled with essentials: banners to support their idols, water and snacks to endure the long performance, and, most importantly, the iconic light sticks. These customized light sticks, crafted to embody each artist's or group's unique identity and style, have become an essential part of the K-pop concert experience and a powerful symbol of fan solidarity. "When you're surrounded by people holding the same light stick, all glowing in the same color

K-pop enthusiast Lee’s phone lights up dozens of times a day with notifications — not from friends or family, but from messages sent by her favorite singer, SHINee's Minho. “It really feels like talking to a friend. It’s not like admiring a celebrity from afar; it feels like having a close, personal connection,” Lee said. Private messaging services exemplify how K-pop has evolved into an industry that sells not only music but also fantasy, emotions and excitement. While idols have long used soci

“Homepage masters,” also known as “Homma” among K-pop fans, are superfans who, armed with professional cameras with sophisticated lenses, take high-quality pictures of their favorite artists. These superfans follow their artist’s official schedules such as fan meetings, concerts, end-of-the-year awa

Have you ever attended a birthday party without the guest of honor? That’s exactly what K-pop fans are doing: celebrating their favorite artists' birthdays at cafes that allow them to be used for this purpose. In Hongdae and Myeong-dong in Seoul, where many of these birthday cafes are located, you’ll find cafes decorated with neon signs, posters and balloons in honor of various K-pop idols. Fans from both Korea and abroad flock to these celebrations. “I live in Japan, but