Objective

The goal of this research should be to view exactly how “mother fans” effect on the present patterns out of parasocial matchmaking anywhere between fans and you can idols and also to obtain deeper information toward reasons root the latest purchase of idol dolls. As well, because of the including the feel and you can perspectives of men idol fans, the research tries to increase brand new comprehension of lover choices and you can augment comprehension of the new motives operating idol-toy usage.

Design/methodology/approach

Getting idol-doll customers due to the fact look stuff, this research held textual data along with-depth interview to explore fans’ motives for purchasing idol dolls.

Findings

Idol doll instructions are passionate by the emotional accessory, such as certainly one of mommy fans which seek to expose a feeling of manage and maintain a moms and dad–child relationships. In addition, to find idol dolls may act as an excellent disguise for girlfriend admirers to hide its romantic fantasies regarding their idols. Furthermore, idol dolls act as semiotic identifiers, drawing such as-inclined admirers and you can putting on community identification. It should be noted you to definitely male idol fans, who are experienced deviant about male normative, face analysis inside the women-ruled communities, trying to find then proof authenticity.

Simple effects

This research produces understanding the motives at the rear of idol-toy purchases and can let marketers for the catering on the emotional requires off admirers, like mom admirers, by the design and you will profit dolls you to resonate with their need feel out-of accessory.

Social effects

By acknowledging and you may emphasizing the positive aspects of lover products, this research results in new ongoing process of de-demonization and you may normalization of fandom. On top of that, this study in addition to aims so you can subscribe a very complete wisdom of fight and you may psychological requires of one’s Chinese more youthful age group.

Originality/well worth

This research examines the latest under-researched mom-fan group’s psychological demands in addition to their motives of getting idol-dolls. Additionally, it recognizes the latest type of views and enjoy out-of men idol admirers, delivering a and you will book advice into idol-doll consumption.

step 1 Introduction

” tabindex=”0″> based on celebrities’ appearances had been marketed once the an alternative means for Chinese admirers to express the solid passion for their dear idols, leading to the manufacture of a new Chinese fandom neighborhood. Towards Weibo (one of the most preferred social network platforms during the China), the online neighborhood to possess idol-doll-creators, customers, and idol admirers presently has amassed over 460,000 supporters that will be extremely female-reigned over. About this system, it is https://getbride.org/sv/kroatiska-kvinnor/ common enthusiasts, who may have an enormous distinctive line of idol dolls, to post adorable images and express the enjoy inside putting on a costume and applying cosmetics on their “infants.” According to newest user report, among the many idol-toy members, brand new blog post-2000 age bracket represents the highest proportion, interacting with 43 %, followed closely by the latest article-1995 age bracket ranking 2nd, which have an amount on twenty-six % (“2021 Cotton fiber Doll Players Notion Declaration” 2021). Hence, Generation Z, anybody, someone produced involving the late 1990s in addition to early 2010s (Priporas mais aussi al. 2020), earnestly engages with idol-doll orders through interactive social media systems.

In the era regarding participatory fandom and you will partner discount, fans’ usage choice in addition to their imagined connection with idols are particularly victims away from instructional search. The way admirers relate solely to famous people has been recognized as parasocial interaction-this new nonreciprocal, imaginary correspondence between admirers and you can media personae (Liebers and you may Schramm 2019; Yan and you will Yang 2021). Lately, fans actively entering the parasocial dating fantasize from the a virtually kinship which have idols, provided that they could handle, or at least possess an evident level of affect their idols. On Chinese social media, there is a pattern in which fans, especially women, consider themselves due to the fact idols’ mothers, aunts, or siblings. When you find yourself prior research has widely checked-out parasocial matchmaking based on heterosexual norms and fans’ romantic dreams from the idols (i.age., “girlfriend/wife admirers” out of idols), nothing could have been recognized on “mommy fans”,“Mother admirers,” reference fans (generally women fans) who are co-fostering idols/stars as their elderly feminine nearest and dearest. It is said themselves because the mommy of one’s idol and are usually indulgent to help you idols, bringing them because cute, simple students who are in need of its special care (Yan and you may Yang 2021).