“Why aren’t you responding to Song Hyegyo’s malicious comments?” “Please improve Song Jihyo’s styling.” The agencies do listen to fans’ voice, but it’s not easy for them too.
Recently, fans of actor Song Hye-kyo have announced their protest against her agency through an online community site. Fans demanded an active response from the agency as malicious comments continued to attack Song Hye-kyo, who finally returned through the SBS drama “Now We’re Breaking Up,” which has been broadcast since Nov 12th. They then warned of their collective action, such as meeting with an agency UAA official, calling the office to protest, and sending a written protest containing their opinions to the agency. There was also an opinion to directly report netizens who wrote malicious comments against Song.
In other words, the so-called “general attack (group action of fandom)” has begun.
“Styling that fits the star concept!” Fans of the group BIGBANG have held a truck demonstration in front of their agency YG Entertainment‘s office building in Hapjeong-dong, Seoul, on November 29, raising their voices of protest. They demand the agency to “support the four-member BIGBANG and manage the fandom,” calling for the guarantee of BIGBANG’s future activities as a four-member system, delete all traces of Seungri‘s retirement in the Burning Sun incident in March 2019, as well as taking legal action against the persistent and malicious rumors.
At the end of November, fans of actor Song Ji-hyo expressed their dissatisfaction with her hairstyle change. They sent a statement to the Creative Group ING, Song Ji-hyo‘s agency, through an online community site. This is because Song Ji-hyo recently changed her hairstyle to a short bob cut. Fans said in a statement, “We urge the agency to improve Song Ji-hyo’s styling (coordinator, hair, and makeup)” and demanded a replacement of the staff in charge and styling that fits the concept of the star,” adding, “Since last year, negative articles about Song Ji-hyo have been frequently popping up on portal sites, listing her as one among stars that have a disappointing fashion appearance.” Fans also expressed their support in the online community for actor Kim Seon-ho, who was previously embroiled in a “private life controversy” in October.
“Thank you for the love of fandoms” however, there are still realistic difficulties.
Fans’ demands generally seem to focus on requiring more active “star protection and management” of management companies. It is accepted that they should “enjoy the rights of cultural consumers” by preventing external attacks on their beloved stars and further enhancing public favorability. This is a willingness to not just passively consume their stars’ images anymore, but to express their direct voice and proudly sympathize with the stars.
However, each management company cannot hide its suffering expression even in joy. An official from an entertainment agency said, “We’re very grateful that my fans’ affection for stars is overflowing,” adding, “I’m always listening to their voices. However, it is still difficult to unilaterally accept the fandom’s demands.” He asked back, “Isn’t the public’s view of the star’s acting and styling always mixed?” and added, “We have no choice but to respond to excessive attacks such as illegal acts, but sometimes it’s not easy to reflect only one’s position in management.”
