MANAGING DEPRESSION WITH K-POP FANDOMS

Abstract

Depression is one of the common mental disorders in the world and the number of people suffering from depression is increasing worldwide. The passing of popular K-pop singer, Kim Jong Hyun, due to depression in 2017 was extensively reported by the media and shocked fans around the world. The topic of mental health issues in the K-pop industry was also thrust into the spotlight with many fans around the world expressed on social media that K-pop helps them with their depression. However, few to no studies looked at how K-pop can serve to be a coping mechanism for depression. This paper thus seeks to investigate the meanings that fans ascribe to K-pop such that it helps them with their depression. Through interviews, fans mentioned that K-pop music serves to distract them from their negative thoughts and also serves to provide them with comfort and healing. Through the revelation of personal experiences and difficulties faced by K-pop stars on entertainment programmes, fans are able to relate to the stars and view them as friends or role models whom they can look to for support and motivation. While fans ascribe meaning to K-pop, the K-pop industry, being capitalistic in nature, changes accordingly as it seeks to cater to fans’ desires. This interdependent relationship between the industry and fans has resulted in K-pop to be an effective coping mechanism for fans with depression. Through their individual interpretations of K-pop, fans are able to derive comfort from it and cope with their depression.