With young people investing lots of time and money on K-pop merchandise, the Ministry of Education yesterday released an article on the psychology behind the culture craze with advice to parents on how to handle it.
The ministry in a statement advised parents to use its online Media Literacy Education Resources Network over the winter vacation to help their children understand how media operates and how to protect themselves.
Among the Web site’s many resources is an article on K-pop by Shu-Te University Graduate School of Human Sexuality assistant professor Kuo Hung Kuo-hsiung (郭洪國雄).
Photo: Lee Hui-chou, Taipei Times
The article, which focuses on the psychology of K-pop’s allure and fandom, discusses how many young Taiwanese rush to get tickets for K-pop concerts, causing soaring hotel prices, long lines and traffic.
Young people devote lots of time and resources to K-pop fandoms, “exceeding what parents imagine,” the article said.
The appeal of K-pop has three layers, starting with the highly visual nature of its music, which appeals to young people, it said.
The second layer is how songs and idols’ narratives are crafted, often emphasizing that hard work eventually leads to success, it said, adding that many young people who feel anxious entering adolescence identify with this sentiment.
The third layer lies in social media, which repeatedly exposes children to related content, such as friends buying concert tickets or unboxing K-pop merchandise.
Social media networks can create the expectation that viewers must like certain idols to fit in, the article said.
For children, K-pop is not just entertainment, but a type of emotional support and source of social connection, the ministry’s media resource network said.
However, parents often do not see their children’s inner growth and instead focus on how they are outwardly conforming to a culture craze, proceeding to limit or deny their access to it, it said.
Parents could start by asking their child what songs they like or lyrics they identify with to give them a chance to express themselves, Kuo wrote in the article.
Next, parents could practice media literacy with their child by breaking down the visuals, storytelling and commercial motive behind the music videos, and discussing real-life pressures behind an idol’s glamorous image, Kuo said.
Parents could also discuss monthly budgets, concert schedules and proper fan behavior, he said.
This advice is not intended to stifle young people, but rather guide them to become responsible fans and take responsibility for their own growth, he added.
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