[Political Fandom] ① Meeting the Fandom... "Han Dong-hoon is a Tool" "Lee Jae-myung is Suitable"

Operating open chat rooms, posting dozens of articles in cafes...
Supporting activities using personal time like a hobby
"Politicians envying fandoms criticize more," they argue

Editor's NoteIn Korean politics, 'fandom' has become an indispensable presence. There is even talk that fandom dominates politics. The Democratic Party actively utilizes fandom as a political asset, following former President Moon Jae-in and former leader Lee Jae-myung. Newly appointed People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon also secured party leadership centered around fandom. However, fandom is also criticized for exhibiting extreme behavior, causing political polarization and expanding conflicts. We examined the realities and reasons behind political fandom and considered the possibilities for change. ①"Han Dong-hoon is a tool" "Lee Jae-myung is qualified"

On the afternoon of June 7, in front of Bucheon Station on Subway Line 1 in Sosa District, Bucheon City, Gyeonggi Province, many people passed by as usual. There were office workers and students, but on this day, some people who did not fit those categories caught the eye. People who appeared homeless were lying shirtless on benches as if they were beds. Whenever loud, irritable voices sounded here and there, a quick glance revealed people intoxicated from early afternoon, holding Makgeolli bottles and arguing. Just as I wondered if political fandom might be similarly unique, different from ordinary people, someone no different from the commuters approached me. Lee Jeong-hyeok (pseudonym, 32, male), a fan of former Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, was an ordinary man in his 30s with a hairstyle neither short nor long, a neat shirt and cotton pants, and a voice not too loud.

"I originally worked as a scenario writer at a game company, but now I'm taking a break," he said casually, continuing the conversation. When asked about the main topic, 'political fandom,' his eyes changed. He displayed profound political knowledge that would impress even seasoned political commentators, explaining why he supports the Democratic Party, the limits of representative democracy such as Nazi Germany, and trends in opinion polls during the 22nd general election. When praised for his knowledge, he downplayed it, saying, "It was study for survival. Democracy requires every citizen to be awake."

He went beyond simply liking politicians to analyzing and actively expressing his political opinions. It resembled how celebrity fandoms passionately engage in their hobbies late into the night. Every day, he compiles and posts articles related to the Democratic Party from the online cafe 'Democratization Movement of the Democratic Party' (Minminun). During the general election, he also organized the flood of opinion polls and wrote analyses predicting election outcomes. During the 22nd general election period, he posted about 10 analysis articles per week on Minminun. Just as celebrity fandoms hold truck protests, they hung a banner in front of the National Assembly protesting the election of National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik. The banner read, "I know what you did during the last speaker candidate vote." He said, "I spend at most an hour a day on these activities," adding, "I think of it as a hobby, spending personal time."

Thinking of 'You' from the Moment I Wake... Attempting Sophisticated Analysis

On the 10th of last month, a banner reading "I know what you did during the last Speaker candidate vote!" was hung in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul. / Photo by Oh Ji-eun joy@

'My savior who came to ruin my life.'

A famous line from director Park Chan-wook's film The Handmaiden perfectly fits the situation of Jung Mo (64, female). Jung closed her education business in Canada and returned to Korea for a short break. While enjoying barista training, she encountered then-People Power Party Emergency Committee Chairman Han Dong-hoon during the 22nd general election. Her first impression was "freshness." "I really had no interest in politics. There's a saying that you shouldn't trust politicians. But Han Dong-hoon was different. I saw in him the image of a politician not yet corrupted."

Jung starts her day by visiting Han's fan cafe 'With Hoon.' She doesn't read all posts, only positive news about Han. Her mood improves when Han does well. However, she doesn't frequently check With Hoon during work hours. She has a personal rule that political fandom activities should not interfere with daily life. She also visits With Hoon before bed to see posts about Han. Perhaps because of this, Han appeared in her dreams. "In my dream, Han was lying under a blanket wearing a coat. That scene felt very sad. But after the dream, Han said he is someone who can fight and speak up, which comforted me."

"Politicians Are My Tools"... Seeking Proxy Fulfillment of Political Goals

The reasons they began political fandom were not as simple as "because they are handsome" or "because others like them." They wanted to give maximum support to politicians while realizing their own political goals. Kang (51, male), a self-employed businessman who once supported the Unified Progressive Party and had a clear progressive stance, has now started supporting former leader Lee. He believes Lee is the only person who can realize the 'square politics' he dreams of. Kang said, "When Lee took party leadership of the Democratic Party, he created a new political form called 'party member sovereignty.' To overthrow vested interests, square politics is the only answer, and Lee, who is not swayed by factions like activists, is the right person."

Conversely, office worker Kim (37, male) began identifying as a fan of Han to block Lee's next presidential bid. Kim believes Han's untainted image and eloquence, which can stand against any politician, make him a viable presidential candidate. Kim operates three open chat rooms for Han's fandom, one of which has 1,700 fans. "I really think Lee Jae-myung could turn Korea into a communist country. But I can't stop Lee myself, right? So I started supporting Han Dong-hoon. Han is my tool to stop Lee."

Fandom Is Voluntary Activity... "Did We Gather by Force?"

On the 17th, supporters of candidate Han Dong-hoon are sending enthusiastic cheers at the 4th Party Convention and the joint speech meeting of Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi, and Gangwon held at Goyang Sono Arena in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

They were fully aware of society's negative perception of political fandom. Lee said he had talked about politics with his parents but they probably didn't know he was so active in fandom. "My parents are not highly politically engaged; my mother supported former President Park Geun-hye but also supported former President Moon Jae-in because of his diplomacy." Naturally, he hid his political fandom activities from coworkers and friends as well.

However, they also argued that being interested in politics is not a problem. They said that political fandom activities actually help Korean society develop better than political indifference. Kang said, "Isn't a fandom a group that voluntarily gathers because they think the politician did well or hopes they will do better? Criticizing them as hardcore or extreme supporters is not a correct perception. Rather, politicians who envy fandoms seem to be more criticized."

So how can the political fandom phenomenon be somewhat alleviated? Lee smiled and answered, "It would be good if a world comes where you don't have to be interested in politics."