ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the K-pop celebrity idol and parasocial interaction between idols and fans, concentrating specifically on the position of the idol as a 'parasocial kin' in contemporary South Korean society. It shows that the position that the celebrity occupies in the contemporary Korean mediascape makes them an object of both consumption and parasocial interaction in ways that construct the celebrity as an imagined 'parasocial kin'. The chapter provides an overview of the idol manufacturing and management system in South Korea, and how entertainment management systems utilise parasocial relationships between fans and idols to build a loyal customer base for their cultural content delivered by idol groups. In other words, the fans are more often than not well aware of the artificial nature and performance of their favourite idols, and yet it does not necessarily follow that the fans themselves are more likely to imitate the aesthetic appearance of their favourite idols.
