커뮤니케이션을 소비하는 팬덤 : 아이돌 팬 플랫폼과 팬덤의 재구성
초록
아이돌 팬 플랫폼이 팬덤의 풍경을 바꾸고 있다. 포털 사이트의 카페, 소셜 네트워크 서비스, 커뮤니티 사이트 갤러리/게시판 등을 통해 자생적으로 운영돼왔던 무료 팬 커뮤니티는, 이제 산업자본이 만든 유료 기반 플랫폼에 흡수된다. 팬 모집 · 관리부터, 공지사항 전달, 자체 콘텐츠 유통, 온 · 오프라인 굿즈 판매 및 이벤트 예매, 그리고 팬과 팬 간 커뮤니케이션에 이르기까지 팬 활동 전반이 팬 플랫폼을 통해 이루어진다. 하지만 다른 무엇보다 팬 플랫폼의 강력함은, 아이돌과 팬이 직접 커뮤니케이션할 수 있는 완전히 새로운 방법을 제공한다는 데서 비롯된다. 그로 인해 팬들은 자신이 좋아하는 아이돌(들)을 구독하고, 자유롭게 댓/글이나 프라이빗 메시지를 주고받는다. 아이돌의 환상을 가르고 나오는 친밀감이 팬들에게 셀링 포인트가 되고, 아이돌 - 팬 간 관계는 전에 없이 가까워지는 듯 보인다. 아이돌과 팬이 커뮤니케이션하는 채널과 방식이 바뀐다는 것은, 팬이 아이돌을 대하는 지각과 감각, 그리고 아이돌/콘텐츠의 의미를 구성하고 대하는 방식이 이전과는 다른 것이 됨을 말한다. 팬 플랫폼이 팬 활동의 주된 무대가 되고 팬 플랫폼 없는 팬덤을 상상하기 어려운 상황에서, 아이돌 - 팬 간 커뮤니케이션에 주목해 새로운 팬덤의 양상과 의미를 밝히는 것이 이 연구의 목적이다. 연구목적 달성을 위해 팬 플랫폼(위버스, 유니버스, 리슨) 이용자 11명을 대상으로 인터뷰를 실시한다. 인터뷰를 주된 연구방법으로 사용하면서도 콘텍스트적 연구를 지향함으로써, (수용에 중점을 두지만) 팬 플랫폼이 야기하는 팬덤 변화의 안과 밖을 종합적으로 살피고자 한다. 글의 구성은 다음과 같다. 첫째, 기존의 팬덤 관련이론이 팬 플랫폼과 그로 인한 팬덤 변화를 분석하기에 적절하지 않거나 제한적임을 지적하고, 새로운 분석틀인 ‘커뮤니케이션 소비론’을 동원한다. 최근의 대중문화에서 어떤 텍스트들이 수용자와 ‘커뮤니케이션하기 위해’ 창작되고 소비되는 흐름을 포착하여, 팬 플랫폼과 팬덤을 함께 설명하기에 적절할 것이라는 판단에서다. 다만 보다 입체적인 분석을 위해 여러 학자들에 의해 고안된 개념들, 그리고 다른 자료들을 통해 제시된 관련논의도 함께 활용한다. 둘째, 팬 플랫폼과 그 수용이 보이는 여러 양상들을 드러내고, 그것들이 아이돌 산업과 팬들에게 어떤 영향을 미치는지, 팬들은 그것을 어떻게 이해하고 의미를 만들어내는지 짚어본다. 셋째, 앞선 과정들을 토대로 커뮤니케이션 소비로서 팬덤이 갖는 의미를 논의한다.
Abstract
The idol fan platform is changing the scenery of fandom. Free fan communities, which have been operated spontaneously through portal sites’ cafes, social network services, and community site galleries/boards, have now been absorbed by pay-based platforms created by industrial capital. From fan recruitment and management, announcement delivery, original content distribution, online and offline goods sales and event reservations, and communication among fans, are carried out through the fan platform. But above all else, the power of the fan platform comes from providing a completely new way for idols and fans to communicate directly. As a result, fans subscribe to their favorite idol(s) and freely exchange comments or private messages. The intimacy that separates the idol’s fantasy becomes a selling point for fans, and the idol-fan relationship seems to be getting closer than ever. The change in the channel and method of communication between idols and fans means that the perception and sense of how fans treat idols and the way they compose the meaning of idols/content are different from before. In the context of fan platforms becoming the main stage of fan activities making it difficult to imagine fandom without fan platforms, the purpose of this study is to pay attention to idol-fan communication to reveal the aspect and meaning of new fandom. In order to achieve the research purpose, interviews were conducted with 11 users of fan platforms (Weverse, Universe, and Lysn). The composition of the article is as follows. First, while pointing out that the existing fandom theory is not appropriate and limited in analyzing fan platforms and the resulting fandom changes, it mobilizes a new analysis framework of the ‘communication consumption’ concept. Second, this article reveals the fan platform and the various aspects of its acceptance, and how they affect the idol industry and fans, and how fans understand it and create meaning. Third, based on the previous processes, the meaning of fandom as communication consumption is discussed.
Keywords:
Idol, Fandom, Fan Platform, Communication Consumption키워드:
아이돌, 팬덤, 팬 플랫폼, 커뮤니케이션 소비References
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- ‘Universe’ hompage (https://universe-official.io, ).
- ‘Weverse’ hompage (https://www.weverse.io, ).
- ‘Lysn’ application.
- ‘Universe’ application.
- ‘Weverse’ application.