American Korean popular music (K-Pop) fans donate to social causes, hijack harmful hashtags on Twitter, and participate in volunteer work. With the internet, American K-Pop fans connect people to further social causes in America.
While K-Pop music is typically positive, and self-affirming, their stars had not talked politics as a rule. However, recently BTS “took a public stand, showing support toward the BLM civil rights movement and donating US$1 million to the cause.” Maybe American K-Pop fans are changing Korean stars relationship with the stardom and even their music?
So, these American fans start with their fandom, see a connection there, and then use that connection, apart from the music and messaging from the bands themselves, to be players on the American social and political scene. And they may even start to change K-pop itself. Fascinating.
Here is a radio show about K-Pop and this political moment.