Source: http://www.kpopstarz.com
‘Volunteer, Donations’ Sharing Culture Spreading Among Fans, Why?
As recent report of fans that seem to behave like stalkers have been rampant it seems to overshadow the other fan base that contributes to society in different ways for their beloved stars.
Fans hold many donation activities to show support for the star concerts, appearances in music or TV, birthday or anniversary of their debut and more. There are differences of scale and age group of the fan base, however generally the volunteer activities are led by fan café members such as charity bazaar, auction, and fund-raising campaign.
Even the type of donation varies. The most prevalent method of donation is to send rice and briquettes wreath. Girls’ Generation’s Sunny and Super Junior’s Kyuhyun’s fans have donated 7.6 tons of rice to show support of their musical ‘Catch Me If You Can,’ BEAST fans donated 5 tons of rice and 8.036 briquettes to celebrate the ‘Beautiful Show’ tour launch. In addition T-ARA, TVXQ, JYJ, 2PM, Big Bang, 2NE1 and many more stars fan base donate rice and briquettes to a charitable cause.
Also donate for malnourished children and damage caused by natural disasters. Jay Park’s fans have donated 57 million won for children’s foundation and other charities. The fans continuously participate in various volunteer works and to send books to international adoptees. JYJ Yoochun’s fan donated 10 million won for flood victims.
There are even fans that set up charity organizations. John Park’s fan from the DC Inside build a library, Lee Hyori fan also started a campaign to build an animal shelter. Kim Hyun Joong fan have set up a ‘Kim Hyun Joong Scholarship Fund. In March Seo Taiji fans surprised everyone by setting up a ‘Seotaiji Forest’ in the Brazil Amazon rainforest.
What is notable is the fact that younger students are also participating in such sharing culture. Jay Park, Girls’ Generation, TVXQ, ZE:A fans regularly hold volunteer activities by visiting facilities for children, disabled, or elderly. Also holding a campaign through Naver Happy Bean is becoming active. It is a campaign gathering by Naver users to write a post or send email, the user earns a bean worth of 100 won, later all of these beans gathered can be given to a charitable organization. This allows the younger fans to be able to participate in the activities or donation through different ways of participation.
Girls’ Generation’s fans of Taeyeon and Sooyoung’s birthday have donated using happy beans to a children foundation, Yoochun fans also donated to Naver Happy Bean campaign in total of 5 million won in cash and 8 million won of rice, noodles and other.
Following the ‘hallyu wave’ K-Pop stars are gaining worldwide popularity and international fans have also joined in the donation. TVXQ member Yunho’s Chinese fans have donated stationary and study materials to an elementary school, Thai fans have held volunteer services for the visually impaired. Girls’ Generation member Taeyeon’s Chinese fan donated 400 dictionaries. Wonder Girls Vietnamese fans volunteered at an orphanage.
The general view of the public towards fans participating in sharing culture is generally favorable. Especially as students who receive allowance from parents are willingly participating in such donation and volunteer work have received a good response such as ‘The fans have changed,’ Fans same as the star,’ and such praise are heard. Stars are gladly accepting such change from fans.
Big Bang’s G-Dragon participating in YG Entertainment’s ‘WITH Campaign’ hearing new of his fans to donate around 20 million won to the Children’s Hospital at Seoul University added nearly 50 million won to the donation. It has been said that star themselves who are interested in volunteer work and donation is very happy to hear about their fans also giving donation and volunteer work. Therefore they encourage their fans of doing volunteer work and share their thanks for their fans. However there are voices of concern as the amount of the donation is revealed there might be fans that come to have a strong sense of rivalry against other star donation amount.
Fans are willingly contributing their time for volunteer work to improve the image of their favorite star. It is that fans wish to convey a mature fan image and culture, therefore instead of spending their time writing fan letters, sending gifts, and chasing after the stars decided to use those expenses in a more meaningful way.
This change of conscious for the fans came from the efforts of the stars. As stars led by example it has changed the view of the fans. Just as TVXQ member Yunho’s scholarship donation, donated to earthquake victims of Haiti, Western Africa’s development grants and more have led his fans to donate to an animal welfare organization. Not only in donations just like Wonder Girls member Sunye who have volunteered in elderly facilities, orphanage, Haiti have led her fans to continue the volunteer work at an orphanage as she left for the U.S.
There are stars that encourage the fans of their good deeds. Lee Hyori has participated with her fans in building an animal shelter and ZE:A along with their fans have led a public campaign. Celebrities have a considerable influence over their fans, especially teenagers. Therefore agencies train them to hold continuous volunteer work and character education. The celebrities that have ingrained such culture of sharing will continuously volunteer and donate even after their debut. Fans become touched and participate as well some celebrities participate together in volunteering to form special memories. In this process celebrities form a stronger bond with their fans and feel proud as well
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