The K-Pop phenomenon is no longer limited to music and entertainment. Behind the cheers of concerts, trending Twitter hashtags, and shelves of album collections, its fans—especially young people—have evolved into a social and political force. Beyond supporting their idols through album purchases or concert attendance, K-Pop fan communities are now actively raising funds, organizing social actions, and voicing opinions on political issues in their respective countries.
Globally, the ARMY—fans of the group BTS—attracted international attention when they donated millions of dollars to the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States. Shortly after, K-Pop fans went viral again for “disrupting” Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Tulsa by reserving thousands of fake tickets, leaving seats empty. From that moment, the world realized that K-Pop fandoms possess not only digital literacy but also collective power that can be mobilized for meaningful causes.
This phenomenon has also emerged across Southeast Asia, including Indonesia and Thailand—two of the world’s largest K-Pop audiences on YouTube. Yet, fan activism in these countries often goes beyond entertainment, engaging directly with social, environmental, and even political issues.
From Tree Donations to Social Action: From Music to Politics
In Indonesia, BTS fans once donated more than 8,700 mangrove trees in Demak, Central Java, as a birthday gift for member Jimin. They have also raised billions of rupiah for disaster relief efforts in Sulawesi. These actions were shared widely on social media—not merely to honor their idols, but also to counter the negative stereotype that K-Pop fans are “hysterical teenagers.”
In Thailand, K-Pop fans have carried out similar initiatives. They organized mass blood donation drives, collecting hundreds of liters of blood to celebrate BTS’s anniversary. During the pandemic, fans rented tuk-tuks to display birthday messages for idols—an effort that not only celebrated fandom but also helped tuk-tuk drivers who had lost their income.
K-Pop fan activism, however, extends beyond charity. During the 2020 pro-democracy protests in Thailand, many fans joined street demonstrations and used social media to spread information through the hashtag #WhatsHappeningInThailand. They also raised funds to provide protective gear and legal aid for detained activists. When Nichkhun of 2PM, a Thai-born K-Pop idol, expressed his concern, it further strengthened the morale of the movement.
In Indonesia, K-Pop fans also played a political role during the Omnibus Law debate in 2020. With their extensive networks on Twitter, they helped push protest hashtags to global trending topics. Initially, many fans were unaware of the issue, but online discussions led them to become politically aware—and eventually to speak out against policies perceived as unjust.
A New Force of Youth
What young K-Pop fans have done shows that fandoms can be more than entertainment communities. Their emotional connection to their idols gives them motivation to act—but the impact they create extends far beyond fandom. They prove that love for music can transform into energy for social action, solidarity, and democracy.
Through social media, they learn to organize, manage campaigns, raise funds, and disseminate information to the public. The digital skills once used to promote idols have evolved into powerful social and political tools.
This phenomenon offers an important lesson: young people have their own ways of engaging with social issues. Fandoms may serve as the entry point, but behind them lies a spirit of solidarity, empathy, and courage capable of driving real change.
Author: Mohammad R., Gemawan Activist
Source: Exploring Youth Political Participation: K-Pop Fan Activism in Indonesia and Thailand by Amalia Nur Andini & Ghaziah Nurika Akhni (2021)