K-Popers’ Self-Perception: A Study from the Perspective of Adolescent Girls

One of the most popular music genres among today’s teenagers is K-pop, a genre that serves as a platform for the representation and redefinition of adolescent identity.This study aims to investigate the self-perception of adolescent K-pop fans (K-popers) and to analyze the gradual process of identity formation within this cultural context. Employing a qualitative research design and thematic analysis, data were collected through 24 semi-structured interviews with adolescent K-pop enthusiasts and subsequently subjected to thematic analysis. Findings indicate that engagement with the K-Pop phenomenon occurs along a continuum of involvement, ranging from passive music listening to emulation of fashion and makeup styles, culminating in the internalization of personality traits and value systems associated with K-pop idols. Throughout this process, fans progressively construct new social personas, which are expressed both in virtual and real-life contexts. Moreover, most participants strive to delineate a boundary between genuine interest and obsessive behavior. The results underscore that K-pop, as a global subculture, not only shapes adolescents’ tastes and lifestyles but also contributes significantly to their identity formation. Although the inherent limitations of qualitative research affect the generalizability of the findings, this study highlights the multifaceted and prominent role of K-pop and its idols as global cultural-artistic agents in the identity development of adolescents.