“Parasocial relationships” is a term used to describe a one-sided relationship formed when one party extends energy, interest, and time, with someone who is completely unaware of their existence. At first glance, we view parasocial relationships as a foolish concept. So why are so many people actively engaging in parasocial relationships?
Our generation, just like any other, is filled with loneliness. Loneliness itself, is not the problem, the problem is in actuality, how we handle loneliness. Whether you liked it or not, back in the day, you needed to face this problem head-on;you had to go outside, find real life connections, and acknowledge that you’re lonely. Nowadays, you can stay at home, watch youtube, watch twitch, watch tiktok, and you suddenly don’t feel lonely anymore. Instead of eating with others, and engaging in social activities, you can eat with your favourite streamer;you suddenly have a friend, and don’t feel lonely anymore. This is the main reason why parasocial relationships are on the rise. Their whole purpose servers to serve lonely people, and give them a source of comfort. When paying attention to popular industries right now, several rely on parasocial relationships. Twitch, Youtube, and K-Pop.
Whether you like it or not, if you are a K-pop fan, you are in a parasocial relationship; however, it's the severity of the parasocial relationship that differentiates us. There are two main types of K-pop fans from my personal experience. Firstly, are casual fans. They listen to music, occasionally buy albums, and K-pop isn’t a domineering factor of their lives. Secondly, there is the severe category. This category is filled with “Parasocial Demons”, who are usually, lonely, delusional and chronically online. To them, K-pop is their entire lives, their only source of happiness and their only source of comfort.
Works cited:
“a one-sided relationship formed when one party extends energy, interest, and time” https://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/what-are-parasocial-relationships-and-are-they-healthy/#:~:text=A%20parasocial%20relationship%20is%20a,Register%20of%20Health%20Services%20Psychologists.
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