For this multimedia project, you have the opportunity to explore a dimension of K-pop fandom that you are particularly interested in, in a form that you’d like to experiment with. You may choose to create a video essay, digital poster, zine, reaction-video/unboxing style vlog, series of video edits, multimedia written essay, or web page to present your project. If there is another format you’d like to use, please let me know. Your goal is to present a compelling exploration & argument that draws on class materials to deepen our understanding of K-pop fandom.

Your project should include (in a way appropriate to the format you’ve chosen):

• clear and focused research question or thesis statement
• A coherent and engaging argument conveyed in a way that makes sense for your chosen media form.

Drawn on at least 3 class readings/video essays and at least 2 additional secondary sources you find on your own. You should cite these sources (and any other sources you draw on) in a bibliography using Chicago Author/Date as we did our previous assignments.

Some possible topics for your project could include:

• The role of social media in a particular K-pop fandom community
• A particular idol’s evolving star persona and their engagement with fans
• A particular fan tradition or practice (for example: fan video edits, video essays, lore, bootlegging concerts, trading PC, unboxing videos, kpop dancing, concert-going, podcasts, vlogs, scrapbooking, etc.)
• The evolving relationship between fan culture and the K-pop industry, as evidenced through a particular instance/case study
• The intersections of K-pop and global popular culture/music cultures/fan cultures as evidenced in a particular idol, group, fandom, or kpop practice/genre
• The representation of gender and/or sexual identity in K-pop media & fan authorship (via a particular idol, group, etc)
• A genre of k-pop-related web content & their fan reception (like competition shows, vlives, group vlogs, dance practice videos, self-care videos, vacation videos, etc.)
• Something else you’d love to explore!

As you can tell from these prompts, I encourage you to look at broad concepts through the concrete foothold of a specific case study of a particular group, fandom, TV/web series, etc.

Be creative and have fun with this project! Remember, this is an opportunity for you to explore your interests in K-pop fandom and to engage with the class materials in a meaningful & creative way. Take advantage of the fact that this is not a standard paper; don’t just recreate a standard paper in video form.

This is an individual project, but if you would like to work in tandem with a partner, reach out and we can consider how you could collaborate on a larger-scale project or create two complementary projects.

In addition to the multimedia project itself, you will write a 500-1000 word reflection about the process & outcome of this project and how you understand it relating to class materials.