| This paper extends the study of fan-object relations by including embodied fan practices in the environmental media space. Drawing primarily on Hills and Sadvoss’ conceptualization of transitional object theory in fan studies as well as Hansen’s media theory of embodiment, I explore the intersection of these two approaches. In doing so, I argue that individual K-pop fans find themselves in a mediated environment where their fan subjectivities and embodied affectivities converge. Using a multidisciplinary approach that draws on fan studies, psychoanalysis, and media studies, this paper explores the multiple meanings of mediation as it relates to the complex issue of fan affect. Specifically, I analyze how the K-pop industry uses the bodies of idols to disguise its transactional nature and create illusions of exclusivity, intimacy, and approachability. Through a qualitative case study in the subscriptive virtual chat platform Bubble, I develop a symbolic umbilical cord framework that helps illuminate the interdependence between fans and fan objects in relation to the wider world. Ultimately, these discussions aim to unpack the complex interplay between the virtual and the real, the imagined and the lived, the intimate and the public, which is central to the experience of environmental media today. |
