On Oct. 16, singer and songwriter Liam Payne of One Direction, one of the best-selling boy bands of all time, tragically died after falling from a balcony in Argentina. The passing of Payne caused a collective grief among One Direction’s fanbase, the Directioners. Fans talked about how they felt a genuine connection to the celebrity and how losing him felt like losing a friend. The fans gathered around different parts of the world – and especially online – to mourn the fallen star.
The losses of other celebrities such as Jonghyun from SHINee, Michael Jackson and Aaliyah have also been treated with collective grief. Even fictional characters have been proven to connect to their fandoms emotionally. Readers of the “Harry Potter” series have said to feel a sense of belonging and comfort that draws them into the fandom, fans of “Stranger Things” said the show helped them connect with others, and studies had shown that individuals form personal attachments to celebrities and characters they admire.
Situations like this may cause people to wonder what exactly it is that teens get out of being a fan. The average fangirl or fanboy is described as obsessive in dictionaries, but there is a vast separation between a fan and an obsessive fan. Being a part of a fandom can benefit teens – until their admiration for the celebrity or character reaches the point of obsession.
Fanboys and fangirls are often known for their obsessive behavior. Many K-pop stans are aware of sasaengs, obsessive stalker fans that invade Korean idols' privacy to a point where it's harmful. These fans become so obsessed with their idols to the point where they would harm any idols of the opposite gender that the idol had contact with. NCT 127 has had stalker fans find their phone numbers, follow them to their homes where they would hide in the vents, and book flights in seats directly next to them. Fans who become this obsessive feel a sense of attachment and closeness that causes them to look past the idea of a celebrity being another person and only see them as objects for their admiration and comfort.
People also believe being a fan can be psychologically harmful. Some fans mimic the behavior and looks of their favorite celebrities or characters and wish they looked like them. Many teens feel lonely, jealous and have low self-esteem caused by celebrities' social media posts. A variety of teenage girls avoid being fans of female celebrities such as Blackpink or Beyonce because of their own insecurities but are drawn to keep up with online posts and compare themselves to celebrities.
Fandoms may also become physically harmful when one factors in ideas of fan wars and anti-fans. K-pop fandoms have been known to meet up and fight each other since the early 2000s when the first idol group debuted, and many sports fans get physical if their favorite team loses, especially if they bet on the game.
Although being a part of a fandom can be harmful, it can also benefit teens more than just basic entertainment, by creating community and support in their lives. A lot of fans may feel like they have developed an emotional connection between fans and celebrities, especially since the internet makes it easier for celebrities to communicate with and show appreciation to their fandom.
Many teens will spend hours reading fan-fiction, scrolling through their favorite celebrities' content and talking to people in the same fandom. Teens use these connections to their idols and fandoms as a coping mechanism or and a distraction from negative things going on in their lives. Studies have shown that having content to look forward to can offer a positive psychological boost and stress-relief.
Teens sometimes use their favorite characters and idols to help them shape their personality as well as their interests. Those who are highly invested in fandoms incorporate elements of the fandom into their self-concept and social identity. Fandoms may allow a fan to realize they like expressing themselves creatively. For example, “Twilight” started off as a My Chemical Romance fan-fiction and shaped Stephenie Meyer’s career and identity as an author. Anime fandoms also helped shape people's identity by allowing them to recognize their interest in cosplay or fashion in general.
Fandoms offer a community for fans to be a part of something larger than themselves. Teens may feel a sense of support and acceptance around others with similar interests. A lot of teens that feel isolated or lonely can easily find friends that share similar interests in the groups, artists, shows or books they are into. However, if the interest reaches a point of obsession it can start to be harmful to the teen and others around them.