The intersection of "real" and "reel": An investigation of K-pop idol dual self-presentation, paid advertisements, and fan engagement

초록

K-pop idols meticulously manage their public image on social media by blending aspects of professional and personal self-presentation, occasionally incorporating paid advertisements. This research aims to investigate these strategies on idols' personal Instagram accounts and their impacts on fans. Two studies were conducted. In Study 1, a content analysis of the ten most recent Instagram posts from 26 K-pop idols revealed a combination of both self-presentation types with a slightly higher prevalence of personal one. One-fourth of the posts contained paid advertisements, and they were more prevalent in professional self-presentation. Posts featuring personal self-presentation garnered significantly more likes and comments, and so did posts without paid advertisements. Study 2, an online experiment with 240 Korean Instagram users, compared professional and personal selfpresentation with and without paid advertisement. The results showed that paid advertisement significantly influenced perceptions of the idol, diminishing perceived authenticity, professionalism, and para-social relationship. In contrast, professional self-presentation heightened only perceived professionalism compared to personal self-presentation. Engagement intentions did not significantly differ between self-presentation types but were lowered by paid advertisement indirectly through reduced perceived para-social relationship. This research highlights the complex dynamics of online self-presentation, fan engagement, and the potential drawbacks of commercialization in K-pop.

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