Situated Knowledge, Transnational Identities: Place and Embodiment in K-pop Fan Reaction Videos

Abstract

This paper explores the K-pop reaction video as a transnational mode of representing place and embodiment. In my analysis, I examine the performances of individual and communal identities in videos created by North American fans of Korean popular culture who film themselves watching music videos for the first time. The K-pop industry has grown to become a truly global sensation, but little has been said about the ways in which fans outside of Korea use K-pop texts as a foundation for expressing their own situated experiences. Unlike many other discussions of transnational and online spaces as disembodied and place-less, it is crucial to recognize the material realities connected to these spaces, particularly on platforms such as YouTube that rely primarily on visual creative expression. I argue that the K-pop reaction video functions to represent the fluid complexities of transnationalism, while also embracing the tangible significance of place, body, and emotion.