[Last modified: October, 13 2024 07:18 PM]
When I scrolled through the popular Chinese social app, Xiaohongshu, I stumbled upon an intriguing trend: fans of Korean idols taking tiny, plush dolls which representing their idols on travels. I was drawn in by photos and videos of these fans, often young women, meticulously documenting their trips with these 10-centimeter dolls, sharing their journey as if the idols themselves were present.
Curious about this practice, I reached out to one fan who had recently spent a day at Universal Studios Beijing. She traveled with a small raccoon doll which represented Sunwoo, a member of the Korean boy band TheBoyz. We connected online for 40 minutes, and in our conversation, she shared stories about her experience.
At first, she explained, the reason was simple: “The doll is so cute. When I first got it, I wanted to bring it everywhere!” But as we continued talking, she began to reflect more deeply on the bond she had formed with the doll. It wasn’t just an inanimate object anymore — it had become “him” in her mind, a symbol of the idol she admired.
The plush doll filled a gap. Traveling with non-fan friends, she felt a disconnect between her personal admiration for the idol and her current reality. The doll bridged that gap, creating a sense of companionship and fulfilling her desire for interaction with her idol — even if only symbolically. The experience was emotionally satisfying. She even described dressing the doll in little outfits, the act evoking a maternal instinct, a desire to care for something small and precious.
When she posted photos of the doll at Universal Studios on social media platforms like WeChat and Weibo, other fans who also like Sunwoo gave her the likes and comments. The doll had become a subtle way to share her experiences with the world, offering a sense of belonging to a community without revealing her own image. It also allowed her to travel vicariously, in a sense, presenting her idol’s likeness in new locations, as though her own presence was imbued in the doll. Through this simple act, the plush toy had become much more than a cute accessory — it was an icon of fan identity and connection.
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