Queer Interpretations in the Chinese Hallyu Fandom: Focusing on Queerbaiting in K-POP Boy Group NCT

In recent years, the interaction between K-POP and fan culture, alongside the spread of BL (Boys’ Love) culture, has highlighted the phenomenon of queerbaiting. This study examines NCT’s Awkward but OK and analyzes queer interpretive discourses on the Chinese platform Bilibili. The findings show that such discourses arise through production team planning, member interactions, and fans' emotional reinterpretation. CP fans, as active consumers, fill semantic gaps and create queer narratives that evolve into collective discourse through danmu(real-time comments). While this positively impacts idol marketing, excessive queering risks fragmenting fandoms and alienating audiences. This study explores the cultural significance of queerbaiting and its power dynamics, emphasizing the need for balance in commercial content production.