Comparative Analysis of K-pop Fans' Offline Support and Consumption Behaviors in China, South Korea, and Japan

East Asian countries, including China, South Korea, and Japan, form the major consumer markets for K-pop, which has swept across this region in recent years. Varied live event management rules, copyright protection systems, ticket selling rules, and local fan traditions make fans act and consume differently when they attend idol performances. Beyond simply playing songs online to lift chart data, local audiences devote plenty of time to offline concerts and fan meetings and keep close contact with other fans face to face. This research relies on my own experience watching live shows and long-time observation inside fan communities and compares fan behaviors in five key aspects: handmade fan merchandise, entry standards for official fan events, competitive offline fan behaviors, ticket operation modes, and venue manners. From the comparison, this paper concludes that fans based in China love creating exclusive supporting items and posting live photos online to expand their influence. South Korean audiences pay more attention to unified cheering during shows and attach great importance to artists' original music works. In contrast, strict real-name registration and copyright rules force Japanese fans to follow the most rigorous rules while chasing idols.