Tahapan Hubungan Parasosial Kpopers pada Karakter Alternate Universe Jungkook BTS pada Platform X

Abstrak

Parasocial relationships between Kpop fans and idols often take shape within media environments. However, on X,  the presence of Alternate Universe (AU) stories let fans imagine idols in alternate roles, potentially deepening emotional bonds with the characters. Thereefore, this study aims to describe the parasocial relationship formed between Kpop fans and The AU Character of BTS’s Jungkook, which was selected for his prominence on X. To decribe the parasocial relationship, the main theoretical framework for this study is the parasocial interaction theory, and Giles & Maltby’s stages of parasocial relationship. This study is supported with a post-positivist paradigm, and a descriptive-qualitative method. For this research, datas are collected through in-depth interviews, non-participant observation, and document studies. Findings indicate that the informants’ parasocial ties with AU Jungkook were preceded by existing interactions with the real Jungkook on X, therefore motivating them to read AU Jungkook. Hence, four of five informants progressed from initial engagement into the second  stage but did not enter the third, largely because they recognized that AU Jungkook is distinct from the real person. Frequent interaction with the real Jungkook on X reinforced this boundary. Meanwhile, one informant, Dina, exhibited movement toward the third stage without fully transitioning.