Developing “subversive commons” through boycott and buycott; K-pop fan activism of producing and consuming unofficial merchandise

K-pop fans are widely recognized for their active engagement in fan activism, as exemplified by Indonesian K-pop fans’ practice of political consumerism to challenge problematic power structures without severing their connection to their idols. Employing digital and field ethnography, this article explores how Indonesian K-pop fans use virtual media spaces for humanitarian activism, navigate ideological tensions with their idols, and engage in boycott and buycott practices toward merchandise as expressions of political consumerism. Here, fans can be categorized into three groups: those who believe in separating activism issues from fandom activities; those who only support acceptable idol activities; and those who remain uncompromising in boycotting their idols. Furthermore, through the lens of commoning, this study reveals how unofficial merchandise transforms fans from passive consumers into dissenting prosumers who actively challenge the entertainment industry’s economic hegemony and enclosure.

Boycott · Consumerism · Entertainment · Fandom · Hegemony · Ideology · Indonesian · Politics · Power (physics) · Asian Culture and Media Studies · Music History and Culture · Socioeconomic Development in Asia