Author(s)

JinYi Zhang

Affiliation(s)

Faculty of Arts, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China.

Corresponding Author

JinYi Zhang

ABSTRACT

Amidst China’s Qing Lang movement, characterized by stringent regulations within the entertainment industry, the fostered idols who embrace the philosophy of “fans witnessing idol growth” confront dual crises: immature artworks and female masculinity. The study takes Teens In Times, one of the most successful male idol groups in contemporary Chinese mainland, as the central case. Through a combined methodology of textual analysis of media content and participatory observations within the online fan community, we analyze the legitimate pathways to the cultural cultivation of the fostered idols in the Chinese context. The study finds that through the repositioning of Teens In Times, its identity is legitimized as a youth role model in China. This process facilitates the dissemination and internalization of dominant ideologies among the younger generation, while simultaneously fostering the positive energy within the idol fandom culture. And through portraying of “shonen” and “brotherhood”, Teens In Times has demonstrated a hybrid masculinity that intertwines puppy love, chinoiserie, and nationalism. This approach not only addresses the alternative desires of young female fans transcending traditional masculinity norms, but also aligns with the nation’s expectations for youth development in the new era, echoing patriotic education and cultural confidence. The study concludes that as a distinctive cultural phenomenon, the fostered idols are the dynamic objects shaped by the forces of the fandom, the capital and the state. These pop idols function as vital junctures, bridging the national mainstream ideological compass with the ever-evolving societal consumption patterns. Furthermore, their celebrity images undergo a process of reconfiguration, negotiation, and cultivation within the intricate landscape of commercial markets and state-orchestrated cultural regulation and governance.

KEYWORDS

Fostered idols; Youth subculture; Masculinity; Entertainment industry; Mainstream culture

CITE THIS PAPER

JinYi Zhang. National youth role models and the negotiation of masculinity: the pathways to the cultural cultivation of the fostered idols- a case study of teens in times. Journal of Trends in Arts and Humanities. 2024, 1(1): 18-25. DOI: 10.61784/jtah3023.

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