Asian Celebrity Cultures in the Digital Age

Asian Celebrity Cultures in the Digital Age represents the first comprehensive study on the transformations of celebrity cultures in increasingly globalised and digitalised Asian societies. It discusses relations between Asian celebrities and digital media across emerging phenomena in celebrity practices, cultures, politics, fandom, and economies. Highlighting original case studies from prominent Asian societies, including India, China, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea, and Japan, this book sheds much-needed light on the de-Westernisation and internationalisation of celebrity studies and is essential reading for scholars and students in celebrity, fandom, digital media and communication, and cultural studies.

Jian Xu is an associate professor in communication in the School of Communication and Creative Arts at Deakin University, Australia.

Glen Donnar is a senior lecturer in popular culture and Asian media and culture in the School of Media and Communication at RMIT University, Australia.

Divya Garg is a lecturer and subject coordinator in the School of Culture and Communication at the University of Melbourne, Australia.

‘It has been a long time since the necessity of de-Westernising or de-Anglicising media and cultural studies was advocated. Yet much more needs to be done and celebrity studies is one of the least de-Westernised fields, given that the concept of “celebrity” itself is rather Euro-American-centric. This collection does not just accomplish this task credibly and comprehensively but also gives new empirical and theoretical insights into the field by analysing various emerging questions in the digitalised environment. Asian Celebrity Cultures in the Digital Age is a must-read for all scholars and students seeking to understand the diverse operation of cultural politics of fame and stardom in a digitally connected world.’

—Koichi Iwabuchi, University of Technology Sydney

‘This collection offers a vital intervention into the historically Western-centric field of celebrity studies in its examination of the rich and complex celebrity cultures emerging across Asia. Jian Xu, Glen Donnar, and Divya Garg have assembled a diverse set of scholars whose compelling and dynamic contributions draw attention to the unique historical, social, cultural, and political contexts shaping particular Asian celebrity cultures, as well as the broader impact those celebrity cultures have within an increasingly globalised and digitalised media landscape. Asian Celebrity Cultures in the Digital Age is an important book that sheds much-needed light on the transformations in how we engage with and study celebrities in the twenty-first century.’

—Erin A. Meyers, Oakland University 

‘Asian Celebrity Cultures in the Digital Age is an updated volume that explores the evolving landscape of celebrity and fandom cultures across Asia. This collection meticulously documents cases from various locales, highlighting the impact of online culture and social media on the cultural politics of identity, language, gender, religion, and more. Featuring insights from local experts and researchers, the book offers a comprehensive analysis of how technology is reshaping celebrity and power dynamics in contemporary Asian societies.’

 —Anthony Fung, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

 ‘This timely and significant edited collection is the first comprehensive study of how Asian celebrity culture has been transformed by the digital media era. Taking themes and case studies from the online arenas of political celebrity, fandom, and social media influencers, the book traverses both national and transnational contexts, with China, Japan, South Korea, India, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia as anchoring stopping off points. The collection is rich in its analysis and complex in its journeying and findings, with highly original chapters on such topics as Livestreaming BTS, Indonesian Religious Influencers, VTubers and Disability, and Singapore’s Political Celebrity-Scape. This is a must read for those interested in how celebrity flows through the digital oceans of Asia.’

—Sean Redmond, RMIT University, Australia