Levels of Parasocial Relationships (Giles & Maltby, 2006), April 18, 2022, illustration from Getting Real With Parasocial Relationships
Welcome to our next episode of the podcast!
Today Nikol (@trynnau) and I will explore an intriguing topic of parasocial relationships in the digital environment, using examples of Prayag Mishra’s relatively new “Pookie” trend, and Oli London’s marriage with a paper cut-out of Jimin from BTS, a popular K-POP group. Sounds interesting, right?
Hope you have enjoyed it! Let us know what you think in the comments below!
Bibliography
Aw, Eugene Cheng-Xi, and Stephanie Hui-Wen Chuah. “‘Stop the Unattainable Ideal for an Ordinary Me!’ Fostering Parasocial Relationships with Social Media Influencers: The Role of Self-discrepancy.” Journal of Business Research 132 (August 2021): 146-57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.04.025.
Bennett, Zak, and Erica Tempesta. “EXCLUSIVE: K-pop Super Fan MARRIES a Cardboard Cutout of His Singing Idol in a Bizarre Ceremony in Las Vegas – after Spending $165,000 on Surgery to Look Just like the Star.” DailyMail. Last modified January 7, 2020. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-7858307/K-pop-superfan-MARRIES-cardboard-cutout-idol-Las-Vegas.html.
Cuthill, Bryanna. “Anyone Else a Part of Pookie Nation on TikTok?” Her Campus. Last modified October 20, 2023. https://www.hercampus.com/culture/prayag-mishra-pookie-nation-tiktok-explainer/.
Giles, David C., and John Maltby. “Praying at the Altar of the Stars.” The Psychologist 19, no. 2 (2006): 82-85. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/242475256_Praying_at_the_altar_of_the_stars.
Sup3rN0v44. “Pookie.” Urban Dictionary. Last modified July 3, 2023. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Pookie.
Tan, Christie, and Vedanshi Kapadia. “Getting Real with Parasocial Relationships.” Simple Neuroscience. Accessed April 18, 2022. https://www.simplyneuroscience.org/post/getting-real-with-parasocial-relationships.
Tan, Christie, Vedanshi Kapadia, and Emma Zhou. Fig.1: Levels of Parasocial Relationships (Giles & Maltby, 2006). April 18, 2022. Illustration. https://www.simplyneuroscience.org/post/getting-real-with-parasocial-relationships.
“Tell Me Pookie.” Instagram Reel video, 00:21. Instagram. Posted by Prayagxmishra, November 14, 2023. https://www.instagram.com/reel/CznVBClLUqN/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==.
Tolentino, Daysia. “‘Sassy Men’ Have Taken over TikTok — and They’re Trying to Help Combat Toxic Masculinity.” NBCNews. Accessed October 17, 2023. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sassy-man-apocalypse-toxic-masculinity-prayag-mishra-tiktok-rcna119789.
Music used in the background:
BoDleasons, “LoFi Chill (Medium version).” Downloaded from Pixaby. https://pixabay.com/music/beats-lofi-chill-medium-version-159456/
Hi Pookie!!! This is such a great podcast, very informative and interesting. Thank you for explaining the term to me, it is such a cute concept, and I was very confused every time I encountered it. The parasocial relationships are so interesting to me. I have been a part of a K-pop community for a few years, and I have read extensively on the subject. I believe that such relationships do not have to be explicitly wrong, as you argued. The love a fan has for their idol can transform said fan’s life, motivate them to develop as a person, and positively impact other relationships. However, the danger is that the parasocial relationship can never be fulfilled, it is always bound within the realm of fantasy (if one attempts to realize it, it becomes a crime). Therefore, becoming too attached to the imagined relationship with an idol can hinder an individual from seeking real-life, imperfect connections, as they are unpredictable and may lead to heartbreak.