The Strength of Weak Tie In EXO's Fan Economy
Abstract
This study examines how online fan activities relate to EXO sales from 2012 to 2023. EXO is used as a case. Drawing on the weak tie theory, we compare different indicators of the fan activity. YouTube views and Reddit post count are selected as main metrics, and we also check Reddit active user count to get full picture. Weak-tie visibility is related to YouTube views because the platform can share idol content to dedicated fans and casual audiences at the same time, which means the visibility is not limited to the core fan group and can reach potential buyers. For stronger-tie community support, we measure fan activity on Reddit. It shows fan discussions and repeated participation, and long-term engagement can also be found there. Our results show that YouTube views has a positive link with sales. But Reddit post count and active users do not show significant ties to sales. It is worth noting that not all fan activity has same economic weight. Weak-tie visibility can connect more to buying power. At the same time, strong-tie community activity can help maintain fandom loyalty. In fact, it does not directly increase sales. Overall, we suggest that the idol fan economy can be viewed as complex. Different platforms support various types of fan power.
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