The Power of Fandom: How ARMY, CARATs, ONCEs and More Are Shaping the Future of Entertainment

BTS Army Fandom

The global entertainment landscape has evolved rapidly in the past decade, and the driving force behind many of these changes is not simply the artists themselves. It is the fandoms that stand behind them. Communities like ARMY, CARATs, ONCEs, MOAs and countless others have redefined the meaning of support, influence and participation in pop culture. Their collective power now reaches far beyond streaming numbers or concert ticket sales. It shapes brand decisions, global charts and even social movements.

TWICE has held two concerts at SoFi Stadium, was a sold-out event that drew a crowd of 48,345 fans.

Fandom culture has always existed, but K Pop communities elevated it to an entirely new level. A fan base today acts as a global marketing team that operates around the clock. They mobilize millions with a single hashtag and create worldwide trends within minutes. When an artist returns with new music, fans coordinate mass streaming, organize promotional events in their cities and produce their own viral content. These actions routinely influence chart rankings in the United States, Korea, Japan and Europe.

The impact spreads across corporate partnerships as well. Brands now pay close attention to the size, personality and behavior of an artist’s fandom before signing endorsements. A motivated fan community can lift a product into instant best seller status. The most successful collaborations in the past few years have been those that align authentically with fan culture, where fans feel seen and respected.

BTS donates part of their own earnings to UNICEF

Many communities organise global donation drives that support education, environmental causes and disaster relief. These projects demonstrate a remarkable ability to mobilize resources for real world impact.

ARMY – raised over $1 million for the Black Lives Matter movement, mostly in just one day

The future of entertainment is inseparable from fandoms. Their influence continues to grow and companies across music, media and consumer industries now study fan behavior to understand the future of audience engagement. K Pop did not only create superstars. It created a culture where fans have an active voice in shaping what entertainment looks like on a global stage.