[YeitSuda] The Illusion of Influencers

The era of heroes has passed, and the era of influencers has arrived. Celebrities have become the heroes of the times, and their influence is directly measured by the number of followers. With the rapid growth of the internet, media, and entertainment industries, it is common to see not only actors and athletes but also handsome or outstanding ordinary people and YouTubers holding a large number of followers on social media and leveraging this to become celebrities.

Netflix drama Celebrity photo. [Photo by Netflix]

Even among elementary school students' future career aspirations, content creators such as YouTubers are preferred over doctors. According to the ‘2022 Elementary and Secondary Career Education Survey’ released by the Ministry of Education and the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training, creators ranked 3rd (6.1%) in the survey of desired occupations among elementary students, while doctors ranked 4th (6.0%). Creators, who were outside the top 20 until 2017, rose to 5th place in 2018 and climbed to 3rd place the following year, surpassing doctors (4th) for the first time since the survey began in 2007.

In an era where appearances matter, influencers willingly display their lives. The Netflix drama ‘Celebrity,’ released on the 30th of last month, was praised for its candid portrayal of the influencer ecosystem on social media. The world of social media is dominated by influencers adorned with luxury brands. In the drama, they form a group called ‘Gabinhoe’ and continuously upload boastful photos disguised as their daily lives, travels, and work. Based on this, they conduct group purchases targeting their followers and make enormous profits by charging exorbitant prices.

As the protagonist Seo Ari (Park Gyu-young) says in the drama, power in the SNS space comes from “how many people know me.” Historian Daniel Boorstin said, “A celebrity is a person who is famous for being famous.” For influencers whose fame was once illusory, wealth brings tangible achievements, and they are reborn as celebrities possessing both wealth and fame.

Although they seem to live glamorous lives, characters like Jin Chae-hee, the younger sister of a law firm CEO and a member of Gabinhoe, and famous influencer Oh Min-hye are obsessed with their follower counts and the number of likes that “make all humans believe in a perfect illusion.” To flaunt their influence, they plan covert operations to become celebrities and followers, and frequently create sensational issues to attract attention.

The drama highlights the rise and fall of Seo Ari, the protagonist who genuinely tried to compete in this battleground, illuminating the bright and dark sides of influencers, the new aristocrats of this era who possess popularity, money, and power. Behind this lies a sharp critique of the anonymous followers and crowd psychology.

Why does the public so enthusiastically support them? Psychologist James Houran argued that the decline of religion and secularization have fueled celebrity worship. Chris Rojek, a professor of sociology at City University London and a leading scholar on celebrity studies, pointed out, “The bizarre and exaggerated cultural forms manifested by celebrities are elements that can appear at certain stages of social development, and as long as democracy and capitalism continue, the Olympus temple where celebrities live, not Zeus, will always exist.”

While the drama ‘Celebrity’ criticizes the illusions of SNS and influencers, it also subtly fosters admiration for flashy luxury goods throughout its production. The fact that we cannot move forward without creating influencers who reign over ordinary people and are worshipped like gods, under the premise that everyone is equal and free and that democracy claims moral superiority, presents a profound paradox.

Editor's NoteYeitsuda (藝It Suda) is an abbreviation for “talk about art,” a column focusing on issues and trends across the arts, including music, fine arts, and performances.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.