World-building: The Fandom Experience of Finding You in Me

One of the incredible opportunities that comes with writing Finding You in Me, is world building – a music history and career trajectory for my hero, a rise from employee to emerging business executive for my heroine, and multiple fandoms for the entertainers in the story. The fandom experience is a fine-tuned, deeply immersive relationship between artists and fans unrivaled outside the South Korean entertainment industry.

For my hero, Min Su, the fandom are the warm, affectionate, enthusiastic Pinkies.  They support everyone Min Su chooses to support.  They’ve traveled a long journey with him from his K-pop Debut to his solo career to his trailblazing collaborations with global stars.  Through all of that they’ve become not only fiercely protective, but radically positive based on the inspiration of his survival in a tough business and the unverified rumors of how he overcame struggles.

As I thought of ways to immerse readers in the world of Finding You in Me, I developed the fandom logo (at the top of this post), and as a reward for backers in the crowdfunding campaign, a distinctive virtual lightstick.  It embodies the branding and colors of the Pinkies – rose gold and pinky promises – along with Min Su’s member mascot (aka representative character) from his boy band, the Golden Tiger native to South Korea.

Lightsticks hold a special importance in the world of K-pop.  Each group has a unique version – from simple light-up medallions to more complex app-connected displays like Stray Kids Version 2.  Fans purchase them to show loyalty and strengthen their shared sense of community.  At concerts, the lightsticks are connected to wireless signals so that waves of colored lights synced to the music flowing across the stadium.

It’s an experience unlike any other.  And that’s is something uniquely K-pop – the shared fan experience, touch points, and the mythology and culture that grow around a group.