k pop jesus and the tiktok ban
girl bulletin, issue #02
girl bulletin is our weekly guide to understanding the global evolution of digital girlhood. In today’s issue, we discuss South Korea’s pookiefication of Jesus Christ, Indonesian influencers winning national elections, and the US’ impending TikTok ban. Today’s issue is sponsored by a founding member and is without a paywall.
South Korean youth redefine Jesus, add hearts to images, create fan posters, spark debate - South China Morning Post
Birthday cafes are integral to South Korea’s idol culture. For years fans have come together in these cafes to celebrate the birth of their favorite K Pop entertainers. This Christmas, CCC Life Transforming Communitas, a Christian evangelical group active in South Korean university clubs decided to follow the footsteps of entertainment fandoms and celebrate the birth of their idol — Jesus Christ — with a birthday cafe exclusively for the son of God. They celebrated Christmas with pictures of Jesus from TV and movie adaptations decorated with heart emojis, posters, and other merchandise.
While the younger generation welcomed pookie Jesus with open arms, “critics” think this is religious desecration:
“Religion should not be trivialised as entertainment. Treating Jesus as an idol risks overshadowing Christianity’s core values.”
Well, if you ask me, religions are fandoms for dead (or imaginary) people. And as we evolve, religious rituals will have to evolve to keep young people invested. I won’t be surprised if birthday cafes for Jesus become a South Korean Christmas tradition in the near future.
Why so many influencers are running for election in Indonesia - Rest of World
After the recent US elections, there was wide-spread discussions on how influencers are influencing voter mindsets and democracy. Indonesia has taken it a step further by electing more than 20 influencers to the parliament.
Pradipa Rasidi, a digital anthropologist says:
“Spectacle is a crucial component; Indonesians listen to influencers. The influencers are great at managing the audiences’ emotions and using language that makes people feel closer to them, which is something that politicians are typically not able to do.”
But there is a con to this emotion-driven campaign tactic. Titi Anggraini says:
“Candidates who run for office don’t need to have a political background or other relevant experience. But what is worrying is that even after being elected, most celebrities and influencers don’t spend enough time learning and understanding the party’s ideologies … so they focus more on appealing to people’s emotions and less about educating them, or themselves, about the programs and policies.”
Another concern is that creators with this kind of influence have been known to spread disinformation favoring authorities and people in power. So political analysts are worried about the implications of digital influencers also having political power.
How would a TikTok ban work in the US? - The Guardian
As the US Supreme Court and government are premeditating on the future of TikTok in the country, here is a summary of what could happen if the ban comes through:
New users will not be able to download TikTok from app stores and existing users will not be able to update the app.
TikTok’s 170 million users in the US will probably still be able to use the app because it is already downloaded on their phones. But over time, without software and security updates, the app will become unusable.
Content creators and brands who have built their businesses through their TikTok followings will have to diversify their marketing efforts.
I think we will see an upsurge in TikTok-esque content in Instagram reels and YouTube shorts. Meta and Google will also roll out more features for short-form video production. As for creators and brands, they will move on to other pastures.
India’s cyber criminals are placing innocent people on digital arrests
In recent months, there has been an uptick in digital hostage cases in India. The latest victim of this hostage situation where scammers impersonate law enforcement professionals is beauty influencer and comedian Ankush Bahuguna.
In a video he shared on Instagram he says, “I can’t believe this happened to me. I am talking about 40 hours of digital arrest.” Here is a summary of what happened (via Business Standard):
“The ordeal began with a call from an unlisted international number. The caller informed Bahuguna that a package addressed to him had been cancelled and urged him to press a number for more details. Out of curiosity, Bahuguna complied— an action he later called ‘the biggest mistake of my life.’
After pressing the number, Bahuguna was connected to a supposed "customer support representative," who claimed the package had been seized by authorities for containing illegal substances. To escalate the situation, the caller informed Bahuguna that there was an arrest warrant issued in his name.
The scammers forced Bahuguna to switch off all electronic devices, forbade him from communicating with anyone, and coerced him into making multiple financial transactions. They claimed his family was in danger and that any attempt to reach out would lead to arrests.
Bahuguna’s friends and family became alarmed, noticing his unusual behaviour. Despite their efforts to contact him, he reassured them with ‘I am okay’ messages as instructed by the scammers.”
Amid the chaos, Bahuguna managed to read a message warning about “digital arrest” scams, a rising form of cybercrime in India. Realising he was a victim, he broke free from the scammers' hold.
If you live in India, chances are you have already received one such call. I had received one too, back in October 2023, claiming that “10 kgs of heroine I sent to Taiwan had been detained by the police” and offering to connect me to the Mumbai police station. The scary part is that these scammers have access to a ton of your personal information — address, phone, and Aadhaar number (similar to Social Security Number).
Fortunately, I had already been warned by a friend who works in law enforcement. So, I disconnected the call and that was it. If you receive one of these calls and don’t usually send heroin to Southeast Asia, you have nothing to worry about. End the call and go about your non-drug-peddler life.
The year 2015 was no leftist utopia but the way we were talking about influencers was worse than we are now. Case in point: this mothership article claiming influencers who said these things have superhero complexes:
"I'm an influencer because of my following and because I have the ability to influence how youth think. I impact their lives."
— Pretty standard job description for an influencer, me thinks.
"I tell my haters there is nothing wrong with dressing a certain way. It's up to me. It's my body. It's just boobs."
— I have a personal beef with the journalist who thinks basic bodily autonomy is a superhero complex.
"I realised I can help them tide through whatever they are facing."
— Okay, so this influencer might be exaggerating a little bit but a superhero complex? I think not.
"It's not just about earning money or being popular. It's about using my influence in the right way."
— That’s just a responsible person.
"People say we just take free things and anyhow take photos. But we do spend a lot of time understanding the brand and editing pictures."
— Most successful influencers are experts at branding, marketing, and content distribution. Claiming otherwise just makes you look stupid. Get off your high horse!
Unfortunately, watching some of the linear commentaries (mostly by white men) around the potential TikTok ban in the US has made me realise that we still look at influencers as some kind of undeserving entitled brats who make a ton of money for doing nothing. I wonder how much this has to do with misogyny, considering most “undeserving entitled brats” are women.
According to UNICEF’s data on digital girlhood, girls are 1.8 times less likely than boys to own a smartphone. Women are also 25 per cent less likely to know how to use technology for their basic needs compared to men. The study also found that while girls and boys have similar levels of digital literacy at younger ages, women get left behind as they grow older due to a disproportion in access to education.
Are you a sinner? I know I am. At least of the Abrahamic 7 deadly sins — pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth. Is it even possible to exist without committing these sins? Answered here:
Sometime in October last year, I had a striking revelation: my favorite literary genre is slow-paced novels set in the backdrop of a period of conflicts. Something about the volatility of human emotions under stress speaks to me.
Usually, these novels also have a central plot that attains fruition by the novel's end. As you already know, I am not a fan of elaborate prose without a central plot. As writer Heather Perry said, “Things have to happen.” Have you read that brilliant essay on the evolution of the literary fiction genre? If you haven’t, please do:
I have received those scam calls like 3 times in the past 20 days. Once I heard your parcel with DHL, I disconnected and never picked up the rest. It's scary to see how they have all these data.