K-pop stars are finding a new way to connect with their fans by creating secondary Instagram accounts dedicated to their personal hobbies and interests. (G) I-DLE’s Jeon Soyeon, BLACKPINK’s Jennie, and Red Velvet’s Seulgi are among the celebrities embracing this trend.
Jeon Soyeon’s alter ego on her side account @farmcow.y surprises fans with lifestyle tips ranging from boiling eggs to making the perfect soy sauce egg rice. She also recommends good restaurants she’s visited. What makes her secondary account particularly charming are the home-made videos, complete with her own narration. The contrast between her usual charismatic image and this more relatable side has pleasantly surprised fans. Despite being relatively new, her account has already amassed 210,000 followers as of the last update.
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Jennie turns her secondary account into a mini gallery showcasing her film photography hobby. From vast landscapes to intimate self-portraits and snaps of her cat, Jennie’s posts foster a deep sense of connection with her followers. Since May 2019, her alternate account has grown to 4.62 million followers.
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Seulgi also interacts with fans through her art-focused secondary account @BY. SSEUL GI since July 2021. The theme is her own artwork. Similar to Jennie, Seulgi also enjoys film cameras, but her subjects are usually people—often her fellow Red Velvet members—rather than landscapes. Her account has charmed over 572,000 followers.
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The allure of these secondary accounts lies in their down-to-earth content, which makes fans feel closer to their idols. According to pop culture critic Jeong Deok Hyun, “Interacting through a private account makes fans feel more connected to the stars. This authenticity fits perfectly with the current cultural emphasis on realness.”
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