newsinsightplus.com
- 62.His
- Abdoulaye
- March 24, 2024
- 0 Comments
BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaSenegal election: Voters choose new president after political crisisPublished8 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, AFPImage caption, Seven million people are eligible to voteBy Natasha BootyBBC NewsAfter weeks of political unrest, people in Senegal are voting for a new president.Seventeen candidates are on the ballot, each hoping to replace President Macky Sall who is barred from running again after reaching the two-term limit.The election had been due to take place last month but Mr Sall postponed it, triggering deadly opposition protests and a democratic crisis.Senegal had until then been praised as a bastion of democracy in West Africa.Seven million people are eligible to vote in Sunday’s election.Among those in the running for Senegal’s top job is the governing BBY coalition’s candidate, former Prime Minister Amadou Ba, 62.His strongest challenger is seen as Bassirou Diomaye Faye, 44, who was released from jail just last week, after being detained since April 2023 on charges of insurrection, which he said were politically motivated. Freed prisoner takes on Senegal’s heir apparentAfrica Daily podcast: Can there be a peaceful transition in Senegal?Popular firebrand Ousmane Sonko, who was also imprisoned until last week on what he said were trumped-up charges, is not allowed to stand. He and his now-disbanded Pastef party are backing his close ally, Mr Faye.On Friday, former President Abdoulaye Wade and his PDS party threw their support behind Mr Faye, after his own son Karim Wade was forced to withdraw over his dual French-Senegalese citizenship.For the first time in over a decade, a female candidate is in the race. Anta Babacar Ngom, 40, leads the ARC party.Results are expected within days and a second round is likely, because of the large number of contestants. A candidate needs more than 50% of the vote to be declared the winner.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Anta Babacar Ngom is the only woman in the running for presidentThe eyes of the world will be watching to see if the election process goes some way to restoring Senegal’s now-bruised reputation.Speaking to the BBC earlier this week, President Sall said that he had “no apology to make” for postponing the election, which was originally due to be held on 25 February.”I have done nothing wrong,” he said, adding that the decision to delay the vote was not taken unilaterally, but was due to electoral concerns raised by members of parliament.”All the actions that have been taken have been within the framework of the law and regulations.”More on Senegal’s 2024 election:’We feel betrayed by President Macky Sall”If I were president’: Senegalese children organise own pollOusmane Sonko: Senegalese youth hero or rabble-rouser?Related TopicsSenegalTop StoriesLive. Chancellor to be quizzed after inflation hits lowest level in over two yearsWilliam and Kate ‘enormously touched’ by public supportPublished1 hour agoRussia marks day of mourning after concert attackPublished30 minutes agoFeaturesThe Papers: Kate ‘reassures nation’ and ‘murderous’ Moscow attackThe Brazilian teen who scored winner against EnglandAttributionSportBBC Verify examines how the Moscow attack unfolded. VideoBBC Verify examines how the Moscow attack unfoldedBullets, a crush and panic: Moscow concert that became a massacreKate cancer diagnosis rewrites story of past weeksWhat Kate video tells us about royal strategy‘Having a certificate of loss proves my baby existed’Your pictures on the theme of ‘reflections’England kits ‘should connect people’Elsewhere on the BBCWhy do people behave the way they do on social media?Marianna Spring investigates extraordinary cases of online hate to find out…AttributioniPlayerCritically acclaimed and utterly compelling…Masterful, claustrophobic drama starring Sofie Gråbøl as a troubled prison guardAttributioniPlayerFrom triumph to tragedy…After more than 30 years of service, America’s space shuttle took to the skies for the last timeAttributioniPlayerCan new evidence solve aviation’s greatest mystery?Ten years after the Malaysian Airlines flight disappeared, new technology may explain whyAttributioniPlayerMost Read1The man in the iron lung: How Paul Alexander lived life to the full2Newspaper headlines: Kate ‘reassures nation’ and ‘murderous’ Moscow attack3William and Kate ‘touched’ by public support4Pilgrimage helped Traitors star Amanda say ‘goodbye mum’5Missiles and drones pound Ukraine’s capital6How jealous K-pop super fans try to dictate their idols’ private lives7Russia marks day of mourning after concert attack8Sainz wins Australia after Verstappen retiresAttributionSport9’A brutal and timely reminder of England’s problems’AttributionSport10Abductors release more than 280 Nigerian pupils
[ad_1] The election was due last month but the outgoing president postponed it, triggering deadly protests.
![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityAsiaChinaIndiaK-pop: How jealous ‘super fans’ try to dictate their idols’ private livesPublished6 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Karina (second from left) is the frontwoman of K-pop girl group aespaBy Jake Kwon & Kelly Ngin Seoul and SingaporeWhen K-pop star Karina posted a handwritten apology on Instagram earlier in March, it was both contrite and profuse.”I sincerely apologise for surprising my fans who have supported me,” the frontwoman of the girl group aespa wrote.Her offence? Publicly acknowledging that she was in a relationship with actor Lee Jae-wook. That Karina felt compelled to say sorry for being in a relationship has puzzled many outside the K-pop scene, but it opens a window into the world of the industry’s “super fans”. They stream their favourite stars’ music round the clock – even if on mute while sleeping – to boost chart rankings, organise mass voting sessions during award seasons, and sometimes even sponsor digital billboard ads in places like Times Square, New York. Paying the price of loveWhen news of Karina’s relationship broke, some fans drove a truck to her management agency.”We supported Karina’s bright future, believing in a shared dream, but it was our misconception,” blared an electronic billboard on the vehicle.”Is the love given to you by your fans not enough?” another read. Blackpink’s Jisoo is dating. The K-pop world is stunnedThe dark side of Asia’s pop music industryThis stands in contrast to how celebrities’ romantic lives are often publicised, and sometimes celebrated, in other parts of the world.Take Taylor Swift, for example, whose attendance at last month’s Super Bowl to watch her boyfriend Travis Kelce is said to have singlehandedly boosted TV viewership of the game, making it the most-watched broadcast in the US since the 1969 Moon landing.Polls say one in five Super Bowl viewers were rooting for the Kansas City Chiefs – which eventually won the annual league – because of the pop star’s relationship with Kelce.So why are the attitudes different in K-pop?’A false intimacy'”The fans feel jilted,” said Korean media columnist Jeong Deok-hyeon, adding that K-pop fans often view themselves as being in parasocial relationships with the idols. These refer to one-sided relationships where one party expends an overt amount of time, emotional energy and money on another whom they are fascinated with, but who may not know they exist.”As the industry increasingly encourages fans to express their fandom through consumerism, their desire to be ‘compensated’ [for their investments] grows. This contributed to fans making demands which sometimes border on threats,” Mr Jeong told the BBC.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, K-pop star Karina has apologised to her fans after news of her dating actor Lee Jae-wook went publicSome believe the artistes themselves and their management agencies have facilitated a “false intimacy” between idols and fans. Even as recently as 10 years ago, it was common practice for K-pop agencies to ban new stars from dating or even have a personal mobile phone.Agencies have also begun creating social apps for their artists which appear to offer fans a glimpse of their idols’ everyday lives. SM, the K-pop-producing powerhouse behind groups like aespa, introduced an app in 2020 designed to look like a one-on-one messenger app, but is in fact a group chat where the idol drops messages for thousands of fans at once.Some stars have also bought gifts for fans or offered them one-on-one calls.”K-pop agencies have been telling fans that they have the power to create stars,” said Areum Jeong, who lectures on Korean culture at Arizona State University.Cedarbough Saeji from Pusan National University called the Karina incident “a classic case of the fans trying to ‘discipline’ the stars”. “They were angry about the dating, and then they got angry that she apologised in the ‘wrong way’,” said Saeji, an assistant professor in Korean and East Asian Studies, referring to how some fans felt Karina should have posted her apology in a fans-only forum – rather than on a public platform.”In 2024, privacy for K-pop stars, who live in this tiny country and are so widely recognized, is virtually impossible,” she said.Ms Jeong, who considers herself a dedicated K-pop fan, also takes part in “fan labour” by streaming the music of her favourite boyband NCT 127 and paying to vote for them on music platforms and award shows. There are a dozen different digital music platforms for K-pop, each with its own Top 100 chart based on the number of people streaming and downloading songs. Super fans divide and conquer by organising themselves into teams to navigate the rules for each platform. “Fans put in labour to ensure the group’s success. They consider the idol a product. And if you want to see the product on the stage for a long time, the artistes, the fans, and the management will all have to put in hard work,” Ms Jeong said. Some even share voting schedules and streaming guides with “regular fans”, she added, so they can contribute to propelling their idols to the top of the charts.The BBC browsed a “streaming guide” written up by fans of the boyband Seventeen, which includes reminders such as, “Watch two or three other Seventeen music videos that totals to at least seven to 10 minutes. Then repeat the process”, and “Do not pause, forward or rewind”.Large fan groups organise themselves so that different members take on different roles. ARMY, the millions-strong fan group for the world’s biggest boyband BTS, has taken on philanthropic projects on behalf of the band, and also operate X accounts that translate all BTS-related content, from song lyrics to members’ social media posts.Image source, Getty Images”The superfans fundraise, they campaign to vote… Some police comments online to make sure negative comments about their idols are reported and conduct coordinated searches to remove ‘bad’ search terms.”That’s all money and time. The industry profits off of it,” Ms Jeong said.Another hallmark of K-pop fandom are the birthday celebrations held for the idols who themselves are not present. Some fans rent out entire cafes for such events, which will also feature merchandise related to the idol.Changing attitudesK-pop columnist Jeff Benjamin said some idols may feel “obliged to keep their fans happy” because of the fragility of their careers. “The groups are typically quite short-lived at about four to five years… I think a big part of why Karina published her apology was because she has a leadership responsibility in aespa, and she wanted to assure her fans that she will continue to work hard with her music,” he said.”It’s ironic that these artists sing about love but dating is frowned upon. I feel for them,” he added.But as K-pop widens its global footprint, attitudes in the industry could be opening up too.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, BTS was invited to speak at the annual UN General Assembly in September 2021Many of Karina’s international fans took to social media to express their outrage that she had been compelled to apologise. “She doesn’t deserve this type of treatment” read one comment on X (formerly Twitter), while another said “Karina apologising for LIKING someone has to be one the craziest things in the world”.Some Korean fans also pointed to the international coverage of her apology, saying it was embarrassing. “It’s been so long since K-pop became global but they still don’t seem to grasp the fact that when something like this happens, it immediately disgraces the country” one person wrote. The global K-pop events market was valued at $8.1bn in 2021 and is projected to reach $20bn by 2031, according to Allied Market Research. Groups have also been invited to perform at international events. Seventeen, for example, will become the first K-pop group to perform at the Glastonbury Festival this year. BTS, who have been named special envoys by the UN, was invited to perform at its New York headquarters in 2021. K-pop albums raked in a record $243.8m overseas from January to October last year. Japan, the United States and China were the top three buyers.”Things are changing as the number of international K-pop fans grows. I am hopeful that the fan bases will become more supportive and open-minded… And that the industry can be less dependent on traditional norms,” Mr Benjamin said.The K-pop girl group with no Korean membersThe world’s most controversial K-pop bandSome of Karina’s fans in South Korea have continued to vouch for her.”There was nothing to apologise for…Whether you are a celebrity or a regular person, you need close friends. It’s natural for her to have a lover,” said Jeong So-yeon, a 33-year-old fan based in Seoul. “Other top stars do fine even after dating ‘scandals’. I look forward to her next albums,” she said.Related TopicsAsiaK-popSouth KoreaMusicMore on this storyBTS go into the army – what now for K-pop’s kings?Published12 December 2023Blackpink renew contract ensuring group’s futurePublished6 December 2023The K-pop girl group with no Korean membersPublished27 August 2023Blackpink star addresses ‘low energy’ performancesPublished14 July 2023The woman who defied the world of K-popPublished18 October 2019The dark side of Asia’s pop music industryPublished26 January 2016Top StoriesWilliam and Kate ‘enormously touched’ by public supportPublished1 hour agoFour suspected gunmen arrested after 133 killed in Moscow attackPublished6 hours agoBBC Verify examines how Moscow attack unfolded. VideoBBC Verify examines how Moscow attack unfoldedPublished11 hours agoFeaturesThe Papers: Kate ‘reassures nation’ and ‘murderous’ Moscow attackThe Brazilian teen who scored winner against EnglandAttributionSportBBC Verify examines how the Moscow attack unfolded. VideoBBC Verify examines how the Moscow attack unfoldedBullets, a crush and panic: Moscow concert that became a massacreKate cancer diagnosis rewrites story of past weeksWhat Kate video tells us about royal strategyYour pictures on the theme of ‘reflections’England kits ‘should connect people’From the desert to the icy waters of WalesElsewhere on the BBCWhy do people behave the way they do on social media?Marianna Spring investigates extraordinary cases of online hate to find out…AttributioniPlayerCritically acclaimed and utterly compelling…Masterful, claustrophobic drama starring Sofie Gråbøl as a troubled prison guardAttributioniPlayerFrom triumph to tragedy…After more than 30 years of service, America’s space shuttle took to the skies for the last timeAttributioniPlayerCan new evidence solve aviation’s greatest mystery?Ten years after the Malaysian Airlines flight disappeared, new technology may explain whyAttributioniPlayerMost Read1The man in the iron lung: How Paul Alexander lived life to the full2Newspaper headlines: Kate ‘reassures nation’ and ‘murderous’ Moscow attack3William and Kate ‘touched’ by public support4Kyiv hit by multiple blasts as Russia strikes Ukraine5Gunmen arrested after Moscow attack, says Putin6Pilgrimage helped Traitors star Amanda say ‘goodbye mum’7How jealous K-pop super fans try to dictate their idols’ private lives8’A brutal and timely reminder of England’s problems’AttributionSport9Sainz wins Australia after Verstappen retiresAttributionSport10Campaigning dad of Damilola Taylor dies](https://newsinsightplus.com/wp-content/uploads/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/DE34/production/_132848865_gettyimages-1926152657.jpg)
