Reflections on Analyzing Fandom Activity Types in the Opal Generation: Focused on Articles Related to the Fandom Community 'Hero Generation' by Lim Young-Woong

This study aimed to explore the types and characteristics of Opal Generation's fandom activities by focusing on singer Lim Young-Woong's fandom community, “Hero Generation,” which is the largest of the Opal Generation's fandoms. We also analyzed the new pop culture phenomena they create to suggest new directions and strategies for the pop culture industry. To this end, we conducted a topic modeling analysis on 2340 news big data cases, and based on the derived topics, we classified the usage types of Opal Generation fandom into seven dimensions. Based on the results of this study, it is suggested that the Opal Generation is leading a new cultural phenomenon through active fandom activities and content participation, and it is significant to promote a deeper understanding of Opal Generation fandom.