‘We are citizens, not fans’: frictions and negotiations in idolizing the nation in state propaganda

State-dominated 'ideotainment' has become a global trend to enhance political persuasion. Broadening the geopolitical and ideological contexts of research could further enrich this field. This study analyzes the failed case of state-sponsored virtual idols 'Jiangshanjiao' (JSJ) and 'Hongqiman' (HQM) with attention to Chinese netizens' critical responses, and further uncovers the erratic, diverse, and controversial aspects of Chinese fandom nationalism. In China, the Communist Party of China has tamed fandom culture to promote pro-governmental nationalist activism. However, this soft propaganda is sometimes counterproductive and has been underexamined. This study uses textual and critical discourse analyses to examine netizens' posts, comments, and answers regarding the JSJ and HQM. The findings reveal the conflict between emerging civic spirit and notorious commercialism; the conflict between functional attachment embedded in constructive patriotism and affective attachment embedded in the hierarchy; and the complex negotiation between participatory nationalists, cautious patriots, and rational citizens about the boundaries of politics and entertainment.