ENGLISH LANGUAGE EXPOSURE AMONG INDONESIAN K-POP FANS IN SOCIAL MEDIA ROLE-PLAY COMMUNITIES
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study examined how Indonesian K-pop fans experienced English language exposure through participation in social media role-play communities and explored the factors supporting their engagement with the language. Guided by Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory, the research used a qualitative phenomenological design with data collected from 20 fans through semi-structured interviews, observations, and documentation analysis. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was applied to analyze the data. The findings show that English exposure naturally emerges through activities such as writing captions, creating bios, joining RP schools, and participating in story-based interactions. These informal and interest-driven practices improve participants’ confidence, motivation, and familiarity with English in ways rarely achieved in formal classrooms. Aesthetic motivations, peer influence, character immersion, and functional needs strongly support English use. The study highlights fan-based digital spaces as authentic, low-pressure environments for informal language learning and suggests exploring multiple fandom contexts in future research.
Article Details
References
Creswell, J. W. (2018). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
El Garras, H. (2025). English, the Global Language: Its Strength, Status, and Future. International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Translation, 8(4), 122–130. https://doi.org/10.32996/ijllt.2025.8.4.15
Faiza, D. (2020). Stimulating English learning in Global Kpop community on Twitter. Journal of Applied Linguistics (ALTICS), 2(1). https://doi.org/10.36423/altics.v2i1.360
Irmayani, I., Masruroh, L., & Eka Cristin Wulandari. (2022). The Utilization of Jamboard to Improve Students` Writing Skills in Personal Letter. Journal of English Education and Teaching, 6(4), 527–537. https://doi.org/10.33369/jeet.6.4.527-537
Irmayani, I., & Masruroh, U. (2023). Supportive Teacher Talk Features to Promote Students’ Responses ın EFL Classroom. Education and Human Development Journal, 8(1), 26–37. https://doi.org/10.33086/ehdj.v8i1.3565
Irmayani, I., Rahmawati, A., & Zahro, S. K. (2024). Exploring Students’ Perceptions of’Speakia’App for Speaking Lessons. Edulitics (Education, Literature, and Linguistics) Journal, 9(2), 140–153. https://doi.org/10.52166/edulitics.v9i2.8213
Jon, R. B., Embong, R., Purnama, B., & Wadi, A. S. (2021). The challenges of English language teaching in Indonesia. International Journal of English and Applied Linguistics (IJEAL), 1(3), 158–168. https://doi.org/10.47709/ijeal.v1i3.1157
Malik, Z., & Haidar, S. (2021). English language learning and social media: Schematic learning on Kpop Stan twitter. E-Learning and Digital Media, 18(4), 361–382. https://doi.org/10.1177/2042753020964589
Purwaningtyas, M. P. F., & Oktara, T. A. (2023). The Role-playing Self: Virtual Ethnography Study of K-Pop Fans’ Idol-roleplaying and Self-identity in Twitter. Jurnal ASPIKOM, 8(1), 95. https://doi.org/10.24329/aspikom.v8i1.1216
Smith, J. A., Flowers, P., & Larkin, M. (2009). Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Theory, Method and Research. SAGE Publications.
Sofeny, D., Fadhilawati, D., & Hidayah, N. N. (2022). Boosting the English vocabularies of young learners through Tik-Tok application in digital era. Jurnal Sinestesia, 12(1), 58–65. https://doi.org/10.53696/27219283.125
Sofeny, D., Tasaufy, F. S., & Rahmawati, A. (2024). Boosting the English Vocabularies Through “ Cublak - Cublak Suweng ” for Young Learners in. 7(2), 343–350.
Suber MA, A. (2024). Exploring Language and Community Through Social Media: How Culturally Diverse English Language Learners use Social Media Apps to Connect, Find Community and Communicate with Korean Entertainment Fandoms.
Vinansia Ramadhani, N., & Hendro Wibowo, D. (2023). The Relathionship Between Loneliness and Self Discovery in Teenagers using Kpop Roleplayer account on Twitter. https://doi.org/10.55324/josr.v2i12.1602
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes (Vol. 86). Harvard university press.