The intersection of “real” and “reel”: An investigation of K-pop idol dual self-presentation, paid advertisements, and fan engagement

K-pop idols meticulously manage their public image on social media by blending aspects of professional and personal self-presentation, occasionally incorporating paid advertisements. This research aims to investigate these strategies on idols’ personal Instagram accounts and their impacts on fans. Two studies were conducted. In Study 1, a content analysis of the ten most recent Instagram posts from 26 K-pop idols revealed a combination of both self-presentation types with a slightly higher prevalence of personal one. One-fourth of the posts contained paid advertisements, and they were more prevalent in professional self-presentation. Posts featuring personal self-presentation garnered significantly more likes and comments, and so did posts without paid advertisements. Study 2, an online experiment with 240 Korean Instagram users, compared professional and personal self-presentation with and without paid advertisement. The results showed that paid advertisement significantly influenced perceptions of the idol, diminishing perceived authenticity, professionalism, and para-social relationship. In contrast, professional self-presentation heightened only perceived professionalism compared to personal self-presentation. Engagement intentions did not significantly differ between self-presentation types but were lowered by paid advertisement indirectly through reduced perceived para-social relationship. This research highlights the complex dynamics of online self-presentation, fan engagement, and the potential drawbacks of commercialization in K-pop.