Football Fans vs K-Pop Fans: Two Strongest Factions on Social Media, Feuding Yet Often United?

From the football side, local fandoms like Persija Jakarta have over 4 million followers on Instagram, while Arema FC reaches 1.8 million. Content about transfers, match results, or just training videos can immediately be flooded with thousands of comments.

In the realm of K-Pop, fandom is even more global and sprawling. BLACKPINK's YouTube channel has surpassed 96.6 million subscribers, while BTS through BANGTANTV has over 80 million. This fact shows that both communities are not only large but also active and militant in supporting their idols.

Although living in different universes, football fans and K-Pop fans often intersect on social media. One of the most sensational examples occurred during BLACKPINK's concert at GBK Stadium in March 2023. After the concert ended, the condition of the field's grass was reported to be severely damaged, sparking anger from football fans who believed the stadium should be preserved for matches. Jokes like 'Is GBK now just a venue for concerts?' went viral, and the debate heated up between the two camps.

Interestingly, amidst the mutual jabs, football and K-Pop fans often find ways to unite. When the Indonesian national team plays, many K-Popers join in voicing support through fan projects or by enlivening the Garuda hashtag on their timelines.

Even when K-Pop idols wear jerseys of famous local football clubs, these two fandoms can agree on one thing: proud and excited together.

The love-hate relationship between football fans and K-Pop fans in Indonesia may never fade. They can argue about stadiums, national anthems, and trending topics.

But in certain moments, they can actually support each other and create a bigger impact. In this harsh digital world, these two "races" are not only strong but also dominant, noisy, and (sometimes) touching.