older women as overly emotional, out of touch, or simply irrelevant to youthful digital cultures. Ironically, these “aunties” are mocked precisely for embodying traits society claims to value: care, compassion, and genuine emotional expression. DIGITAL AGEISM The Chicken Soup Auntie archetype provides critical insight into broader issues around digital ageism, gendered expectations, and the norms shaping online communities. Ageism online often remains subtle and less scrutinised compared to other forms of discrimination. Yet, as this example illustrates, it can reinforce negative stereotypes about ageing and femininity, with troubling implications beyond fandom culture. These implications can escalate dramatically, as exemplified by May (30), a self-identified outspoken “warrior fan”. After publicly defending Jessica Jung’s recent album, May found herself facing severe online harassment, including deeply personal attacks targeting her deceased mother and invasive doxxing – a form of cyberbullying using sensitive or secret information – that compromised her professional reputation. Her detractors strategically reframed her passionate fandom participation as professional misconduct, anonymously reporting her to the education authorities. May’s experience starkly demonstrates how online fan discourses, shaped by implicit norms about emotional expression and acceptable devotion, can rapidly transform into targeted attacks with severe real-world consequences, reinforcing exclusionary practices and intensifying emotional harm. It can reinforce negative stereotypes about ageing and femininity, with troubling implications beyond fandom culture. Such subtle yet persistent forms of online harassment have documented mental health consequences. Constant negative labelling and belittlement can transform what should be positive interactions – expressions of care and emotional support – into sources of embarrassment, shame and isolation. Beyond immediate emotional distress, this toxicity discourages genuine, positive engagement, ultimately diminishing the communal and supportive potential that online fan communities might offer. OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHANGE K-pop’s hyper-youthful aesthetics – marked by carefully choreographed innocence, vibrant school uniforms, and the deliberate performance of aegyo – powerfully shape who is considered an authentic participant in fan communities. Despite these youthful visuals, K-pop’s global fanbase is strikingly diverse, encompassing multiple age groups and cultural backgrounds. This creates a paradox where older fans, especially emotionally expressive women like Sakura and May, become targets of exclusion or ridicule due to their sincere engagement clashing with dominant norms of playful detachment and youthful irony. Crucially, the treatment of Chicken Soup Aunties illustrates broader societal discomfort with ageing women, highlighting how their emotional authenticity becomes stigmatised or dismissed within youth-oriented spaces. Although the term itself might initially appear innocuous or humorous, it reinforces exclusionary norms. Addressing this toxicity requires fostering intergenerational inclusivity and emotional openness. Fans, content creators, moderators, and even celebrities can reshape discourse, challenging ageist attitudes and promoting empathy through open dialogues and educational initiatives. Such efforts can help fandoms evolve into healthier, more inclusive communities that genuinely embrace diversity. Ultimately, the Chicken Soup Auntie phenomenon is more than an isolated curiosity – it offers critical insights into wider consumer culture’s treatment of ageing women. By reclaiming “Chicken Soup” as a universal symbol of genuine care and warmth, we remind ourselves of the shared humanity beneath our online personas, enriching both our digital and everyday interactions. FIFTY FOUR DEGREES | 41 Ziyi Yang is a PhD researcher in the Department of Marketing. Ziyi’s research lies at the intersection of marketing, consumer culture, and fan studies, with a focus on K-pop fandom in China, particularly the fan community of Jessica Jung. The work explores how fan practices shape identity and consumer behaviour, while also examining toxic dynamics like conflict and exclusion within these communities. z.yang36@lancaster.ac.uk
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