This ongoing debate currently taking place on twitter about the kpopification of F1 is funny because I will assume that the criticism comes from those who are probably uncomfortable with the idea of being part of a fandom? Whatever the reasons, such stance ignores the obvious, from business decisions to the current media landscape.
All I hear in random interviews to various news stations or other outlets is the change in direction since Liberty Media acquired F1 in 2017. It came with the focus on creating content as well. If Mercedes didn't want initially to be part of the Netflix show back in 2018 because it would distract the drivers, now Kimi Antonelli is doing fancalls on whatsapp.
Drive to Survive on Netflix played a big part in bringing in a new audience (I'm one example of that). And at the same time, social media became a much larger online avenue that is being explored from every angle. Something that K-Pop culture has done really well in terms of content and fan engagement way before other industries were thinking seriously of dipping their toes in.
Social media presence became big in late 2010s, but post-Covid, its importance gained new levels. One only has to take a look at the Formula 1, Mercedes, Ferrari, individual racers, etc., and their social media accounts across various platforms and can see the type of content they put out. They want to adapt to whatever brings in more fans (and more revenue) and the ways in which that is achieved is similar to what k-pop idols have been doing for ages. But not only that, the way we engage online with our interests is similar across the board, regardless if it's k-pop, F1, Old Hollywood, Love Island, etc. It's stan culture and mentality. We engage in fandom practices. Max Verstappen can get his uwus now just as much as Jungkook, the Baby Star Candy.
I think that instead of any animosities towards kpop from some snobbish F1 fans, we should instead build a bridge between them and embrace the similarities while still having a laugh at those very things from time to time.
And one step should be for the F1 fandom to follow the steps of other K-Pop fans who have come forward and shown their support toward Jimin, who is currently being rejected and villainized by the BTS Army.
