Abstract
COVID-19 has drastically changed the popular lifestyle by driving people indoors during lockdowns. This contributed to the flourishing of the digital entertainment industry, notably the burgeoning Virtual YouTubers (Vtubers) who do livestreams under an avatar on online video platforms such as YouTube. Hololive Production, a Japan-based Vtuber enterprise featuring the idolization of its talents swiftly gained popularity on both Japanese and Chinese internet in 2019-2020. Through my presentation, I will speak to its massive popularity at its peak and its downfall in September-October 2020.
Bio
Yipeng “Robin” Wang is a fourth-year student pursuing a major in Journalism and double minor in Political Science and Philosophy at UTSC. As a Chinese mainlander, Robin transferred from a native university to U of T for his first long-term overseas experience. He is interested in Global Communication---the intersection of International Relations and Media and Communication. In particular, he is intrigued by the political construction of national images and narratives (particularly of China). He often finds himself analyzing pop-culture phenomena such as the establishment of celebrity personalities as idols, and idolization. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, playing games, and watching (anime) movies.