I find the information about "the pyramid effect" so interesting because the fact is that the diversity and variety of the celebrity fields are increasing. Celebrity's significance as an attention trap becomes increasingly important, and its commercial value rises due to the growth and expansion of the celebrity sector itself. The larger, more diverse, and more differentiated the field of celebrity is, the greater the capacity of those higher up the scale of visibility to use it as a springboard for their visibility and recognition. The more the base of the celebrity pyramid expands, the higher its peak will rise. The more sociologists there are in the world, to give an example, the more books and journal articles there are likely to be about Max Weber, Emile Durkheim, and so on, not just because there are so many more interesting things to say about them, but because of the constantly increasing importance of their role as attention traps (van Krieken, 2018). Secondly, I am so impressed with two key elements of micro-celebrity as these factors help me to identify how micro-celebrities interact with their audiences. Micro-celebrity not only create a friendly and easily consumable persona but also update regularly private information to enhance emotional ties with fans to respond directly to their readers (van Krieken, 2018).
References:
van Krieken, R. (2018) Celebrity Society: The Struggle for Attention. Milton, UNITED KINGDOM: Taylor & Francis Group. Available at: http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/swin/detail.action?docID=5611530 (Accessed: 21 October 2023).
van Krieken, R. (2018) Celebrity Society: The Struggle for Attention. Milton, UNITED KINGDOM: Taylor & Francis Group. Available at: http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/swin/detail.action?docID=5611530 (Accessed: 21 October 2023).
On the one hand, celebrities set a role model for many people, especially the youth so I am not an exception. They not only raise awareness about crucial issues or good habits but also support young talents to achieve their dream via celebrity stories. For example, the famous young singer Rosé from Blackpink shared a lot of difficulties that she had experienced before and after she became a singer. But after everything, she always tries her best to get over them and become successful like today. Many young people are inspired by her on their way to success in the K-pop industry.
On the other hand, in some ways, celebrities are setting unrealistic standards for society. The glamorized lifestyles of celebrities can set unrealistic standards for beauty, success, and happiness. They brand themselves via luxury photos on their social media such as big villas, S-line bodies, and white skin. Therefore, a toxic standard is set when you want to be defined as a successful or beautiful person, you need to have an S-line body or an impressive house, etc.
It's a major milestone for K-pop as one of its biggest stars has landed the cover of Vogue France for the first time. Jisoo is seen on the cover in a model's role, exuding elegance and sophistication, which is typical of Vogue's brand. Her posture shows freedom and fearlessness, fitting perfectly with the cover's tribute to Vivienne Westwood - the queen of Punk and radicalism. The cover conveys a message that challenges society's notion of what is beautiful and encourages girls to dare to be different. Jisoo, the K-pop star, epitomizes this message with her confidence, outfit, and posture. From a political economy perspective, Jisoo's fame is related to the young generation, and by using her photos, brands and Vogue can boost their sales and attract advertisers. While ideologically, the cover reflects and reinforces the beauty norms, it also seeks to maximize profitability in a cutthroat media environment.
You can check out the magazine cover here: https://www.vogue.fr/fashion/article/jisoo-cover-star-march-2023-vogue-france
