Beyond Paper Pieces: A Digital Ethnography Exploring the Persistence and Symbolism of Photocard Culture in China

Idol photocards originated in the early 2000s as paper cards presented when purchasing albums or attending idols’ events and are popular among Chinese Millennial and Generation Z fans. Their prices fluctuate between tens and hundreds of dollars, while rare photocards can sell for thousands or more. Internet technology has been popularized among millennials (Soares et al., 2017), and they can form their online fandom community on it (Laffan et al., 2022). Even though technology has made it easier for millennials and Generation Z to follow their idols, they are still keen to buy paper photocards. Based on this background, two research questions are proposed: 1) What do photocards symbolize in fandom culture, and how are they used? 2) How do fans perceive the different values of physical photocards compared to digital content?

Symbolic interactionism is the theoretical framework for this study. Influenced by George Herbert Mead, symbolic interactionism believes that self-social relations are formed through an interactive process, which focuses on the interactive process at the micro level and emphasizes the individual’s autonomy and initiative (Carter & Fuller, 2016). According to Blumer (1969), individuals’ behavior depends on the meaning they assign to objects, while meaning is derived from interactions with others and society. Fans actively assign symbolic meanings to things through collective interactions, forming a shared system of cultural symbols (Xu, 2024). This study argues that photocards are a symbol and that interactions such as fan purchases of photocards construct a photocard culture that enhances the emotional connection between idols and fans. By exploring the fans’ interactions around photocards on the Internet, this study aims to reveal the connection between micro-fan behavior and macro-fandom culture, and it will bridge the gap of symbolic interactionism in this area

This study employs digital ethnography to investigate the photocard culture in the Chinese fandom community. It is divided into two parts: First, searching for relevant videos and live streams for online observation on Douyin using the keyword photocards (Xiaoka in Chinese). Douyin is a short video platform in China and a live e-commerce platform where fans can participate in various photocard activities. We collected 524 representative videos using the comprehensive sorting button in Douyin. Each video was transcribed after viewing it using thematic analysis, and detailed notes were taken. Among the 524 videos, 201 were unboxing the photocards, 190 were photocards packaging videos, and 133 were user-generated videos discussing fandom photocard culture. In addition, we selected five live streams selling idol photocards on Douyin, which had a steady number of viewers of 100 or more, for a five-month observation period. In the second stage, this study invited 14 fans who had engaged in photocards trading behavior on Douyin to conduct interviews.

Preliminary findings suggest that photocard culture is shaped by external factors, not just the price of the paper pieces. For example, the process of unboxing and packaging video gives photocards a sense of ceremony and emotional value, enhancing fans’ emotional connection and sense of belonging. Secondly, the main forms of photocards sold on Douyin live streams are auctions and surprise boxes, which carry a strong sense of risk and uncertainty that stimulates fans’ desire for photocards. Some videos demonstrate the emotional significance of photocards to fans, and while the possible risks associated with blind purchases or overpriced cards are mentioned, how to deal with the risks is not clearly expressed in the emotional videos. Therefore, in the ongoing interview stage, we will explore fans’ genuine feelings towards photocards and their different attitudes toward virtual and paper photocards to reveal how these factors have shaped the unique photocard culture.