A STUDY OF SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS IN UKRAINIAN YOUTH ENGAGED IN KOREAN POP CULTURE

Abstract

This article presents the results of an empirical study on the characteristics of self-consciousness among Ukrainian youth engaged in Korean Pop Culture (K-pop). The study’s relevance is driven by the global expansion of K-pop and its significant impact on young people’s identity formation. The research established several specific features in the self-consciousness of K-pop fans. They demonstrate a higher level of self-esteem and a more positive attitude towards their own achievements and completed tasks compared to the control group. The fandom community appears to serve as a source of social support and validation, contributing to a stronger positive selfimage. However, the results simultaneously indicate that this same group exhibits higher levels of dependency, unsociability, and selfdissatisfaction. This contrast highlights the potential compensatory nature of K-pop engagement. Intensive content consumption positively correlates with self-esteem, confirming K-pop’s role as a factor that may boost self-regard and confidence. Conversely, this same intensity is significantly linked to feelings of loneliness and self-dissatisfaction. This suggests that excessive immersion in the virtual, idealized K-pop world may intensify feelings of alienation from social reality and create a dissonance between the idealized «Idol- Self» (perfectionism, success) and the individual’s real self. Thus, the study demonstrates the compensatory mechanism of engaging with K-pop culture, which simultaneously acts as a resource for enhancing self-worth and a risk factor for increased social isolation and internal conflict. The findings represent a valuable contribution to understanding the psychosocial mechanisms through which globalized pop culture influences the self-consciousness of Ukrainian youth.