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  • The fever pitch generated by fans of Produce 101 demonstrates the power of inclusion;
  • Your idol is the best, and so are you!
At a venue in Hangzhou's Xiaoshan district, ahead of the recent finals of talent show Produce 101, thousands of excited fans jostle each other as they wave banners and glow sticks, chanting the names of their favorite contestants.
Produce 101 is a South Korean reality TV franchise that has expanded to China and two other Asian countries.
Talent shows like these are not just about the onstage battle between performers — the rivalry remains fierce offstage among fans alike.
The program's producer Ma Yankun says unlike conventional entertainers, the popular contestants on the show always have huge following: "Where there's an idol, there are always fans."
A fan, Feng Shuyi, 27, found an affinity in a rapper of her age named Guo Ying.
"She doesn't court the audience with sweet words," says Feng. "I can feel her determination to prove herself. I'm the same age as her, and I completely understand her thirst for success."
Li Qiying, a graduate from Tongji University says she never supported a star before Wang Ju, another contestant on the show.
"At first, it was Wang's powerful performance that appealed to me," Li says. "Later, I stood by her because of her views on women's independence and diversity in beauty, as well as her individuality."
"Her message in the show struck a chord with me and inspired her fans to be more confident."
Li serves as the leader of Wang's biggest fan club, where each of its six groups performs its own functions-such as design work, voting, writing and photography.
Li says they have students from the Central Academy of Fine Arts in the club, who have designed products like bags, phone covers and T-shirts.
"We sell them for money to support Wang instead of always asking her followers to raise funds, which is a more sustainable way to develop the club."
Seven years ago, when Feng was a follower of South Korean girl band Girls' Generation, fans simply supported their idols by buying their albums or tickets for their concerts.
"These days fans are much more aware about how to help their idols develop their careers," she says.
Guo's fans love her fashion sense, and often buy her fancy outfits to wear in public, in the hope that one day Guo will be lionized by the fashion industry.
Feng gained practical experience from being involved with a fan club, as the process of decision-making gave her valuable management experience.

"My role as project coordinator has given me the confidence to look for jobs outside journalism," Feng says.
Wang Ju, a self-taught singer and dancer, shot to stardom after participating in the talent show, and won a large number of fans.

Considered to be lacking conventional good looks,  she believed "Independence, ability, care and elegance" were the most important attributes for a woman.
This attracted a huge amount of attention.
On June 2, one of her followers, an entrepreneur at a Xiamen-based technology company, spent 200,000 yuan ($30,281) on voting for Wang — the biggest individual contributor to her tally of votes.
At the same time, a deluge of amusing memes and rhyming slogans spontaneously created by Wang's fans hit the internet, spurring on her online fame via an ad-hoc viral marketing campaign.
The unorthodox idol quickly shot to phenomenal stardom as she sparked a storm of online debate about female beauty standards. An article released by the British news-paper The Guardian even praised Wang as China's answer to Beyonce, for her efforts in breaking down beauty barriers.
"I think her story can inspire the younger generations to confront their 'sense of void' and step out of the 'grief culture' that is prevalent in contemporary society," says Wu Changchang, an associate professor from East China Normal University's school of communication.
On June 24, in the finals of Produce 101, Wang failed to become one of the 11 winners who would go on to form the all-female band.
Speaking about whether she worries that the cult following she built up during the show won't last, she says her fans seem to approve of her ideas, rather than go crazy about her image.
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