Political fandom, emotionally intense, community-based attachment to political figures or parties, has become a key feature of contemporary politics. Beyond conventional partisanship, fandom reflects affective and performative engagement shaped by digital media and participatory culture. While research on affective polarization and parasocial politics highlights personalized political attachment, little is known about who develops fan-like devotion and why.

This study uses the 2025 Korean Survey on Fandom to examine predictors of political fandom among major-party supporters. Fandom is conceptualized as strong emotional identification with a figure, defensive reactions to criticism, and expressive participation, such as online promotion or content sharing. OLS and ordered logit models test effects of age, gender, education, political efficacy, and social media use, including interactions with affective polarization and media dependence.

Preliminary findings show younger, digitally active, and polarized citizens are more prone to fandom, which substitutes institutional trust with symbolic participation. The study situates fandom at the intersection of affective polarization, media culture, and democratic engagement, showing how it mobilizes participation while deepening affective divides