As the title suggests… so without further ado and in no particular order.

HOW TO WIN A FAN IN 10 WAYS

1. Play an iconic role like Dao Mingsi, Domyouji Tsukasa or Goo Junpyo. Doesn’t really matter if you have a orrible horrible air perm or you can’t even act to save your life. The next thing you know, you’ve moved from Mr Cold Storage to Mr Hot Stuff.

2. Be good-looking. “It doesn’t even matter sometimes if you don’t have talent.” – @jhingnigami. #truth. Shall we cite some examples? Oh nevermind.

3. Be crazy… in an entertaining way. @VyLeTtE070111 defines it as “krung krung” saying stars who are like that appear more natural, while @jhingnigami says it’s being “baka”. We like our idols to not be boring, deshou?

4. Have a hit song that will capture the hearts and attention of fans. Hopefully, it’s not the case of the one-hit wonder.

5. Be part of a reality TV show: talent show, fake marriage show, name it. Just make sure that once it’s over, the fans won’t be crying that they want their money back… As Lenka sings: just enjoy the show. And nothing more.

6. Talent. This is still the most sure-fire way to earn fans. Beyond youth, the flawless complexion, the perfect smile, even a winning personality, it is talent that will sustain you in the entertainment industry.

GREY AREA (WIN OR LOSE)

Have a sob story.

7. WIN: Everyone wants a real-life drama they can empathize with. “I entered showbusiness to pay my family’s debt.” “My late father wanted me to be a singer so I am doing this for him.” “I saw my mother scrub floors when I was little and I vowed to give her a better life.” Excuse me. No one wants storylines like “I’m in entertainment because I am an attention-seeker and wanted to be famous ever since I was born I even waved at the doctor who cut my umbilical cord and gave him a peace sign.” Who wants the cold fact when you can have a “heartwarming” story?

1. LOSE: But it can work the opposite too. Some people like me are skeptical over sob stories. There are also those who find it a turn-off. There’s already too much drama going on in drama land.

Accessibility.

8. WIN: This one depends on the pop culture orientation. Some fans, particularly K-pop, like to know everything about their idols, follow them from the house to their destination like a FedEx delivery, touch them, give them all sorts of gifts (and they must receive these of course because that’s part of the accessibility package).

2. LOSE: But there are those fans, and I’m looking at you J-pop, who are turned off by too much accessibility. “It cheapens them,” said someone who I’d keep anonymous LOL. Perhaps because J-poppers, with the rules imposed on them by agencies–especially if you are fangirling a Johnnys–have no choice but to admire their idols from the distance. Can’t take a photo, can’t go near, why, can’t even get into their concerts in the case of Arashi fans. So when something becomes too accessible, it’s not just a culture shock. It’s a turn-off.

Fan service.

9. WIN: To win fans, you gotta make them happy. Throw flying kisses. Get the gifts they shove to your face or throw at you. Feed their delusions. Everybody happy.

3. LOSE: Well, not really. As Sakurai Sho said, you make 1 person happy, you make 99 more unhappy. When you give fan service, that “service” does not necessarily apply to all the fans. And that would be enough to turn them away from a star. An example, as @untestsubject cited, is “to have a commemorative live concert only for FC members” (oh by the way, *Arashi*cough*FC*cough* has 1.6 million official ones but only 30,000 get to go). From @ShayMujan: “Throw back toys thrown on stage the Lee Jong-hyun style. Shoo fans with an umbrella the Sakurai Sho style.” But am I weird if I say it actually add points to throw back toys or chase fans away with an umbrella? Sorry JH or Sho, you can’t throw back nor chase away my fangirl devotion with that LOL.

Scandal.

10. WIN: The win part is kind of weird but someone (you know who you are) said that she started liking more a particular idol when he got involved in a scandal. I won’t say what kind of scandal it was.

4. LOSE: But scandals can also make one lose fans. Scandals range from dating to marriage rumors. The truth is, no matter how much we say we don’t care about our idols’ personal lives, we do.

HOW TO LOSE A FAN IN 10 WAYS

5. Reveal the Jekyll & Hyde in you and voila, everyone will be scampering for cover. “If we find out our idol is a douche or a bitch, goodbye idol!” – @jhingnigami

6. Too much skinship in a drama. “Take a role where there will be lots of kissing scenes with the costar who is not ‘that girl’ (only applies to Matsumoto Jun)” from @MasBaihaki. Hell hath no fury like a jealous fan. And no, MasBai has not turned her back on J.

7. Recycled baseless rumors, as suggested by @VyLeTtE070111. Especially if they come out periodically every time there is a need for publicity. I’m pretty sure Arashi fans know what I’m talking about. See, if it’s true, let’s get the confirmation and we won’t have any choice but to accept it anyway. But to be dangled along on a string or put in the wringer every bloody time for two years, it is no fun. In those two years, China’s Politburo has ushered in new leaders, Japan has changed its prime minister and Miley Cyrus has chopped her hair but you’re still on this rumor? Let’s move along shall we. Chop chop.

8. Idols who self-proclaim their titles, says @jhingnigami. A perfect example would be the so-called Princess of Asia, Jang Geun-seuk. There are so many pretenders candidates to the crown and it’s very seasonal, depending on who is currently famous thanks to the drama flavor of the month.

9. Vices. Let’s face it, there are still those fans who think their idols are the epitome of perfection and can’t accept that they are human who drink or smoke, among other things. I’ve seen criticisms thrown at idols who were caught with a cigarette stick in between their fingers. But there are certain vices that are really negative: drugs and gambling for example.

10. The kind of fans that populate the fandom. Crazy fans or sasaengs: “Crazy sasaeng fans! They made me leave the XXX fandom,”  says @cokegirl7603); “Idols with crey crey fans, definitely a turn-off!” says @jhingnigami. The rabid shippers: “Fans who can’t get over a loveteam are annoying,” says @VyLeTtE070111. It’s everyone’s prerogative to ship but please, don’t shove your delusions into everyone’s throats. Delusional fans who live in an alternate universe are the scariest kind of fan because they won’t only leave the fandom once their delusions are proven to be just that, delusions, but they also pose security risk to idols (considering the crazy level they are in, who knows what they can do) and a health risk to themselves. Are the ambulances on standby?

Anything to add?

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