Delivered by Intellect to: Kristine Michelle L. Santos (33355329) IP: 180.190.112.206 On: Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:43:42 EAJPC 10 (2) pp. 187–203 Intellect Limited 2024 East Asian Journal of Popular Culture Volume 10 Number 2 www.intellectbooks.com 187 © 2024 Intellect Ltd Article. English language. https://doi.org/10.1386/eapc_00140_1 Received 23 September 2023; Accepted 6 August 2024; Published Online December 2024 KRISTINE MICHELLE L. SANTOS Ateneo de Manila University Exploring Philippine queer possibilities through transformative K-pop imaginations online ABSTRACT Given its accessibility in the last decade, K-pop has become one of the strong cultural forces in Philippine youth media that has heavily influenced the consump- tion practices of local fans. From collecting photo cards to organizing cupsleeve events, Filipino K-pop fans have embraced and adapted different fan practices, some of which are intimately queer. One such queer fan practice is ‘K-pop ship- ping’ where fans imagine their favourite idols engaging in romantic, and some- times sexual, relationships within and outside of their groups. Beyond embracing queer literacies such as boys love, local K-pop shipping has grown intimately queer as Filipino fans developed stories that brought their idols closer to home through a phenomenon termed ‘Filo AU’ (Filipino alternative universe). These Filo AUs are short-form fan narratives on social media that reimagine their favourite K-pop idols as locals who have Filipino backgrounds, live very Filipino experiences and values while finding queer romance. In this article, I examine queer K-pop Filo AU as a result of affective transnational queer literacies that inspire hope, connec- tion and aspiration for queer utopias among Filipinos. KEYWORDS K-pop fandom queer studies boys love Philippine fan cultures social media Philippine Studies