Mnet Plus Launches Major Update to Enhance Fan Engagement Through Private Messaging

As the K-POP industry evolves from merely selling music to delivering emotions and fantasies, platforms are competing to develop services that maximize fan involvement. Mnet’s platform, Mnet Plus, has implemented a significant update in 2025 after two years of development. The platform introduces design changes focused on user interface and user experience improvements, alongside plans to expand its available languages to include Korean, English, Japanese, and Simplified/Traditional Chinese within the first half of the year. It also introduces its own video player to create a system for viewing live streams and recommended VOD content. Notably, major changes have been made to the page dedicated to the weekly show “Mnet M Countdown.” Right after the broadcast, highlight videos, photos, and K-POP chart results appear on the homepage. In addition to weekly Thursday live broadcasts and real-time voting, customized content is provided daily based on the program cycle, including M Countdown picks, pre-voting, lineup information, and opportunities to ask questions ahead of mini fan meetings. Users can access content tailored to the K-POP fandom lifestyle without having to search manually. Mnet Plus’s original show “Let’s Meet the Roommates” (hereafter “DM So”) will resume, hosted by MC ZEROBASEONE’s Sung Hanbin, RIIZE’s Sohee, and BOYNEXTDOOR’s Jaehyun. M Countdown picks voting has been expanded to a weekly format, increasing fans’ opportunities to participate. Meanwhile, private messaging services are fundamentally transforming the relationship between fans and idols. A Korean K-POP fan named Lee said, “Talking to idols through private messaging feels just like chatting with friends. It’s not about admiring celebrities from afar; it gives the impression of having a close and personal relationship.” These services typically charge a subscription fee around 5,000 won per month, allowing fans to send direct messages to their favorite stars. Idols can view all messages sent by numerous fans, while fans only see the messages they have sent and those sent back by the idol, creating an illusion of one-on-one conversation. To cater to international fans, these services also offer message translation features. Bubble, which played a pioneering role in K-POP fan services, was launched in February 2020 by SM Entertainment’s subsidiary DearU. Subsequent similar platforms have emerged, including Fromm of Wonderwall in November 2022, Weverse DM of Weverse Company in April 2023, and pop of b.Stage in October 2023. These services have proven effective at connecting fans not only with K-POP idols but also with actors and international celebrities. However, they have also faced criticism for exacerbating idols’ emotional labor. Some idols have received backlash from fans for insufficient activity on these platforms. For example, (G)I-dle’s Soyeon was criticized this year for sending only one Bubble message and for not messaging her fans on the group’s debut anniversary. Subscriptions are optional, and most platforms include a refund policy if there is no communication for over a month. Yet fans have pointed out various mechanisms designed to encourage continuous subscriptions. Fans cannot get a refund even if the idol does not reply to their messages, and longer subscription periods allow them to send more messages. A K-POP fan who subscribes to multiple idols’ chat services said, “Even professionals want to enjoy personal time after work, but 24/7 service operations inevitably place a heavy burden on idols. As a fan who subscribes to multiple idols’ chat services, I also understand users’ dissatisfaction over the idols’ limited activity.”