The Effects of Mass Communication On NCT Dream Fans (NCTzen) through YouTube Content: A Case Study of “Dream in Jakarta #2”

This study examines the effects of mass communication on NCT Dream fans (NCTzen) through YouTube content by applying an encoding–decoding analysis to the video “Dream in Jakarta #2.” As YouTube has become a dominant platform for global cultural circulation, K-pop idols increasingly utilize platform-based media to communicate with fans and sustain fandom engagement across national and linguistic boundaries. This research adopts a qualitative descriptive approach to explore how meanings encoded in YouTube content are interpreted, negotiated, and internalized by audiences. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with NCTzen, non-participant observation of YouTube comment sections, and documentation of audiovisual elements, subtitles, and platform features. The findings indicate that the content produces multiple mass communication effects, including the strengthening of emotional bonds between idols and fans, increased cultural curiosity toward Indonesian food and local identity, and the formation of collective meanings within the fandom. Most audience interpretations align with dominant and negotiated readings, suggesting a high level of congruence between encoded messages and fandom expectations. The study also demonstrates that platform affordances such as subtitles, algorithmic visibility, and interactive comment spaces play a significant role in stabilizing and amplifying these interpretations. By extending the encoding–decoding model into a digital fandom context, this study contributes to the understanding of how mass communication effects are co-produced by media texts, platforms, and interpretive communities in the contemporary digital era.