Activity: To maintain a Running Man Facebook fan-page, and why I want to do it.

Boostpods
Boostpods
Nov 4 · 6 min read

I have always been curious to how fan-pages achieve their high number of followers. For the Facebook fan-page titled “Running Man Singapore”, it has reached more than 82,000 followers to date. Comparing 82,000 to the mere hundreds of followers I have in my personal Instagram page, it is a huge difference. Hence, for this assignment, I set out to explore the work that is needed to maintain a fan-page that can draw high number of followers on Facebook.

If I want to draw more followers to the fan-page that I maintain, I feel that it is wise to look at existing well-established Facebook pages to analyse the activities being posted there as a form of research.

For example, in Mediacorp Channel 5’s Facebook fan-page, I notice that the administrators tend to clip out various scenes of their television programmes to post on Facebook. These scenes act as teasers or as a form of recap to their television programmes. If the scenes are done well, they can not only help to draw more viewership to their programmes, but can also draw more user followings and engagements onto their Facebook page.

Mediacorp Channel 5 Facebook post about a short scene from a show aired recently on TV — “Ah Boys To Men”
Mediacorp Channel 5 Facebook post about a short scene from a show aired recently on TV — “Ah Boys To Men”
Mediacorp Channel 5 Facebook page has a video post of a short scene from the show that aired on TV — “Ah Boys To Men”

Additionally, with the nature of how social media works, users may have shorter attention span. The speed at which people move on to the next news flash or video content by a swipe of a finger as they scroll through Facebook can be quick, which can therefore lead to rapid attention shifts. Hence, Facebook fan-pages that clip out short interesting scenes of television programmes can come in handy. My personal favourite is the Facebook page titled “E4”. It posts several little scenes of the show I like — “Big Bang Theory”. The scenes are funny, the loading time is almost instantaneous, and I can have convenient access to many of such funny scenes within seconds via the Facebook page.

E4 Facebook page has a video post of a short scene from the show — “Big Bang Theory”

Likewise, I also like the Korean SBS Variety Show — “Running Man”, and the Facebook fan-page titled “Running Man Singapore” has short clipped out scenes of various episodes being posted. I can therefore also very conveniently access to many of “Running Man” funny scenes within seconds via the “Running Man Singapore” Facebook fan-page.

“Running Man Singapore” Facebook page has a video post of a short scene from a newer episode of Running Man

Currently, the “Running Man Singapore” Facebook fan-page administrators will post funny scenes of every new episodes released. Additionally, they tend to also post scenes relevant to current affairs. For example, when the news of Sulli’s death broke out, the fan-page administrators posted scenes of Sulli as a guest on Running Man as a tribute to her.

A Facebook video post of a short scene that featured Sulli as a guest on Running Man

All in all, knowing how much I appreciate Facebook pages that post short scenes of our favourite television programmes, I also sought to help the “Running Man Singapore” Facebook fan-page. All I had to do was watch “Running Man” and record the scenes that I find funny. The administrators appreciate the help and as a community, we can all help to maintain the fan-page.

A conversation I had with the administrators of “Running Man Singapore” Facebook fan-page. They agreed to have me onboard to help cut out short scene videos to maintain the fan-page together.

Additionally, I have thoughts of categorizing the short scene videos being posted on the fan-page. For example, the fan-page can introduce:

  • Seasonal content
  • Throwback content

Seasonal content can include clipped out scenes of older Halloween or Christmas episodes of Running Man. As Halloween or Christmas approaches, those old scenes can hence be posted to celebrate the holidays. Seasonal content can also include clipped out scenes of special guest members. For example, knowing that the drama “Hotel del Luna” (featuring cast member IU) is trending, then older scenes of Running Man with IU as a guest can hence be posted to celebrate the success of the drama “Hotel del Luna”.

Additionally, throwback content can include clipped out scenes in Running Man episodes that were released in the same month but a year ago.

Running Man Ep 424 short scene video that I helped to cut out for Halloween (Seasonal content)
Running Man Ep 425 (November 2018) short scene video that I helped to cut out as a “throwback” content. In the quiz game, the Running Man members happened to ask the question “What is the capital city of Singapore?”

The activity of cutting and posting short scene videos onto the Facebook fan-page can be carried out not only for just 10 weeks, but for as long as the programme “Running Man” lasts. Users on Facebook like myself who follow such fan-pages looking for a quick laugh and entertainment will likely to appreciate the short funny scenes posted on the fan-page.


Why do I want to maintain a Running Man Facebook fan-page?

Running Man is a programme that has inculcated a lot of Korean cultural values. For example, in episode 221, the Running Man members had a task to remember the Korean cuisine serving order.

Additionally, Ddakji is a traditional Korean game in which the players had to slap the opponent’s cardboard until the opponent’s cardboard flips. For example, in Running Man episode 197, they had a “King of Ddakji” segment.

From the Ddakji game to traditional Korean cuisine, Running Man seem to have instilled cultural values to its show. The guest invited to the show are usually also related to Korean pop-culture, such as actors from the latest Korean drama.

Therefore, especially since Running Man is a transnational programme, if the Running Man Facebook fan-page is maintained well, then the fan-page can also act as an instrument to further spread the Korean Wave and Korean culture to more people.

On the other hand, when I spoke to the administrators of the “Running Man Singapore” Facebook fan-page, they mentioned that they maintain the fan-page purely because of their love for the show. They do not do it for money. Instead, they seemed to be just doing it as part of the fandom.

It is admirable how the Facebook fan-page started since 2012, with the administrators putting in about 1–2 hours of effort everyday to maintain it. To me, it goes to show how the Korean culture can be rapidly spread by fandom participation. At the end of the day, perhaps the administrators also feel good to see how their efforts have borne fruits. Referencing from the Maslow Hierarchy of Needs, it feels as though the administrators have reached the highest level in the pyramid (“Self-actualization”) through their creative participation. The administrators’ simple action of cutting out short funny videos have allowed the Facebook fan-page to be turned into the most followed Running Man Facebook fan-page in Singapore now.


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