Doc Lounge Lund Podcast 18: Tokyo Idols

Following an aspiring pop singer and her fans, Tokyo Idols explores a cultural phenomenon driven by an obsession with young female sexuality, and the growing disconnect between men and women in hyper-modern societies. “IDOLS” has fast become a phenomenon in Japan, girl bands and pop music pierce into the Japanese lifestyle. This ever growing phenom is told through Rio, a classic "Tokyo Idol" who takes us on her journey toward fame, and her “brothers”: a group of adult middle aged male super fans (ages 35 - 50) who devote their lives to following her—in the virtual world and in real life. With her provocative look into the Japanese pop music industry and its focus on traditional beauty ideals, filmmaker Kyoko Miyake confronts the nature of gender power dynamics at work. As the female idols become younger and younger, Miyake offers a critique on the veil of internet fame and the new terms of engagement that are now playing out IRL around the globe.