From screaming crowds to fan edits and streaming parties, celebrity culture thrives on admiration, dedication, and enthusiasm. But too often, what begins as fandom becomes something more troubling — an obsession. Whether it is fans, screaming at the top of their lungs for their favorite athlete to win a game, or singing alongside their favorite artist coming together as a community, these supporters possess great qualities – admiration, dedication, and enthusiasm.

But when the thin line between fan and celebrity blurs, it fosters unrealistic expectations and unhealthy attachments. A parasocial relationship is born – and in some cases, celebrities may even enable it.

A parasocial relationship is a one-sided emotional attachment, in which one person devotes time, energy, and interest to someone who is completely unaware of their existence. This term is most commonly used in the context of celebrities or fictional characters.

There are three levels of parasocial intensity: entertainment-social, intense-personal, and borderline-pathological:

Entertainment-social relationships are casual. The celebrity is simply a source of enjoyment, similar to following a favorite show or athlete.

Intense-personal relationships involve deeper emotional investment. Fans may feel as though they truly “know” the celebrity and form imagined personal bonds—some might even consider them a soulmate.

Borderline-pathological relationships include obsessive thoughts or behaviors, such as believing a celebrity is secretly communicating with them or reacting with jealousy when the celebrity dates someone.

With social media providing constant access to celebrities’ lives, fans can easily begin to believe they have influence over the actions of their favorite stars. Some express outrage when idols enter relationships. Others send hate to critics or defend celebrities from even the most constructive feedback. These patterns reflect not admiration – but entitlement.

According to a study published by the National Library Of Medicine, researchers surveyed 151 undergraduate students about the celebrities they admired and their level of attachment. The results found that higher levels of celebrity worship—especially in the intense-personal and borderline-pathological categories—were associated with lower performance on cognitive tests.

“The data suggest that there might be a direct relationship between celebrity worship and poor performance on cognitive tests,” the study concluded.

A recent controversy that sparked online debate involved Seunghan, a former member of the K-pop group RIZZE. After photos were leaked of the idol kissing a girl he had dated before debuting, some fans reacted with fury. They demanded his removal from the group, accusing him of being “inappropriate.” According to Korean media, over 1,000 funeral wreaths were sent with messages like “Who Are You, Hong Seunghan?” and “Seunghan, Leave.” After a 10-month hiatus, he was suspended indefinitely.

“Unfortunately, many K-pop companies also don’t see their artists as people but rather a way to gain wealth, and that is incredibly problematic as many artists are mistreated and suffer greatly because of it,” Hye Jin Lee, a clinical assistant professor at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California, said in an interview with NBC News.

Being a fan should mean offering support and appreciation — not building an illusion that a celebrity owes something in return. While fans must be held accountable for forming unrealistic expectations, it is also important to recognize that companies often market celebrities in ways that make fans feel seen and special. This is a business model designed to generate emotional investment — and profit.

If left unchecked, these relationships can lead to obsession, toxic behavior, and even harm to the celebrities themselves. As digital access continues to expand, fans must learn to set boundaries – and entertainment companies must stop blurring them. Fandom should inspire admiration, not entitlement.