Aesthetic Capital, Commodification, and Generational Distinction: A Qualitative Analysis of Female Adolescents’ Inclination toward K-pop in Tehran

This study explores the causal mechanisms shaping the inclination of female adolescents in Tehran toward Korean pop music (K-pop). Employing a qualitative grounded theory approach (systematic design), the research engaged 17 purposively selected high school students who were actively involved in K-pop fandom. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and analyzed via open, axial, and selective coding. Findings highlight three interrelated causal dimensions. The first is cultural–aesthetic capital, reflected in the high production value of performances, the integration of music, dance, and visual spectacle, as well as ritualized order and performers’ enthusiasm, which together create a transnational aesthetic experience. The second dimension is commodification and the fandom economy, wherein symbolic goods and fan merchandise—such as light sticks, dolls, and branded everyday items—embed adolescents’ engagement within an economic–emotional cycle, reinforcing their collective identity. The third is cultural distinction and generational taste gap, whereby distancing from domestic music and asserting independence from parental preferences enables adolescents to construct and legitimize an autonomous cultural identity. Collectively, these dynamics reveal how K-pop consumption transcends mere entertainment to become a cultural and identity-making practice.The study underscores the explanatory value of Bourdieu’s concept of cultural capital, Adorno and Horkheimer’s theory of the culture industry, and sociological approaches to taste in understanding global youth fandom. It also offers practical implications: instead of restrictive measures, Cultural policy in Iran should harness global cultural flows' aesthetic and economic potential, enhance domestic production quality, and bridge generational gaps through intergenerational dialogue and locally relevant cultural products tailored to adolescents' experiences.