Do Own (Donna) Kim
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doowndonnakim.bsky.social
Do Own (Donna) Kim
@doowndonnakim.bsky.social
200 followers 370 following 19 posts
Assistant Professor of Communication, University of Illinois Chicago. Digital cultures & technologies. PhD, USC Annenberg. KFAS & Korea University alum. She/her. https://www.doowndonnakim.com/
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doowndonnakim.bsky.social
Do Own (Donna) Kim @doowndonnakim.bsky.social · Oct 15
Happy to finally share! Now out in New Media & Society: "Meta-authenticity and fake but real virtual influencers: A framework for artificial sociality analysis and ethics". As part of special issue Decoding Artificial Sociality by Drs.
Iliana Depounti & Simone Natale. DOI: doi.org/10.1177/1461...
A screenshot of the article title page. Abstract: This article studies the negotiation of humanness in artificial sociality by examining the cyborg case of humanlike virtual influencers and their performance of authenticity, drawing on phenomenological ethnographic research. Based on the findings, I propose the framework of “meta-authenticity”—the flexible, co-constructive process of self-referential (in)authenticity performances. Virtual influencers’ meta-authenticity was a dynamic outcome of collaborative performances by entangled human and nonhuman actors. Meta-authenticity’s theoretical and practical contributions are demonstrated, including through an illustrative application. Then, I reflect on meta-authenticity’s implications on human cultures, such as regarding artificial sociality’s capacities to provide authentic interaction on and as per demand, followed by suggestions for ethical practices. As an accountability-integrated framework, meta-authenticity encourages nuanced critical assessments of artificial sociality’s “real” actors and consequences. Keywords: Artificial sociality, authenticity, human–machine communication, meta-authenticity, virtual influencer
Reposted by Do Own (Donna) Kim
ijcs-journal.bsky.social
Check out the article "Meaningfully playful: Gender, sexuality, and civic imaginations in Korean and Chinese fandom cultures", authored by Do Own (Donna) Kim and Fang Wu, in our Online First section.

doi.org/10.1177/1367...

#IJCSOnlineFirst
@doowndonnakim.bsky.social
Online First. "Meaningfully playful: Gender, sexuality, and civic imaginations in Korean and Chinese fandom cultures". Do Own (Donna) Kim (University of Illinois Chicago, USA) and Fang Wu (Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China).
November 20, 2025 at 11:48 AM
doowndonnakim.bsky.social
New article, right before #NCA25! "Non-player characters and the nonhuman: Insights and scoping review toward critical posthumanist human-machine communication." The Communication Review. doi.org/10.1080/1071....
I needed this review myself to (re)think&write about emergent AI cultures, so I did it!
a screen cap of the first page of the article. basic information is in the main post. abstract: This article argues for critical posthumanist approaches to human-machine communication (HMC) and positions video game non-player, non-playing, or non-playable characters (NPCs) as a productive connective topic to facilitate this. Despite their historical presence as mundane, popular artificial intelligence (AI) and rich implications on the political notion of the nonhuman, insights from NPC research, especially qualitative and critical, have been largely missing in HMC discourses. To close this gap, this article aims to investigate and provide a guiding mapping of NPC literature. First, it critically contextualizes existing approaches to NPCs across disciplines to examine why and how NPCs can aid critical posthumanist research on AI contexts. Second, building on this, it conducted a scoping review of 22 grounded qualitative, critical theoretical works on emergent narratives on NPCs. The review suggested a budding interest in the topic and many promising research potentials. Specific recommendations are made. Drawing on the results, I argue that NPCs can help us interrogate the inhuman(e) in other-than-human.
November 20, 2025 at 1:20 AM
doowndonnakim.bsky.social
Happy to finally share! Now out in New Media & Society: "Meta-authenticity and fake but real virtual influencers: A framework for artificial sociality analysis and ethics". As part of special issue Decoding Artificial Sociality by Drs.
Iliana Depounti & Simone Natale. DOI: doi.org/10.1177/1461...
A screenshot of the article title page. Abstract: This article studies the negotiation of humanness in artificial sociality by examining the cyborg case of humanlike virtual influencers and their performance of authenticity, drawing on phenomenological ethnographic research. Based on the findings, I propose the framework of “meta-authenticity”—the flexible, co-constructive process of self-referential (in)authenticity performances. Virtual influencers’ meta-authenticity was a dynamic outcome of collaborative performances by entangled human and nonhuman actors. Meta-authenticity’s theoretical and practical contributions are demonstrated, including through an illustrative application. Then, I reflect on meta-authenticity’s implications on human cultures, such as regarding artificial sociality’s capacities to provide authentic interaction on and as per demand, followed by suggestions for ethical practices. As an accountability-integrated framework, meta-authenticity encourages nuanced critical assessments of artificial sociality’s “real” actors and consequences. Keywords: Artificial sociality, authenticity, human–machine communication, meta-authenticity, virtual influencer
October 15, 2025 at 4:08 PM
doowndonnakim.bsky.social
Just out in International Journal of Cultural Studies! "Meaningfully playful: Gender, sexuality, and civic imaginations in Korean and Chinese fandom cultures" doi.org/10.1177/1367...
Wonderful to write w/ Dr. Fang Wu😊 Korean & Chinese fandoms, pop culture, "meaningful" participation & more! #commsky
The abstract page (first page) of the article. Keywords: popular culture, transcultural fandom, China, Korea, civic imagination, political participation. Abstract: This dialogical article emphasizes the meaningfully playful character of popular culture fan and audience practices and argues for contextual and transcultural approaches to their meaning-making processes. The authors discuss South Korean and Chinese fandom cultures’ intertwinement with civic engagements, the role that gender and sexuality play in this process, and how such civic imaginations emerge domestically and transculturally. Drawing on cultural and critical scholarship, they examine and compare several illustrative cases on national and global scales, such as civil protests, celebrity scandals, fandom norms, and subversive fan practices. The dialogue elucidates the interconnections between state-level Politics and everyday politics in fan and audience meaning-makings, as well as their interactions with digital infrastructures and cultures. Contextual resonances and differences between China and Korea are discussed.
July 8, 2025 at 2:54 PM
doowndonnakim.bsky.social
Thank you #ICA25 and old & new friends for excellent inspirations and love! HMC, games, pop cultures, like AYCE kbbq; I am leaving full & happy (also need a nap & shower).
Denver💖: my Pikmin postcards (if you want Chicago/UIC cards or maybe collab someday👀, dm/email me!) + cow-trouts and friends.
ICA25 conference badge. Donna paused her Zelda to be here, and yes, I got married AND moved a week before coming to Denver! Was a bit hectic, but loved ICA! My first Denver Pikmin postcards cow-trout & buddies in downtown Denver 75th ICA photobooth!
June 17, 2025 at 4:47 PM
doowndonnakim.bsky.social
New pub! My piece on AI and teaching, "Reflection-AI: artificial intelligence or algorithmic instruction problem? Empowering students through situated knowledges-based reflexivity" is now available open access in Frontiers in Communication. doi.org/10.3389/fcom...
a screenshot of the article's abstract
May 21, 2025 at 3:00 PM
doowndonnakim.bsky.social
Really looking forward to this!
researchbrb.bsky.social ✨ Rachel (she/her) ✨ @researchbrb.bsky.social · Mar 20
Super excited about this free upcoming online event "Virtual Influencers in the Asia Pacific", happening on Tuesday 08 April, 1400-1700hrs AWST (GMT+8). 🥳 For more info, including registration (essential!), event schedule and presenter bios, head to ierlab.com/virtual-infl...
Event poster for "Virtual Influencers in the Asia Pacific", a free online event presented by the Influencer Ethnography Research Lab on 8 April 2025 from 1400-1700 hours GMT+8. Registration is open now, more information can be found at www.ierlab.com
March 22, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Reposted by Do Own (Donna) Kim
popjunctions.bsky.social
Heading towards the end of our OSCARS WATCH series, we have Part One of a two-part conversation piece on THE SUBSTANCE by @doowndonnakim.bsky.social @gtroitman.bsky.social and @utsavpgandhi.bsky.social. Stay tuned for Part Two.
OSCARS WATCH 2025 – The Substance: Youth, Body, Women, Success (Part One) — Pop Junctions
This piece is part of a series of critical responses to the films nominated for Best Picture at the 97th Academy Awards. In this in-conversation piece, Do Own (Donna) Kim, Utsav Gandhi, and Gabrielle ...
henryjenkins.org
February 28, 2025 at 8:35 PM
doowndonnakim.bsky.social
I wrote about #TheSubstance movie, "love yourself :(" Korean meme, ajumma pants, and comedian Kang Yumi's YouTube parody Yumistance.
@popjunctions.bsky.social 2025 #Oscars series.
henryjenkins.org/blog/2025/2/...

Part 2 conversation w/ @utsavpgandhi.bsky.social & @gtroitman.bsky.social coming soon!
OSCARS WATCH 2025 – The Substance: Youth, Body, Women, Success (Part One) — Pop Junctions
This piece is part of a series of critical responses to the films nominated for Best Picture at the 97th Academy Awards. In this in-conversation piece, Do Own (Donna) Kim, Utsav Gandhi, and Gabrielle ...
henryjenkins.org
February 28, 2025 at 8:34 PM
doowndonnakim.bsky.social
Physical contexts (still) matter. New pub in Communication Monographs #commsky "Remapping visibility Layerability of gay dating apps and hybrid placemaking in Seoul, Korea"
doi.org/10.1080/0363...
Based on interviews w Korea's gay dating app users & their hybrid placemaking, I propose “layerability"
screenshot of the first page the article. title, abstract, and the beginning of the introduction are included.
January 16, 2025 at 4:56 PM
doowndonnakim.bsky.social
Looking forward to meeting new folks and catching up at #ICA25! My paper is on video game non-player/playing/playable characters (NPCs), critical posthumanism, and human-machine communication. Excited to nerd out together.
January 16, 2025 at 4:11 PM
doowndonnakim.bsky.social
Trying out Bluesky! Probably mainly for academic updates/connecting (comm, tech, game, digital cultures, etc) and cat accounts.
Since this is my first post, a lil self-intro by name: Hi, I'm Do Own (full first name; I'm not Do!) Kim 김도온. A friendly way to call me in Korean is 도온아, so I go by Donna.👋
November 21, 2024 at 4:23 PM