[Oshikatsu] Things you can do in a closed environment

My favorite celebrity is on social media, and it's run with a private account.
Since that's their online fan club account, as long as I'm a member, we're connected.

Recently, another celebrity I support started using Instagram subscriptions to do things in a closed environment. It's a paid service, and the cost is about the same as skipping one Starbucks Frappuccino a month.

This way of communicating with fans and supporters has become popular over the last few years. There are also online salons, but this is more accessible and easier to use, making it a welcome way to hear words directly from my favorite celebrity.

In the old days, before the term 'oshi' (favorite) existed, the only way to get close to idols or athletes who were seen as literal icons was to wait for them at entrances or send fan letters to their agencies. Also, when old Twitter started to become popular or if they had a blog, the only thing they could do was send out one-way messages in their own words.
However, with the spread of online salons and social media, two-way communication has become possible, though much of it is still one-way.

From the athlete's perspective, they are likely curious about how fans and supporters view them, and perhaps recent social media and online salons are where fans and supporters express their expectations for what the athletes will say and how they will behave.
However, since that alone doesn't increase value, making it a paid, closed environment likely helps create a sense of closeness.

Even in the world of 'oshikatsu,' there are two extremes: those who want to be recognized by their favorite, and those who would rather die than be recognized. Even so, I think people join because they are curious about their favorite, so at this point, wanting to 'not be recognized' might be like the hedgehog's dilemma.

Anyway, if you're curious about your favorite, it might be okay to join.