The Jed Foundation (JED) partnered with Mindset by DIVE Studios to create a first-of-its-kind content series to engage K-pop audiences–teens and young adults who are primarily female-identifying BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ teens and young adults. The omni-channel storytelling collaboration served to normalize mental health support among marginalized youth through intimate, personal stories from top global artists (with a focus on K-pop artists).
Marginalized communities find acceptance and support in fandoms that give individuals a sense of belonging. Despite being among the least likely to seek help for mental health out of any minority group, younger generations of AAPIs have found allies in K-pop artists who open up about their own struggles and how they deal with them in this series.
The series launched in May 2023 and will run through this fall. It features three collaborations, each of which contain a three-part video series starring K-pop artists. This effort has increased awareness of the importance of youth mental health and helped teens and young adults find and connect with their people and their communities–and to care.
Our strategy included engaging K-pop fans with intimate, safe, and compelling short-form content about mental health. From development through production, JED expert clinicians— specializing in youth mental health and marginalized communities—collaborated with DIVE to create safe, medically accurate, and encouraging content for our intended audience to develop positive mental health behaviors and attitudes.
JED’s ongoing storytelling series, JED Voices, features conversations with leading celebrities, influencers, and advocates about their mental health. This longstanding storytelling framework combined with JED’s credibility in the field complimented Mindset by DIVE Studios’ production and talent roster to co-create best-in-class mental health storytelling series.
The video series launched during AAPI Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month in May 2023 to reach a segment of our audience. JED and Mindset partnered with Adobe Foundation to kick off the series with a digital Town Hall which featured DIVE Studios/Mindset Co-Founder and K-pop superstar Eric Nam, DIVE Studios/Mindset Co-Founder and CEO Brian Nam, and JED Consulting Expert Dr. Monica Band.
The first of the video series featured SEVENTEEN’s WONWOO. In WONWOO’s three-part video series, he opened up about uncertainties in his career, dealing with burnout, and letting go of being perfect.
JED, Mindset, DIVE Studios, and SEVENTEEN posted and shared one another’s posts across their Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube channels. JED and individuals from Mindset shared announcements and promotions of the video collaboration on LinkedIn.
Each video posted to Mindset by DIVE Studios’ YouTube account shared the link to subscribe to JED’s YouTube channel and jedfoundation.org/help where users could find resources and tips on taking care of their mental health. The 988 Crisis Line and findahelpline.com were also shared to encourage users to reach out if they or someone they know needs to reach out. Likewise, videos posted to JED’s YouTube account shared links to Mindset’s app, YouTube channel, and social media platforms.
JED worked with Lenika Cruz, Senior Editor covering Culture at The Atlantic and author of On BTS: Pop Music, Fandom, Sincerity to create two mental health resources. Informed by K-pop fans and JED experts, the pieces provided guidance on how to positively and safely navigate online fandom.
As of mid-August, the Mindset Collections video series includes three episodes from WONWOO and one episode from The Rose. The series has seen the following engagement across social media platforms,including Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube:
There were 161,926 total visits to JED’s mental health resources and articles associated with the release of WONWOO’s collection. We will have site metrics associated with the launch of the Rose’s collection in mid-October.
The virtual Town Hall brought together 500+ teens and young adults to discuss the ways identity intersects with mental health. The conversation covered intergenerational trauma, the model minority myth for AAPI youth, and self-care strategies, among other relevant topics.
Teen Vogue featured a piece on WONWOO to discuss his video series at the end of May. The article embedded the videos of Episodes 1 and 2 of WONWOO’s series.
Viewers were impacted by WONWOO’s openness in his video series and were eager to hear what he had to share. They found relatable content, common challenges, and a place to connect. “It’s difficult to strive to be better in such a competitive world and it’s understandable to feel unstable sometimes,” user my525galaxy said. “We can’t express how grateful we are now that you are creating healing content like this to help us.”
User Vvhana0717vV shared: “The whole message of happiness being about cherishing the present and being grateful really hits home. I have struggled with depression for a long time and couldn’t find happiness but only recent I have started to feel better. Instead of achieving something big to feel happiness, I found pure joy in just making my morning coffee, connecting to my old hobbies like drawing. Suddenly life is not so hard to live. I feel grateful to be alive”
