A year ago, I probably would’ve laughed at the idea of paying for VIP fan memberships.
And yet somewhere along the way, I found myself carefully thinking through whether I wanted to subscribe to Aluo and Chuan Nan’s memberships.
Not impulsively.
Not emotionally recklessly.
Surprisingly responsibly, actually.
I spent time considering:
- whether it would genuinely make me happy
- whether it fit my budget realistically
- whether it added value to my routines
- whether it felt emotionally worthwhile
And eventually, I decided yes.
It was worth it.
At first, part of me felt slightly embarrassed about how excited I was over something fandom-related as an adult.
But that feeling disappeared pretty quickly.
Because the truth is, these spaces became part of my emotional routines during a season where life felt very heavy.
After difficult years filled with:
- stress
- caregiving
- burnout
- emotional exhaustion
- overwhelming responsibilities
having something lighthearted to look forward to every night genuinely mattered.
These streams became:
- comfort after long days
- emotional decompression
- laughter during stressful weeks
- familiarity during overwhelming seasons
And somewhere along the way, supporting creators whose content consistently brought comfort started feeling meaningful instead of silly.
I also think adulthood changes fandom in interesting ways.
When you’re younger, fandom often feels exciting and intense.
As an adult, it becomes softer.
More intentional.
More connected to emotional regulation and routine.
These days, fandom feels less like obsession and more like:
- comfort
- community
- consistency
- familiarity
- joy without pressure
And maybe that’s why becoming a VIP fan no longer felt irrational to me.
It simply felt like investing in something that made difficult days lighter.
I also love how this fandom unexpectedly expanded my world.
Now I’m:
- learning Mandarin
- meeting people from different countries
- understanding different online cultures
- becoming curious about things I never explored before
What started as random livestream recommendations slowly became part of a much bigger season of growth and connection.
And looking back now, becoming a VIP fan feels less like “spending money on fandom” and more like allowing myself to fully enjoy something that genuinely brought comfort and happiness into my life.
That realization alone already made it worth it.
