Adjectives as Representation of SEVENTEEN’s Mingyu in Koreaboo Articles

Abstract

This study examines how adjectives are used to shape the public image of Mingyu from the group SEVENTEEN in online entertainment news. Using a corpus-based approach and mixed methods, this study combines quantitative frequency analysis and qualitative semantic
interpretation. A total of 70 articles from Koreaboo published between 2022 and early 2025 were collected and analyzed using Justext and LancsBox. The ten adjectives with the highest frequency were identified using Leech's (1981) Semantic Theory, with positive, negative, and neutral classifications. The results show that adjectives such as viral, handsome, new, first, and recent play an important role in building Mingyu's image as a popular, attractive, and relevant
figure, while adjectives such as live, particular, and Seventeen function in relational and structural contexts. Overall, this study confirms that the choice of language in Koreaboo articles is not only descriptive but also actively shapes the idol's persona through evaluative language,
which can enrich our understanding of how digital media discourse depicts idol culture globally.