Korean Cheerleaders Become Mini-Idols in Taiwan

Korean Cheerleaders Become Mini-Idols in Taiwan

If you ask “Where?” → Taiwan
If you ask “How?” → Go to Taiwan
If you ask “Why?” → That’s what this article explains.


In Korea, it’s nearly impossible for a cheerleader to land commercials,
release music, produce merchandise, or build a full-fledged fandom.
But in Taiwan?
Those same cheerleaders can become household names.

Here’s why.

1. Taiwan Turns Cheerleaders Into “Mini-Idols”

Korea already has an overwhelming supply of female idols.
TWICE, BLACKPINK, aespa, IVE
—K-pop offers a buffet of choices for fans.

With such a strong idol ecosystem,
cheerleaders simply don’t need to fill that role.
Idols are idols.
Cheerleaders are cheerleaders.

Taiwan, however,
doesn’t have a powerful T-pop scene or a steady pipeline of girl groups.
So when a Korean cheerleader becomes popular in Taiwan,
fans naturally treat her like an idol.
She fills a demand that Taiwan’s entertainment industry doesn’t currently meet.

That’s why in Taiwan, Korean cheerleaders are able to:

  • get brand endorsements
  • hold fan meetings
  • run YouTube channels
  • sell merchandise
  • even release albums

 They aren’t just cheerleaders—they’re mini-idols created by market demand.

 

2. Why Korean Cheerleaders Stand Out in Taiwanese Stadiums

Ask a Dodgers fan why they support the team,
“I love Shohei Ohtani.”

Ask a Taiwanese baseball fan the same question,
“I love Lee A-Young(이아영).”

In Taiwan’s CPBL (Chinese Professional Baseball League),
cheerleaders aren’t background decoration.
They are a core part of the stadium experience
—and sometimes outshine the players.

Players don’t always deliver great results.
But cheerleaders deliver ticket sales.
They attract people who otherwise wouldn’t watch baseball at all.

Running a baseball team is expensive.
Korean cheerleaders help teams generate huge revenue.
Some teams earn more from cheerleader-driven fan traffic -
than from the athletes themselves.
It sounds exaggerated, but it’s true:
Cheerleaders are often the main revenue engine of a CPBL team.

3. Do Cheerleaders Hurt Baseball Competitiveness?

Some people worry that if cheerleaders get too popular,
the quality of baseball game will decline.

The reality is the opposite.
Cheerleaders strengthen Taiwan’s baseball competitiveness.

To build a strong team, you need:

✔ talented players
✔ experienced foreign coaches
✔ scientific training methods
✔ proper nutrition

All of this costs money.
If a team is losing money year after year,
no corporation will keep funding it forever.
Cheerleaders solve that financial problem by bringing in consistent revenue.

This leads to a four-way win:

  • Teams win: more revenue → more budget → stronger competitiveness
  • Korean cheerleaders win: higher income and fame than they would get in Korea
  • Players win: teams can afford better salaries and better development
  • Fans win: they get both high-level baseball and high-quality performances

Whether a team wins or loses, fans can still enjoy the stadium experience.
A win tastes sweet.
A loss still comes with great cheerleading.
Either way, the mood stays enjoyable—beyond the scoreboard.

 

4. How Do Koreans Feel About This?

Should Koreans feel upset that their cheerleaders are being “poached” by Taiwan?

Not at all.
They should feel proud.

Japan proved its baseball excellence by exporting elite players to MLB.

Korea proves its cultural power by exporting performers, not only girl groups.

K-pop isn’t limited to idols.
These Korean cheerleaders are also part of the K-pop ecosystem:

  • visually appealing
  • skilled in dance
  • highly professional
  • approachable and friendly

The more successful they are in Taiwan,
the more they demonstrate the global influence of K-pop culture.

If you're Korean, you should feel proud.

Conclusion

Korean cheerleaders thrive in Taiwan not by chance,
but because Taiwan offers something Korea doesn’t:
a unique cultural niche where cheerleaders can become mini-idols,
sustain a fandom, and drive real economic value.

It’s a rare situation where everyone benefits—
teams, cheerleaders, players, and fans alike.

Taiwan provides the perfect stage.
Korea provides the talent.
Together,
they’ve created a cultural win-win that neither country could achieve alone.