Beliebology Tube

8’37”, 2024–2025 4K 3D Rendered Video Beliebology is a fictional religious system whose name merges Scientology with Belieber (the dedicated fanbase of Justin Bieber). It serves as a metaphor for how contemporary faith is shaped, disseminated, and ultimately sanctified through the interplay of consumerism, algorithmic control, and the platform economy. The core architecture of Beliebology in the work is a 3D scan of the Church of Scientology in Los Angeles; this iconic blue building acts not only as a real-world symbol of extremist belief systems but also as the "Holy Land" within the fictional narrative. Inspired by the 2008 copyright dispute between the Church of Scientology and YouTube (known as "Project Chanology"), Beliebology Tube explores the evolution of belief systems in the digital age and how information is filtered, amplified, and even mystified by algorithmic manipulation and platform mechanics. The film consists of several independent segments, forming a visual system akin to an infinite YouTube autoplay stream. By blending the visual languages of cult games, cult cinema, and internet memes, it constructs a decentralized experience of faith within the blurred boundaries of reality and deception. Chapter I: Trouble on My Mind The opening chapter of Beliebology Tube references the mission cutscenes of open-world games like GTA V. It depicts two characters en route to the church headquarters, discussing a mysterious, silenced (muted) drug. Chapter II: Ant-Hound Farm Interview This chapter is also part of the project "Design in Rising Winds," supported by M+ Museum and Design Trust. The film centers on a fictional creature called the Ant-Hound, which symbolizes the boundary between digital actions and real-world responsibilities. In the Beliebology universe, Ant-Hounds feed on green energy orbs and protect other livestock on the farm; their excrement serves as the raw material for the core drug, driving the cycle of the entire belief system. This fictional ecosystem appropriates the carbon trading mechanism of Alipay’s "Ant Forest," exposing the disconnect between digital environmentalism and physical ecology while questioning how algorithms shape individual morality. Chapter III: Sentō Party This chapter revolves around a sentō (Japanese communal bathhouse) operated by Beliebology. The protagonist infiltrates the space to discover a frenzied religious party in progress. The visuals appropriate the aesthetic of Berlin’s famous electronic music station "HÖR" and combine it with 3D scans of the Tokyo bathhouse chain "Kosugiyu." Together, they create a public space that blurs the lines between religious ritual, subcultural revelry, and capital operations.