By Emily Ng

Super fans" are usually like normal people — they work normally, study normally, sleep normally and eat normally. But they are not normal when it comes to dealings with their idols. Their behaviour often surprises their families and friends.

Miss Yvonne So, 15, a Form 4 student, said, "I have over 1,000 photos of Aaron Kwok."

Like other fans, Yvonne shows her loyalty towards her idol by buying as many photos and products of him as she can.

Yvonne started her Aaron Kwok's collection when the singer became popular in Taiwan about five years ago.

As often as three times a week, Yvonne and classmates Doris Chung and Miko Wong go to the Sino Centre in Mong Kok to look for their idols' photos. The Sino Centre is a shopping arcade where one can find thousands of idols' photos and products.

"My idols are Andy Lau and Fan Hiu-heun, while Leo Koo and Kelly Chan are Miko's idols," said Doris.

They usually buy 10 to 12 photos each time they visit the photo shops in Sino Centre. These cost them over $300 per month.

Said Yvonne: "If the quality of the photos is good, we will buy more. We also buy more when our idols show up more often."

Yvonne bought more than 100 photos of Aaron Kwok's concert in July.

Newspapers inform them when to look for their idols' recent photos. When they see their idols in newspapers, they know that new photos will be available for sale.

Some newspapers also provide information about where and when the singers will appear.

Fans are thus able to meet their idols, take photos or get their autographs.

Miko takes part in this kind of activity up to four times a week, just to take a look at her idols.

Besides purchasing photos, they also collect other products such as compact discs, postcards, posters, magazines and newspaper cuttings.

One may wonder how such young students can afford spending huge amounts of money on their idols' products.

Yvonne is lucky. She can ask her mother for money. But Doris and Miko have to buy the products with their own pocket money.

"We have to spend less on lunch and cut down other expenditures to save money for buying photos," Miko said.

Their parents all know that their daughters spend much money on their collections, but their responses are different.

Yvonne's mother seems not to pay much attention, whereas Miko faces very strong disapproval from her mother.

"We often quarrel over this, but I do not care," said Miko. "She can keep telling me off, but I will not give in."

Said Doris: "My mother does not object. In fact, she goes through my collection with me, and she seems to enjoy it very much."

On the other hand, her father is unhappy about her hobby. "He shouts at me when I do not put the photos away," Doris said, "but he does not oppose my buying them."

Yvonne keeps photos in photo holders and shoe boxes, while Doris keeps all her collections in drawers. Miko keeps them in a safe place.

"I keep them in my own safe-deposit box," said Miko.

Even though they spend a lot of money on products of their idols — and even though their parents may oppose them — they still insist that the hobby is worthwhile. Their idols are simply above the fray, so to speak.

They insisted they will not give up their collections when they got older. They will support their idols even when they were no longer popular.

"When you like someone, you stand by him under any circumstances," said Yvonne.

However, this is not the law for everyone. Agatha Wu, 17, a Form 6 student, started collecting Aaron Kwok's photos and products at the same time Yvonne did, but she quit about 3 years ago.

"I quit because I found it meaningless. The same person appears in all photos, so why did I need so many?

"I wasted lots of money on them," Miss Wu said. "I should have used the money to buy other things which are more worthwhile."

She lost interest in the collection when she was persuaded to quit by some friends who do not like collecting idols' photos.

"People liked collecting their idols' photos or products, such as the Beatles', even in the old days," said Miss Wu. "It makes people feel closer to their idols."

In 2 years, Miss Wu collected more than 200 photos of Aaron Kwok.

"Aaron Kwok is still my idol, but my attitude towards him has changed. I used to like everything concerning Aaron, but now I only admire his performances," she added.

According Mr. John Poon, owner of a photo shop in the Sino Centre, most people are now less crazy about their idols.

Said he: "Fans used to buy their idols' products without second thought. They just bought whatever had their idols' faces on the products. But now they look for high quality ones."

So getting young people's money is not as easy as it once seemed. During the last few months, the sales of idols' photos has dropped significantly, leading to the close-down of some photo shops in Sino Centre.

"There are a lot of new stars, but without promotion their photos will only be popular for a very short period of time," he said. "We have to cut our prices in order to sell them, even if we have to lose money.

"During the last few months, fewer people have come to buy photos. There may be other things that attract our customers," he added.

Mr. Poon said he would close down his business if the sales did not go up in the next few months.