Why do people fall in love with celebrities?

There’s a recurring meme on the internet: “I don’t care if he’s a fictional character, I still want to marry him.” But the level of investment extends beyond this kind of romantic fancy: say, the palpable scarring many felt with Britney Spears’ story earlier this month. Or the trail of social media stories when the “Friends” reunion aired. The audience was rabid, the cultural mark evident. Then there are groups that work in the background year around, like say, the BTS Army’s shield of armor around the Korean pop band.