Crystal Bell is the Culture Editor at Mashable. She oversees the site's coverage of the creator economy, digital spaces, and internet trends, focusing on how young people engage with others and themselves online. She is particularly interested in how social media platforms shape our online and offline identities.
She was formerly the entertainment director at MTV News, where she helped the brand expand its coverage of extremely online fan culture and K-pop across its platforms. You can find her work in Teen Vogue, PAPER, NYLON, ELLE, Glamour, NME, W, The FADER, and elsewhere on the internet.
She's exceptionally fluent in fandom and will gladly make you a K-pop playlist and/or provide anime recommendations upon request. Crystal lives in New York City with her two black cats, Howl and Sophie.
Areas of Expertise
Author Recommended
How 'KPop Demon Hunters' became a love letter to K-pop and its fandom
Directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans unpack the visual cues, idol archetypes, and K-pop references that shaped Netflix’s breakout animated hit.
By Crystal Bell
Le Sserafim on tech, style, and staying connected in a digital world
Sony’s latest collaboration with Le Sserafim merges cutting-edge audio tech with K-pop style, redefining the relationship between music and self-expression.
By Crystal Bell
'Suzume' review: Makoto Shinkai's healing journey is stunningly personal
The feel-good disaster flick from the anime auteur is strongest when the hero puts herself first.
By Crystal Bell
Latest From Crystal Bell
From lip stain to a laptop mic: Inside Chloé Caroline's creator essentials
What's inside her bag? An iPhone tripod, noise-cancelling headphones, and a little bit of sage for good vibes.
By Mashable Contributor and Crystal Bell
How singer-songwriter Chloé Caroline built a loyal following without chasing virality
"You can have millions of views and it can feel empty — or a few thousand that truly connect."
By Mashable Contributor and Crystal Bell
How to vote for the TikTok Awards 2025 — plus date, nominees, and how to watch
The FYP is going IRL
By Crystal Bell
Starbucks' Bearista Cup has the internet in a full-blown frenzy
From $30 cups to $600 eBay listings, the bear-shaped glass tumbler has collectors crashing out.
By Crystal Bell
How 'KPOP Demon Hunters' became the biggest hit of the year
The formula behind Netflix's biggest film of all-time.
By Mark Stetson and Crystal Bell
Spotify's new 'listening stats' keep the Wrapped energy going year round
Because you shouldn’t have to wait until December to brag about your impeccable taste.
By Crystal Bell
The celebrity Halloween costumes that took over the internet
From KATSEYE's Mariah multiverse to Demi Lovato's return as Poot, celebs turned Halloween 2025 into a full-blown content drop.
By Crystal Bell
bbno$ says 'F*CK AI' — and he's putting his money where his mouth is
For his latest music video, the rapper hired 20 fan animators instead of turning to generative tools: "You have to fund [artists]. That's the only way."
By Crystal Bell
How Mori Calliope used VTubing to build a path to her dream 'Gachiakuta' collab
A longtime fan of "Gachiakuta," hololive's reaper rapper channels the series' grit and hope into its new opening theme, "LET’S JUST CRASH."
By Crystal Bell
One app to read them all: Crunchyroll's new manga service launches this October
The new Crunchyroll Manga app brings together hundreds of series from top publishers — including "One Piece", "Delicious in Dungeon", and more.
By Crystal Bell
The Mashable 101: These are the creators shaping the internet in 2025
Introducing The Mashable 101.
By Crystal Bell and Alesha Williams Boyd
How the internet turned 'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle' into the No. 1 movie
Streaming, TikTok edits, and Gen Z devotion fueled the rise of anime. Now its biggest saga yet is claiming box-office crowns once reserved for superheroes.
By Crystal Bell
Novak Djokovic celebrates U.S. Open win with 'KPop Demon Hunters' dance
The 24-time Grand Slam champ celebrated his quarterfinal victory with a "Soda Pop" tribute to his daughter.
By Crystal Bell
Instagram Map sparks privacy panic over location sharing and geotagging
Instagram is using your location, not sharing it.
By Crystal Bell
Instagram's new Map feature lets you track friends in real-time
A handy tool for meetups and discovery, but location sharing also comes with some privacy risks.
By Crystal Bell
Want to match Stray Kids' Hyunjin's floral phone case aesthetic? We found this K-pop idol's fave.
Looking for that soft Hyunjin aesthetic? Start with this K-pop idol's phone case.
By Crystal Bell
Watch K-pop idols and pop legends team up in 'KPOPPED' song battle series trailer
From the Spice Girls and ITZY to ATEEZ and Kylie Minogue, the Apple TV+ series pairs global icons with K-pop idols to remix pop classics.
By Crystal Bell
K-pop rookies KiiiKiii tap into Gen Z's obsession with early internet aesthetics
The girl group channels Y2K with Friendster-style profiles, Craigslist-core design, and lo-fi digital flash.
By Crystal Bell
Aura farming? Fanum tax? 2025's most viral internet slang, explained
These viral phrases are dominating online culture. Here’s what they really mean.
By Crystal Bell
Move over, Labubu: Pop Mart's Crybaby is taking center stage
Crybaby’s got your phone covered, literally and emotionally.
By Crystal Bell
'Gachiakuta' might be the most original shōnen anime in years
It starts with rage, but 'Gachiakuta' is really about learning to be human in a world that treats you like garbage.
By Crystal Bell
The internet is celebrating Christian Horner's sudden exit from Red Bull Racing
The longtime F1 team principal was abruptly sacked Wednesday, and fans had memes locked and loaded.
By Crystal Bell
How a fictional girl group and a demon boy band made 2025's biggest K-pop hits
With veteran K-pop songwriters, top-tier producers, and a perfectly crafted finale, the 'KPop Demon Hunters' soundtrack is a surprise chart-topper.
By Crystal Bell
The stars of 'KPop Demon Hunters' (and their parents) are watching your fan edits
Arden Cho, May Hong, and Ji-young Yoo talk K-pop bias picks, girl group power, Labubus, and why their parents are surprisingly good at Instagram.
By Crystal Bell
Netflix's 'KPop Demon Hunters' review: Balancing demon-slaying with idol realness
With heart, humor, and a killer soundtrack, this animated flick captures what makes K-pop and its fans so powerful.
By Crystal Bell
