This emoji is widely used not just for romantic love between partners, but also to express enthusiastic adoration or intense affection. It's frequently used for the object of one's fandom.

It originated from the cartoonish expression for 'falling in love.' Today, it's an essential emoji for K-pop fans to show an explosion of affection in comments on their favorite artists' photos and videos. It's known as a powerful sign of approval that goes beyond a simple 'like' to mean "I absolutely love this."