16/7/2020 How male K-Pop idols are redefining masculinity | The Daily Dot

Photo via Facebook/BTS

How male K-Pop idols are redefining masculinity

Beneath the squeals of fans, the men of K-pop are attacking gender roles.

Feb 29, 2020, 2:50 am* Streaming  Colette Bennett

Before the sixth sold out concert on the American leg of a world tour, V of K-pop boy band BTS is
being prepped for his appearance onstage. His makeup artist applies BB cream to his skin with a
stippling brush, mixing in a luminous highlighter for shine. His job is to make the star look awless
so that thousands of fans can gaze at him in adoration for the next few hours, clicking the shutter
on their cameras endlessly. On his left, another stylist at-irons his hair, which is dyed the shade of a
dark red rose.

BTS, along with many other “pretty boy” bands created in a similar vein, routinely pack massive
venues in Asia. Tickets for this summer’s KCON in New York and Los Angeles, where many of these
bands appear, sold out in a record 10 minutes this year. These boys, with their perfectly kohl-lined
eyes and doll-like appearances, have captured the hearts of millions of fans all over the world.

Email Address Go

https://www.dailydot.com/upstream/k-pop-boy-bands-masculinity/ 1/8
16/7/2020 How male K-Pop idols are redefining masculinity | The Daily Dot

Facebook/BTS Of cial

K-pop’s male stars tend to elicit two opposite reactions: Squeals of delight and excitement from fans,
and scorn from those outside that circle. It’s the silent majority generation’s criticism of the hippies:
Their hair is too long, and they look like girls.

As K-pop continues to blaze a path through countries outside South Korea, its male idols also carve
a trail: Broadcasting a new form of masculinity that goes far beyond the American de nition of
“manly.” 

The concept of the “ ower boy” is not a new one. The word originated in South Korea before the
10th century, during the rise of the Silla dynasty. “Hwarang” (“Flowering Knights”) were an elite
group of young male nobles who studied culture and were known for their use of makeup and
accessories. A modern Korean drama about their story is in the works (ironically, starring a member
of BTS as one of the main characters).

Email Address Go

https://www.dailydot.com/upstream/k-pop-boy-bands-masculinity/ 2/8
16/7/2020 How male K-Pop idols are redefining masculinity | The Daily Dot

Dramafever

While the term’s meaning has varied over time, the concept remains beloved to Asia. Many Japanese
and Korean men not only use skincare products and wear makeup as a part of their daily routine,
but also forgo the traditional hard lines of a suit for fashion silhouettes that are decidedly in uenced
by the feminine.

The aesthetic, celebrated by the K-pop’s leading men, is blissfully free of the rigidity of the American
masculine. Gone are the oversized tees and poorly tting jeans, the need to appear tough and in
control. Some men still choose to work out and gain muscle, but they’ll happily pull on a tight tank
top and jeans that cling to their thighs when they leave the gym. Long hair is not only allowed, but
carefully groomed for shine and body. Men wear scoop-necked tees that reveal the lines of their
collarbones and long, owy sweaters. 

Email Address Go

https://www.dailydot.com/upstream/k-pop-boy-bands-masculinity/ 3/8
16/7/2020 How male K-Pop idols are redefining masculinity | The Daily Dot

YesStyle

Asian masculinity has often been considered lesser than that of males of other cultures, a source of
fury for many Asian men today. Reddit communities such as Asian Masculinity are passionately
upheld by the cries of angry voices that deride the prejudice against Asian men in business,
romance, and more. 

“I need to make twice as much money as an American guy to be able to impress a woman,” one
wrote in a post.

Before K-pop exploded in the U.S., Asian men struggled to be noticed by the opposite sex. Women
proved it by admitting in surveys that they were least attracted to Asian men out of all other races.
That’s changing as young fans discover the aesthetic of polished idols. It helps that they’re candid
via social media, openly awkward or silly, and much more intimate than the emotionally sterile male
stereotype. It makes fans feel not so different from them, bonding them further to the stars they
adore.

Email Address Go

https://www.dailydot.com/upstream/k-pop-boy-bands-masculinity/ 4/8
16/7/2020 How male K-Pop idols are redefining masculinity | The Daily Dot

Facebook/BigBangOf cial

Men deserve to be beautiful, if they desire to be. They should feel free to celebrate themselves as not
only sexual, but sensual beings. Some are perfectly able to do so within the traditional de nition of
masculinity. Others enjoy sewing or putting on a bit of eyeliner. 

By showing fans a wider range of who they are as human beings, male idols are saying, “It’s OK for
me to dance, to sing, to enjoy who and what I am.” This appeals to those who nd American
masculinity boring. 

It’s great when a man enjoys cooking, delightful when male friends enjoy being stylish or proudly
show off their shoe collection. Men and women are portrayed as being fundamentally different
because we get stuck in our roles, forgetting we can change them. In this remarkable time when
gender creativity is the center of so much passionate discussion, the sexes can foster intimacy by
experimenting with things that don’t fall into the typical expectation of who they’re supposed to be.

Email Address Go

https://www.dailydot.com/upstream/k-pop-boy-bands-masculinity/ 6/8
16/7/2020 How male K-Pop idols are redefining masculinity | The Daily Dot

Tumblr/Kellyrika

K-pop is not a healing balm for all the things wrong with the masculinity construct. But the genre
passionately promotes the concept of ower boys because it sells. 

These idols celebrate who they are with people who love them—and gender roles are forgotten.
We’re all simply there together, exuberantly learning who we are. 

Share this article  *First Published: Jul 30, 2016, 10:45 am

Colette Bennett
Colette Bennett is a writer/editor who specializes in internet culture, skincare, and all things geek. Her
work has appeared on CNN, HLN, Engadget, Colourlovers, and Continue Magazine. She also writes
horror and sci- ction for Corona Books. Her rst novel is forthcoming from Rebellion Publishing in
2021.
Email Address Go


https://www.dailydot.com/upstream/k-pop-boy-bands-masculinity/ 7/8
16/7/2020 How male K-Pop idols are redefining masculinity | The Daily Dot

This Cheap TV Caster Might be the Best Selling Gift in Colombia

Daily Gadgets Reviews | Sponsored

Teen accidentally kills himself on Instagram Live as friends watch

'Target Tammy' is latest white woman to complain about Black

people minding their own business
A woman who has since been dubbed 'Target Tammy' is going viral for inserting herself
into the conversation of three black women.
The Daily Dot

Twitter is losing it after realizing Melania's dad looks like…

How to stream the best reality shows on Hulu

The best shows on Amazon Prime Video

Premier League live stream: Stream Crystal Palace vs. Manchester United

How to stream ‘The Kitchen’

Email Address Go

https://www.dailydot.com/upstream/k-pop-boy-bands-masculinity/ 8/8
16/7/2020 How male K-Pop idols are redefining masculinity | The Daily Dot

jacksonwang852g7 
Ver perfil
17.9 millones seguidores

Ver más en Instagram

379,424 Me gusta
jacksonwang852g7

Hello Thailand ! We are back again! I Love you. Lak lak juk juk ❤😚 รักนกน ้อย
น ้า
你好泰国！我们回来了！ ❤
우리 다시 왔어요 태국 !!! ❤ #jacksonwang #잭슨 #王嘉爾 #igot7 #mark
#bambam #got7 #Thailand
ver los 11,706 comentarios

Añade un comentario...

Today, scores of Americans notice. Thousands wear shirts to KCON proudly advertising the name of
their “bias,” or guy of choice in a K-pop band. Idols receive oods of fan mail and gifts from their
followers, and many imagine the men as their ultimate fantasy of what a boyfriend or husband
should be like.

While K-pop may not suit the taste of many, its continued popularity in the U.S. means that
hundreds of thousands of people are falling in love with a new kind of man, one we’re meeting for
the rst time through the music. It’s refreshing and exciting. 
Email Address Go

https://www.dailydot.com/upstream/k-pop-boy-bands-masculinity/ 5/8