Why are male K-pop stars effeminate-looking?

[Anonymous]

Personally, I'm not sexually attracted to them (flower boys) with all that plastic surgery and makeup caked on them, it looks gay.
Men should not be wearing makeup. What happened to men being tough with beads of sweat running down their face? Why do they want to be more like women, getting the same piercings, plastic surgery, even hairstyles? BTS looks like some sort of LBTQ+ group.

That wasn't always the case. In the 1980s and 90s the salaryman was the prevailing male aesthetic. Suits, luxury watches and a traditional strong male look were the norm. Korea has mandatory national service and that moulded and defined what men thought would look appealing.

"In the 80s and 90s, men in Korean pop content were largely portrayed as tough guys in gangster and detective films, and rebellious young men in some TV dramas," says Sun Jung, the author of Korean Masculinities and Transcultural Consumption.

Not Korean, but Japanese actor in Old Hollywood.

China hates K-Pop that's why they had boys training camps to combat this lack of masculinity spreading in its own country.

This comes with concerns that China is in the midst of a ‘masculinity crisis'. Under the influence of K-pop idols making it big in Korea, Chinese boy bands and celebrities are adopting their delicate beauty traits by dyeing their hair in similar shades and switching to snazzy haute couture wardrobes. But China’s state-run media condemns such traits and all those following them, even calling them “sissy pants" and “fresh young meat.” Things got worse after a back-to-school TV programme featuring the boy band F4, angered parents against the Education Ministry’s decision to hold up the makeup-wearing young men as role models. Calling it a “sick” and “decadent” culture, the state media thinks that K-pop threatens the future of the nation. They have even indulged in bizarre measures like blurring out men’s earrings on television and streaming platforms to stop the spread of “foreign influences”.

[dantetheexplorer]

Err... I hate to be the bringer of bad news, but there are many men who DO wear makeup even in the West. Some of them even have their own makeup assistants. Blanket statements like "men should not wear makeup" isn't helpful - because it lacks a nuanced understanding of the issue.

For example:
This guy below, is DEFINITELY wearing makeup:

This guy, you can bet your bottom dollar, is wearing makeup right here:

This fella is certainly wearing makeup here:

This brooding guy is wearing makeup:

This devil-may-care dude is 100% wearing makeup here:

Guess what they have in common?
They are performing.
Except on a stage, or in a music video, they are performing their craft in front of a camera. In the end, you get to see their faces in very high-definition.

"Men should not wear makeup" ?
Even the male news anchor you see reading the news wears makeup.

[dantetheexplorer]

And to answer your question in its entirety - because Kpop is a manufactured product, and like all manufactured product, it is made according to what the customers want.

The fact that YOU don't like the aesthetic is pretty as much irrelevant as me not like an Apple product - why? Because there are other people who do, and these other people are willing to pay a lot of money and spend a lot of time on their Apple products.

Same thing with Kpop. Kpop woudn't be the way it is right now if the customers didn't want it this way. In almost every business, it is the customer's taste and demand pushing for the product, not the other way round. A company that pushes a product that no one really likes - no matter how much effort they put into it, they won't get the customers to like or adopt their products. "Build it and they will come" is patently false - many entrepreneurs have been burnt by creating products nobody takes up.

You can bet your bottom dollar that if the majority of Kpop fans want rough-looking men to fawn over, then all of the Kpop agencies would be racing each other up and down the aisles to bring that to the fans. Why? $$$$.

The fact that Kpop is the way it is and fans are lapping it up must mean that the demand for this aesthetic is in demand.

No demand, no $$$.
With demand, there is $$$.

[dantetheexplorer]

*must mean that this aesthetic is in demand.

Not much navel gazing to work on when it comes to this topic, really.

[Asker]

Oh wow!! Nice makeup showing they have scars and blood!! Makeup is just one component of this. And I can applaud those guys you showed me because at least they’re not being feminized in their roles. These Kpop guys also wear lipgloss. And yes, I stand by my point, men shouldn’t wear makeup.

[Asker]

@dantetheexplorer good point but Apple products are different, it’s basically universal and revolutionary brand, Kpop isn’t, it’s copier from America

[dantetheexplorer]

I cannot agree to your stand.
It is a slippery slope.
When you start saying things like "Men shouldn't wear makeup", you are creating a space and opportunity for people to also say things like "Women shouldn't work" or "Women shouldn't worry their pretty heads about anything" or "Women should be silent and not heard."

Personally, I believe we live in the 21st century.
As long as someone's choices don't impact me directly, they are free to do whatever they want.
And that includes customers being able to spend their money on products they desire.
In this case, Kpop.

As you said, since Kpop isn't universal, it's impact on your life is very minimal.
There is no point in worrying or spending much thought about something that has zero impact on your life.
Let the customers decide what they want to spend their money on.

This will be last post on here as I feel that continued conversation on this topic would prove an unproductive use of my time as you clearly hold very different views when it comes to men and women. The crux is: I believe that people should be free to do whatever they please, as long as it doesn't affect anyone in a material way, whereas your view believes that people should follow strict gender roles and aesthetics. Don't be surprised the next time you meet a man who believes that women shouldn't be working as CEOS, managers, or leaders of state or in any management position. As I said, slipper slope.

Good day, maam.

[dantetheexplorer]

Also, apologies about the typos. I see that after returning from my long hiatus, the powers to be still haven't implemented an edit function.

[Asker]

Okay, you sound like a simp who thinks sexism is real. Makeup is on your face not an action. I don't believe in individualism being the sole rule of society. We need collectivism as well. These Kpop guys are just eye candy and nothing more, especially for gay men. And by the way, I don't really care to be a manager anyways lol. Nice way to evade debate, that's a real man there.

[Noelle444]

In my opinion, they are simply adding a new way to perform gender and in no way are they threatening other types of performing masculinity.
And i have to speak up for dantetheexplorer. This person is in no way acting like a simp.
I also agree with you though, modelUN242, in the point, that the examples of Cinema people wearing makeUp, are doing it in a completely different manner and with a different intention.
Your idea on individuality and collectivism is intriguing. I'd like to hear more on that, if you'd like to explain on it. I've been thinking about it, too. It's an extremely interesting point that I'd like to discuss.

I don't see any solid ground for "real men... "-statements though.

[Cryptic-Game]

They likely hate the masculine look. They probably don't care to look masculine either. I'm sure it is not a coincidence they want to look effeminate. They have their reasons, although bad reasons.

[Tamera952]

Never understood K-pop or the weird guys in those bands

[MzAsh]

They are nice to look at, regardless.

[Kenneth14621]

Because some girls are so into the battle of the sexes. They want to force a man to jump through the same hoops as a woman before they will accept them. I am with you. A man should try to work out and get bigfer. With muscles. While a woman should try to thin down and look toned. Or curvatious. If not thin.

[_SOARER]

Yeah koreans have always had an appreciation for effeminate men
The Hwarang was a military group which were hand selected for their beauty as men. Although they didn't partake in much military duties they served the king by taking part of traditional ceremonies.

That hwarang was established a long time ago like 700 years ago or something
Maybe older
They don't have it any longer

[trinibaddie]

Korea has different beauty standards than America and other countries, that's why. Ever seen Wonho of Monsta X? Choi San of Ateez? Changbin and Bang Chan of SKZ? Jackson Wang? Tell me if they look feminine, there is also a spectrum of masculinity

[COMMODOREII]

That is crazy to think that a trend is hurting a culture or a people for that matter. How many times have people said rock and roll was ruining teens lives or disco or the hippie movement. Artistry is about breaking out of the unnatural mold of conformity of the oppressed. Teens and new generations have always been doing that and they will continue to do that till the end of the world.

[Asker]

Kpop copies American pop, it’s not that revolutionary, but all I’m saying that it looks weird. Female Kpop bands are fine because it fits into their femininity but it just doesn’t work for male ones.

[COMMODOREII]

The world copies American culture. That is our fault for forcing our beliefs and and our culture on everyone. Then we encourage them to do like us. So don't act like we are innocent in this.

[Asker]

At least American music doesn't have effeminate boy bands.

[COMMODOREII]

What were the 90s? Lol

[Noelle444]

Well spoken.

[Noelle444]

Well spoken *commodorell.
These girl bands fit into your perception of femininity, modelUN242, I'd like to add.

[COMMODOREII]

@Noelle444 thanks 😄

[Kurαȷ]

Because their target demographic are 13 year old girls.
That should be self explanatory.

[Asker]

I’ve seen some of their stalkers like in their 20s

[Physics-Man]

It's part of their culture and what Korean girls overwhelmingly find attractive. I really don't think any of these guys would be able to defend a girl in a street fight if she was being assaulted unfortunately. It looks like they wouldn't last very long.

I'm a big fan of K-pop girl groups like Girls Generation, Twice, and Apink. The girls are very beautiful and the music is catchy!

[Asker]

I also like Twice but their music seems very generic but the girls are very feminine-looking.

[SuccessfulHornDog]

I'm not a fan of androgyny. I think that it is promoted in KPOP to appeal to young girls

[Asker]

Same!! It confuses the hell out of me, like please let's stick to norms. Yes, definitely.

[SuccessfulHornDog]

Should I take off my eye liner then?

[Noelle444]

Cool, I think we reached a conclusion here! You can't stand it because it irritates you, right? That's what art is supposed to do, making people think, I guess:)
Lucky enough, we have a choice in what we confront ourselves with. Plus, that the other side of the continuum, extreme warrior/brawling/fist fight masculinity already exists as well and always will.

[Levin]

Cause there's more testosterone in my littler finger than a Korean man!!!

[Faith18letsgo]

Yeah I think BTS looks hot and not everyone’s gender expression is on the extreme side of the binary that lines up with their gender.

[FinalFantasyBro]

Different cultures, Korea and Japan doesn't care for traditional physical looks unlike the rest

[3dbrah]

South Korea is probably the most feminist country on Earth.

[Asker]

No it’s not lol the US is. And I said effeminate, which is lacking masculinity.

[Juxtapose]

Thai ladyboy bands when?

[mrgspoter]

Want to be lol