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Confession of K-pop fanboys: what fans learn about societal definitions of masculinity, stigmas and self-identities through discovering Korean pop music

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Confession of K-pop fanboys: what fans learn about societal definitions of masculinity, stigmas and self-identities through discovering Korean pop music

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Content
Confession of K-Pop Fanboys
What fans learn about societal definitions of masculinity, stigmas and self-identities
through discovering Korean pop music

by
Cindy Tobing

A Thesis Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF ARTS
(Specialized JOURNALISM)

August 2019

Acknowledgement

First of all, I would like to thank Professor Diane Winston. As the chair of my thesis
panel, she never failed to guide me, encourage me and made constructive criticisms when
needed.
She was open to take on a topic that she may have little knowledge of and never
doubted me for my decisions. Having taken two of her classes last year, she has gotten to
recognize my strengths and weaknesses in writing. I chose Professor Winston for this
specific reason and I believe her judgement translates well throughout my thesis.
My gratitude also goes out to Professor Mary Murphy as one of the members of my
thesis committee. I had taken her arts reporting class in both Fall and Spring semester. She
taught me about the state of today’s popular culture and its direction towards inclusivity. I
also appreciate her knowledge in the rising trend of K-Pop, especially in the U.S.
I would like to thank Professor Youngmin Choe. Though we weren’t able to meet as
often as we’d like, she was always very accommodating to me. She gave me important
insights on the thesis as well. I am thankful and appreciative of all my committees’ presence
throughout the process.
None of this would have happened without the voice of the people in this piece. I’d
like to thank these proud K-Pop fans, Jon DeLord, Joseph Jung, Anthony Nash, Cortney
Marbury and Rosan Powierza for sharing their stories and trusting them with me.
My gratitude also goes out to the number of professionals, including university
instructors and fellow journalists who contributed their insights on the topic.

Lastly, I’d like to thank my family back in Indonesia, especially my parents for
allowing me to go on this educational journey so far away from home. My family are my
motivators and I couldn’t have done this without their never-ending support.

Abstract

K-Pop has always been seen as a passing fad or a one-viral sensation that a lot of people don’t
take seriously. Think PSY of ‘Gangnam Style’. But in the last few years, the popularity of K-
Pop has seeped into the mainstream consciousness stronger than ever. With the arrival of
the seven-member boy band, BTS and other groups like BLACKPINK, NCT 127 and MONSTA
X in the U.S., K-Pop has slowly become a household term.

However, the South Korean music industry still suffers from certain stigmas, concerning the
feminine-looking male performers that seem to defy traditional masculinity norms in the
West, along with the quality of the music that skeptics deem ‘manufactured’. Another
stereotype of K-Pop is that it is dominated by young female fans, but the rising presence of
male followers show that the music is becoming more inclusive to both gender.

In this story, fanboys opened up their love for K-Pop, the problems they encounter for liking
the music and how boy bands, like BTS, have helped them understand the concept of
masculinity far better.

Table of Content

Introduction 1
Confession 1: Why K-Pop? 6
Confession 2: “Feminine” 12
Confession 3: “It’s not an Asian fetish” 16
Confession 4: Flower boys and the beastly idols 19
Confession 5: “Not real music” 23
Bibliography 27
1
Introduction

Jon DeLord steps into the stage at Studio Movie Grill theatre in Plano, TX, giddy with
excitement. Wearing a black shirt that hugs his beefy physique, he proudly shows off the
word ‘ARMY’ emblazoned on the front.
The full-bearded, Texas Rangers-loving, sports consultant, has been waiting all week
to watch the new concert film of BTS at a one-day screening event. BTS is currently the
world’s biggest boy band and the first Korean act to perform at Saturday Night Live.
Their album ‘Love Yourself: Answer’ became the number one album on the
Billboard 200 chart last year, topping artists such as Travis Scott, Drake and Ariana Grande;
an even bigger achievement considering it’s a non-English album.
At first glance, the 40-year-old does not fit the presumed profile of a K-Pop fan. He’s
neither female nor part of the age group to fawn over boy bands. But DeLord is unfazed and
declares himself a proud fanboy (DeLord 2019).
The term K-Pop, or Korean Pop, often comes with negative baggage, especially among
men. Its gender-bending, ‘manufactured’ boy bands don’t click with fans who prefer the
straight-out masculinity of musicians like Drake or Jay-Z.
There are also those who belittle the lack of individuality in K-Pop, dismissing it as
merely foreign copycats of Western music.
But the growing recognition of the genre in the West, with more males tapping into
the fandom, may soon shatter preconceived ideas.

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In 2018, DeLord created a video on YouTube, “How a 39-Year-Old Straight Male
Became Part of the BTS ARMY”. He wanted to dispel the myth that ARMY, an affectionate
name for the BTS fandom, is simply for young girls gaga over the boy band’s good looks
(DeLord 2019).
“That’s one of the biggest stereotypes—that only young girls like them,” says DeLord.
“Am I relatively unique because I’m a male? Maybe. But at the same time, there are tons of
male ARMYs worldwide,” he said, adding that he is part of a group chat consisting male fans
of BTS; they communicate often for news and updates about the group.
There’s also Joseph Jung, a 20-year-old Korean Canadian from Toronto, who
considers himself a proud K-Pop fanboy.
Jung, a YouTuber by the name of ‘Captain Korea’, never felt the need to hide his love
for the genre. After all, K-Pop is a big part of why he chose to try out dancing as a hobby in
the first place. “I blast that [K-Pop] everywhere I go,” says Jung (2019).
His YouTube channel is filled with his reactions to music videos, songs and live
performances by K-Pop mainstays such as BTS, EXO, Red Velvet, BLACKPINK and others. His
genuine admiration, plus his entertaining reactions to the music, clearly appeals to fellow
fans, since 82 thousand people have subscribed to his channel.
His younger brother, Elijah, also listens to K-Pop. He’s with Jung on many of the
videos. When it comes to owning it as one’s music preference, Jung is outspoken but still
finds Elijah to be less vocal and slightly fearful (Jung 2019).
“We would be in the car, listening to some K-Pop, and at times, when I put the car
windows down, my brother would ask me to turn down the volume so people wouldn’t

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notice,” recounts Jung (2019). “It’s pretty sad when this happens, but I could understand why
he acts like that.”
Asked why, he simply says, “I think my brother wants to repress the fact that he
listens to something that people still view negatively.”
K-Pop is not a new industry. Its roots date back to the early 1990s with the debut of
Seo Taiji and Boys, the three-member hip hop group who pioneered the idol phenomenon in
South Korea (Oak, Park 2013).
But the genre’s presence has also become increasingly visible to the global audience
in the past five to 10 years, as seen from a number of K-Pop acts ranking on the U.S. Billboard
charts from time to time.
After few crossover flops from K-Pop superstars such as BoA, Wonder Girls and Rain,
there’s PSY of ‘Gangnam Style’ fame, who reinvigorated the hope that South Korean music
can be successful in the American market.
Many says PSY paved the way for K-Pop in the U.S., but even his fame was short-lived
(Tsai 2017). Fast forward to 2019, the South Korean rapper seemed like a fleeting viral
sensation when compared to BTS, whose success in 2017 arguably cemented K-Pop into the
Western consciousness.

As the music scene spreads further and deeper into the mainstream, audiences are
slowly shifting, with fans continuing to surge.
“We see it in the numbers,” says Winnie Galbadores, a talent relations and
programming manager at KCON, an annual convention that celebrates South Korean popular

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culture. “We have seen more male individuals attending in the past couple of years.”
(Galbadores 2019)
Last year’s KCON in Los Angeles saw a record-breaking attendance of 94,000 people.
The festival attracted 19 percent male audience, a boost from the 11 percent who attended
in 2016. “It’s a small but steady shift, and this will continue to grow,” says Galbadores (2019).
First organized by CJ E&M America in 2012, KCON has become a marquee for K-Pop
events in the U.S. Like Coachella, it’s known for inviting some of the industry’s biggest names,
like BTS, Girls’ Generation, IU and G-Dragon, to be part of their concert’s lineup.
KCON’s success, which started in Los Angeles, has now spread across globally from
New York and Mexico to France, Abu Dhabi and Thailand.

Even with all its success and popularity, K-Pop is still weighted down by the prejudice
and stigmas associated with the music and the idols. This is especially true when one looks
at criticisms around the visuals of K-Pop men.
Sometimes androgynous, sometimes macho, K-Pop boy bands reflect a new era of
male artists embracing gender fluidity.
Colorful hair dye, porcelain skin, eye makeup with colored contact lenses and fashion-
forward styles are some of the notable K-Pop characteristics. They’re also a big part of how
boy bands market their artistic brand.
Some of these gender-bending looks have been met with scorn because they contrast
with the concept of “traditional masculinity” prescribed in the West.

5

Last year, Korean American music director, Joseph Kahn, wrote on his Twitter
account, “They all have plastic surgery. They are all wearing lipstick. This is what Crazy Rich
Asians actually look like.” (@JosephKahn, August 9, 2018)
In the same tweet, Kahn attached a group picture of BTS, all decked in their flashy
stage attire, donning different hair colors and makeup visible on their faces. He followed up
his tweet by writing: “Asian Americans: Stop feminizing our men. Asians are macho too.”
(@JosephKahn, August 9, 2018)
This is not the first time the septet was attacked by a public figure in the media.
Following BTS’ appearance at the 2018 Billboards Music Awards (BBMA), hosts of the
Mexican TV show, Farandula 40, made similar comments regarding the boys’ looks.
One of the male anchors, identified as Horacio Villalobos, said BTS looked like “an
LGBT group lost in Cancun”, further asking if “they are all men” (DramaLovers, YouTube
2018).
Despite the prejudice towards K-Pop and its male idols, fanboys like DeLord and
Jung have learned to embrace the differences and resist stereotypes. By openly supporting
male idols, they are challenging the traditional vision of how K-Pop male fans should act or
look like.
There are also fanboys like Elijah, who still face the pressure of listening to K-Pop,
especially when it comes to liking boy bands that the norm deems ‘too feminine’ or ‘childish’.

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Confession 1: Why K-Pop?

It’s hard to pin down what K-Pop is. It’s not exactly a genre nor is it a new musical
sound. In Korea, it is simply known as kayo which means popular music (Oh & Lee 2014).
What then makes K-Pop a phenomenon? What sets it apart from others?
John Lie, a professor of sociology at University of Berkeley and author of the book ‘K-
Pop: Popular Music, Cultural Amnesia and Economic Innovation in South Korea’, believes
that K-Pop appeals to a lot of people because of its marketing (Lie 2019).
“K-Pop is unusual and unique because it’s a musical style geared for export and global
success. That so many people beyond South Korea are into it suggests that the business
strategy is working,” he goes on. “More specifically, K-Pop is good at taking the best of
various musical genres and styles and presenting them in a very polished but accessible
format.” (Lie 2019)
Hallyu, a Chinese term for “Korean wave”, refers to the global popularity of South
Korea’s cultural economic exports, which encompasses everything from music, movies,
dramas, fashion, beauty to online games and Korean cuisine (Roll 2018).
At the heart of this is K-Pop, a prosperous industry with an estimated of $4.7 billion
dollars in export revenue, and the sound and symbol of the country’s economic success and
national identity (Kim 2017).
Streaming platforms like YouTube, along with social networking sites such as Twitter,
Facebook and Instagram have helped gain the K-Pop movement to a global scale.
As Sun Lee, head of music partnerships at YouTube for Korea, told Bloomberg in the
article ‘The $4.7 Billion K-Pop Industry Chases its ‘Michael Jackson Moment’’, “it might have

7

been impossible for K-Pop to have worldwide popularity without YouTube’s global
platform.”
Today, many spectators-turned-fans discover K-Pop digitally.
Male fans like K-Pop for a variety of reasons. This ranged from musical styles and
video productions to trend-defying fashion. Its appeal seemed to be a response to what’s
missing in today’s American music scene, as pointed out by Jon DeLord, Joseph Jung and
Anthony Nash.

After discovering BTS on YouTube, DeLord was automatically drawn to their catchy
beats and slick choreography. ‘Not Today’ was the first song he heard of the septet, a hip-hop
charged number that fits with the music he likes. After that, he went “down the BTS rabbit
hole.”
What attracts him the most to K-Pop is the use of longform storytelling in their music
and album concepts. BTS best executes this technique, he says.
“As opposed to much of America’s pop music which is very “single” focused, I
appreciate BTS’ lyrics and their messages and the idea that their songs and their videos do
connect either thematically or visually,” says the 40-year-old.
DeLord was referring to the ongoing narratives trend in K-Pop videos that groups like
BTS, MONSTA X and EXO have been using for their music video productions (DeLord 2019).
It is the kind of storytelling that tends to place hints on every word or image shared
by the groups (Herman 2017). This technique usually expands beyond a single music video,
so everything seems to connect like a plot.

8

This kind of narrative is rare to find in today’s music sphere, an opinion also shared
by Jung. “I definitely like K-Pop’s music video productions. I feel like it’s on another level
compared to mainstream music videos nowadays.” (Jung 2019)
The 20-year-old also likes the combination of genres used in K-Pop songs. “I don’t find
mainstream music hooking me in as easily as K-Pop. It’s a type of music that I can constantly
listen to.”
Though Jung grew up in a Korean household, he only discovered K-Pop when he was
15 years old.
His first encounter was when he went to South Korea for a holiday and his cousin
would play him songs from the mega-popular boy group, Big Bang. The second encounter
was in 2015, when he heard a group of high school girls talking passionately about boy band,
EXO, in a café.
That same year, he started his now-popular YouTube channel, with no intention of
gaining any kind of following. “At first, we only uploaded it for fun. Since then, we received
many requests from people to react to their favorite K-Pop groups,” says Jung as he giggles.
Jung also cites K-Pop as one of the reasons he started to pursue dancing as a hobby
late last year. He quickly became a dance mentor, two months after attending a K-Pop dance
program at the Dream Makers Music & Dance Studio, a performing arts training center in
Ontario.
“Apart from seeing how these guys [K-Pop groups] dance, I’ve also seen many people
doing dance covers to their music, and I thought, damn, if I could do that, that’d be pretty
sick.” (Jung 2019)

9

Another element of K-Pop that stands out to fans is its showcase of fashion-forward
choices. This is especially true for Anthony Nash, a 20-year-old YouTuber from Michigan.
Nash has always been a “fashion head”, as he termed it. The Detroit-born has always
liked looking into fashion designers, especially Japanese couturiers (Nash 2019).
On his video blog trip to Tokyo, in Shibuya, Nash can be seen excitedly roaming
through the aisles of RAGTAG, a fashion store that sells secondhand designer brands.
There, he discovered not only his favorite labels, such as Swedish luxury Acne Studios
and France’s Maison Kitsuné, but also a sequin bomber jacket by Gucci—famously worn by
BTS’ lead singer, Jimin, in their ‘DNA’ music video. “This looks too familiar,” he said, as he
zoomed in his camera lens to the jacket. “Wow, that’s sick.” (thelifeofanthony, YouTube
2019)
The seven-member boy group was also Nash’s first encounter with K-Pop. ‘Mic Drop’
was the first music video he watched of BTS.
“I saw many of my favorite Japanese designers on them in that video, like Mastermind
Japan,” says Nash as his voice goes one octave higher in excitement. “And I was like, bro, are
you serious? These guys just had this style to them—it looks like they knew what they were
doing.” (Nash 2019)
After binge-watching many K-Pop music videos, he noticed how fashionable these
idols are.
K-Pop stars are no stranger to the fashion world. Idols like G-Dragon, CL and EXO’s
Sehun, are front row regulars at fashion shows like Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Alexander
Wang. Publications like Vogue also took notice, as it named Sehun, as the “best-dressed man”
at Louis Vuitton Resorts 2019 show (Nittle 2018).

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But perhaps it is also K-Pop idols’ tendency to break fashion rules that made them
stand out even more. G-Dragon, one of the most influential male idols in the industry, can be
seen wearing a black sweater with a diamond pattern from Chanel’s Fall 2017 women’s
collection (Okwodu 2017). The seven members of BTS can also be seen sporting bright-
colored and bold-patterned attire from Gucci’s men and women’s collection, along with pearl
necklaces and earrings, on their newest album ‘Persona’ concept photos (Lopez 2019).
For Nash, K-Pop idols have always been nonchalant about segregating men and
womenswear, breaking style norms while still looking trendy. “It’s just so cool to see how
they are mixing Korean fashion with what we have here in America—or specifically, hip hop
fashion, because I can definitely see where they draw that type of inspiration from.” Nash
(2019) gushes.

Another aspect of K-Pop that captivated the 20-year-old is the fact that most idols are
all-around entertainers. From singing to rapping to dancing, they are all elements that Nash
can appreciate in a performer—something he never really paid attention to before.
“Especially dancing,” he says. “I never had an interest in dancing at all. But after
getting into K-Pop, I started to see how cool it is. It made me think maybe I should start
dancing too.” (Nash 2019)
Though Nash fully embraced his newly-found enjoyment in K-Pop, he still found
himself unable to be completely free with it. By that, he meant not being able to share K-Pop
materials to a lot of people around him.
“None of my friends would give me the AUX (auxiliary port) in the car anymore,” he
laughs at the thought of it. “They won’t look at me to play any music because they know it’ll

11

be Korean. I don’t think a lot of them have accepted the barrier yet, to the point of being able
to listen to it.”
Nash ponders, “I do feel some people are ignorant, especially when it’s not in their
language.” (Nash 2019)
Jung reflects the same predicament. He understands how difference in language can
pose as a barrier for K-Pop to thrive. But now, he believes that “the more BTS is exposed to
the American audience, the more normalized it will be.” (Jung 2019)

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Confession 2: “Feminine”

When BTS attended the 61
st
Annual Grammy Awards on February 10, it marked a new
milestone for the group, as well as the K-Pop industry.
While they were only nominated for Best Album Packaging, they became the first
Korean artists to present an award at the prestigious show.
It may not look like a big deal to some, but it was still the kind of opportunity and
exposure that not many Asian singers have been afforded to in the past.
And it paid off in the likes of social media, with the seven members attracted the most
attention that night. BTS became the most-tweeted celebrities at the show, beating the award
regulars like Cardi B, Drake and Alicia Keys (@CBSThisMorning, February 11, 2019).
The Hollywood Reporter was one of the media outlets that gave BTS an exclusive
coverage. The publication tweeted a photo of the septet, who appeared in custom-made suits
and bright colored hair. The tweet alone gathered over 39 thousand likes and 15 thousand
retweets.
Yet, the first comment that appeared under it, read “My wife says they are all boys… I
find that hard to believe.” (@Carmansteve007, February 11, 2019). Seven other accounts
liked the tweet.
BTS’ fans quickly came to the group’s defense, with one user hitting back with “Take
your toxic masculinity elsewhere.” (@sobikookie, February 11, 2019).

Many criticisms and negative comments around K-Pop men tend to focus on their
supposedly ‘feminine’ visuals that lack traditional masculine traits.

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This is most likely because in the West, there’s still a very narrow conception of
masculinity, which is rigidly enforced, suggests Michael Messner, professor of sociology and
gender studies at the University of Southern California.
“We live in a moment where there’s been kind of fragmentation in terms of how we
see masculinity and the introduction to more fluidity. But we’re still at least 10 years behind
thinking about those things with men and boys than we are with women and girls,” says
Messner (2019).
“In terms of gender display, like fashion, there’s a lot more constraints on boys. A lot
of it has to do with homophobia, and not wanting to be associated with appearing feminine,”
he adds.
Any apathy towards these K-Pop male idols, Messner suggests, is most likely born
from fear of not wanting to be seen as less masculine. That fear, he says, is the reason why
it’s still very dangerous for men to break out of this narrow conception of manhood (Messner
2019).
DeLord understands why the femininity seen in K-Pop male groups can be surprising
to non-fans. But from his own experience, the general reaction from people around him have
been mostly respectful. Instead of dismissive and critical, they come across as genuinely
curious.
“Some of my friends are surprised that these male idols wear makeup,” he says. “But
I think that aspect is mentioned more as a surprise than a bias.” (DeLord 2019)
DeLord, whose favorite idols include BLACKPINK and rapper Bobby from IKON, drew
parallels to the 1980s hard rock bands, such as Metallica and Guns N’ Roses, who sported big

14

hair and eye makeup while performing. “My friends would say ‘all of my favorite bands back
then wore makeup, so I guess it’s not that big of a deal’.” (DeLord 2019)
Growing up in the ‘80s, DeLord’s idea of masculinity was shaped from watching action
blockbusters like First Blood, played by a buff Sylvester Stallone, or the badass team of ragtag
military misfits in Predator. He broke it down to “big guys, big guns and lots of explosions.”
“I definitely think it contradicts with the visual idea of masculinity I grew up with,”
says DeLord when comparing it to K-Pop. “But the fact that these guys [K-Pop idols] can be
very open with their emotions and expressions, that’s tough to do. They have enough
confidence to share themselves with the world and I find that even more masculine.”
(DeLord 2019)

For Nash, growing up in a house full of girls—a mother and two sisters—contributes
to his more open understanding of masculinity. He didn’t have a father figure until he was
13 years old, and by then, he was already thinking for himself (Nash 2019).
“My mother never really restrained me to one thing. I’ve never had this whole macho
idea asserted in me to be considered a real man,” he says.
Nash, who grew up in an African American community in Redford, Michigan, has
always been made fun of for his taste in music and other hobbies. He indulged in rock music
and skateboarding, two things that seemed polar opposites from what was expected of an
African American youth (Nash 2019).
“These two things made me less masculine in my community,” Nash continues. “I’ve
also been looked down on for painting my nails black or taking care of my skin.”

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Fashion is another “in-your-face” example that determines whether “dudes are
dudes”, Nash argues. The narrative that ‘pink is for girls, and blue is for boys’ was something
he still had to deal with growing up. “When I started skateboarding, I went from wearing
baggy jeans to skinny ones, and people would say those type of pants are for girls,” he says,
imitating a mocking tone.
Nash says he’s always been open to the femininity within himself, so that’s something
he can empathize with when looking at K-Pop. This is especially true when it comes to
fashion (Nash 2019).
“My fashion choices are a bit off-the-wall,” says Nash. “So, for example, seeing RM
(rapper and leader of BTS) wearing cargo skirts seems completely normal to me,” he goes
on.
“I can understand K-Pop male idols in the way they are not afraid to express
themselves and being comfortable with their own sexuality. You’re more masculine in my
eyes if you do that.” (Nash 2019)

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Confession 3: “It’s not an Asian fetish”

Being a female fan doesn’t lessen the pressure that their male counterparts
experience, says Cortney Marbury.
When it comes to K-Pop, questions she gets asked often are: “Why do you listen to
something you can’t understand?” and “Are you trying to be Asian?”.
The 27-year-old woman understands when men do it, though she doesn’t excuse it.
But when women project the same kind of toxicity, she finds herself unable to understand,
let alone tolerate it (Marbury 2019).
“I would show my male friends MONSTA X’s new music video ‘Shootout’ and they
would say it’s the gayest thing they’ve ever seen,” says Marbury in an exasperated tone.
“Some of my girlfriends would also say stuff like ‘Oh, they wear makeup. I would never be
with a guy who wears makeup’. When that happens, I’d be like ‘Girl, really?’” (Marbury 2019)
Marbury, a speech communication major at Georgia State University, has been a K-
Pop fan for over nine years. She discovered the music in 2010 when it still had little presence
in the U.S.
Her love for K-Pop translates to the creation of her YouTube channel, which she runs
with her best friend, Jasmine. “She is the only person I could think of that would be open to
accepting things like K-Pop,” says Marbury.
On their YouTube channel, Jasmine and she record video reactions to the newest K-
Pop releases, review albums, play trivial games such as Kill/Date/Marry, or discuss what’s
happening in the music industry.

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Their channel, ‘2minjinkjongkey’, has accumulated over 100 thousand subscribers
since its creation in 2012. Marbury herself isn’t sure why so many people flocked to their
channel, nor did she anticipated it, but being women of color could be one of the reason why,
she says (Marbury 2019).
“We get noticed by a lot of black K-Pop fans. They always tell us that it’s so nice to see
two black girls be into K-Pop,” says Marbury.
“How it is in our community, if you like anything different, you’re automatically seen
as ‘Oh, you’re trying to be white’. In this case, it’d be ‘Oh, you like Asians’ and that is
automatically deemed as a fetish,” she sighs.
“It’s like you’re not allowed to enjoy the music without it being something else. So, to
see two black girls enjoying K-Pop really resonates to other fans of the music.” (Marbury
2019)
High-pitch squeals and over-the-top motions are the duo’s trademarks. This usually
happens when their favorite male idols are either flaunting their defined abs or pulling some
Magic Mike dance moves. They’re the kind of reactions that keep their subscribers coming
for more.
Both Marbury and Jasmine have become very popular. They are frequent visitors at
the annual KCON and have been invited as both guest speakers and moderators for some of
the panels.
At last year’s KCON in New York and in Los Angeles, Marbury was asked to be the
moderator for one of the convention’s newly-held panels about mental health in the K-Pop
industry. She invited her mother, a psychiatrist, to be part of the discussion (Marbury 2019).

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The new panel was created following the news of Kim Jong Hyun’s death. Kim, a
member of the group SHINee, took his own life in December 2017 at the age of 27. His suicide
note revealed his long battle with depression and the brutal pressure that came from being
in the spotlight. (Soompi 2017).
SHINee was the group that got Marbury and Jasmine into K-Pop, so his death cuts
deeply for the two. It also forced them to look at things that are often overlooked, such as a
person’s mental state and the harm that verbal abuse can inflict (Marbury 2019).
“To have a space in KCON for fans who are still mourning his death, as well as
honoring Jonghyun, is special,” says Marbury (2019), as she looks back on her experience.
“As a YouTuber, having my own platform allows me to help other people get through hard
times and have a voice to speak out against and for certain causes like this.”

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Confession 4: Flower boys and the beastly idols

Macho with abs flashing on stage, cute and gentle in public appearances. Most of the
time, these personas exist simultaneously and are used interchangeably.
These are the two different images of masculinity enacted by K-Pop male idols—
which are welcomed and widely consumed by fans in South Korea and across the globe.
These prototypes of K-Pop men are also known to many as: kkot-mi-nam (literal
translation of “flower boys”, referencing to cute, effeminate appearances) and jim-seung-dols
(literal translation of “beast idols”, referencing to manly, beastly qualities) (Kim 2013).
In the podcast ‘Gender Politics of K-Pop”, hosted by The Korean Society of New York
City Department of Cultural Affairs, guest speaker Dr. Sharon Lee, associate professor of East
Asian Studies at New York University (NYU), explored the differences that male and female
groups experience when it comes to expressing their masculinity and femininity.
As opposed to girl groups, Dr. Lee believes that there’s much more versatility in
expressing masculinity, referencing to the two concepts of flower boys and beast idols.
While female groups can also be flexible in displaying two polar concepts—strong,
rebellious women to feminine and charmingly innocent—there’s still limited ways for female
idols to express their femininity.
“You still have to be beautiful. There’s this standard of beauty in Korea that female
idols have to uphold, “says Lee (2018) on the podcast.
This fluid gender display, portrayed by K-Pop male idols, is what Sun Jung, author of
the book “Korean Masculinities and Transnational Consumptions”, termed as “manufactured
versatile masculinity”.

20

In her book, Jung argued that South Korean masculinities is a hybrid product,
constructed through the amalgamation of South Korea’s seonbi masculinity (influenced by
the Chinese Confucian masculinity), Japan’s bishonen (beautiful boy concept) masculinity
and the global masculinity (Sun Jung 2011).
For Sun Jung, 2PM—the six-member boy group known as the original ‘beastly’ idols—
is the best representation of this multi-layered feature of masculinity that is “culturally
mixed, simultaneously contradictory and most of all, strategically manufactured.” The author
highlights Taecyeon, the group’s main rapper, that fits the description.
“For sex appeal, Taecyeon, would not hesitate to fiercely rip his shirt off on stage,
revealing his well-toned muscular chest and a six pack. On the other hand, in a number of
episodes of reality shows, he often exercises ‘cute gestures (애교, aegyo)’, making girly and
sweet facial expressions and voices… his masculinity is flexible, transformable and
hybridized.” (Sun Jung 2011, 165).
This type of versatile masculinity, Sun Jung observes, is often exemplified by
contemporary South Korean idol boy bands people identify today (Sun Jung 2011).
These images are further emphasized through the consumption of clothes, cosmetics
and accessories, all second nature to male idols. It also reflects the growing beauty and
fashion industry in South Korea, with companies tapping K-Pop idols for celebrity
endorsements.
Male idols like MONSTA X, considered among the new generation of beastly idols,
sports different shades of lip tints as part of their collaboration with Korean makeup brand,
Tonymoly (Abelman 2018).

21

Eleven members of the now-disbanded group Wanna One also teamed up with
Innisfree, another household makeup brand, to promote their volcanic clay masks (Abelman
2018).
Does this mean all South Korean men wear makeup? Most likely not. But the influence
of male idols has helped drive the trend of male grooming in the nation.
South Korea accounts for nearly 21 percent global sales of men’s skin care, placing
the country as the biggest market for men’s skin care globally (Gordon 2013).
Distinguished fashion houses like Chanel clearly recognizes this, as it selected South
Korea to be the initial launch market for Boy De Chanel, the company’s high-end makeup
range for men (Neophytou 2018).
These numbers seemed right to David Yi, founder and editor of the male grooming
and beauty site, Very Good Light. South Korean men, Yi observes, have increasingly become
image-conscious over time (Yi 2019).
“They really care about their outer appearance as this gives them self-confidence,”
says the Colorado-born Yi (2019). “In Korea, men using BB cream is considered normal.
Skincare is definitely important, this goes for male teens, those who enlist in the army, to
older men. Those who can afford it have their own dermatologists. Men’s confidence comes
from having beautiful complexion.”
Yi, a former fashion reporter at Mashable and Women’s Wear Daily, hopes to portray
a broader scope of masculinity through his website. His concern stems from the absence and
lack of emphasis on men’s beauty needs in the U.S. (Yi 2019).
K-Pop can be very powerful in raising the issue, Yi claims. “Male idols can look soft, or
‘feminine’, but there’s this physical duality to them that attracts a lot of fans. These guys who

22

are very open to expressing their feelings is not seen as a weakness, but the exact opposite,”
he goes on.
“I dare say with the growth of Korean popular culture worldwide, we are changing
the standard of beauty, especially for men. We are defining beauty on our own terms and we
don’t need to prescribe to what people believe is masculine anymore.” (Yi 2019)
It’s worth noting that characteristics of traditional masculinity are still very much
present in South Korean society. This is something that confuses many people in the West,
according to Dr. Lee of NYU.
The soft masculinity that K-Pop male idols present has often lead to misconceptions
such as male idols are ‘queers’ and that South Korea is a more open nation when it comes to
LGBT rights (Lee 2019).
“These assumptions are made given the propensity of soft masculinity within male
idols,” says Dr. Lee. “Soft masculinity as a ‘look’ doesn’t correlate to any material reality,
whether it is increased rights or visibility for LGBT people or actual sexual orientation of
male idols.”
In other words, these assumptions have no relevance to the realities of K-Pop men’s
sexuality and South Korea’s stance on LGBT.
With their intense popularity in the States, can K-Pop boy groups break down the
traditional gender norms here? “I don’t know that either. But they do offer space for different
styles and presentations, something that don’t exist in mainstream American pop as much.”
(Lee 2019)

23
Confession 5: “Not real music”

Jung remembers the day BTS’ ‘Mic Drop’ was played on Canada’s local radio station
for the first time. “I was mind blown, honestly.” It seemed surreal for the 20-year-old to
hear a completely foreign language blasted through such a public platform (Jung 2019).
Though Jung’s first K-Pop radio encounter was exciting, BTS’ discography on local
radio stations is nowhere near as widespread as it should be.
In February, BTS was named the second best-selling global artist of the year by the
International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). They were the only Korean
musical acts in the list, alongside household names such as Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga and
Bruno Mars (IFPI 2019).
One fan on Twitter pointed out the irony in this. “So, BTS is literally the second best-
selling artist in the world. This isn’t just a fan saying ‘they’re so amazing’, it’s a fact. Yet,
they’re not played much on the radio.” (@d0ubletae, February 26, 2019)
Prior to the septet, many of K-Pop’s biggest stars have tried their hands in the U.S.
market.
This includes BoA (who made her U.S. debut with an English studio album in 2008),
Rain (appearing on The Colbert Report in 2008), Wonder Girls (touring with Jonas Brothers
in 2009), Girls’ Generation (performing on The Late Show with David Letterman in 2012),
Crayon Pop (opening for Lady Gaga in 2014), CL (performing her English-debut song
‘Lifted’ on James Corden) and PSY’s ubiquitous hit ‘Gangnam Style’.
Despite their rising visibility on American soundscape back then, K-Pop artists were
still met with little press and zero airplay (Tsai 2017).

24

“It’s this cultural sense of superiority; the true musician versus the pop artist,” said
Angela Killoren, chief operating manager at the American branch of CJ&EM, to Paste
Magazine in the article ‘BTS and the Shunning of Asian Pop Stars in America’.
“It’s about authenticity in our industry. For them to cover pop music from another
culture, I think it’s just a bridge too far.”
With BTS’ overwhelming success so far, could they be the group that changed
everything?
For some, it’s still early to tell, an opinion shared by Yim Hyunsu, a journalist at The
Korea Herald and Tamar Herman, a K-Pop columnist at Billboard.
“I think people are still trying to figure that out [BTS success]. Many say it is their
active interaction with fans on social media, and fans in return promote the group
effectively. I think we’ll have to wait to see if they can help change the stigma around K-
Pop,” writes Yim (2019) in an e-mail.
Herman, though hopeful, also remains ambivalent. “I think the K-Pop industry is
going to be propelled and motivated by BTS’ success, but it’s still a bit too early to tell what
[their success] will mean to K-Pop as a whole.” (Herman 2018)
In 2017, television host Ellen DeGeneres likened BTS’ popularity to The Beatles
mania in the ‘60s when the septet came on the show. BBC also dubbed the group as “The
Beatles of the 21
st
Century, a global pop sensation that generates mania and devotion in
equal measure.” (Jackson & Brownee 2018)
In his 30 years as an entertainment reporter, George Pennacchio of ABC7
Eyewitness News, has never seen a fan base as organized and impressive as the BTS ARMY.

25

“If The Beatles had social media back in the 1960s, this is what it would have looked like,”
says Pennacchio.
He’s even more impressed with how social media has gathered people from all over
the world to share their experiences and their love for something that moves them.
“BTS is quickly selling out gigantic concert venues all around the world—much like
The Beatles did in their heyday. They spoke to a generation of people and their music still
resonates,” says Pennacchio. “Right now, BTS is speaking to fans with what they have to say
musically. Time will tell if it continues to resonate in the future, but at this moment, these
seven young men are a phenomenon.” (Pennacchio 2019)
It’s no wonder then that many fans wholeheartedly welcome the prospect.
DeLord and Nash agree that BTS is far from being a one-hit wonder. Noting the
septet’s strong worldwide fandom and music that resonates to the youth, the two fanboys
believe that BTS are among the K-Pop groups that will stay for long in mainstream music
(DeLord, Nash 2019).
“The message behind their music is meaningful. They encourage people to be
positive and love themselves. I feel like we, as fans, have the power to push them to
longevity,” says Nash.
Rosan Powierza, a 26-year-old content creator, has been a K-Pop fan since 2006.
Though she has seen many groups and artists come and go from the American music scene,
not one has been able to break the barrier and make a significant mark. BTS is so far the
only K-Pop group that has shattered these expectations (Powierza 2019).
“BTS has changed the way people see the genre. They’re taken a lot more seriously
now,” says the Honolulu-based Rosan.

26

“They have also reached audiences from different age groups, backgrounds and
gender. People think only teenagers like K-Pop, especially BTS. This is absolutely not true,”
says Powierza, pointing out that many fans she knows work full time jobs and/or have a
family.
As a K-Pop fan, Rosan is unabashed and proud. What she seeks, however, is a simple
understanding. “If you listen to the music without prejudice, you’ll realize why many
people love K-Pop. People need to realize that anyone could enjoy music regardless of the
cultural or language barrier.” (Powierza 2019)
The Filipino American is overjoyed at the thought of seeing BTS in real life, having
scored floor seats for their upcoming concert at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, CA.
On February 19, the popular group announced eight stadium dates in Los Angeles,
Chicago, New Jersey, Brazil, London and France for their global ‘Love Yourself: Speak
Yourself’ tour.
The K-Pop superstars continue their successful streak by selling out four stadiums
across U.S. and Europe, including London’s Wembley Stadium and L.A.’s Rose Bowl
Stadium, within hours (Herman 2019).
“It’s really like the ‘Hunger Games’,” says Powierza, recounting her ticket-buying
experience. “You need as many devices as you can and find people to help you. Thousands
are trying to buy tickets at the same time, so chances of your device going through after
waiting in a queue is hard. I used 8 devices at home!” (Powierza 2019)

27

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Asset Metadata

Creator Tobing, Cindy Julia (author)

Core Title Confession of K-pop fanboys: what fans learn about societal definitions of masculinity, stigmas and self-identities through discovering Korean pop music

School Annenberg School for Communication

Degree Master of Arts

Degree Program Specialized Journalism

Publication Date 06/07/2019

Defense Date 06/06/2019

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag fan culture,fanboys,fans,K-pop,music,Music Industry,OAI-PMH Harvest,South Korea

Format application/pdf (imt)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Winston, Diane (committee chair), Choe, Youngmin (committee member), Murphy, Mary (committee member)

Creator Email cindyjuliatobing@gmail.com,tobing@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-170481

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