K Pop is a very visual based industry...I mean I don't think there is one music industry that isn't visual based these days. The US music scene changed their charting rules to include youtube...like...why?
But regardless of that, K Pop is big on the visual...they even have a job for someone with that title...
One aspect of this visual music scene is concepts. Every act has a concept, often times they overlap.
Two of the biggest, widely known are the cute and sexy concepts.
One of the biggest examples of the cute concept:
SNSD's Gee (God Forbid) is one of the biggest known examples in K pop of the cute concept. The way they sing is very cutesy (Sunny's voice sounds almost way too childish for a woman her age at the time), their movements are cute and nonthreatening, they are singing some inane (but very catchy) love song.Their outfits are not traditional cute concept (lack of pastels and overly bright colors, or school girl/sailor outfits at a uniform look), but it still gives them a very youthful appearance.
Now for sexy we have:
Miss A's Hush is my favorite example of the sexy concept done so far. There outfits are darker, and more revealing, they sing with their normal voice, sometimes a little huskier. Suzy does take on an infantile sound in the bridge, but that is the only place that happens. The dance is much more sensual, and openly suggestive. They way they give face to the camera is also more sexual. Now this is one of my favorites for two reasons: one, Miss A was given a song that was more or less sexual, which made this sexual concept a lot more palpable. Also there is something more aggressive about Miss A which allows them to pull of the sexy concept and not look uncomfortable (yes even Suzy).
Now these two concepts are not all uniform. The reality is that the concept (assuming that there is a group of concepts that are used throughout K pop) is simply a template, and however the group handles it is up to
But this isn't just about their existence...I have problems with both of these "concepts" (with the idea of concepts in general...but another post at another time).
Starting with cute concepts...they just...creep me out. The idea that practically grown ass women (most are able to go to clubs with a valid form of id on certain nights). What's worse is that sometimes they are thinly veiled ways to be sexual. Like Apink's iconic song No No No had them shaking their asses in short skirts...while singing in a very cute way. It just...Also it tends to limit acts in my opinions. Yeah it can be fun, and you can get some cool shit out of it, but at the end of the day Sunny from SNSD sounds a lot different when she isn't forced to be the aegyo cute member.
When it comes to the sexy concept my feelings are much different. While I have very little patience for overdone cuteness, I do have all the time for sexy. My western faves (the Supreme faves) include Beyonce and Janet Jackson, both of them have released albums that are incredibly sexual, and have been talking about sex for years. Janet basically gave someone a lapdance and sent him over the dge with an orgasm...like I am pretty sure he came. Beyonce has opened up more about her sexuality as time went on (far cry from the slutshaming she did with Nasty Girl), and now has a song called Partition in which she states:
He monica Lewinskied all on my gown.
*For those who read this and don't know what this is referencing
I fell out, died, came back, and found a new religion from that line.
I enjoy sexual beings being open about their sexuality. I don't care.
However what Janet and Beyonce have that K Pop does not...agency. Janet and Beyonce not only talka bout sex in their music, they are open about in their lives. Beyonce is more conservative about it, but she says make love to her husband, and talking about feeling sexy and such. Janet openly said she had her clit pierced, saying she got it becuase she heard that if she got her labia pierced it could possibly go numb... These are two grown ass women who enjoy sex at different levels. It is what it is.
However in K Pop, we don't have that same level of control. The companies not only make their music, they handle their image. Their image is very important, to the point you could be fucked by something like a...you know what T-Ara jokes are of poor taste. Simply put your image holds greater weight in K Pop.
So when it comes to sexy concepts, it is more so in the image of what is perceived sexy.
Some smoldering stares (dark make up is a must)
A few sexy movements (your hips will be winding and gyrating)
The clothing will range from tight skirts (of various lengths) to shorts that may or may not have been painted on.
And the song...
Well...it is really not a sexy song, but the delivery will be with a husky voice, almost evenly tempered.
But the song...is not about sex...or even anything remotely sexual.
Because sexual songs are just...a rarity.
See I gave you an example of a K Pop act doing the sexy concept that I enjoy. Now here is an example of one that fits the typical K Pop experience.
Read the lyrics. Nothing about this is sexual in the slightest. It's about a break up. But everything about this from the clothes to the dance, is considered to be under the sexy concept. And this is the norm. K Pop is only sexy in image, and really ain't about shit further than that.
Now once again that does not mean there are not idols/acts doing sexy beyond the image. Ga-In basically got big because of masturbation. The group from which she derives from are no strangers to discussion adult affairs. Sunmi's glorious return to K Pop as a solo act was with a song that basically was about thirst for dick.
They do exist beyond the image...
But then begs the question...who is really about this sexy life?
Once again, Beyonce and Janet not only talk about sex/give images of sexy in their careers, they are open about feeling sexy themselves. When looking at K pop, I have no idea who actually is okay with sexy concepts beyond the fact it is getting them a check right now. Many of these girls don't get to say whether or not they are okay with what they are doing, so I am to assume that there is a very likely chance that they have no agency in what they do or say...which is expected. They may be totally into it, and saying we get to be sexy on stage and there isn't nothing they (the public) can do about it. But at the end of the day the one making decisions about their images and concept are their bosses, and they are just using the same, tired ideas of what sexy is (over and over again)
Basically: cute concepts are like a creepy fetish, and y'all got grown ass women trying to act like children and nonthreatening for whatever reason. Sexy concepts are only sexy in name, and rarely go the full monty (song+dance+visual), plus the overall lack of knowledge of how these ladies feel about doing something that is apparently deemed sexy.
Despite that, I do like some songs and overall looks that have been deemed cute and sexy...but the concepts themselves are my issue.
Tis all.
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