The K-Pop Body – Beauty Standards, Patriarchal Authoritarianism, and the Big Other of Korean Popular Music Culture

Abstract

K-pop is renowned for blending various music styles and particularly for its visual appeal. Ranging from vibrant music videos to powerful live shows, visual attractivity lies at its core. The bodies of K-pop idols play a crucial role as performed materializations, reflecting both artistic expression and societal beauty ideals. Shaped by a strict, authoritarian training regime, their bodies are formed along rigid beauty standards. To meet these standards, idols and trainees often resort to extreme diets, makeup, and cosmetic surgery, thus influencing their subjectivation. In this process, patriarchally structured management agencies exert decisive control over the idols' activities, appearances, and careers. This article explores how beauty standards influence the subjectivation of K-pop idols and trainees. A cultural psychoanalysis reveals how patriarchal authoritarianism shapes this process and how beauty standards are exploited for market capitalist interests. Furthermore, it reveals the instability of beauty standards and their role within the K-pop industry.