BTS new song broke all youtube records

[Anonymous]

I think there are catchy k-pop song and the dancing is good to watch but lately I just can't get over the fact that some members are in their late 20's yet they are styled to still like a boy band. The youngest member is 24 now and the oldest is I think 28. Watching some members with eyeliner and lipstick, no hint of ant facial hair, and delicate features makes me think a couple of them look so effeminate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think there are catchy k-pop song and the dancing is good to watch but lately I just can't get over the fact that some members are in their late 20's yet they are styled to still like a boy band. The youngest member is 24 now and the oldest is I think 28. Watching some members with eyeliner and lipstick, no hint of ant facial hair, and delicate features makes me think a couple of them look so effeminate.

I think that's a very western view of things. I know what you mean but I personally think they exude masculinity in their movements and body language. I guess I would take the men in these bands who seem to take good care of their skin and dye their hair and seem to actually CARE what women think, over the American dude bro in a stained t-shirt and khaki shorts rocking a potbelly with unmoisturized skin. Not that those are the only options, but I actually think all the guys are so handsome and part of that comes with attention to your appearance, whether you're male or female.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think there are catchy k-pop song and the dancing is good to watch but lately I just can't get over the fact that some members are in their late 20's yet they are styled to still like a boy band. The youngest member is 24 now and the oldest is I think 28. Watching some members with eyeliner and lipstick, no hint of ant facial hair, and delicate features makes me think a couple of them look so effeminate.

+1 except I think they all look effeminate.

The look so delicate/dainty. I can’t believe someone would call them masculine. I don’t even think masculine is what they are going for as a group.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think there are catchy k-pop song and the dancing is good to watch but lately I just can't get over the fact that some members are in their late 20's yet they are styled to still like a boy band. The youngest member is 24 now and the oldest is I think 28. Watching some members with eyeliner and lipstick, no hint of ant facial hair, and delicate features makes me think a couple of them look so effeminate.

The overall stylings are what’s in now in K-pop in terms of boy groups. It’s very light and fresh-feeling now. That wasn’t always the case and there were lots of times in the past when groups did more mature stylings. There was even shirtlessness! Again, Korean culture is pretty conservative so this is rather pushing the envelope. But, the makeup and lack of facial hair has always been a thing. Dudes wearing makeup is common and normal even amongst regular guys and lots of actors/singers promote cosmetics and skin care. So that’s overall a cultural difference but the bright/happy aesthetic is a momentary trend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get it. The songs aren’t catchy to me - and normally I love all things pop. I don’t hate it but just meh.

I am interested in hearing more English songs. It's hard for me to get into songs in Korean or any language I dont understand

My teen DS is obsessed with them (and other kpop bands and Korean dramas) and that's led to her working on learning Korean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there are catchy k-pop song and the dancing is good to watch but lately I just can't get over the fact that some members are in their late 20's yet they are styled to still like a boy band. The youngest member is 24 now and the oldest is I think 28. Watching some members with eyeliner and lipstick, no hint of ant facial hair, and delicate features makes me think a couple of them look so effeminate.

The overall stylings are what’s in now in K-pop in terms of boy groups. It’s very light and fresh-feeling now. That wasn’t always the case and there were lots of times in the past when groups did more mature stylings. There was even shirtlessness! Again, Korean culture is pretty conservative so this is rather pushing the envelope. But, the makeup and lack of facial hair has always been a thing. Dudes wearing makeup is common and normal even amongst regular guys and lots of actors/singers promote cosmetics and skin care. So that’s overall a cultural difference but the bright/happy aesthetic is a momentary trend.

How only can they be a boy group when they are getting close to 30?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there are catchy k-pop song and the dancing is good to watch but lately I just can't get over the fact that some members are in their late 20's yet they are styled to still like a boy band. The youngest member is 24 now and the oldest is I think 28. Watching some members with eyeliner and lipstick, no hint of ant facial hair, and delicate features makes me think a couple of them look so effeminate.

The overall stylings are what’s in now in K-pop in terms of boy groups. It’s very light and fresh-feeling now. That wasn’t always the case and there were lots of times in the past when groups did more mature stylings. There was even shirtlessness! Again, Korean culture is pretty conservative so this is rather pushing the envelope. But, the makeup and lack of facial hair has always been a thing. Dudes wearing makeup is common and normal even amongst regular guys and lots of actors/singers promote cosmetics and skin care. So that’s overall a cultural difference but the bright/happy aesthetic is a momentary trend.

How only can they be a boy group when they are getting close to 30?

I think you’re misremembering how old the members of, like, NSync and BSB were when they were popular. In 1998 when they were first popular, Kevin and Howie in BSB were mid-late 20s, so was Chris in NSync. Also if the BTS guys are too old never look up Super Junior, who have been around since approximately forever and still have lasting popularity!

[Anonymous]

BTS subtly encourages you to stop looking at them like Western men, men who look like women, men who wear makeup, etc. They look how they like, they dress in gender neutral clothing if they want, and they do what they want regardless of gender rules. And they are considered some of the most handsome men in the world, wearing top designers constantly. F toxic masculinity, BTS is BTS and their fans are all genders, ages and nationalities.

[Anonymous]

This thread is so weird. BTS is cool, an incredibly successful boyband that has broken through barriers in ways no eastern pop group has. They totally deserve tons of credit for that.

They also are great dancers! But to act like American pop bands don't rehearse? Come on. Lady Gaga was taking ice baths after rehearsing for hours for the VMAs too. Huge performances require huge amounts of rehearsal no matter who is doing them. Why do we need to cut down American pop stars in order to enjoy K-Pop? Doesn't make sense to me.

As for their look I mean, yes they do not meet the western image of masculinity. Because they aren't western. It isn't bad that they don't (although I agree the bowl haircuts are AWFUL just from my personal aesthetic), and it isn't bad that some people don't find their look attractive. That is the case for basically every person, they find different things attractive.

There has also always been clean pop vs dirty pop. The britney vs christina vs jessica simpsons, taylor swift has meandered through many varieties of this.

One really amazing thing about BTS in particular? They recently secured investment rights in their label, so unlike NSYNC and BSB they will have much more financial control over their future. They're a great band, we don't need everything to be a competition though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BTS subtly encourages you to stop looking at them like Western men, men who look like women, men who wear makeup, etc. They look how they like, they dress in gender neutral clothing if they want, and they do what they want regardless of gender rules. And they are considered some of the most handsome men in the world, wearing top designers constantly. F toxic masculinity, BTS is BTS and their fans are all genders, ages and nationalities.

Right? Like, I’d hate for some of these people to find out about the k-pop stars who really do have an androgynous look. Like G-Dragon. Who is pretty popular amongst men actually!

[Anonymous]

They look very feminine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get it. The songs aren’t catchy to me - and normally I love all things pop. I don’t hate it but just meh.

I am interested in hearing more English songs. It's hard for me to get into songs in Korean or any language I dont understand

I was about 30 when I started getting into non-US music. Basically I just got tired of the English-language/US based rotation and stumbled into a Fark thread about Alizee, where someone unearthed France Gall's video for "Les sucettes." From there I went into Eurovision and on to other randomness.

I like Blackpink more than BTS as well; although my favorite "idol" groups are Dreamcatcher and BABYMETAL.

[Anonymous]

And to think it was 12 years since Wonder Girls broke into the charts - first Asian group to make the Hot 100 in like 20+ years (at the time). Now BTS is the first Asian to make #1 since Kyu Sakamoto in 1963.

BTS's management company is going public "Big Hit Entertainment" and will be worth like $4 billion USD.

[Anonymous]

I can dig up some K-pop songs that are entirely or partly in English. The ones that are partly are about half or more. I have been a fan of the genre on and off ever since I read about the DBSK breakup in 2009 (how was it that long ago??) - my first real K-pop scandal and it was a doozy!

[Anonymous]

I get people saying they think they look feminine. But watching them dance and their incredible bodily control, it strikes me as incredibly masculine. I have many gay friends and a strong gaydar and they dont strike me as gay in the slightest. I think it's funny that some western women need their money to be acting like a potbellied pig because apparently that's "masculine".

There also might be some anti-asian sentiment where asian men are perceived as more feminine which people should do their best to unpack.