Final Project / Double Standards in Kpop

The topic I am focusing on for my semester project is gender inequality and the double standards placed upon women, specifically focusing on the Kpop industry. Gender inequality is an issue that, while improving, is still far from being completely changed. In a patriarchal society, boys and girls are taught from a young age that they must act a certain way, the way that society wants them to act. Girls must be submissive to men and that they shouldn't be angry or violent. As a woman, they learn that they must be aware how every action they make affects men. They are seen as object rather than real people. Boys are taught that an appropriate amount of violence is a good thing, but they should not show their emotions. They should not come across as vulnerable. While they seem more free to do what they want externally, internally they must keep their emotions locked away.

How does this relate to the Kpop industry? South Korea, just like the United States, is a patriarchal society, and gender inequality is a huge issue there. While South Korea is not just about Kpop. the music industry is what I decided to focus on, as the international success of Korean pop music is growing rapidly. Within the Kpop industry, the double standards placed upon women are quite obvious. Female idols in the industry tend to face more judgement from the public about their behavior, but more often because of their appearance. Beauty standards for women are rather strict (for lack of a better term), so idols who don't have the "visual" position are often criticized for their looks. In contrast, male idols usually have more privilege. The public is more accepting and willing to forgive male idols mistakes, and they usually are not judged on their appearance. Yet they are not completely free, as they are still bound by their contracts and some restraints of the industry.

For my project, I created a diptych that portray the double standards of gender in society, but with a focus on the Kpop industry. I also created a Tumblr blog that showcases the art, as well as shows my progress, thought process, and inspiration for the visuals used in the illustrations. In the future, I plan to make more art pieces that highlight and illustrate societal issues with a focus on the Kpop industry, as well as the online Kpop community. Once I have more art of this nature (and when lack of funds is no longer an issue), I would like to hand out small prints of my artwork at KCON NY. KCON is a convention/festival/concert that brings "All Things Hallyu" to American Kpop fans. Most likely I will not be able to attend this summer, but next summer I hope I can carry out this plan.

Resources:
Chan, Rachel. "Gender Discrimination in South Korea," The McGill International Review. 12 January 2016. Web. 01 May 2018. https://www.mironline.ca/gender-discrimination-in-south-korea/

Echevarria, Dasia. "The Double Standards Of Gender In Society," The Odyssey. 8 May 2017. Web. 01 May 2018. https://www.theodysseyonline.com/double-standards-inequality  

Hooks, Bell. "Understand Patriarchy" The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love. Washington Square Press, 2004. Print.

 The Guerrilla Girls. Confessions of the Guerrilla Girls . HarperPerennial, 1995.

Thompson, Nato. “Seeing Power Art and Activism in the 21^st Century,” (Melville House Publishing, 2015)