Male K-POP Stars redefining masculinity

In the recent years, K-pop has been everybody’s favorite due to their very different takes on music and its themes. Even in Pakistan, K-pop has been loved as well as hated too particularly Pakistanis like to bash the fashion sense of the Male K-pop stars and criticize on their appearances. The fact that they can’t make peace with it is that their way of dressing up doesn’t conform to Pakistanis ideal mindset of masculinity.

K-pop has revolutionized the music industry. With male singers and bands strong choices in what they want to wear or what kind of content they want to show in their videos, it has surely redefined masculinity. Wearing skinny jeans and flowery shirts, many male singers have performed in their videos and have made it a point that this should not be seen as something bad but should be considered normal. Pink is now seen as their favorite color as well.

Dances are also incorporated in their performances to give a sense that these dances are not only meant for the female K-pop singers. Nail polish is a favorite for the singers, and they flaunt it proudly as they obviously should. You also see how Hollywood is now taking this initiative as well with harry styles also dressing up with bright, bold and glittery clothes challenging the gender norms.

The main thing that come to my mind is that will Pakistani media celebrities adopt this too at any point in life. Will they openly challenge the notions of masculinity that we have inculcated in our society and just portray themselves as they like. Will the society accept them? Or bash them for being just themselves. K-pop has shown us that music doesn’t have a gender. It is for all people regardless of who they are, and one can express this Art in whatever way possible wearing anything they like.