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By many standards, the K-pop industry is conservative. The coming out of LGBT+ performers is stigmatised, and idols, particularly female idols, are under excessive pressure to maintain heteronormative ideas of beauty. However, K-pop has a fandom known for queering K-pop through cover dances, fanfiction, and fanart. Through such creative expressions, they play with, bend, and deconstruct ideas around gender and sexuality. In the last decade, the K-pop industry has come to encompass a wide spectrum of gender representations in response to the desires and needs of a more diverse fan community.
SHIPPING
SHIPPING
‘Shipping,’ derived from ‘relationship’, describes a fan’s desire for two or more people (either celebrities or fictional characters) to be in a relationship. The term originated from fans of television show The X-Files in the mid-1990s. Fans desired the two main characters to be in a romantic relationship. Whilst X-Files fans shipped a heterosexual couple, fans have been pairing characters into homosexual couples for multiple decades. For example, Star Trek slash fiction in the 1970s depicted Kirk and Spock in a romantic relationship.
Chuu and Yves in the Heart Attack MV
IN MUSIC VIDEOS
IN MUSIC VIDEOS
Among K-pop fans, non-straight shipping is a common practice. One popular ‘ship’ is between two members of the girl group LOONA, Yves and Chuu. The ship started from the music video for a solo song released by Chuu, ‘Heart attack’, in which Chuu falls in love with Yves. Fans soon developed fanfiction involving the couple, leading the group’s company Blockberry Creative to market them as a sapphic couple. The ship became so popular that non-fans even believed they were a couple, after a hoax Twitter post announcing their marriage went viral.
IN FANART
IN FANART
Many fans create fiction or fanart of their favourite idols as a means of shipping them, bringing the fantasy of their relationships to life. A piece of fanart by @rawraau (pictured) depicts the popular ship between Mark and Haechan from NCT. Their ship name is MarkHyuck or MaHae, a combination of both of their names.
GENDER FLUIDITY
GENDER FLUIDITY
IN PERFORMANCE
IN PERFORMANCE
Some idols in K-pop, such as Amber Liu, Jo Kwon, and Jimin, are known for gender fluid performances. An iconic idol in this regard is Taemin, a solo artist and member of boy group Shinee. He blends elegant, erotic, and powerful movements, creating dances that are regarded as androgynous. In an interview with Billboard magazine, he described his choreography as ‘ break[ing] the idea of what male performers are supposed to show, what performances girl groups are supposed to show. I really wanted to break those labels, showing that dance is a form of art.’
Taemin’s fashion also underscores androgyny. In the music video for his 2021 song ‘Advice’, a sporty outfit comprised of a women’s crop top and a pair of boxers is contrasted with a black and grey suit that symbolises masculinity (pictured).
X @SHINee_World_ID
Pinterest 'Oyaoyaasan'
IN FANART
IN FANART
Fans also queer K-pop through fan-produced contents, dance covers, and activism. A piece of fanart by Emily Durant (pictured below) depicts the duality of Taemin: his masculinity as Adam and his femininity as Eve. Although the image portrays two figures of ‘Taemin’, neither is inherently Taemin; they both represent different aspects of him. In doing so, this fanart emphasises that gender exists on a spectrum, not as a fixed binary. It represents Taemin and his gender expression as a whole.
“The Beginning” – by Emily Durant (@_.pen2paper._)
LGBTQ+ REPRESENTATION
LGBTQ+ REPRESENTATION
K.WILL - 'PLEASE DON'T'
K.WILL - 'PLEASE DON'T'
Image captured from 케이윌 (K.Will) - 이러지마 제말 (Please don't...) YouTube
Despite LGBT+ being a minority, the K-pop industry has slowly started to incorporate elements of LGBT+ representation into their music and imagery. Whilst some argue that this is a form of ‘queerbaiting’ (using queer identity or performance for financial benefit), it is undeniable that this is a step forward for LGBT+ individuals in and outside Korea.
An early example of LGBT+ representation in K-pop is the music video of K.Will’s ‘Please Don’t’, a heartbreaking ballad. It depicts a man who is in love with his friend who is soon to be married to someone else. Throughout the video, the viewer is led to believe he is in love with the bride to-be, but the ending reveals that the man is in love with the groom.
ONLYONEOF - 'LIBIDO'
ONLYONEOF - 'LIBIDO'
Many popular K-pop artists have included LGBT+ imagery in their music videos. Some have gone so far as to dedicate their entire concept to it. OnlyOneOf (2019) is a boy group whose recent concept revolves around the idea of boys’ love (BL). Their music video, ‘Libido’ (2021), depicts members of the group interacting with each other in everyday life. This includes shots of the members gazing longingly at each other whilst undressing, or of their hands slowly inching towards each other in a sensual way. The music video also features erotic dance moves between members. Due to its sexually explicit nature, the choreography was changed for promotional music shows.
Image captured from OnlyOneOf (온리원오브) 'LibidO' YouTube
Image from Koreaboo.com
RED VELVET - 'MONSTER'
RED VELVET - 'MONSTER'
Groups from well established companies such as SM, JYP, and YG have also included LGBT+ imagery in their music videos. Red Velvet (2014), a girl group under SM, incorporated love between girls in their subunit song, ‘Monster’ (2020). The promotional poster for the album depicts members Seulgi and Irene as if they are about to kiss. In the music video, we see them crawling towards each other. Through such representations, the industry incorporates nonnormative, unruly qualities to K-pop media.
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