When people think of commercials produced by South Korean pop culture industry, they often think about the poppy yet clean visuals for Korean cosmetics, featuring essentially goddesses that promise the key to aesthetic enlightenment. Or perhaps talent game shows that have the production value matching those of the top sphere of some America’s top acts. The Korean pop culture industry is full of indulgent optimistic flair that obscures what it means to live in a society with such a high bar for beauty standards. Is Korea’s overstatement of beauty standards indicative of what makes a woman valuable? And are those ideals of female value shifting?
For instance, champion Korean beauty brand, Hera, just last year produced a commercial prominently featuring Jun Ji-Hyun, a contemporary Korean pop culture icon. Ji-hyun has acted in many famous films such as My Sassy Girlfriend. In the name alone, Hera reinforces the high standards of beauty that Korea is known for. Hera, the Grecian goddess of fertility and marriage, in this instance indirectly reinforces the eastern values of beauty as a means to meet a man, marry and carry children. Assisted through the presence of attractive icons of Korean pop culture makes the product promising in achieving that goal, considering that those actresses and entertainers are heavily sought after by the general male audience.
Some may argue, pop culture industry employ these elements to create a sense of fantasy for their audience. However, “popular culture is often denigrated but it’s critical for appearing to offer not representations of the world but avenues of escape from it, ‘mere escapism’ is also an easy way of dismissing popular culture for the critical agenda” (John Fiske, 544). Therefore, to write off a main component of their marketing would be a disservice to understanding the values and flaws of Korean culture. By propagating these almost impossibly beautiful and slender women, all with beautiful spotless skin to star in their commercials, they are not just portraying fantasy, but are the root of Korean beauty fantasy in the society.
Although it is true that advertisements are designed to make sales and using physically attractive people would work to this advantage, it is also important to recognize the consequences of having such stringent societal standards, but it has been slowly working upon loosening those standards. There has been an increase in Korean TV shows that discuss various social issues, such as feminism and body acceptance. For example, a K-drama called “It’s OK to Be Sensitive,” talks about difficult encounters where the main actresses are told that they are just being “too sensitive” by men who unwarrantedly discuss their bodies and intrude upon their lives regardless of consent. And throughout those encounters, the actresses learn that it is alright to put your priorities first and say no to unwanted advances despite potential difficulties. These depictions of women are more nuanced and shows a shift in priorities within Korean pop culture industry, rejecting the idea that women are only as valuable as the men and institutions who place value on to them. Even the increasing portraying of women in commercials as mentioned before have been making strides in the growing and empowering representation of Korean women, portraying them as people who transcends traditional female roles, such as working or business women.
The shift in Korean pop culture from “pure” fantasy into more nuanced depictions of the everyday women indicates a greater cultural movement within Korea. Considering that “the culture industry fuses the old and familiar into a new quality. In all its branches, products which are tailored for consumption by masses, and which to a great extent determine the nature of that consumption, are manufactured more or less according to plan” (Adorno 12), shows a greater desire to appeal to the everywoman of Korean culture. Korean women are more present in politics, opening businesses, and are a growing part of Korea’s workforce. While, yes, the Korean pop culture industry fuels consumption through the sale of fantasy, ultimately, considering that the public is seeing more programming and advertisement depicting the everyday people, shows that there could be a desire to see women grow and thrive as a population.
The Politics of K-Pop 