The Influence of K-Pop Culture on Beauty Standard in Society on

Feminism Perspective
Putri Rosita Debriyanti
putri.rost@gmail.com

1;

Introduction
This paper describes about Korean pop culture (K-Pop) that influences
the concept of beauty standard which happens in society. Each country has a
different cultural baground. It was certainly affect the mindset and the concept
of beauty among the society. Being beauty is a thing that dreamed by all
women. Besides to innerbeauty, outer beauty are also important. It makes
everyperson has its own standard of beauty.
Feminism is the struggle of women demanding equal rights but in the
difference of sex. The purpose of this ideologi or movement is to emancipate
every women through mobilization of solidarity among women (Nancy, 1989 :
xxvii). Based on this, it means to encourage women to realize that each
woman is different. Both men and women are different for each personal.
Stereotypes perspective resulting the loss of individual consciousness and
identity. Both men and women have the similarities and differences that
natural and is based on culture.
Feminism basically means the affirmation of the full humanity of
women in which all the ways women have been defines as inferior, secondary
and dependent on men in the past (Sandra:2012).women are affirmed as fully
human, not partly human or complementary to the male, but with all human
attributes and capacities, in relationship of both autonomu and mutually with
other humans, male and female, as well as ecosystem.
Feminism is not a universal movement with homogeneous concept that
can represent all women. As highlighted in Feminism Thought (Tong, 2004)
feminism is a very broad concept and complex. Feminism is a word which
cover a variety of approaches, views and frame of mind that is used to explain
the oppression of women and the solution is used to destroy the oppression.
In this paper, feminism is about women that has many concept. The
concept is including the standard of beauty. Women can never be separated
from the beauty. Nowdays Korea is being trending topic that has related to
beauty even many people have known the term as Korean Pop Culture. Pop

culture is style, idea, perspective and attitude that different with the
mainstream culture in which the preferences is considered by informal
agreement. It has influenced by mass media since 20 era then it developed
continously by every culture, the ideas has reach in the daily culture. As the
result, pop culture gets many critics from some scientist and the maintream
culture that usually from the religi community in which assume that pop
culture is superficial, consumerism, sensasionalis and immoral.
But by the goverment of Korea, pop culture can be used well and it is
being soft power to extend the influence of South Korea to abroad.. The
Korean Pop Culture is begin with the appear of Korean drama in some
television and it has be the first of the development of Korean Pop Culture.
These success is continued by the spread of K-Pop (Korean Pop) in which the
actors are Boyband and Girlband.
K-Pop (an abbrevation of Korean Pop or popular music) is a musical
genre consisting of electronic, hip-hop, pop, R&B, music originating in South
Korea (Hannah:2013). K-Pop applies the music with American pop, rock, and
tecno into the music. Morever a dance group, korean music is still dominated
by dance group of this day.
K-Pop is not just music. K-pop has grown into a popular subculture
among teenagers and young adult throught Asia, resulting in widespread
interest in the fashion and style of Korean idol groups and singer. Besides the
music is so energic that makes this music is more familiar in the country.
Korean pop or K-Pop is more popular. It is hug hit among korean and
international students. With korean music getting recognize on Asian market,
as well as at a worldwode level, K-Pop is becoming extremely popular among
both korean speaking people and non korean.
Although the K-pop quite short, rapidly spread of K-pop music radio is
shaping. In addition, K-Pop becomes more develop through the various
popular music channel like MTv, internet and others. Moreover, indirectly KPop also has influenced the mindset of society in many fields, especially for
the perspective of beauty in culture now.
2;

Discussion
A; The Phenomenon of Korean Pop Culture
The phenomenon of Korean Pop Culture (K-Pop) is indicated by
increasingly spreading of the Korean music. K-Pop is the music that has pop
genre from South Korea that succed dominating of world market that develop
continously with many style and the characteristics that they bring. Such as

fashion, hair style and make up, language and modern lifestyle that suitable
that korean culture. It called as phenomenon because the coming of K-Pop is
not only being an entertainment consumption, but it has given an effect that
persuading. Moreover, being an imitation center and the development of new
ideas in worldwide are interested on it. The fashion that being style and
inspiration in the world. The hair stytle and make-up are being an imitation of
society is majority for imitating can be looks like K-Pop character that
famous.
It brings big effects to daily life of society, both its fashion, music,
drama and lifestyle. Society begin interest to something about Korean. In
fashion, korean usually has the characteristics of fashion that trendy in which
usually has the mini size, or stric that makes people looks sexy. For the korean
music has characteristics in which Korean music has risen with the power of
group vocal, whether its boyband and girlband. Usually Korean music has
some components in which the music that has the varian of music dance, hip
hop, pop genre and it has the choreography and interest custum. Moreover,
the music has energetic rhytm, the personels are handsome and beautiful,
moreover

it

mixed

with

compac

and

dinamic

dance.

Korean Drama, is the first of korean product that spread in the world
market. For lifetyle, korean people usually show their beauty, body that it is a
bit vulgar. It happens because the socialization of K-Pop is bit by bit
widespread and develop in the daily life. Thus it is called as Korean Pop
culture phenomenon. Korean pop culture has spread almost in worldwide
include Asia, United State and others that it has strong effects of Korean pop
culture.
The Korean Pop culture is also develop continously by coming of
many products, such as mobile, fashion, cosmetics and others. Korean pop
culture has been spread being an alternative way of korean people to insert
some varian products that connect the Korean Pop to some countries. It must
be realize that Korean products has widespread in the world market. It shows
that phenomenon is not only being a public consume in one field. But it has

enter widely into culture that makes society are amazed interest and have
purpose to imitate and apply the Korean culture in their life.

B; The influences of Korean Pop on Society

The coming of Korean pop culture is caused by the power of dance

music and Korean drama that has reached the dominated world market gives
many effects for society in every countries. with every countries that they
bring, almost of the Korean production gets highrate. Society have free coice
and easlily to get the information from the media.
The influences of Korean Pop can be seen from many fanspages,
whether it is in the cyberworld and the reality life. It can be an impact from the
consume media or internet on the society. Not only that, it can be seen that
some people are interested to learn the language. Moreover increasingly there
are some korean restaurant that has spread in some countries. It shows that
there are desire of culinary lovers to the Korean foods. The photos and picture
can be find everywhere. Thus can be seen that there are many Korean lovers
community are doing gathering.
K-POP culture epidemic has left any kind of impact in people's lives.
The rise of a culture of K-POP, providing considerable impact, both positive
impacts and negative impacts. The positive impact of the phenomenon of KPOP is, the rise of various female music boyband and girlband who are
motivated and adopt the style of Korean POP. Many designers got the idea and
inspiration to create fashion in which combined with K-POP culture.
Musicians and Indonesian music get new ideas in music, the creation of
choreography which eventually envoke to the creative idea which is the source
of K-POP is a phenomenon that appears. As long as it is in the case of
adoption or earned is an appropriate and not contradict so this will give a new
twist to the entertainment music, so that it can survive and not eroded by the
entry of new culture.
It is also brings a problem in the negativity caused by the phenomenon
of K-POP. The existence of a new culture in and continues to grow,
continuously received and absorbed by the society that ultimately bring the
community become an interest in the original culture decreased or even
disappear. The rise of K-POP culture to make some people, especially
teenagers become more interested and feel more proud to imitate and adopt the
K-POP culture that they witnessed. This is supported by the height of the
products of the Korean public to support the process of imitations K-POP

artists there. The use of fashion style appropriate to the Korean models, which
in essence was incompatible with the values and norms of modesty fashion.
Lifestyle that has hedonic attitude of the incoming and absorbed in the daily
life of society.Society are easily to idolize the Korean pop stars and finally
they try to adopt and imitate the culture that they brings. It is begin from the
fashion style, hair style, or even the act that is point to hedonism, liberalism
and even the negative effects.
C; The stereotype/concept of standard of beauty in the society

As revealed Bungin (2007: 221) that beauty is represented in such a

whiteness of skin, black hair, thick and straight, slim-bodied, has a freshness,
their pure, luxury, elegance and flawless charming. Meanwhile, Prabasmoro
(2003: 106) in his book reveals that naturalized beauty with white skin color.
Then Anthony Synnot (1993: 22-282) reveals that women have part of body
that is created as an object of beauty and have a social meaning in the society,
From that various concept, we can conclude that face becomes a basic
determinant of the perception of the meaning of beauty and ugliness of
individuals. The next part body is hair, which is a symbol of individual
identity. The skin is also a part that is shown by the media. Because in the
various media, such as print and audiovisual (commercials, movies, sitcoms,
etc.) beautiful skin is also often published. In addition, the concepts of beauty
that then adopted by the mass media in presenting the concept of beauty as it
is published in the advertisement or music program in television. As one of the
communication media, tv program becomes one of the tools in communicating
the message.
Advertising is not only influence society to change attitudes directly,
but what is in the advertisement are able to influence what society thinks.
Advertising can influence people's perception of a phenomena that are
considered important.
The influence of the mass media industry is not only in the context of
technological sophistication, but it happened to more specific that actors and
actresses that play a role in the media industry. So, what happens in a society
is a social context that is different from the public. Because of the concept of
perfection that is believed by the public is also different in the mass media.
As a result, majority of society assume that beauty is has whitening
skin, has a long nose, has a sharp cheek, slim body. Moreover, society also
assume that people who has white skin hs the symbol of fresh, pure and
beautiful. Whereas, people who have not the criteria like that has the symbol

that contrast. Because of the stereotype that shaped by media people have to
try to get desire of beauty, the way to get perfect beauty by treating, such as
Tweezing, waxing, threading, dieting, foundation, mascara, eyeliner, eyeshadow, uncomfortable shoes, skimpy clothes at night, smiling, sitting in the
sun or rain in the float parade, even do plastic surgery.

D; The standard of beauty on feminism perspective

On feminism perspective has different concept in which the concept is

different with the reality recently. In thin concept, feminism explain about
beauty. Naomi Wolf, "the myth of real beauty always refers to behavior (inner
beauty) and appearance (outer beauty) "(Wolf, 2004).
Actually, the inner beauty beauty here is more emphasis on the
personality of the maturity person. If someone can bring a positive emission to
the surroundings, wherever she is, she can be said to radiate beauty from
within his own. Arguably the beauty of a woman's personality the most
important role, although it may not be instantly recognizable by others.
Factors that including are the personality, intelligence, grace,
politeness, charisma, integrity, stability and flexibility. While that can be felt
by the surrounding of a woman with inner beauty, such as patience, a smile
she said, and his words are likely to respect others (used to saying sorry,
please, and thank you). A woman who is truly beautiful to be complete by the
outer beauty (physical attractiveness) and the inner beauty (Tjahyaningtyas,
2012).

E; The relation between Korean Pop Culture Phenomenon with the Stereotype

of Beauty in the Society

The relationship between K-POP phenomenon that showed up with the
influence on the concept of views on feminism, especially in the concept of
beauty. Society easily get kinds of varian information including the foreign
cultures through globalization. It is not be avoid that the entering of K-POP
culture directly hit on the activities of the society's life. Society with a low
level of human resources often receive the foreign cultures without filtering of
culture as what is appropriate. Often people accept the culture to absorb and
then adopted on their life by following the development era.

K-POP culture that strongly go through the different types of music,

films, fashion and make-up. It is absorbed raw by the majority of society,
young people in particular. It is not only keep abreast of the times, but rather a
form of fault on concept of beauty because majority Korean society is very
regard regard for beauty and it greatly affects the concept that eventually
formed the concept of beauty in society are often be published by the media.
It makes society lose its identity of beauty and also and also the
distinctive of gratitude for God's gifts and they tend use identity they consider
to be a modern culture in the changing times. K-POP success being the
influence in different parts of the world, affecting the public on concept of
beauty and the subsequent Korean manufactures the beauty products in order
to raise the culture of Korean expansion. The resulting product typically
includes a wide range of cosmetic products, wigs and even plastic surgery
services.

Conclussion

The Korean pop culture phenomenon comes because of globalization

effects and the interest of music and Korean movie that are able to dominate
world market and give some impact to each country that is influenced by KPop. Society easily accept new things without filtering, and also the
globalization effects make K-Pop increasingly adapted in the society. Society
idolized K-Pop stars and then try to adopte and intimidate the culture that they
bring. Korean people are very respect for beauty. But the beauty sometimes is
not valid with the feminism perspective. Because of society try to get the
perfect beauty with many ways, such as tweezing, waxing, threading, dieting,
foundation, mascara, eyeliner, eye-shadow, uncomfortable shoes, skimpy
clothes at night, smiling, sitting in the sun or rain in the float parade even they
do the plastic surgery. This action tends on hedonism and kapitalism. This is
the impact of feminism perspective in society which is influenced by mass
media.

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