Hi there avid watchers and K-pop lovers!
Check out these links:
http://seoulbeats.com/2009/09/the-k-pop-gender-blender/
I have been into K-pop recently and I have noticed the confusing female-male of some of band members. Among my favorites are SM Entertainment artists: SHINee, Super Junior, DBSK, and SNSD.
http://www.smtown.com/
Each band has a distinct style. SNSD girls are the female stereotypes-pretty, bubbly,pink, and too girly; DBSK is a band of macho men; Super Junior and SHINee are the ‘in-between’-besides singing and dancing, they have an effeminate charm and if you see their TV shows and photoshoots, they are sometimes made to look like girls. And they do look like girls, although I think they’re straight guys.

Recently, SM launched a new girl band- f(x), which was said to be the counterpart of SHINee. They’re all pretty but one of them (Amber) looks like and dresses like a guy.

I think this androgynous thing sprung from talent agencies wanting to offer complete packages to the Asian audience. And this campaign worked- people just loved them (including me). At least here in Asia; some Westerners find them weird. Maybe people liked these stuff because of they are a new spectacle- they switch roles, they blur the lines on traditional gender ideologies. Probably, that’s why people loved Hana Kimi and Boys Over Flowers- they’re a relief from the Mexican genre.
I wonder if these cute Korean guys feel violated at times. They seem overexploited.
What do you think?