''Kkonminam'' (; ''kkot/n''
½ƒ= flower, ''minam''
¯¸ë‚¨= handsome man) has been commonly used in
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
since the late-1990s to refer to young men who are concerned with personal style and fashion. Although they are sometimes regarded as
bishÅnen
(; also transliterated ) is a Japanese term literally meaning "beautiful youth (boy)" and describes an aesthetic that can be found in disparate areas in East Asia: a young man of androgynous beauty. This word originated from the Tang dynasty ...
, neither gender or
sexual orientation
Sexual orientation is an enduring pattern of romantic or sexual attraction (or a combination of these) to persons of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or to both sexes or more than one gender. These attractions are generall ...
defines the term.
History
![Dam yeom rip bon wang hee do, from Gugong Bowuguan China, 6th century](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/11/Dam_yeom_rip_bon_wang_hee_do%2C_from_Gugong_Bowuguan_China%2C_6th_century.jpg)
The ''
Hwarang
Hwarang, also known as Hwarang Corps, and Flowering Knights, were an elite warrior group of male youth in Silla, an ancient kingdom of the Korean Peninsula that lasted until the 10th century. There were educational institutions as well as social ...
'', or "flower youths" or "flowering knights/gentlemen", were an elite group of male warriors in
Silla
Silla or Shilla (57 BCE – 935 CE) ( , Old Korean: Syera, Old Japanese: Siraki2) was a Korean kingdom located on the southern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula. Silla, along with Baekje and Goguryeo, formed the Three Kingdoms of K ...
, an ancient Korean kingdom. Chinese sources referred only to the physical beauty of the "flower boys" who were known for their androgynous good looks.
The word "''kkonminam''" is a
neologism
A neologism Greek νÎο- ''néo''(="new") and λόγος /''lógos'' meaning "speech, utterance"] is a relatively recent or isolated term, word, or phrase that may be in the process of entering common use, but that has not been fully accepted int ...
that was first used to describe "pretty boy characters from girls comics who regularly appeared against backgrounds filled with flowery patterns".
The Korean ''kkonminam'' concept of soft masculinity originates from the Japanese concept of ''
bishÅnen
(; also transliterated ) is a Japanese term literally meaning "beautiful youth (boy)" and describes an aesthetic that can be found in disparate areas in East Asia: a young man of androgynous beauty. This word originated from the Tang dynasty ...
'' in ''shÅjo'' manga and anime, but, according to Sun Jung, with more purity, innocence and politeness.
The emergence of kkonminam was a socio-cultural phenomenon associated with the influence of
Mandatory military service, Mandatory Military Service (strong and tall physical appeal) and Japanese entertainment's
androgyny
Androgyny is the possession of both masculine and feminine characteristics. Androgyny may be expressed with regard to biological sex, gender identity, or gender expression.
When ''androgyny'' refers to mixed biological sex characteristics in ...
such as
manga
Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
, dramas, beauty products and music (particularly visual-kei rock bands like
X Japan
was a Japanese rock band from Chiba, formed in 1982 by drummer and pianist Yoshiki and lead vocalist Toshi. Starting as a predominantly power/speed metal band with heavy symphonic elements, they later gravitated towards a progressive soun ...
and
L'Arc-en-Ciel
L'Arc-en-Ciel ( French: 'The Rainbow', stylized as L'Arc~en~Ciel), also known as Laruku, is a Japanese rock band, formed in Osaka in 1991 by bassist tetsuya and vocalist hyde. Following the departure of original members hiro and pero, guitarist ...
) in the 1990s. Even though Japanese popular culture was officially
banned before 1998, Koreans gathered information in a variety of ways, mainly through underground personalized human networks, internet, trips to Japan and piracy.
H.O.T., a revolutionary K-pop group, credited for effeminating Korean masculinity, was heavily criticized at the time for borrowing Japanese style. Professor Kim Hyun Mee at
Yonsei University
Yonsei University (; ) is a private research university in Seoul, South Korea. As a member of the "SKY" universities, Yonsei University is deemed one of the three most prestigious institutions in the country. It is particularly respected in the ...
attributes this to the growing independence and confidence of Asian women: "
hey
Hey or Hey! may refer to:
Music
* Hey (band), a Polish rock band
Albums
* ''Hey'' (Andreas Bourani album) or the title song (see below), 2014
* ''Hey!'' (Julio Iglesias album) or the title song, 1980
* ''Hey!'' (Jullie album) or the title s ...
can afford to be more selective when choosing a mate."
The
National Security Act affected South Korea in the 1990s when restrictions were placed on international imports. Due to the Act, Korea experienced restrictions on television programming. Television companies turned instead to establishing channels such as
Mnet
M-Net (an abbreviation of Electronic Media Network) is a South African pay television channel established by Naspers in 1986. The channel broadcasts both local and international programming, including general entertainment, children's series, ...
in order to broadcast commercial programs such as
K-pop
K-pop (), short for Korean popular music, is a form of popular music originating in South Korea as part of South Korean culture. It includes styles and genres from around the world, such as pop, hip hop, R&B, experimental, rock, jazz, gos ...
. Mnet is a South Korean television music channel that has a variety of talk, game, and live music shows.
In the late 1990s, Kkonminam images became notable in the Korean entertainment industry, glorifying "pretty" boys with smooth, fair skin, silky hair, and a feminine manner. These new images replaced the previous ones of tough and aggressive Korean men in television commercials, dramas, and on billboards.
The Kkonminam phenomenon is prominent in Korean popular culture; it can be seen in fashion, music, photography, advertising, and television.
Television
![140120 Minho Lee c](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/140120_Minho_Lee_c.jpg)
In 2009, a Korean television series called ''
Boys over Flowers
, is a Japanese ''shÅjo'' manga series written and illustrated by Yoko Kamio and set in Tokyo, Japan, and the fictional "Eitoku Academy" (an elite school for children from rich families). It tells the story of Tsukushi Makino, a girl fr ...
'' (based on Japanese manga ''Hana Yori Dango'') gained popularity in South Korea and across Asia. The plot follows an average high school girl who gets involved in the life of an arrogant rich boy and his friends. In ''Boys over Flowers'': "the males have childlike and boyish features in contrast to their strong and muscular bodies. The popularity of the show influenced many South Korean men to take their appearance more seriously. An increasing number of South Korean males began applying cosmetics, wearing preppy and cruise-like outfits and sporting traditionally feminine looks, colors, and prints".
Korean boy pop bands
Crystal S. Anderson, a Cultural Studies research scholar at
Longwood University
Longwood University is a public university in Farmville, Virginia. Founded in 1839, it is the third-oldest public university in Virginia and one of the hundred oldest institutions of higher education in the United States. Previously a college, Lo ...
, found a variety of ways in which global fans refer to the unique masculinity of male
K-pop
K-pop (), short for Korean popular music, is a form of popular music originating in South Korea as part of South Korean culture. It includes styles and genres from around the world, such as pop, hip hop, R&B, experimental, rock, jazz, gos ...
groups. One respondent wrote: "I am also really curious about flower boys and the varying expressions of masculinity in Korean boy bands." Another respondent noted: "The first thing that attracted me when I was young is that Korean artists were exceptionally handsome/beautiful and possessed unique style, both in their music and fashion," linking appearance to a certain style.
Hybrid bands
Examples of Korean boy bands that exemplify this phenomenon are
2PM,
Highlight, and
MBLAQ
MBLAQ ( ko, ì— ë¸”ëž™, ja, エムブラック; an acronym for Music Boys Live in Absolute Quality) is a South Korean boy band created by South Korean singer Rain under J. Tune Camp. The group consists of Seungho, G.O, and Mir, and formerly L ...
.
These bands draw on elements of "gangster" and
hip-hop themes in their performances. The hybridized aspects help the bands appeal to broader audiences. Analysts note that these boy bands display masculinity of both
kawaii
''Kawaii'' is the culture of cuteness in Japan. It can refer to items, humans and non-humans that are charming, vulnerable, shy and childlike.Kerr, Hui-Ying (23 November 2016)"What is kawaii – and why did the world fall for the ‘cult of cu ...
and kkonminam elements.
These boy bands test stereotypical masculinity.
Due to their tough masculine image, 2PM have been nicknamed by local Korean media and
netizen
The term netizen is a portmanteau of the English words ''internet'' and '' citizen'', as in a "citizen of the net" or "net citizen". It describes a person actively involved in online communities or the Internet in general. s as Jimseungdol.
On-stage, they showcase theatrical manliness. In performances of "Heartbeat"'','' the title song of their first album, they put on a hyper-masculine, beast-like performance. In the performances,
Taecyeon
Ok Taec-yeon (; born December 27, 1988), known mononymously as Taecyeon, is a South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, actor and entrepreneur. He is the main rapper of the South Korean boy band 2PM.
In 2010, Ok debuted as an actor in the Kor ...
tears off his shirt,
Nichkhun
Nichkhun Buck Horvejkul ( th, นิชคุณ หรเวชà¸à¸¸à¸¥; ; born June 24, 1988), better known mononymously as Nichkhun ( ko, 닉쿤), is a Thai American singer, songwriter, rapper, actor and model who is currently based in Sou ...
symbolically rips out Taecyeon's heart in a brutal manner, and
Chan-Sung breathes fiercely while lifting Nichkhun over his head.
See also
*
Aegyo
() in Korean refers to a cute display of affection often expressed through a cute voice, changes to speech, facial expressions, or gestures. literally means behaving in a flirtatious, coquettish manner and it is commonly expected for both male a ...
*
BishÅnen
(; also transliterated ) is a Japanese term literally meaning "beautiful youth (boy)" and describes an aesthetic that can be found in disparate areas in East Asia: a young man of androgynous beauty. This word originated from the Tang dynasty ...
*
Hwarang
Hwarang, also known as Hwarang Corps, and Flowering Knights, were an elite warrior group of male youth in Silla, an ancient kingdom of the Korean Peninsula that lasted until the 10th century. There were educational institutions as well as social ...
*
Moe
*
Ulzzang
''Ulzzang'' ( ko, 얼짱, ), also spelled as ''eoljjang'' (), is a popular South Korean term literally meaning "best face" or "good-looking". A person desiring ''ulzzang'' status would gain popularity on the internet through entering contests wher ...
References
{{LGBT in South Korea
Beauty
Effeminacy
Korean words and phrases
Masculinity
Male beauty
Men in South Korea
LGBT culture in South Korea
South Korean popular culture
Terms for men
South Korean youth culture