look, it was either this or a comprehensive intro to ALL THE GIRL GROUPS IN KPOP. lesser evils.

[elapses]

I have been referring to this project as my "SNSD pimp post" and I guess it is... technically that. But to be honest it's more like my excuse to write meta-y odes to the various SNSD members. Full-on rpf fandom is still kind of weird to me, I don't know that it will ever not be. But one of my favorite things to do in fictional fandoms is to knit

Comments

[adinfinitum]

LOL ALEX. THINGS LIKE THIS ARE WHY I LOVE YOU, IDEK.

[elapses]

LOL FARAH, I AM GLAD YOU LOVE ME FOR THESE THINGS RATHER THAN IN SPITE OF THEM, LIKE MOST PEOPLE.

[typicrobots]

things like the music video for "Genie" (which comes off like a dating simulation) and the lyrics of "Oh!" (I LOVE YOU OPPA) emphasize this and KIND OF REALLY CREEP ME OUT, if I think too much about it.
OMG YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW, I HAVE SO MANY THOUGHTS ABOUT SNSD AND I'M NOT EVEN A FAN. Mainly because of this, which is not their fault because it's totally the image SM came up with for them and forces on them to perform, but it's how there's always this dissonance in my mind when I see them re sexuality vs. innocence, or innocence AS sexuality. If/when I finally get that stupid kdrama primer of mine done, there's going to be a whole section on aegyo and SNSD EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH DRAMAS because I think they more than anything in Korean pop culture right now embody that attitude of infantilized sexuality, meaning that their entire sexual appeal is that they're child-like. Their whole image is these incredibly sexy nine girls but haha, no, they're not sexy! they're totally innocent and cute and pure! we're just going to

[elapses]

It's funny that you bring up dramas/your primer because a lot of this is why I have trouble getting them -- so often the girls are infantilized and act in this specific whiny aegyo-y way (and all the guys are douchebags), and it seems like there are never enough episodes to really develop them much beyond those archetypes -- that's not what most of them are after anyway. But I've never gotten past the first episode of most of the ones I tried to watch, so maybe I am wrong. Someday there will be one I will enjoy, I am sure

[typicrobots]

This is so funny because I basically do not listen to the lyrics of any of these songs. I got into Kpop around 2009 (so long ago!) and that was at the height of their Gee popularity, and then came Genie and Oh!. Anything before that I have no idea what their image was supposed to be, but from what I can tell it was pretty innocent and subdued? I want to say after the popularity of Gee is when their outfits started to get shorter and smaller while the overall message of their image didn't change at all - they were still little girls. I don't think there's anything overtly sexual in Gee either (although the aegyo there is played up for the benefit of their male fans), but Genie, I don't know. I thought the entire video was about selling a male fantasy. The girls inviting them into this boudoir-like setting where they're pillowfighting in skimpy outfits while they sing about fulfilling his every wish? That right there is where the dissonance gets me, that idea that oh, they're just doing it in a fun, innocent, playful way when it's

[elapses]

Oh god, for some reason I was not thinking about the music video when I wrote that sentence but instead the concept/performance outfits -- YOU ARE COMPLETELY RIGHT, the Genie MV is the creepiest thing of all. I think I even meant to say that, when I first read your comment on my phone -- NOTHING IN KPOP WILL EVER BE CREEPIER THAN THE GENIE MV, but I forgot. (God I hope I am never proven wrong on that count.) I wish there were a way to see the demographics of each fanbase too though -- I kind of think that the oldness of SNSD's fans is overemphasized (they're totally there, but not in those numbers), but the maleness of them is not. Which is still disconcerting to me, I guess because I think for the most part Western pop music is marketed towards young women

[align]

As a SNSD fangirl who just stumbled onto this entry by chance, I need to declare my absolute huge adoration and love for this entry. *___* It's so great and just captures perfectly what I love about all nine girls as individuals and a group... idk. All I can say is that I love this entry and it is epic and ignites fanspazzing. :'D♥ Thank you for writing it all up.

[elapses]

Aw I am so glad it held up for you as someone who already knows and loves them, in many ways that is a much more difficult audience. Thank YOU!!

[align]

They are just so PERFECT and like you commented to jetidal below... it's their flaws that just add to their ridiculous charm and perfection, like how unprofessional they can be in rehearsals... I feel obligated to link to Sunny at the Golden Disk Awards, just because. XD ... I don't know where I'm going with this, but once again ♥♥♥

I'm sorry this is kind of fanspazzy and incoherent, because I just re-read most of the entry in a hurry and descended back into Soshifangirl!mode. XD;

[elapses]

Ooooh ty I had not seen either of those fancams and they are both DELIGHTFUL. Sunny has been the LAZIEST ASS DANCER in the last couple of months, it is my new favorite thing. I love how Tiffany's shitty dancing is always SUPER EARNEST and you can tell she is trying so hard, but when Sunny is shit at dancing it's like... she just can't be bothered. Why is she so great.

LOL PLEASE, NO NEED TO APOLOGIZE, LIKE I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT GOES.

[jetidal]

god I love this and just pimped it out on twitter xD
I love the way you wrote it all spazzy and flaily and tbh it was more of meta than a pimp post but still amazing. I read it and i was ALL TRUE ALL TRUE ALL TRUE THAT'S RIGHT YOU'RE RIGHT AND SO TRUE. Some fans might probably be all RAWR STOP INSULTING THEM but I think the way you didn't pull any punches made this way better than something just spazzing all over them.

and don't worry you're not alone with brotae SHE'S A MAN and they totally named ChinChin radio after her double chins.

[elapses]

For a sec I was like WHAT ME SAY SOMETHING BAD ABOUT SOSHI but now I see what you are saying, I always forget that for most people shit like "oh my god why is she so lame" doesn't translate to "oh my god why is she so perfect :3" like it does for me.

SHE'S A MAN and they totally named ChinChin radio after her double chins.
crying with laughter, SO TRUE

Anyway thank you, I am so glad you liked this!!

[warmboys]

absolutely adore your Seohyun meta and the fact that you used "hysterically" to describe her twice in the same paragraph 8DDD the excitement! I feel it! /mems

[elapses]

Oh man and I even used it AGAIN in the next paragraph, I need to work on my word choice. But whatev, it is the truth-- the earnestness with which she approaches absolutely everything is hilarious. And thank you!!