I made a follow-up video that further explores kpop colorism/racism and how different fans respond to it: ua-cam.com/video/32bJNO7IaR8/v-deo.htmlfeature=shared Based on your comments, I've made some clarifications below: 1) Blackswan is *NOT* a non-Asian group. I called them non-Asian to distinguish them as the first mainstream Kpop group that doesn't have east and or southeast asian idols. That is what I meant by "non-Asian," but this would still be an incorrect usage of the term because Sriya is south Asian. 2) Because I'm not familiar with lighting and production technology, I wasn't fully accurate in my comparison between Aespa's night concert and TVXQ's to show whitewashing. Led lights and the ones used for concerts now have much brighter and bluer undertones which gives performers a much paler appearance without a video filter. Warm-toned lights were used for TVXQ's concert, which is partly why they didn't match Aespa's complexion on stage. HOWEVER, the users who've provided this insight have also emphasized this lighting isn't enough to wash out Aespa in the way they appeared on that stage. Lighting may be brighter now, but not bright ENOUGH to remove melanin entirely. In other words, a video filter was probably applied to the footage. In doing some extra research, here's a more recent example of an outdoor concert to compare: ua-cam.com/video/1cnyM082vw8/v-deo.html Even though the technology of 2015 still would have been different from today, 2015 is a good point of comparison because it is precisely after that year and onward that Korean media increasingly took on extreme whitewashing.
"Let's be entitled neoimperialists and demand that a nation of indigenous people who've survived imperialism against all odds change their millennia-old aesthetic traditions."
Amazing story😊😊 But, in fact, Korean color is brighten than whole of the world people except North European in the research result. 😂😂😂 I'm glad about your ineresting novel.
It isn’t just video filters that make idols lighter, it’s also the lighting itself. At many festivals and music bank shows they use purple lighting which cancels out idols’ yellow undertones in their skin making them appear fairer. I don’t know where this video is but it’s a video of a New Jeans member (Danielle I believe) at Super Shy promotions and when she stepped a little bit out of the lighting she looked darker, plus the foundation was much lighter on her face than her body’s tan.
@@Jey-fx2zs I don't know what you were talking about, but I trust the scientific fact, not someone's view which is based on non scoentific fact. SK's skin is the brightest ezcept north european in average. Bro
I’ll never forget when exo drew a black dot on a piece of paper and said it was a picture of Kai. 😢 it makes me sad that these idols want a global audience but never think how these comments effect their darker skinned fans
Tbh, Exo never catered to Global fans,they were exclusive to only China and Korea and later Japan. When they made those remark their main audience was these three countries, I don’t think they really think about Global audiences, plus that time I bet none of the Exo( including kai) didn’t even think those jokes can be hurtful.Asian mocking each other for their physical insecurities are always so common, but finally I have seen changes.But honestly people only like to change when they themselves suffer, my aunt always shame my lil sister for her dark complexion, now her daughter gets Bullied for her skin issue, they understand speaking on people's appearance is bad.
@@SadiaIslamShouki i was generalizing.. i ment the kpop industry as a whole wants a global audience but the kpop groups as a whole continue with colorist remarks. A few companies have started training their trainees with global sensitivity classes.. it should be universal
@@SadiaIslamShouki Getting mocked for a physical feature is never fun even if you don’t respond to it or call out your friends. Especially if it’s a physical feature considered ugly or undesirable in your culture and society. Kai has talked about his skin color before. You shouldn’t dismiss his feelings just to give EXO cover about stuff that’s been well known and talked about for years. And mind you, I’m a ride or die EXO fan for over a decade. I watched EXO’s showtime when it first aired and those other variety and radio shows where his skin color was a topic. It’s ok to criticize their past behavior related to colorism especially in the format that this video is, being respectful and talking about an important subject seriously.
@@jaetine9006 what about Kai Mocking Baekhyun for his body type, D.O. for his bad eye sight and Chanyeol for his big ears.Those can be their insecurities too.but most people Won't pay attention to that Because it Won't fullfil their motive to hate on someone unnecessarily especially when they don’t mean any harm.Exo has been brought up into a social system where Mocking your friend's for their body features is consider fun( especially in 2014 they weren’t aware of other culture and k-pop wasn’t spread that much).If you are ride or die for EXO, you should know how much EXO value Kai, especially for his visual, they are his biggest fan, yet let people shit on them for something they didn’t even mean for, like, " that’s rude, especially when It's comes from the members " ummh, no that's not, they know each other for a long time and have equation like that, they can leg pull each other without hurting each other's feeling.It's all about what type of relation you share.You can't just make up stories on behalf of Kai when he is also a prankster, his favourite way of pulling his friends' leg is to mock them for their feature and he still dose this, this is literally his code, he might be angry with them for pulling jokes but he never seemed hurt. Kai express his feeling for his tan skin? Bro Kai had multiple teasers when his fellow members had one,Kai was introduced as face of the group ( a dream SM group, like the most anticipated group for decades) Kai has always been shown as the most attractive one. You really think members or Kai thought he was not good looking and did injustice to him when over the year Kai has always been the member who gets most styling, screen time and center. Also, as a die hard fan, don’t you It's hypocrisy to bring a 2014 video when they were literally teen age, after that EXO always publicly and casually expressed how stunning Kai is, and they wish they had his complexion too,But people will never bring these up, you know why?! Because this Won't feed their hearted for EXO and they can't continue with the narration of EXO are some evil entities. We are human beings we always don’t know what’s right and what's not, especially when we grow up in different social contexts The things okay for you might be horrible for us, vice versa.
I will never forget witnessing colorism in kpop for the first time when RM (BTS's leader) said in an interview in 2015 i think that when he first saw JHope and V he couldn't see them because they were too dark. Taemin is Kai's bff but a few months after Kai debuted he said that Kai's weakness is that he is so dark. Taemin also said that he thought Kai was south american. He has a pattern of making colorist statements. Almost every group is guilty of making colorist comments. I also don't agree with them removing the clip. Deleting it makes it so that it seems like it never happened and future viewers won't know at all.
when they first debuted I thought RM was half black….then a year later….uh oh…where the hell is the blaccent and the hairstyle at? 🙄 there’s a reason why he wasn’t my bias in the first place especially with him saying the n word like ok chex hanks
Guys let me help you RM is the member that loves black hip hop and culture. Every Time when he interviewed all media did comments about his dark skin. And this time that he said V etc are dark that he didn't see them was an ironically comment and bad humour because he didn't want to listen more about his skin
Korea allow tanned skin only if you are sexy and curvy. It’s okay only if you can be sexualised. The well knowed dark skin idol all have a sexy image. Even the innocent one get the more sexualised out of their group. Aka tzuyu, jennie, seolhyun, yuri, Kai, whasa, jessi, hyolin and so and so. You are the sexy one and thick one ( of course thick for Korean standard lol)
i hate when idols fansites edited their photos so much. for example jaehyun from nct is naturally pale but they edit their photos to make him look even whiter 🤦🏻♀️ (just like Casper) like C’MON
the dark skin female idols are also forced by the kpop industry to portray the same negative stereotypes over and over. The Jezebel, the Sapphire, and the Ssen Unnie stereotypes are what mostly get pushed onto dark skin women so as to make light skin women look better in comparison. Kpop never portrays dark skin asian women as soft, pure, or feminine. they are mostly masculinized or portrayed in a oversexualized manner. Kpop also does FAKE dark skin representation (OMG Mimi and Loosemble Hyeju faked their skintones for their latest comeback). we never get REAL dark skin representation anymore.
@hotsexyangel that's not their natural skintone. I've seen many performances of them practically looking the same as their group members. They faked their skintones through exaggerated tanning. They don't represent dark skin women.
These idols take suplements, use bleaching soap and creme and take glutathione shots. You never know when somebody is naturally fair or not these days.
@@tornadosirenwednesday And then the few times when they do go out in the sun, they insist on wearing long sleeves, even if they're going to the beach, or something like that
@@lifeissobeautiful6404 Covering up at the beach is just smart, considering how much science we have at this point demonstrating how harmful UV is. But I definitely take the point that it's often done for cosmetic reasons instead of legitimate concern over something like skin cancer. 😩
adding to what u said (great video btw!) im kinda tired of the reason justifying colourism is that 'asians aren't being anti-black its bc back in the day poor ppl worked outside all the time and got tan therefore, tan ppl = poor people therefore it can be seen as undesirable! see you guys its not racism!!' and its like babes.... you just changed the reasoning from racism to classism. it doesn't make it better ???
Especially when it is 2023 and not 900 BC. The reasoning doesn't count anymore. The society doesn't have active ruling royals, who stay indoors. It is the social status they want to reach and that is what Korea is build on. Social status, luxurious goods and good looks. It is a very artifical society but it will collapse one day, if they don't change. White skin won't give you a better life, if everything else is bad.
I remember when fatou first debuted and she used to have those pasty looking filters on, now blackswan exists and shocases diverse skintones but even then it's still perceived as a 'foreign' thing and if you look at groups like vcha, they still whitewash the more tan members and those are young kids. People like to use cultural differences as an excuse but it's still important to continue to call it out cause it can be really damaging especially to young people, especially as kpop expands to a global stage.
아니 그들은 카메라 앞에서 밝게 보여야 하는게 직업이라서 하얗게 칠해질 수 밖에 없습니다. 왜 조명과 무대 화장에 대한 이해를 하지 않는거죠? 한국 예능과 드라마를 봤으면서 PD 역할을 하는 배경을 본적이 없나요? 분명히 조명 스태프라는 역할이 있을것입니다. 유튜브를 통해서 잘 관찰해보십시오
an additional, offensive aspect of all the filtering for whitening purposes is how the idols' other facial features are blurred out of existence, since changing the skin tone/lighting removes the more natural contrast and blend of highlights and shadows; sometimes looking at pictures of an idol's face is jarring because it's now just a smooth, white oval with two eyes and a mouth, and maybe the vague suggestion of nostrils
I've been a kpop stan since 2015 and i've also noticed that whitewashing has really gotten out of hand over the years. I use fan cams in all my videos (new and old) and some idols literally look like ghosts before I edit them. I mostly add filters to make their outfits pop but I notice that these days, I use them to add some melanin BACK because of how ridiculous they look. sometimes I find it hard to criticize idols when it comes to colorism because it is so tightly woven into the culture and they grow up thinking making comments on darker skin is normal, so unlearning it all in the snap of the finger is difficult. I'm not dismissing their behavior, but I know from first hand in my culture how hard it is to unlearn it all as I spend a lot of time correcting the elders in my family. It took and is taking a while for a lot of them to get the concept, but that doesn't mean they dont want to learn. I think that in order to make an actual impact on these idols is to use a different, less aggressive approach when educating them. but that's just my opinion. great video btw!!
I didn't expect to see a comment from you, thank you for watching 😭💕 I'm also half Asian so I can relate to your points, it's a very difficult thing to tackle. Thank you for your thoughts!
There have been multiple instances in Korean TV shows that I have seen someone telling another person "you look like you gained some weight!" And then laughing right in their face 😭 and it was real people not actors reading a script. I don't blame idols when they say these types of things. They are socialized to think rude comments about people's looks are okay. In America, if you said these things to someone you would be labeled as a bully and people would be appalled. But I am sure Americans also do things that Koreans consider rude 😂 so I just realized that it's a waste to judge people for these things.
Completely accurate analysis of what’s going on today in the fourth generation. As each generation debuts younger and younger, they’re taught and ingrained by their society and their workplace that this is the standard. “If you want to achieve your dreams, or if you don’t want to drag down your group, lighten your skin.” They shouldn’t have to believe that their natural pigment is flawed, as it builds insecurities and causes problems since idols hold influence. They don’t have malicious intent when they take a selfie and put a bunch of lightening filters on, but when people follow them who come from all over the place, some may compare their lives to idols, including their own visual looks. I wish that I can see good in the ancient korean philosophy and view of pale skin signifying beauty, but I can’t. Not when it’s harmful to their own people who feel they need to conform in order to belong. Great video. Definitely well spoken and shed light on a very difficult topic! 😊
The current colorism problem is conflicting with international K-pop groups. In A2K and the Dream Academy there are no Black girls. All of the “black” girls are biracial (only half Black). There are no fully Black or darker skinned girls in the shows/groups. Everyone talks about how diverse these shows are, but they are colorist and racist. Most of the non-Asian girls are white or half white. They even made sure that no more than one of the half Black girls made it into Vcha. On the debut single cover, she’s pushed to the side. Even Alex was not the first black K-pop idol but rather the first half black K-pop idol. Fatou is the first fully Black and dark skin K-pop idol. They are directly saying they don’t want any more Black girls in K-pop groups.
That’s why every time korean companies try to debut groups that’s specifically for western audiences, they failed. They don’t understand Western audiences are tired of the mix representation
Thank you, they are always bent on using mixed people. Now it’s okay for people to look at a mixed person and say wow their skin tone is pretty but I hate how they once used Alexandra and used her image as the “first black” and didn’t market her as the first non Asian multiracial person in Kpop and now that Fatou is here they are saying oh she’s the first black artist. I’m thinking no let Alexandra keep her position just change it to first Biracial non Asian artist instead of taking something away from her because they used her. Nvee, Manon, and Savanna are all biracial and multiracial mulatta Americans in kpop yet they won’t market them correctly I bet.
@@edoardorivera4119that’s something to also note. A lot of kpop fans thinks it’s an East Asia issue, when j pop has embraced half black artists for a while now. They’re even in some more popular songs. Not to say there’s no racism, but it’s different.
I remember feeling a mixture of pride and sadness when Kai once said that he had grown to love his skin tone and had become proud of it. Pride that he over came all the 'jokes' and teasing and sadness that he had to. He is now seen as one of the sexiest men alive - not just in Kpop with his beautiful toned skin, although that has a lot to do with the growth of influence of world wide Kpop fans. That friends find it okay to tease fellow members whom they obviously do have strong bonds with is so sad. I think at the moment, it is not just the advance in technology, but also the feeling of staking an identity to Kpop. More and more groups are producing tracks aimed at western tastes as they need success in the west to boost their ratings and therefore entice more fans who are swayed by numbers that apparently reflect popularity, and they can obviously make money and survive in the business if they do so. There has been talk about how Kpop is loosing its Asian identity. Whether this is true or not, just the thought could be enough for those in charge to push back by trying to keep it differentiated.
I can agree. I feel that them lightening more is just a way for them to assimulate to European standards, as with many cultures of urban people tend to do; in hopes to gain/maintain success. It sucks really. I hope kpop stays true their ethnicity and standards of beauty...so that the world will see that there's nothing wrong with being different. Every race is wonderfully created as their own visually.
ChanYeol pissed me off so bad back in the day. He's got some tan to his skin himself and those big arse ears, yet he kept teasing Kai. I seriously wanted to punch him through my computer screen.
I was honestly taken aback with how pale Kai was for Rover promotions and video. Hes the palest hes ever been now. and the filters for his dance challenges took me out man matched the walls in some of them. Though the pale skin is an East Asian beauty standard, not western, we have seen it starting to spill over as kpop becomes more popular in the west, but it was not a western beauty standard.
Absolutely Eastern, which is why I think it is being used to set them apart and give an image to Kpop that is distinctly Eastern. Perhaps I was unclear on that. I see it as a way they can stand apart and say this is Kpop, that it is true to its roots. There has been so much about how groups are becoming more westernised. This is one way they can say they are not. @@BambiLena666
5:55 just adding on to this part, the aespa concert clip isn't necessarily done with filters only. they also use purple or other cold tinted lights to erase yellow/warm tones from the skin, also much brighter led lights are used today compared to eg 2008
This! There’s a fan videos circulating of a press conference /showcase event.. and right before the event started they turned on these bright blue lights and instantly all the melanin in the idols’ skin disappeared.
Yes, I work in TV/film and I must add that today's imaging sensors, lens, processing and colour reproduction (raw, post-processing etc), along with lighting sources, reflectors, diffusion etc, are very different from each generation prior. It's not exactly an apples to apples comparison when you compare people captured in media between each decade. This also applies to white people and case in point is Madonna through the years as technologies have evolved. Having work with plenty of people of different races, any person there at this Aespa concert would easily identify that the group member's skin is fair, but still the fair with yellow-undertone color that East Asians are known with.
This is an instance of colorism in society n Kpop too. Even if it is the lights. When photography first came about, film was made and processed in such a manner that darker skin did not read well. It wasn’t a lack of technology like dark skin is so difficult and tricky… it’s just the people developing the technology and taking the pictures didn’t care to take into account what non-white people looked like. Similarly there is a long history of photographers not knowing how to light a dark skinned person properly for photo shoots or portraits. It’s wasn’t rocket science, they just never learned, it never occurred to them, they didn’t care. That is colorism too.
It's just not attractive. Idols in older vidios just look better and healthier than almost anyone right now, especially girls. It's not even about color itself but seeing real skin and not just filters.
I haven’t been deep into K-pop since 2016 but when I look at the groups nowadays, I really don’t find their image attractive compared to older generations.
And I’ve been accused of pushing my “western ideals” onto kpop because i want idols to appear in their natural skin, which includes fair skinned idols, but without editing ☠️
I watch a lot of k dramas and I'm always bothered when characters talk about being pale as a beauty trait. As a woman of color I'm like great. Thank you for telling me my skin which I happen to love is not desirable. To pull to non entertainment realm, a friend showed me a pic if her friends and they were so covered for fear of sun that all you saw were their eyes. Fear of darker skin. It's hard to not be insulted. The oddity, k pop stems from music of people of color. And yet......
The problem isn't people finding someone's naturally fair skin pretty, the problem is refusing to find beauty in other skin tones as well. Everyone is allowed to feel good about their own skin or hair color.
@@rachelmaddowswife8713 Exactly so if people are only ever pointing out that light skin is the best beauty trait and you never see the same being said about dark/tan skin then it remains a problem where the shows are reinforcing the status quo. Shows don't necessarily having to stop praising white skin if they add more diversity and acknowledge it's beauty but they don't so the practice becomes harmful.
@@nbucwa6621 Yes, the Korean entertainment industry does need to stop being colorist about their own Korean celebs who happen to be a tanner complexion. I don't think it's fair to expect "diversity" though, because it isn't a diverse country. It makes a lot more sense for diverse countries like the US, Brazil, etc to have actors and singers of all skin tones, but I don't think it's fair to expect South Korea to import non-South Koreans just to please non-South Koreans. The best way to encourage the kind of content you want to see is to support that content. Watch the shows and buy the albums that align with your interests and values. There's a fine line where it becomes inappropriate for us international fans to impose our own culture and expectations on someone else. I have light hair, but it wouldn't be fair for me to turn on a kdrama where everyone has black hair and get offended that one character is praising another character's pretty dark hair. If I'm feeling particularly sensitive and need to feel better about my looks, I should watch a different show that features people who look like me.
This is a great video, there is so much colorism I remember some kpop stars even did the blackface. And when doing hip hop concepts they often imitate the 'hard rough image' which is very surreal. It's a sad thing
@@norabeckwith6893it’s specifically called “yellow face” when non East Asians change their appearance to try to look like East Asians. It’s called “red face” when non Native Americans do it to look like Native Americans. I watched a silent movie last week from 1911, centered around a Native American tribe, and it was rare in that all the Natives were played by actual Native actors, except the actor who had top billing and played the chief’s son . He was Japanese and a well-known star in Hollywood movies, so that was an East Asian in “red face.” And apparently casting Asians to play Native American characters was very common then. There were probably more Asians, because they were immigrating in fairly large numbers and settling in the US while the Native Americans were being decimated.
I'm SEA and been into kpop since BoA's prime (and man, if you want to really see how times have changed, watch videos of SES back in the day compared to their recent reunion. it's madness), so this has been a depressing trend to witness escalate over the years. Honestly, I remember thinking in 2015 that the whitewashing had gone as far as it could get, so seeing Lion Heart used as an example of *less* whitewashing is mindblowing to me. But seeing the older clips, I also remember how any darker-skinned idol was relentlessly bullied and shamed by the public. So it's unsurprising that those same idols appear snow-white now after they spent their youth being told their darker skin made them ugly. I feel bad for kids growing up in this atmosphere.
Yeah, it's like when the fans attack an idol relentlessly for being "overweight" (while they have a bmi of like 19..) and then they're shocked to see them looking like a skeleton in the next comeback. The pressure on these typically teenaged idols to please everyone with their appearance is overwhelming, I don't blame the idols themselves at all. It's on the fans, and also the companies that market them, to change the culture.
I honestly have so much respect and admiration for idols like Haechan or Kai, despite the comments they constantly receive from their band mates they have said several times how they embrace and love their skin color🥲 i hope idols in general just stop making fun of darker skin color because it isn’t funny at all
I'm glad others have noticed this and are talking about it. I wasn't sure if I was imagining it as a 2nd gen fan, but every time I watch old videos I feel this way. I've also noticed over time that content from newer groups makes me feel pretty insecure and triggers body dysmorphia in a way I never experienced with older groups. I think it goes to show how advances in technology and other tools for aesthetic cultivation arguably cause more harm than good, because they just raise standards to be even higher/even more unrealistic. I hope that fans will recognize the power they have to influence companies in this regard. Companies do this because they believe it's what the public wants/what will sell the most. Let's show them that they're wrong, and that there is immense love for idols of all skin tones
Certain trainees who would’ve been chosen to debut or join a company 15 years ago would never be chosen today because “honey thighs” became “fat” and medium/tan complexion became “too dark.” It’s so sad.
even as a 3rd gen stan, it's so insane when i look at pictures of 4th gen idols. in 3rd gen there was whitewashing, yes, but it wasn't to the level that 4th gen idols' companies take it to. i don't really keep up with k-pop well anymore, but i hope that 4th gen fans encourage idols to show their real skin color.
For me, growing up with very fair skin meant fearing sunburns, being unable to find makeup, and frequently being asked if I was sick (the school nurse meant well). Therefore, I was shocked when I realized that my least favorite feature was something weirdly prized in kpop. But let's be honest, my skin has never looked like kpop skin. For most people, it feels like a look that can only be achieved through digital trickery, which is so dehumanizing.
i agree with your comment wholeheartedly. when you are naturally extremely pale (i am also and i get your struggle), it isn't all glamorous as kpop idols make it to be. it comes with every single imperfection on your skin showing very much more than on anyone who is more tan, veins being visible on every part of your body, sunburns so bad it gets to a point of an entire layer of your skin peeling off at every sun encounter you have, and not to mention being asked if you are sick, you should eat more blabla. so i always found it so intriguing why anyone would want to be whiter than they are on purpose.
I swear the majority of people do not like how they look in some way. I've seen this EVERYWHERE. either you're too light, too dark, too short, too tall, too skinny, too fat, whatever. we're supposed to embrace our natural features, not hide them.
@@frenchgirl5878 yall talk about world as if the entire world is just america. let me tell you, its not. i live in a small european balkan country where our makeup shops and drugstores carry like 4 shades of foundation. if you want a budged foundation you will not be able to find your shade. you can go to a high end perfumery where they carry more expensive brands and you can maybe find a foundation in your shade there, but you will pay 150 km for it (approximately 70ish dollars), which the majority of our population can afford.
@@frenchgirl5878 when I was younger I had trouble finding foundation which wasn't to dark for me. I don't think that would be the case anymore today, though I don't use it currently. But the person you are responding to was also talking about past experiences
Good on shinee for apologising. A lot of groups continue to make such jokes without acknowledging how harmful it is, both to the member(s) they’re making fun of, as well as fans..
Well some people might say “it’s 2023 who cares about skin tone” well in Asia you will be make fun of if you have darker skin tone. It’s really the standard here even the teacher will make fun of you nothing can actually stop this to happen. K-pop might revolve around the world but in Asia but lighter skin tone will always on top of anything
while key and taemin's comments were pretty damn sad it was very nice to see them personally apologise for it, I can't think of the last time I heard an idol actually acknowledge let alone apologise for colorism so that's at least something good out of this whole mess. Also even with a group like blackswan, iirc when fatou first joined her makeup often made her look really ashy, I think her stylist is making steps in the right direction now but damn can we please let these idols look like they're at least alive. The next step in this whole thing will be everyone looking blue I swear Everytime Soyeon's face matches her neck we cheer
ngl it’s kinda hard for me to see taemin’s and key’s apology as genuine considering the fact they they’re both adults now and have been/have seen other idols get called out for doing the same thing
as a South Asian/Pakistani, I was rly happy to see Sriya and Aria debut!! I hope they're not severely white-washed and aren't afraid to embrace their cultures
@@afiamahmood1313 Or she growed out of her skin color just like many asian kids went through, many of us were really dark when we were born but as time went by our skin changed
@hallooos7585 never heard of that, because if skin acts like iris and hair(into a certain point, then starts to get greyish) the colour tends to get darker with age
@@258Louresnah it actually is an Asian thing. I was born white but then spent yrs in the sun as a child and when I stopped, my skin went back to white and people were wtf is wrong with your skin tone because for years in school they only saw me with tan skin
It sadly isn't just an idol problem, but in Korea as a whole. I'm living and working here, and for work we have to get photos taken every year. They whiten and edit our faces sooo much. To the point that it doesn't look like me at all. The big one is neck stretching, and shrinking head size. ㅠㅠ
I grew up in a half korean community and i hate south korea so much , they were all so fake , rude and pretty much obsessed with appearance , and i meant as a little kid , seeing how they interacted without filter around me, i personally would rather move to sweden or Switzerland if i get to choose
Tbh liking fair skin is not the problem but treating dark skin as a curse is. Some people will be like it is a joke but then ask yourself what was funny? You being dark was? You will never see somebody making fun of you by saying you look so fair. Because nobody will find it funny in fact it is mostly a compliment in a lot of countries. Jokes are supposed to be funny lol they are not supposed to give you a insecurity that you have to live with.
Fully agree with your point, just making note that in America at least, some people *do* get teased for being 'ghostly' white or 'shiny in the sunlight/reflects the sunlight' white. Especially if you live in places like CA or FL, where tanning is practically a way of life for many, especially those in the entertainment industry.
not only are some idols guilty of using makeup or treatments to lighten their skin whether from pressure or personal biases, but companies will even whitewash their artists without permission. i remember a video of felix was posted by an official account, and it was so noticeable how much they brightened it with filters was that felix took it upon himself to upload the original video without filters. doesn’t matter if they’re already light skinned, they will make them lighter. even fansites do this. i will never understand it. all skin colors are beautiful with warm cool or olive undertones, it doesn’t matter. the colorist bias this companies have is crazy. i feel for the koreans who feel pressured to lighten their skin or struggle from colorism in school or from family. it must suck. no one should have to “learn” to love their skin color.
I find it crazy the industry is desperate to grow in the Western market, but their colorist and racist views in general haven't changed. If they want international success, they should really try to break down all the filters and especially the things they don't educate their idols on (colorist comments, racism). Although it is engraved into their society (so I feel a tad bit bad for them) I find it hilarious an industry that actively profits off of the people they deem unattractive wants to market towards those very same people in places where colorism isn't accepted. I wonder how all of this will turn out.
It will reach a wall. The majority of the new countries and fan bases they’re trying to break into don’t fw kpop for these and other reasons. Kpop fans are starting to turn against kpop because 4th gen vocals, performances, and what made kpop seem to be lacking. Kpop was also a global fad built on escapism so like most fads they fade and all of the systematic scandals (burning sun, overworking, plastic surgery abuse, colorism) that comes out turns off more and more casual fans.
THIS! I'm Southeast Asian. I had a neutral view of kpop. I didn’t hate it, I listened casually if it's on the radio but I prefer listening to other music genres. I've stopped listening to kpop and even avoid buying Korean-made products now after I found out that Koreans are racist toward SE Asians, South Asians, Blacks, and hate on anyone with darker skin.
6:42 This is so important! There is a difference between personal preference in a society where diversity and free-thinking in beauty ideals is allowed and encouraged vs a society where beauty standards that say pale skin is the only beautiful are constantly shoved in your face and everyone's faces and you as a society perpetuate and promote the idea that anything darker than paper white is just not attractive. It's crazy the arguments people come up with to try to defend colorism
Yes! When it comes to this and other issues (like plastic surgery) people are always saying “it’s their choice” when we all know about Korea’s strict beauty standards, bullying from fans and how much companies control idols
Some of the worst colorism and ethnic fishing happens in the US so lets not be too sanctimonious about Koreans, shall we. Like we dont even set the good example.
@susiex6669 Why are you assuming everyone else here is American? And even so, we can critique both countries, its not like criticising one country means giving other countries a pass
@@LeeKnowsCatss If youre in a Western country or follow Western entertainment and never complain about this, thats clownish behavior. If its bad when Koreans do it, you should be equally loud when Beyonce, Nikki Minaj, Little Kim, Ariana Grande, etc.. do it, too and even worse.
@@susiex6669 Like I said, we are allowed to call out an issue when we see it. Keeping quiet about it just because it happens in other places makes absolutely no sense and is giving whataboutism. The world doesn’t revolve around America and many people are not as familiar with US colorism as they are with US racism
That's why I'm so fortunate for the few idols like oh my girl's Mimi and The boyz' Sunwoo for embracing their natural skin tones and seeing it in a positive light rather than in the negative. Because they honestly look very beautiful. I just wish more idols, make-up artists and fan-site people could see that😭😭. Like enough with the same ol shade #3 foundation, whitewash filters, and purple lighting
I'm pleasantly surprised to see such a respectful take and problem-solving approach to this. And I wholeheartedly agree, we correct wrong by doing good. We need fans praising tans on fancalls, more intimately, as it reaches faster. I doubt people who go on fancalls to organize and do this, but a stan can dream. An idol praising their peers' melanin would also be great, when given the opportunity. Small actions are small but they spread.
i remember an incident with seventeen, where mingyu says he's self conscious about his skin and minghao tells him so what? you're handsome the way you are
As someone who got into kpop in 2012 this has bothered me for a long time so thank you for making a great video on it with super clear examples! Also as a TVXQ! stan thank you for all the images of them you used haha I genuinely miss their tanned skin esp Yunho because he's so gorgeous with it 🥺 Wonder Girls Yubin looked stunning in that photo too
This whole colorism thing happens in practically all Asia, in a general overview, not just in kpop or South Korea. I watch a ton of Asia tv (specially Thai) and I can state it happens frequently in Thailand, Japan and China as well. It is something that should be pointed out and talked about, nevertheless, cause it has to be changed.
It’s also not helpful that the shade range of the complexion products in Korea don’t even cater to darker toned idols. It’s already the standard to pick a shade that will “brighten” your face to make you look young and fresh. Then you see the back of their necks being 2 shades darker. Sometimes I cringe at the ambassador photos of idols, specially when it’s for a skincare/cosmetic brand because it’s so edited that it makes them look more like a boiled egg than human.
I have naturally light skin and I’m Filipino . So when I saw K-pop in previous gen till now, I was shocked by the amount of whitewash used. I guessed that maybe they take supplements, get glutathione shots or use products to lighten skin just like in the Philippines. But I swear it’s next level in Korea… K-pop is a whole new level of pale skin obsession. Even I thought it was ridiculous in the Philippines because most people have tanned skin but whitening products are everywhere and their phones have a weird whitewashing effect. It made my grandmother look weirdly pale in photos but she’s naturally tanned in real life.
This was a very needed topic of discussion in KPOP. The amount of filters idols are ridiculous to a point where they dont look like humans . The seemingly poreless perfect pale skin is unnerving . Felix exposing jyp was a badass move on his part ,Felix for me is one of the most beautiful k-pop idols i have ever seen but even he isn't safe from these scrutinies then the less attractive idols don't stand a chance . As a 26 year old i have understood for a long time how entertainment industry and the beauty standards works so i have long stopped comparing myself to them but i do feel bad for the newer generation of fans following celebrities and becoming insecure . I somehow feel idols themselves are insecure as well which is ironic considering they seem like the most confident ppl but the continuous scrutiny by agency and fans will be too much to handle unless and until ur a narcissist.
i honestly can't believe idols still talk like this when they KNOW they have fans with darker skin, more than ever, they are going to international festivals and SEE those fans. they know how big kpop is in places where darker skin is the norm - they also see that more than ever with these fans reaching out to them on social media. the reason i think about fans is because there is an infamous video from 2012 of chanyeol making fun of kai's skin, and kai gestures to fans in the audience and says to him "yes i'm dark, some of our fans are dark too and they're all my family" and he was 18 years old at the time. so i don't know why an 18 year old can have the maturity that 30 year old men, his friends included, are struggling to also develop. sadly kai is among the few who doesn't take any steps to lighten his skin color, he admits he often doesn't even use sunscreen which is the major thing koreans bring up when they say "make sure you use sunscreen so your skin isn't dark" 🙄
thank you so much for this video, i'm done, tired and exhausted of bringing up this issue and having people tell me "koreans are naturally pale" or "they look tan because they're not taking care of their skin" (i wish i was making this sht up). i especially agree that compliments go a long way. companies and such might ignore whitewashing criticism, but they are likely to listen if they get huge positive feedback when showing idols how they actually are.
I also want to add that fans should stop defending idols/groups when they do/say something wrong or offensive. Calling them out doesn't make you a bad fan or hater if we protect them every time someone does problematic things, they never gonna learn. Great video btw!!
This was a very well thought out, and much needed video. The way some stans act like they're going to burst into flames when colorism and how wrong it is is pointed out is crazy, and the ignorance and effort to make it seem like people are being "too sensitive" is aggravating and a big part of the problem. Making someone feel less than for simply existing in the skin they were born in whether it's intentional or not is fucking nuts.
Whenever I see Hoseok (BTS) the first thing I say 'Okay, glowing king," As Black people we have colorism in our own community against darker skinned black women, men and children so we made that saying to lift them up. So I'm use to this already, since I was in college back in 2016. The saying "Melanin" is a huge staple inside out the black community to uplift the darker complexion that is usually talked down on. Everyone has pigments of Melanin in their skin (It's Just black people usually have the most due to the continent we live in, the sun beaming on our skins., so maybe everyone can also say to their favorite melanated idols "Yes, Melanin, glow!" This can be Taemin, Onew, Key, Changmin, Kai, Fatou, etc. Just make sure they see how much you love their new glow in their photos, this doesn't mean to trash their "pale pics" just remind the people making it, to diversify it. It shouldn't just be one skin tone, but multiple. :)
i’m in kpop since 2011 and i can’t agree more with you that’s why i’m following more japanese groups (not even they are safe actually the kpop based ones like niziu and JO1 are importing this sick beauty standard to japan) hyein from new jeans undoubtedly have a tan complexion but the company insist in whitewash her that pissed me off shes just a kid
The way I hate Jyp or Sony Music Japan and Lapone whitewashing NiziU, Jo1, INI and now Dxteen. Sm or Avex has New Nct Team from Japan. I’m scared what Lapone doing with Produce 101 Japan The Girls
@@brennathecatlover4360 tzuyu is naturally tan, jihad said her natural skin tone wasn't a good look on tzuyu knowing she she was the visual of the group
I dont really keep up with newer kpop anymore i started because of DBSK and seeing all these old school videos of my babies (who are all older than me) makes me so happy
The whitewashing is bad. Yes, their history does dictate fair skin means a high status but to claim that in present day makes no sense. Many enter the industry for wealth so it's evident you are not. I usually gravitate towards melanated idols. I hope their melanin is something they can be proud of and even put some of the skin bleaching to the side. There are people that want to see a reflection of themselves on stage, not just pale skin.
I agree. Previously it was easy to spot different shades of skin in K-Pop. Now everyone looks unrealistically white. Being an outsider, I never commented on Korean beauty standard until it started affecting the youngsters in my own country especially those with darker skin tone. Korean beauty standard and the constant bombardment of pale skin idols through social media made many teens more self-conscious than they already are.
From one fan of TVXQ to another, I do understand what you mean. I saw pictures of the guys recently and it's so bizarre to see them with such a white skin tone. They look whiter than I do, and I actually am white. And I've been to some kpop concerts and, while many of them do look pale, they still look like regular humans and not like that girl from The Ring. There comes a point where all the multicolored lights, makeup, and photoshopping make people look like they belong in a horror movie instead of real life.
I had few interaction where 4th gen fans goes feral when I pointed out how filtered, photoshopped their idol looks like. They insist their idol is that pretty/handsome and pale naturally. I think, in a way, those curated and altered images brainwashed their fans to thinking that it is natural human feature. And when theres a tiny, minor imperfections suddenly their places as an idol disappear. They don't deserve being one because they don't take care of themselves! This just toxic for the idol and the fans.
I am so glad that you made a video about this. I've been a kpop stan since 1st gen (now not so much) and I've noticed it even on 1st gen idols. The other day, I was watching a video of BoA singing My Name and she (and all her dancers) had their natural skin tone. I can't tell you how many comments I read of clearly younger kpop fans that couldn not understand why her skin color was darker. They started rationalizing that maybe tanning was a big thing back then. I wanted so badly to shout NO, THAT'S WHAT HER NATURAL SKIN LOOKS LIKE, but I knew my comment wouldn't get read. Like if you look at BoA not and BoA during her peak you can't even recognize her. And as you said, this is true for everyone. I was even looking footage from Niziu's most recent area tour in Japan and they look like ghosts! They've only been in the industry for 3 years and the difference is mind blowing. I think it's mostly lighting anf filters but dang. None of them are dark skin to begin with and one is even half white already. They don't need it.
I remember when they were trying to hide Hyolyn’s tan skin on music shows. Clearly she’s naturally tan and looks absolutely gorgeous with that tan. It’s sad that music shows would hide it and give her two shades lighter foundation
This is so sad because when I see idols like Minho from SHINee, Mingyu from Seventeen, or Haechan from NCT I always think they look GORGEOUS with their naturally tan skin tone. I hate when I see photos of them that have clearly been whitewashed to heck. And this is coming from someone who's naturally pale. What's crazy is that America's beauty standard for so long was tan skin and people who were pale (especially females) had to tan themselves if they wanted to be popular celebrities. Like can you imagine Ariana Grande with her naturally paler Italian skin anymore? Nope! Because she's been tanning it so long. It's insane to me how Korea's beauty standards are the exact opposite when many Koreans are actually naturally tanned (or at least, they don't look like ghosts irl). I hope this crazy beauty standard begins to lose steam very soon. It isn't the Joseon dynasty, Koreans aren't separated into noble classes and lower classes anymore. So why should skin colour be this weird hierarchy?
It's not only the filters....I recognized some beauty products. I'm japanese/dutch/Portuguese, and have a very pale rosy skin, so my usually go to bb cream and foundation tones are the lighter ones. I have a Korean boyfriend and he recently came back from Korea with some skin care products I asked for. He bought me a BB cream in a shade that was not the lighter, but the 2nd lighter....when I tried it on it was so white it looked almost grey on my skin!....well, Halloween is around the corner, I can always go as a corpse! 😂
This is so true, I got into Kpop in 2009 to 2010 and I could see the variety of tones in them, but as you mention, as time went by, it changed to what we now see. At the beginning, it was makeup with super light tones and It was very noticeable until we got to the point of the filters, there was a time where I walked away from Kpop almost halfway through the 3rd generation, which I recently returned and I realize so many things that have not improved, one of them is this topic, and I noticed it right away because I currently follow stray kids and one of its members Felix has many pre-debut photos and videos and you can see his skin tone and freckles, His tone was tan and his freckles were much more noticeable, currently he is super light and his freckles are barely distinguishable to the point that I'm sure they have to put on makeup so that they can be noticed more, the same with Hyunjin I found photos of him from pre-debut and His tone is also more tanned but they lighten it too much, not long ago he uploaded some photos to his Bubble account of him with his dog, photos that were taken by his dad and it looks like his real tone is somewhat tanned but not like when he was child, apart from the fact that it is noticeable how certain areas of his face are somewhat light, that means that he uses lightening products to even out the tone but it only works if you have a light tone, many of the Asian cosmetics have formulas to lighten the skin, this As you mention, it is a cultural issue that at this point is uncomfortable and they should stop doing it. sorry for my English🥲
8:20 it annoys me when people will call out idols for making colorist comments and their fans start to defend them by saying “well it’s normal in Korea to make those kinds of jokes.” Like okay? if anything that justifies people calling them out even more because they should realize that this is not normal
Exactly. Slavery was also normal at one point, so was child marriage. ‘It’s out culture’ and ‘it’s normal’ and ‘don’t put your ideals on to me’ are just excuses used by idiots who don’t want to examine their behaviour.
Firstly, TVXQ yesss! Secondly, this was a really well explained video. I enjoyed it. As someone who got into kpop/korean entertainment 2nd era and still rewatch the shows from that time like x men, 2days and 1 night, family outing, strong heart etc, it really does show what a difference there is in lighting, editing and post production.
Omg I’m SO glad to see this type of content and the scrutiny it will hopefully help to bring regarding colorism. It’s such a rarely touched upon subject, and a lot of people either don’t really understand what it is or they’re quick to dismiss it, yet it is systematically present in just about every ethnic, non-white culture around the world. It’s truly wild to think how is it possible for all of these cultures to seemingly adopt the same, single prejudice? Especially during the ancient times when cross-cultural exposure wasn’t so easy. And it unfolds in the exact same way, everywhere with light being "superior" to dark. It’s never the other way around! Gen Z and even younger Millennials have consistently shown to have a more diverse appreciation for beauty, as opposed to the monochrome preference of the older generations. Many of these same older generations occupy positions of cultural/entertainment influence (corporate not social media) like CEOs, managers, hair/makeup heads of department, art directors, studio heads and execs, magazine editors, casting directors etc etc. Remember, diversity (especially in beauty) was NEVER something that occurred organically to those generations. It was a notion they had to adopt in order to not become obsolete. To me, it's clear that colorism is a hallmark of outdated, narrow-minded, discriminatory people and a clear agenda continually pushed onto newer generations in order to maintain that old, antiquated status quo for the world even long after those older generations have passed, so that things remain in accordance to what THEY believed to be acceptable (beautiful) and correct. The only way to stop it is to actively challenge these notions and agendas when we see them unfold and to not be complicit with our silence.
Sigh… SM is notorious too. I didn’t know filters were used so much. I thought people were just upping their whitening shots. Some of my fave skin tones were SNSD Soyoung, Kai, Haechan, and Shotaro. It’s sad that people didn’t see it. GLAD we’re bring this topic back around
As an Indian, I am shocked at any justification of colorism in response to this video or in comments in other content. You have done a good job of breaking them all down. Personal choice? Please. I can excuse my dad or grandmother's colorism (but I will still talk to them about it and try to change their mind), but young folks of our generation and younger, especially people in the public spotlight who have clearly been spoken to about colorism have no excuse to still express those views. Now I know it is intrinsic. Many of my own friends find it very difficult to break free from the "fair is beautiful, dark is ugly" mindset we were raised with. But you know what? They do their absolute best not to publicly show their intrinsic prejudice and work hard to overcome it.
Also - what you said at the end is perfect. Talk to them, add comments. If we stand back afraid of offending a culture which inherently has colorism, then we will never improve. I didn't magically learn about how toxic colorism is. I learned from outside resources when people spoke up.
Culture is completely degrading when you see children thinking their voice and opinions are above their elders. Just shows your immaturity. How about get some life experience and grow up well instead. Your skin color does not define your soul. I honestly feel so bad for you and all the young people here who are having to grow up with this non stop burden of always feeling like a victim. The more negative things you push out to the world the more negative things the world will bring to you. "Fair is beautiful, dark is ugly", how can you even say that? How can you literally put that out into the world and passively blame people for such a ridiculous statement? Is there something wrong with fair and dark? No one chooses what color your skin is when you are born, everyone is beautiful. Beauty lays in the eye of the beholder. You blame even your friends on this statement? That is really sad. You must make them feel uncomfortable at times even if you don't outwardly say that to their face. That kind of negative mentality seeps out no matter what you say with your words. Every person has their own ideal beauty and it changes all the time; I am sure you make your friends uncomfortable when there is a darker skin toned person that they genuinely aren't attracted to, you put them in a situation where they can't be openly honest because then you may think they are a racist. Even though if it was a lighter skin toned person; I am sure it wouldn't be so much the case. That is a really unfair and narcistic way of thinking and I feel bad for your friends. I really think you would be a happier young person if you stopped giving skin color so much of your energy, time, emotion, and passion. All this path is going to bring you is pain because you are trying to pick a fight with a straw man.
@@_muse__ I am not sure if you are serious here or a troll. Being a mature older person (not young and immature as you assume - not all kpop fans are young since kpop has been around a LONG time you know), I am struggling with the choice of ignoring you or helping clarify things. You know what? I'll go with option 2 and give you benefit of doubt. Children thinking their voice and opinions are above their elders -- it is absolutely necessary when elders have hurtful thinking like colorism, sexism, etc. Thinking that their dark skinned son isn't as handsome as their light skinned one, or that the husband has the right to yell at the wife, or that a girl should just stay silent about abuse from family members, etc. When these things happen and the younger generation doesn't speak up, that is when extremely harmful cultural thoughts are perpetuated. So yes, younger generation has to stand up and fix generational trauma. "Your skin color does not define your soul" - I completely agree with you here!! I am not playing victim and I am not sure what part of my comment screamed victim complex. I was talking about my personal experience growing up in a south asian culture where colorism impacts people's lives on a daily basis. I am not making up and putting statements out there, I was sharing real life experiences. "Fair is beautiful, dark is ugly" - I didn't invent this and put it out in the world. Have you bothered to do any research about this? Have you seen Indian fairness cream ads? Go search up one ad and you will understand what I am saying. And then think of people who live their entire lives under this bombardment of colorism ideals. I have cousins and friends who have deep trauma and still struggle every single day due to this. I have lived with people and witnessed what this horrific beauty standard does to their emotional state as well as their physical state due to all the solutions they try to "fix" the problem. And for you to reduce this to victim complex show how lightly you take others feelings. Yes beauty lies in the eye of the beholder and yes, on the other end of the spectrum I have people in my life who prefer fairer people. The entire country prefers fairer actors in movies and dark skinned folks rarely become famous. I do not ever make people feel bad for their preferences because as I said originally - it is part of your brain. It is ingrained in you because of how you were raised. Every culture has a beauty standard and kids growing up in that will prefer that beauty standard and be attracted to that. Did I say in my comment I attack people for their preferences? No. If someone says "ugh, I can't believe Jane married Joe. Joe is so dark and ugly" (true statement I have heard multiple times in my family). Depending on my comfort level with the person who said that, I will speak up and say "hey, is that really a nice thing to say? Clearly Jane loves Joe. And honestly, Joe is a handsome guy. And all that matters is that Jane and Joe like each other for who they are so I don't think we should be making such comments." If someone says "I love Jane!! She is so fair and beautiful!" , I will smile and say "that is amazing! I am so glad you found someone you love!". Or "yes! Jane is pretty!". and stop there. I would never attack someone for who they love. I don't know what nerve I hit with you for you to go off like this but hopefully my explanation helps you understand the original intent more. If you are still firm on believing what you do, then I can't help it. I can only hope that your perpetuation of generational trauma doesn't hurt people in your life.
This is such an interesting video. As a DS Black American who just got into K-pop and Kdramas I can blatantly see the colorism but I was aware if anyone else found issue with it. It’s not lost on me when you see the bts videos of them on the beach underneath umbrellas hiding from the sun.
Even my fave group 2PM often they're whitewashed when they appear on JYP esp the members that are naturally tanned and sometimes in their photos. But sometimes without the filters you see their naturally tanned skin and its so beautiful. Its definitely a part of the Korean society i saw first hand and i hope it changes.
it's because having a tan was also popular in the early 2000s so that's why idols would jump into the trend, we all know how much of culture vultures koreans actually are, and since the tan skin fad isn't in anymore they then started obsessed with fair skin. it's a vicious cycle
I'm Asian, and most of my family (mum's side) are like fair-medium, with some who are darker. I have always been a been on the darker side, and I remember this one time when I was 9, I looked in the mirror with 2 of my other cousins and I was upset with the fact my skin was darker. Since then, I have definitely got a much healthier view of my skin being darker, but seeing idols say colorist things makes me feel like the progress is being undone. It reinforces harmful ideals of being white-skinned and makes me feel like I am inferior. I am not the darkest of people and I'd say I have medium skin tone, so I can't imagine what darker kpop fans might feel.
What's awful is "fans" editing the idol selfies... It's still happening so often it's so bad and they don't realise they're really just taking a picture someone took of themselves and said "no it's ugly let me change it"
Been a K-pop Stan since 2012, and is so refreshing to see a video finally conclusively talking about this without dividing it into 18 different videos ANOTHER CASSIOPEIA OMGEEEEE!!!😭❤❤
I think also cosmetic procedures have become more advanced, they have injections that make you lighter. But if you mention this to Korean people they act like they are all paper white and only avoid the sun and that is why their skin goes back to like when they were born, and say people are racist for assuming they try too hard to look lighter using too light makeup, excessive light of filters or bleaching procedures.
The same colorism issue was true with VIXX’s treatment of N. He was made fun of many, many times by the members. It was so internalised that N used to feel bad for the staff because they had to work extra hard for lighting his shots in order to not make him look dark. At first, N used to try to hide his actual complexion until mid-way through he dropped it and embraced his beauty because N is simply gorgeous and one of the most attractive idols on stage with one of the best stage presence. And to me, as a new fan of VIXX, it was very weird seeing all that older content. It’s just incredibly ignorant and backward of the Korean society if they keep following something discriminatory just because it was said in older times. I know these issues because my country has tons of them. So, we know that we can’t change their society ourselves. But we can support healthier conversations by sharing positive thoughts with our idols, just as you said.
The worst part isn’t even the idols themselves, who often do apologise in the end, and genuine or not, it’s still appreciated. The worst part is that there’s a whole group of colourist and toxic fans who will say that ‘it was just a joke’, ‘there’s no need to apologise’, ‘brown people always try to be the victim’, ‘why are you so sensitive’ and will gaslight and attack people who give constructive criticism and defend colourist comments made by their idols as if their life depended on it. 🤦🏽♀️ I know they’re called ‘idols’ but some of these fans literally treat them like deities. And some of these fans are even coloured themselves, which is the most pathetic thing to me. It’s like, I get you want to be ‘cool’ and ‘chill’ and somehow you think accepting being seen as a joke will allow you to be these things, but don’t disrespect your own community and don’t speak for the rest of us.
I'm a SHINee shawol since their debut in 2008 and have been sick to see all idols go from perfection (their natural skin color) to ridiculous (ultra-white to where they look sick and completely fake). I also hate it that everyone has to have exactly the same facial shape, and if you don't have it you have to get plastic surgery in order to debut. Yes, visuals are part of the genre, but I'll take great singing and choreo any day over this horror show. And yeah, TVXQ is a fav also. :)
Yay a fellow TVXQ fan here! 👋🏻 Great video! Changmin's tanned skin in Fly with the Gold is absolutely GORGEOUS! I loved how natural it looked and I really hope to see his natural tone more... looking forward to their 20th anniversary!
I'd also like to say that people have this weird retort of 'pale skin is beautiful too'... like yes obviously. I shouldn't need to say it but every shade no matter how pale or tan, is gorgeous. The problem is the idols aren't always naturally that pale, you're really kidding yourselves if you think that. Personally if I had to see photos and videos of myself then look in the mirror and see something different to what so many people praise and fawn over, I'd feel like an imposter. It's not healthy for anyone involved. So again, there's nothing wrong with any shade of skin. What's wrong is forcing unrealistic beauty standards on people and shunning (or worse dehumanising and discriminating against) anyone who doesn't fit into them.
Did any one else see the crazy lighting that changed danielle from literally white to a normal looking skin tone. I choked. Its not even a stage light, i wouldnt be surprised if it was one of those suppeeerrrrr bright torches that could make night into day.
I really like this video and I hope that it reaches a broader audience of K-pop bands. I especially don’t understand certain fans international argue with each other about why this is perfectly OK you’re fine because as someone who is Chinese Thai and Columbian mixed up and happen to have been born and raised primarily in east Asian countries. This is definitely a social construct an issue that is very much so brushed under the table. I feel like most of the time when people do you talk about how bad certain aspects of the beauty standards are. Like my brother-in-law’s fully Korean but he’s also a naturally tan dude. He is so used to people sitting there and pointing out how much darker his skin tone is legitimately being discriminated to a certain degree by people in his own country because of how he looks even though his face card is never declined and it’s kind of ridiculous and would really got me and would really made me pay more attention to it because personally growing up I was aware of it but I also just going to ignore it because I was also aware of the fact that because I was mixed-race, regardless of the fact that I was living back-and-forth between two east Asian countries I was never going to see the beauty standard in the first place, like my ass looked way to south east Asian, and other to fit any of the beauty standards. But it wasn’t until my sister was pregnant and my brother-in-law was genuinely concerned about the color of their child’s skin because again with us being mixed, we all have varying shades of melanin my older sister is lightest out of the three of us, but it still considered darker than is he liked or wanted in Korea and it wasn’t until that kind of hit me that I was like wow this is like way more of an issue that people to talk about. Not to mention, it kind of sucks because there was a point in time during third GEN I think it was kind of in the middle of it where both Korean fans and international hand have kind of came to an understanding when it came to idols and what they naturally looks like, and not white, washing the shit out of them when he came to tan taking photos like it was still kind of bad and I didn’t leave till like an argument on the Internet that lasted like two months if I remember correctly but it eventually got to a point where the cream pants are like you know what you guys are right they do caulk little ridiculous but also just don’t try fixing the photos because sometimes it looks like you’re making them darker It was just a really weird conversation that happened but then we were getting photos or taken at concerts at the airport at places, venues, etc. that weren’t white washed. Hi heavens, then fourth GEN happen and that just all disappeared again because the company started white washing the crap out of their idols and then the fan start doing it again too. I kind of miss when K-pop idols were more stupidly, talented people who we would never be able to reach their level of talent and perfection with their craft, and that’s what made them stand out from us and like yeah they were pretty, but they varied in the type of attractive and beautiful that they were versus now where it does feel like slowly, but surely a lot of idols are becoming the new IG models as in, they’re all starting to look the same and it pains me to say that as a fucking Asian person because literally it feels like the whole cloning, the people used to accuse us of doing is starting to happen in K-pop, because everyone is starting to look eerily similar. It’s not just that there are very attractive people being found, and picked and trained, but it also feels like because of the access whitewashing so everyone’s features seem really shallow on their faces most of the time because there’s no contrast and everyone has fairly similar make up done in terms of like their nose contour. Yes, some idols do have minimum invasive procedures, and I do you think people should stop sitting there and acting like idols don’t get worked on. It is something that Korean fans and Asian fans in general are well aware of it’s not anything new and it’s nothing wrong with it. Hell half of us have gotten worked on as teenagers as gifts from our parents. It might sound fucked up and it’s not necessarily the norm but it does happen for my 16th birthday. My parents literally paid for me to get a bump that I have on my fucking nose removed people ask me about it all the time they’re like doesn’t that feel some type away didn’t you feel some type away no because that’s kind of fucking normal there. It’s not the best and it definitely doesn’t help with your self-esteem but that’s a whole Nother situation in story to talk about when he comes to the Asian cultures and beauty standards which let’s be real K-pop does not help especially now because things are very Michelle added it to high heaven and I hell and it’s kind of ridiculous.
You know for 1st gen, having dark skin tone is the benchmark to coolness thanks to icons like Fin.K.L's Lee Hyo Ri and Sechskies's Eun Jiwon. They embrace their skin tones and rock it just fine on broadcasts and they prove that it cool to have dark skin tones. Eun Jiwon embodied the masculine vibes while Lee Hyo Ri embodied the sexy vibes with that skin tones just fine. As for today's gen, the only icon who is rocking dark skin tone is probably only Jessi.
I never subbed faster, that SNSD picture comparasion had me rolling on the ground. As a second gen stan, I've noticed over the decade the weird obsession that manifested with the looks of these idols. Obviously they were always stunning but 4th gen idols barely look human anymore, they look like AI created the perfect (asian) human and made them dance. It's quite interesting to see that most of them fit into that Korean beauty standard that much, which includes the lighting of their skins on pictures and videos. Sorry I thought I tuned in on Changbinnie rapping not a live broadcast of casper the ghost.
I just want to say that I'm really happy about all the Changmin pics and the comments and images about 2nd gen stuff. I'm a first year 3rd gen fan myself so I "grew up" seeing some of these things. 😂
can’t believe Seventeen wasn’t mentioned or shown once when they have bronzed god Kim Mingyu 😭 he’s an idol that I think is really comfortable with his melanin AS HE SHOULD BE!! it was kinda wild to me after getting into kpop and seeing how coveted pale skin is when tan/medium tone skin is the ideal in the states 🤯 to me title is a bit misleading 😬
I hate that basically every single group goes for the same look. There is basically no diversity. Same skin color, everyone has double eyelids, the same slim long noses, v chins etc etc. Kpop idols back then just looked more like actual people
I made a follow-up video that further explores kpop colorism/racism and how different fans respond to it: ua-cam.com/video/32bJNO7IaR8/v-deo.htmlfeature=shared
Based on your comments, I've made some clarifications below:
1) Blackswan is *NOT* a non-Asian group. I called them non-Asian to distinguish them as the first mainstream Kpop group that doesn't have east and or southeast asian idols. That is what I meant by "non-Asian," but this would still be an incorrect usage of the term because Sriya is south Asian.
2) Because I'm not familiar with lighting and production technology, I wasn't fully accurate in my comparison between Aespa's night concert and TVXQ's to show whitewashing. Led lights and the ones used for concerts now have much brighter and bluer undertones which gives performers a much paler appearance without a video filter. Warm-toned lights were used for TVXQ's concert, which is partly why they didn't match Aespa's complexion on stage. HOWEVER, the users who've provided this insight have also emphasized this lighting isn't enough to wash out Aespa in the way they appeared on that stage. Lighting may be brighter now, but not bright ENOUGH to remove melanin entirely. In other words, a video filter was probably applied to the footage.
In doing some extra research, here's a more recent example of an outdoor concert to compare: ua-cam.com/video/1cnyM082vw8/v-deo.html
Even though the technology of 2015 still would have been different from today, 2015 is a good point of comparison because it is precisely after that year and onward that Korean media increasingly took on extreme whitewashing.
"Let's be entitled neoimperialists and demand that a nation of indigenous people who've survived imperialism against all odds change their millennia-old aesthetic traditions."
Amazing story😊😊 But, in fact, Korean color is brighten than whole of the world people except North European in the research result. 😂😂😂 I'm glad about your ineresting novel.
It isn’t just video filters that make idols lighter, it’s also the lighting itself. At many festivals and music bank shows they use purple lighting which cancels out idols’ yellow undertones in their skin making them appear fairer. I don’t know where this video is but it’s a video of a New Jeans member (Danielle I believe) at Super Shy promotions and when she stepped a little bit out of the lighting she looked darker, plus the foundation was much lighter on her face than her body’s tan.
@@Jey-fx2zs I don't know what you were talking about, but I trust the scientific fact, not someone's view which is based on non scoentific fact.
SK's skin is the brightest ezcept north european in average. Bro
I’ll never forget when exo drew a black dot on a piece of paper and said it was a picture of Kai. 😢 it makes me sad that these idols want a global audience but never think how these comments effect their darker skinned fans
Tbh, Exo never catered to Global fans,they were exclusive to only China and Korea and later Japan. When they made those remark their main audience was these three countries, I don’t think they really think about Global audiences, plus that time I bet none of the Exo( including kai) didn’t even think those jokes can be hurtful.Asian mocking each other for their physical insecurities are always so common, but finally I have seen changes.But honestly people only like to change when they themselves suffer, my aunt always shame my lil sister for her dark complexion, now her daughter gets Bullied for her skin issue, they understand speaking on people's appearance is bad.
@@SadiaIslamShouki i was generalizing.. i ment the kpop industry as a whole wants a global audience but the kpop groups as a whole continue with colorist remarks. A few companies have started training their trainees with global sensitivity classes.. it should be universal
@@SadiaIslamShouki Getting mocked for a physical feature is never fun even if you don’t respond to it or call out your friends. Especially if it’s a physical feature considered ugly or undesirable in your culture and society. Kai has talked about his skin color before. You shouldn’t dismiss his feelings just to give EXO cover about stuff that’s been well known and talked about for years.
And mind you, I’m a ride or die EXO fan for over a decade. I watched EXO’s showtime when it first aired and those other variety and radio shows where his skin color was a topic. It’s ok to criticize their past behavior related to colorism especially in the format that this video is, being respectful and talking about an important subject seriously.
That's so freaking rude, esp coming from fellow members. Damn.
@@jaetine9006 what about Kai Mocking Baekhyun for his body type, D.O. for his bad eye sight and Chanyeol for his big ears.Those can be their insecurities too.but most people Won't pay attention to that Because it Won't fullfil their motive to hate on someone unnecessarily especially when they don’t mean any harm.Exo has been brought up into a social system where Mocking your friend's for their body features is consider fun( especially in 2014 they weren’t aware of other culture and k-pop wasn’t spread that much).If you are ride or die for EXO, you should know how much EXO value Kai, especially for his visual, they are his biggest fan, yet let people shit on them for something they didn’t even mean for, like, " that’s rude, especially when It's comes from the members " ummh, no that's not, they know each other for a long time and have equation like that, they can leg pull each other without hurting each other's feeling.It's all about what type of relation you share.You can't just make up stories on behalf of Kai when he is also a prankster, his favourite way of pulling his friends' leg is to mock them for their feature and he still dose this, this is literally his code, he might be angry with them for pulling jokes but he never seemed hurt.
Kai express his feeling for his tan skin? Bro Kai had multiple teasers when his fellow members had one,Kai was introduced as face of the group ( a dream SM group, like the most anticipated group for decades) Kai has always been shown as the most attractive one. You really think members or Kai thought he was not good looking and did injustice to him when over the year Kai has always been the member who gets most styling, screen time and center.
Also, as a die hard fan, don’t you It's hypocrisy to bring a 2014 video when they were literally teen age, after that EXO always publicly and casually expressed how stunning Kai is, and they wish they had his complexion too,But people will never bring these up, you know why?! Because this Won't feed their hearted for EXO and they can't continue with the narration of EXO are some evil entities. We are human beings we always don’t know what’s right and what's not, especially when we grow up in different social contexts The things okay for you might be horrible for us, vice versa.
I will never forget witnessing colorism in kpop for the first time when RM (BTS's leader) said in an interview in 2015 i think that when he first saw JHope and V he couldn't see them because they were too dark. Taemin is Kai's bff but a few months after Kai debuted he said that Kai's weakness is that he is so dark. Taemin also said that he thought Kai was south american. He has a pattern of making colorist statements. Almost every group is guilty of making colorist comments. I also don't agree with them removing the clip. Deleting it makes it so that it seems like it never happened and future viewers won't know at all.
That’s crazy bc isn’t rm one of the members with darkest skin tones in bts ?!? 😭
Actually I think what RM said was he couldn’t see them because they were “too black” 💀
when they first debuted I thought RM was half black….then a year later….uh oh…where the hell is the blaccent and the hairstyle at? 🙄 there’s a reason why he wasn’t my bias in the first place especially with him saying the n word like ok chex hanks
Guys let me help you RM is the member that loves black hip hop and culture. Every Time when he interviewed all media did comments about his dark skin. And this time that he said V etc are dark that he didn't see them was an ironically comment and bad humour because he didn't want to listen more about his skin
@@lmaoashleyyeah, which basically means too dark
Korea allow tanned skin only if you are sexy and curvy. It’s okay only if you can be sexualised. The well knowed dark skin idol all have a sexy image. Even the innocent one get the more sexualised out of their group. Aka tzuyu, jennie, seolhyun, yuri, Kai, whasa, jessi, hyolin and so and so. You are the sexy one and thick one ( of course thick for Korean standard lol)
What about Lee hyori ?
+ hwasa
@@SandiswaCengani exactly she's the bombshell of the 2000's, than skin and sexy, she kinda created the role lol but what a queen i love her work
I think the only one who doesn't fall under this standart is Mimi from Oh My Girl, but maybe I'm wrong
@@nannanteapartyprincessoh girl is a cute concept girl group
i hate when idols fansites edited their photos so much. for example jaehyun from nct is naturally pale but they edit their photos to make him look even whiter 🤦🏻♀️ (just like Casper) like C’MON
FR, jaehyun always looks like a ghost in his pics
@@katharina3362He always looks like that one mj meme🤣🤣💀
For real that looks so weird istg. Like he's already pale what more do you need
Jaehyun isn't pale😂😂😂
@@Tytrxshcxnofficalare u blind? bc he definitely is
the dark skin female idols are also forced by the kpop industry to portray the same negative stereotypes over and over. The Jezebel, the Sapphire, and the Ssen Unnie stereotypes are what mostly get pushed onto dark skin women so as to make light skin women look better in comparison. Kpop never portrays dark skin asian women as soft, pure, or feminine. they are mostly masculinized or portrayed in a oversexualized manner. Kpop also does FAKE dark skin representation (OMG Mimi and Loosemble Hyeju faked their skintones for their latest comeback). we never get REAL dark skin representation anymore.
stan Blackswan
My mind just exploded??? Like isn't this Hyolyn and Jessi to a tee???
Ok wait you lost me at the mimi and hyeju part… they’re known for being darker tho…? (gen)
@hotsexyangel that's not their natural skintone. I've seen many performances of them practically looking the same as their group members. They faked their skintones through exaggerated tanning. They don't represent dark skin women.
@ZFH697yuri got portrayed as „pretty girl next door“ like the other members though i‘d say?
These idols take suplements, use bleaching soap and creme and take glutathione shots. You never know when somebody is naturally fair or not these days.
I agree! It’s definitely more than just filters
There is also smt like self tan in Korea just instead of spraying on tan they spray on a lighter colour hyuna showed it in a video
YES and a lot of them avoid staying out in the sun for long periods
@@tornadosirenwednesday And then the few times when they do go out in the sun, they insist on wearing long sleeves, even if they're going to the beach, or something like that
@@lifeissobeautiful6404 Covering up at the beach is just smart, considering how much science we have at this point demonstrating how harmful UV is. But I definitely take the point that it's often done for cosmetic reasons instead of legitimate concern over something like skin cancer. 😩
adding to what u said (great video btw!) im kinda tired of the reason justifying colourism is that 'asians aren't being anti-black its bc back in the day poor ppl worked outside all the time and got tan therefore, tan ppl = poor people therefore it can be seen as undesirable! see you guys its not racism!!'
and its like babes.... you just changed the reasoning from racism to classism. it doesn't make it better ???
THANK YOU! that's the worst excuse ever!
This argument makes me so beyond frustrated every time someone brings it up
They need a good therapies and education
Especially when it is 2023 and not 900 BC. The reasoning doesn't count anymore. The society doesn't have active ruling royals, who stay indoors. It is the social status they want to reach and that is what Korea is build on. Social status, luxurious goods and good looks. It is a very artifical society but it will collapse one day, if they don't change. White skin won't give you a better life, if everything else is bad.
It's just how the world works. People are stupid.
I remember when fatou first debuted and she used to have those pasty looking filters on, now blackswan exists and shocases diverse skintones but even then it's still perceived as a 'foreign' thing and if you look at groups like vcha, they still whitewash the more tan members and those are young kids. People like to use cultural differences as an excuse but it's still important to continue to call it out cause it can be really damaging especially to young people, especially as kpop expands to a global stage.
아니 그들은 카메라 앞에서 밝게 보여야 하는게 직업이라서 하얗게 칠해질 수 밖에 없습니다. 왜 조명과 무대 화장에 대한 이해를 하지 않는거죠? 한국 예능과 드라마를 봤으면서 PD 역할을 하는 배경을 본적이 없나요? 분명히 조명 스태프라는 역할이 있을것입니다.
유튜브를 통해서 잘 관찰해보십시오
@@zukorean Okay, you are delusional.
an additional, offensive aspect of all the filtering for whitening purposes is how the idols' other facial features are blurred out of existence, since changing the skin tone/lighting removes the more natural contrast and blend of highlights and shadows; sometimes looking at pictures of an idol's face is jarring because it's now just a smooth, white oval with two eyes and a mouth, and maybe the vague suggestion of nostrils
Vague suggestion😅😅😅
I've been a kpop stan since 2015 and i've also noticed that whitewashing has really gotten out of hand over the years. I use fan cams in all my videos (new and old) and some idols literally look like ghosts before I edit them. I mostly add filters to make their outfits pop but I notice that these days, I use them to add some melanin BACK because of how ridiculous they look.
sometimes I find it hard to criticize idols when it comes to colorism because it is so tightly woven into the culture and they grow up thinking making comments on darker skin is normal, so unlearning it all in the snap of the finger is difficult. I'm not dismissing their behavior, but I know from first hand in my culture how hard it is to unlearn it all as I spend a lot of time correcting the elders in my family. It took and is taking a while for a lot of them to get the concept, but that doesn't mean they dont want to learn. I think that in order to make an actual impact on these idols is to use a different, less aggressive approach when educating them.
but that's just my opinion. great video btw!!
I didn't expect to see a comment from you, thank you for watching 😭💕 I'm also half Asian so I can relate to your points, it's a very difficult thing to tackle. Thank you for your thoughts!
@@whenfinish i’m latina! and ya ofc! can’t wait to see what else you post
There have been multiple instances in Korean TV shows that I have seen someone telling another person "you look like you gained some weight!" And then laughing right in their face 😭 and it was real people not actors reading a script. I don't blame idols when they say these types of things. They are socialized to think rude comments about people's looks are okay. In America, if you said these things to someone you would be labeled as a bully and people would be appalled. But I am sure Americans also do things that Koreans consider rude 😂 so I just realized that it's a waste to judge people for these things.
Completely accurate analysis of what’s going on today in the fourth generation. As each generation debuts younger and younger, they’re taught and ingrained by their society and their workplace that this is the standard. “If you want to achieve your dreams, or if you don’t want to drag down your group, lighten your skin.” They shouldn’t have to believe that their natural pigment is flawed, as it builds insecurities and causes problems since idols hold influence. They don’t have malicious intent when they take a selfie and put a bunch of lightening filters on, but when people follow them who come from all over the place, some may compare their lives to idols, including their own visual looks. I wish that I can see good in the ancient korean philosophy and view of pale skin signifying beauty, but I can’t. Not when it’s harmful to their own people who feel they need to conform in order to belong. Great video. Definitely well spoken and shed light on a very difficult topic! 😊
The current colorism problem is conflicting with international K-pop groups. In A2K and the Dream Academy there are no Black girls. All of the “black” girls are biracial (only half Black). There are no fully Black or darker skinned girls in the shows/groups. Everyone talks about how diverse these shows are, but they are colorist and racist. Most of the non-Asian girls are white or half white. They even made sure that no more than one of the half Black girls made it into Vcha. On the debut single cover, she’s pushed to the side. Even Alex was not the first black K-pop idol but rather the first half black K-pop idol. Fatou is the first fully Black and dark skin K-pop idol. They are directly saying they don’t want any more Black girls in K-pop groups.
In Jpop have Crystal Key or some Exile Tribe members who are half black with dark skin
That’s why every time korean companies try to debut groups that’s specifically for western audiences, they failed. They don’t understand Western audiences are tired of the mix representation
Thank you, they are always bent on using mixed people. Now it’s okay for people to look at a mixed person and say wow their skin tone is pretty but I hate how they once used Alexandra and used her image as the “first black” and didn’t market her as the first non Asian multiracial person in Kpop and now that Fatou is here they are saying oh she’s the first black artist. I’m thinking no let Alexandra keep her position just change it to first Biracial non Asian artist instead of taking something away from her because they used her. Nvee, Manon, and Savanna are all biracial and multiracial mulatta Americans in kpop yet they won’t market them correctly I bet.
This is also another topic that needs full attention, and is related to colorism and racism too
@@edoardorivera4119that’s something to also note. A lot of kpop fans thinks it’s an East Asia issue, when j pop has embraced half black artists for a while now. They’re even in some more popular songs. Not to say there’s no racism, but it’s different.
I remember feeling a mixture of pride and sadness when Kai once said that he had grown to love his skin tone and had become proud of it. Pride that he over came all the 'jokes' and teasing and sadness that he had to. He is now seen as one of the sexiest men alive - not just in Kpop with his beautiful toned skin, although that has a lot to do with the growth of influence of world wide Kpop fans. That friends find it okay to tease fellow members whom they obviously do have strong bonds with is so sad.
I think at the moment, it is not just the advance in technology, but also the feeling of staking an identity to Kpop. More and more groups are producing tracks aimed at western tastes as they need success in the west to boost their ratings and therefore entice more fans who are swayed by numbers that apparently reflect popularity, and they can obviously make money and survive in the business if they do so. There has been talk about how Kpop is loosing its Asian identity. Whether this is true or not, just the thought could be enough for those in charge to push back by trying to keep it differentiated.
I can agree. I feel that them lightening more is just a way for them to assimulate to European standards, as with many cultures of urban people tend to do; in hopes to gain/maintain success. It sucks really. I hope kpop stays true their ethnicity and standards of beauty...so that the world will see that there's nothing wrong with being different. Every race is wonderfully created as their own visually.
@@lynnj85lightening skin is apart of East Asian culture and history. It’s connected to East Asian identity
ChanYeol pissed me off so bad back in the day. He's got some tan to his skin himself and those big arse ears, yet he kept teasing Kai. I seriously wanted to punch him through my computer screen.
I was honestly taken aback with how pale Kai was for Rover promotions and video. Hes the palest hes ever been now. and the filters for his dance challenges took me out man matched the walls in some of them.
Though the pale skin is an East Asian beauty standard, not western, we have seen it starting to spill over as kpop becomes more popular in the west, but it was not a western beauty standard.
Absolutely Eastern, which is why I think it is being used to set them apart and give an image to Kpop that is distinctly Eastern. Perhaps I was unclear on that. I see it as a way they can stand apart and say this is Kpop, that it is true to its roots. There has been so much about how groups are becoming more westernised. This is one way they can say they are not.
@@BambiLena666
I'M SO SICK OF IT HONESTLY 💀
Me too. Me too. :(
Same, it turns me off. Imagine watching a video and the idol or actress body is 4 shades darker than her face. Constantly! 💀
5:55 just adding on to this part, the aespa concert clip isn't necessarily done with filters only. they also use purple or other cold tinted lights to erase yellow/warm tones from the skin, also much brighter led lights are used today compared to eg 2008
Thank you for this insight!
This! There’s a fan videos circulating of a press conference /showcase event.. and right before the event started they turned on these bright blue lights and instantly all the melanin in the idols’ skin disappeared.
Yes, I work in TV/film and I must add that today's imaging sensors, lens, processing and colour reproduction (raw, post-processing etc), along with lighting sources, reflectors, diffusion etc, are very different from each generation prior. It's not exactly an apples to apples comparison when you compare people captured in media between each decade. This also applies to white people and case in point is Madonna through the years as technologies have evolved.
Having work with plenty of people of different races, any person there at this Aespa concert would easily identify that the group member's skin is fair, but still the fair with yellow-undertone color that East Asians are known with.
This is an instance of colorism in society n Kpop too. Even if it is the lights. When photography first came about, film was made and processed in such a manner that darker skin did not read well. It wasn’t a lack of technology like dark skin is so difficult and tricky… it’s just the people developing the technology and taking the pictures didn’t care to take into account what non-white people looked like.
Similarly there is a long history of photographers not knowing how to light a dark skinned person properly for photo shoots or portraits. It’s wasn’t rocket science, they just never learned, it never occurred to them, they didn’t care. That is colorism too.
It still counts...
It's just not attractive. Idols in older vidios just look better and healthier than almost anyone right now, especially girls. It's not even about color itself but seeing real skin and not just filters.
I haven’t been deep into K-pop since 2016 but when I look at the groups nowadays, I really don’t find their image attractive compared to older generations.
is it me or are idols getting even thinner nowadays
and then kshawols called us iroches because Key and Taemin apologized, saying they did nothing wrong. this is a serious issue in korea
And I’ve been accused of pushing my “western ideals” onto kpop because i want idols to appear in their natural skin, which includes fair skinned idols, but without editing ☠️
I watch a lot of k dramas and I'm always bothered when characters talk about being pale as a beauty trait. As a woman of color I'm like great. Thank you for telling me my skin which I happen to love is not desirable. To pull to non entertainment realm, a friend showed me a pic if her friends and they were so covered for fear of sun that all you saw were their eyes. Fear of darker skin. It's hard to not be insulted.
The oddity, k pop stems from music of people of color. And yet......
whats funny is that koreans are people of colour and yet some of them hate on people of colour
Talk about it!
The problem isn't people finding someone's naturally fair skin pretty, the problem is refusing to find beauty in other skin tones as well. Everyone is allowed to feel good about their own skin or hair color.
@@rachelmaddowswife8713 Exactly so if people are only ever pointing out that light skin is the best beauty trait and you never see the same being said about dark/tan skin then it remains a problem where the shows are reinforcing the status quo. Shows don't necessarily having to stop praising white skin if they add more diversity and acknowledge it's beauty but they don't so the practice becomes harmful.
@@nbucwa6621 Yes, the Korean entertainment industry does need to stop being colorist about their own Korean celebs who happen to be a tanner complexion. I don't think it's fair to expect "diversity" though, because it isn't a diverse country. It makes a lot more sense for diverse countries like the US, Brazil, etc to have actors and singers of all skin tones, but I don't think it's fair to expect South Korea to import non-South Koreans just to please non-South Koreans.
The best way to encourage the kind of content you want to see is to support that content. Watch the shows and buy the albums that align with your interests and values. There's a fine line where it becomes inappropriate for us international fans to impose our own culture and expectations on someone else.
I have light hair, but it wouldn't be fair for me to turn on a kdrama where everyone has black hair and get offended that one character is praising another character's pretty dark hair. If I'm feeling particularly sensitive and need to feel better about my looks, I should watch a different show that features people who look like me.
This is a great video, there is so much colorism I remember some kpop stars even did the blackface. And when doing hip hop concepts they often imitate the 'hard rough image' which is very surreal. It's a sad thing
Asians are poc too what you mean
@@norabeckwith6893 So? They're not black (and by the way, blackface is also unacceptable when black people do it too).
@@norabeckwith6893it’s specifically called “yellow face” when non East Asians change their appearance to try to look like East Asians. It’s called “red face” when non Native Americans do it to look like Native Americans. I watched a silent movie last week from 1911, centered around a Native American tribe, and it was rare in that all the Natives were played by actual Native actors, except the actor who had top billing and played the chief’s son . He was Japanese and a well-known star in Hollywood movies, so that was an East Asian in “red face.”
And apparently casting Asians to play Native American characters was very common then. There were probably more Asians, because they were immigrating in fairly large numbers and settling in the US while the Native Americans were being decimated.
@@akaLaBrujaRoja I don't Care tbh
I'm SEA and been into kpop since BoA's prime (and man, if you want to really see how times have changed, watch videos of SES back in the day compared to their recent reunion. it's madness), so this has been a depressing trend to witness escalate over the years. Honestly, I remember thinking in 2015 that the whitewashing had gone as far as it could get, so seeing Lion Heart used as an example of *less* whitewashing is mindblowing to me. But seeing the older clips, I also remember how any darker-skinned idol was relentlessly bullied and shamed by the public. So it's unsurprising that those same idols appear snow-white now after they spent their youth being told their darker skin made them ugly. I feel bad for kids growing up in this atmosphere.
Yeah, it's like when the fans attack an idol relentlessly for being "overweight" (while they have a bmi of like 19..) and then they're shocked to see them looking like a skeleton in the next comeback. The pressure on these typically teenaged idols to please everyone with their appearance is overwhelming, I don't blame the idols themselves at all. It's on the fans, and also the companies that market them, to change the culture.
I honestly have so much respect and admiration for idols like Haechan or Kai, despite the comments they constantly receive from their band mates they have said several times how they embrace and love their skin color🥲 i hope idols in general just stop making fun of darker skin color because it isn’t funny at all
Yeah and stop bleaching their skin etc
I'm glad others have noticed this and are talking about it. I wasn't sure if I was imagining it as a 2nd gen fan, but every time I watch old videos I feel this way. I've also noticed over time that content from newer groups makes me feel pretty insecure and triggers body dysmorphia in a way I never experienced with older groups. I think it goes to show how advances in technology and other tools for aesthetic cultivation arguably cause more harm than good, because they just raise standards to be even higher/even more unrealistic. I hope that fans will recognize the power they have to influence companies in this regard. Companies do this because they believe it's what the public wants/what will sell the most. Let's show them that they're wrong, and that there is immense love for idols of all skin tones
Certain trainees who would’ve been chosen to debut or join a company 15 years ago would never be chosen today because “honey thighs” became “fat” and medium/tan complexion became “too dark.” It’s so sad.
even as a 3rd gen stan, it's so insane when i look at pictures of 4th gen idols. in 3rd gen there was whitewashing, yes, but it wasn't to the level that 4th gen idols' companies take it to. i don't really keep up with k-pop well anymore, but i hope that 4th gen fans encourage idols to show their real skin color.
The difference in skin tone is astounding
Even tanned idols in 4th gen look pale now….
For me, growing up with very fair skin meant fearing sunburns, being unable to find makeup, and frequently being asked if I was sick (the school nurse meant well). Therefore, I was shocked when I realized that my least favorite feature was something weirdly prized in kpop. But let's be honest, my skin has never looked like kpop skin. For most people, it feels like a look that can only be achieved through digital trickery, which is so dehumanizing.
i agree with your comment wholeheartedly. when you are naturally extremely pale (i am also and i get your struggle), it isn't all glamorous as kpop idols make it to be. it comes with every single imperfection on your skin showing very much more than on anyone who is more tan, veins being visible on every part of your body, sunburns so bad it gets to a point of an entire layer of your skin peeling off at every sun encounter you have, and not to mention being asked if you are sick, you should eat more blabla. so i always found it so intriguing why anyone would want to be whiter than they are on purpose.
I swear the majority of people do not like how they look in some way. I've seen this EVERYWHERE. either you're too light, too dark, too short, too tall, too skinny, too fat, whatever.
we're supposed to embrace our natural features, not hide them.
There are fifty million shades of pale when it comes to makeup. You do not have issues finding makeup your shade.
@@frenchgirl5878 yall talk about world as if the entire world is just america. let me tell you, its not. i live in a small european balkan country where our makeup shops and drugstores carry like 4 shades of foundation. if you want a budged foundation you will not be able to find your shade. you can go to a high end perfumery where they carry more expensive brands and you can maybe find a foundation in your shade there, but you will pay 150 km for it (approximately 70ish dollars), which the majority of our population can afford.
@@frenchgirl5878 when I was younger I had trouble finding foundation which wasn't to dark for me. I don't think that would be the case anymore today, though I don't use it currently. But the person you are responding to was also talking about past experiences
Good on shinee for apologising. A lot of groups continue to make such jokes without acknowledging how harmful it is, both to the member(s) they’re making fun of, as well as fans..
You’re absolutely not alone in your love for TVXQ 💜💜💜 JJ stole my heart the moment I first laid eyes on him in 2008 😂
Well some people might say “it’s 2023 who cares about skin tone” well in Asia you will be make fun of if you have darker skin tone. It’s really the standard here even the teacher will make fun of you nothing can actually stop this to happen. K-pop might revolve around the world but in Asia but lighter skin tone will always on top of anything
while key and taemin's comments were pretty damn sad it was very nice to see them personally apologise for it, I can't think of the last time I heard an idol actually acknowledge let alone apologise for colorism so that's at least something good out of this whole mess.
Also even with a group like blackswan, iirc when fatou first joined her makeup often made her look really ashy, I think her stylist is making steps in the right direction now but damn can we please let these idols look like they're at least alive. The next step in this whole thing will be everyone looking blue I swear
Everytime Soyeon's face matches her neck we cheer
ngl it’s kinda hard for me to see taemin’s and key’s apology as genuine considering the fact they they’re both adults now and have been/have seen other idols get called out for doing the same thing
as a South Asian/Pakistani, I was rly happy to see Sriya and Aria debut!! I hope they're not severely white-washed and aren't afraid to embrace their cultures
Aria seems like she got her skin bleached so... Adeola Ash did a video on it too.
@@afiamahmood1313 Or she growed out of her skin color just like many asian kids went through, many of us were really dark when we were born but as time went by our skin changed
LOL as if Bollywood stars haven't all bleached their skin, including their "star kids"
@hallooos7585 never heard of that, because if skin acts like iris and hair(into a certain point, then starts to get greyish) the colour tends to get darker with age
@@258Louresnah it actually is an Asian thing. I was born white but then spent yrs in the sun as a child and when I stopped, my skin went back to white and people were wtf is wrong with your skin tone because for years in school they only saw me with tan skin
It sadly isn't just an idol problem, but in Korea as a whole. I'm living and working here, and for work we have to get photos taken every year. They whiten and edit our faces sooo much. To the point that it doesn't look like me at all. The big one is neck stretching, and shrinking head size. ㅠㅠ
wait really i plan to move there in the future im scared 😂
I grew up in a half korean community and i hate south korea so much , they were all so fake , rude and pretty much obsessed with appearance , and i meant as a little kid , seeing how they interacted without filter around me, i personally would rather move to sweden or Switzerland if i get to choose
When I worked there, they made my lips smaller in my id pic😂 My school photo edited me so much that I looked like a manga character 😅
for id pictures?????
@@lilacfields we’re talking about work Id photos. But yes for actual Korean ID’s they get them professionally done and edited too
Tbh liking fair skin is not the problem but treating dark skin as a curse is. Some people will be like it is a joke but then ask yourself what was funny? You being dark was? You will never see somebody making fun of you by saying you look so fair. Because nobody will find it funny in fact it is mostly a compliment in a lot of countries. Jokes are supposed to be funny lol they are not supposed to give you a insecurity that you have to live with.
Fully agree with your point, just making note that in America at least, some people *do* get teased for being 'ghostly' white or 'shiny in the sunlight/reflects the sunlight' white. Especially if you live in places like CA or FL, where tanning is practically a way of life for many, especially those in the entertainment industry.
In Europe, you will get made fun of for being pale
@@millimausa , that's equally bad
not only are some idols guilty of using makeup or treatments to lighten their skin whether from pressure or personal biases, but companies will even whitewash their artists without permission. i remember a video of felix was posted by an official account, and it was so noticeable how much they brightened it with filters was that felix took it upon himself to upload the original video without filters. doesn’t matter if they’re already light skinned, they will make them lighter. even fansites do this. i will never understand it. all skin colors are beautiful with warm cool or olive undertones, it doesn’t matter. the colorist bias this companies have is crazy. i feel for the koreans who feel pressured to lighten their skin or struggle from colorism in school or from family. it must suck. no one should have to “learn” to love their skin color.
Felix also has the most adorable freckles, I wish he didn’t have to cover them up with light makeup…….
I find it crazy the industry is desperate to grow in the Western market, but their colorist and racist views in general haven't changed. If they want international success, they should really try to break down all the filters and especially the things they don't educate their idols on (colorist comments, racism). Although it is engraved into their society (so I feel a tad bit bad for them) I find it hilarious an industry that actively profits off of the people they deem unattractive wants to market towards those very same people in places where colorism isn't accepted. I wonder how all of this will turn out.
It will reach a wall. The majority of the new countries and fan bases they’re trying to break into don’t fw kpop for these and other reasons. Kpop fans are starting to turn against kpop because 4th gen vocals, performances, and what made kpop seem to be lacking. Kpop was also a global fad built on escapism so like most fads they fade and all of the systematic scandals (burning sun, overworking, plastic surgery abuse, colorism) that comes out turns off more and more casual fans.
THIS! I'm Southeast Asian. I had a neutral view of kpop. I didn’t hate it, I listened casually if it's on the radio but I prefer listening to other music genres.
I've stopped listening to kpop and even avoid buying Korean-made products now after I found out that Koreans are racist toward SE Asians, South Asians, Blacks, and hate on anyone with darker skin.
6:42 This is so important! There is a difference between personal preference in a society where diversity and free-thinking in beauty ideals is allowed and encouraged vs a society where beauty standards that say pale skin is the only beautiful are constantly shoved in your face and everyone's faces and you as a society perpetuate and promote the idea that anything darker than paper white is just not attractive. It's crazy the arguments people come up with to try to defend colorism
Yes! When it comes to this and other issues (like plastic surgery) people are always saying “it’s their choice” when we all know about Korea’s strict beauty standards, bullying from fans and how much companies control idols
Some of the worst colorism and ethnic fishing happens in the US so lets not be too sanctimonious about Koreans, shall we. Like we dont even set the good example.
@susiex6669 Why are you assuming everyone else here is American? And even so, we can critique both countries, its not like criticising one country means giving other countries a pass
@@LeeKnowsCatss If youre in a Western country or follow Western entertainment and never complain about this, thats clownish behavior. If its bad when Koreans do it, you should be equally loud when Beyonce, Nikki Minaj, Little Kim, Ariana Grande, etc.. do it, too and even worse.
@@susiex6669 Like I said, we are allowed to call out an issue when we see it. Keeping quiet about it just because it happens in other places makes absolutely no sense and is giving whataboutism. The world doesn’t revolve around America and many people are not as familiar with US colorism as they are with US racism
That's why I'm so fortunate for the few idols like oh my girl's Mimi and The boyz' Sunwoo for embracing their natural skin tones and seeing it in a positive light rather than in the negative. Because they honestly look very beautiful. I just wish more idols, make-up artists and fan-site people could see that😭😭. Like enough with the same ol shade #3 foundation, whitewash filters, and purple lighting
I'm pleasantly surprised to see such a respectful take and problem-solving approach to this. And I wholeheartedly agree, we correct wrong by doing good. We need fans praising tans on fancalls, more intimately, as it reaches faster.
I doubt people who go on fancalls to organize and do this, but a stan can dream. An idol praising their peers' melanin would also be great, when given the opportunity. Small actions are small but they spread.
i remember an incident with seventeen, where mingyu says he's self conscious about his skin and minghao tells him so what? you're handsome the way you are
@@shw7598 exactly what we need! Respect Minghao a hundred times more.
As someone who got into kpop in 2012 this has bothered me for a long time so thank you for making a great video on it with super clear examples! Also as a TVXQ! stan thank you for all the images of them you used haha I genuinely miss their tanned skin esp Yunho because he's so gorgeous with it 🥺 Wonder Girls Yubin looked stunning in that photo too
This whole colorism thing happens in practically all Asia, in a general overview, not just in kpop or South Korea. I watch a ton of Asia tv (specially Thai) and I can state it happens frequently in Thailand, Japan and China as well.
It is something that should be pointed out and talked about, nevertheless, cause it has to be changed.
How can a professional makeup artist put two to three lighter shades on a face and think "it's perfect, it looks good" :( poor Mamamoo
Systemic issues are so difficult to take on. Your analysis is beautiful & most importantly it gives us ideas on how to help. Thank you.
It’s also not helpful that the shade range of the complexion products in Korea don’t even cater to darker toned idols. It’s already the standard to pick a shade that will “brighten” your face to make you look young and fresh. Then you see the back of their necks being 2 shades darker. Sometimes I cringe at the ambassador photos of idols, specially when it’s for a skincare/cosmetic brand because it’s so edited that it makes them look more like a boiled egg than human.
I have naturally light skin and I’m Filipino . So when I saw K-pop in previous gen till now, I was shocked by the amount of whitewash used. I guessed that maybe they take supplements, get glutathione shots or use products to lighten skin just like in the Philippines. But I swear it’s next level in Korea…
K-pop is a whole new level of pale skin obsession. Even I thought it was ridiculous in the Philippines because most people have tanned skin but whitening products are everywhere and their phones have a weird whitewashing effect. It made my grandmother look weirdly pale in photos but she’s naturally tanned in real life.
This was a very needed topic of discussion in KPOP. The amount of filters idols are ridiculous to a point where they dont look like humans . The seemingly poreless perfect pale skin is unnerving . Felix exposing jyp was a badass move on his part ,Felix for me is one of the most beautiful k-pop idols i have ever seen but even he isn't safe from these scrutinies then the less attractive idols don't stand a chance . As a 26 year old i have understood for a long time how entertainment industry and the beauty standards works so i have long stopped comparing myself to them but i do feel bad for the newer generation of fans following celebrities and becoming insecure . I somehow feel idols themselves are insecure as well which is ironic considering they seem like the most confident ppl but the continuous scrutiny by agency and fans will be too much to handle unless and until ur a narcissist.
i honestly can't believe idols still talk like this when they KNOW they have fans with darker skin, more than ever, they are going to international festivals and SEE those fans. they know how big kpop is in places where darker skin is the norm - they also see that more than ever with these fans reaching out to them on social media. the reason i think about fans is because there is an infamous video from 2012 of chanyeol making fun of kai's skin, and kai gestures to fans in the audience and says to him "yes i'm dark, some of our fans are dark too and they're all my family" and he was 18 years old at the time. so i don't know why an 18 year old can have the maturity that 30 year old men, his friends included, are struggling to also develop. sadly kai is among the few who doesn't take any steps to lighten his skin color, he admits he often doesn't even use sunscreen which is the major thing koreans bring up when they say "make sure you use sunscreen so your skin isn't dark" 🙄
thank you so much for this video, i'm done, tired and exhausted of bringing up this issue and having people tell me "koreans are naturally pale" or "they look tan because they're not taking care of their skin" (i wish i was making this sht up). i especially agree that compliments go a long way. companies and such might ignore whitewashing criticism, but they are likely to listen if they get huge positive feedback when showing idols how they actually are.
I always wondered why the idols have gotten more white washed nowdays then before. Its its weird that its getting worst even in 2023
I also want to add that fans should stop defending idols/groups when they do/say something wrong or offensive. Calling them out doesn't make you a bad fan or hater if we protect them every time someone does problematic things, they never gonna learn. Great video btw!!
This was a very well thought out, and much needed video. The way some stans act like they're going to burst into flames when colorism and how wrong it is is pointed out is crazy, and the ignorance and effort to make it seem like people are being "too sensitive" is aggravating and a big part of the problem. Making someone feel less than for simply existing in the skin they were born in whether it's intentional or not is fucking nuts.
Whenever I see Hoseok (BTS) the first thing I say 'Okay, glowing king," As Black people we have colorism in our own community against darker skinned black women, men and children so we made that saying to lift them up. So I'm use to this already, since I was in college back in 2016. The saying "Melanin" is a huge staple inside out the black community to uplift the darker complexion that is usually talked down on. Everyone has pigments of Melanin in their skin (It's Just black people usually have the most due to the continent we live in, the sun beaming on our skins., so maybe everyone can also say to their favorite melanated idols "Yes, Melanin, glow!" This can be Taemin, Onew, Key, Changmin, Kai, Fatou, etc. Just make sure they see how much you love their new glow in their photos, this doesn't mean to trash their "pale pics" just remind the people making it, to diversify it.
It shouldn't just be one skin tone, but multiple. :)
They are in a colorist society. So it isn't just the industry that's the issue. Their society is
i’m in kpop since 2011 and i can’t agree more with you that’s why i’m following more japanese groups (not even they are safe actually the kpop based ones like niziu and JO1 are importing this sick beauty standard to japan) hyein from new jeans undoubtedly have a tan complexion but the company insist in whitewash her that pissed me off shes just a kid
The way I hate Jyp or Sony Music Japan and Lapone whitewashing NiziU, Jo1, INI and now Dxteen. Sm or Avex has New Nct Team from Japan. I’m scared what Lapone doing with Produce 101 Japan The Girls
Meanwhile Jihyo loves tanning her skin
No not really she is no different as a once she commented how tzuyu being tan wasn't good for her
@@Swcloveeif tsuyu tans herself then yea she’s not wrong but if her natural skin color is tan then ooof
@@brennathecatlover4360its her natural skin
@@brennathecatlover4360 tzuyu is naturally tan, jihad said her natural skin tone wasn't a good look on tzuyu knowing she she was the visual of the group
Jihyo takes a more sexy display in performance si in Korean culture it’s acceptable
I dont really keep up with newer kpop anymore i started because of DBSK and seeing all these old school videos of my babies (who are all older than me) makes me so happy
The whitewashing is bad. Yes, their history does dictate fair skin means a high status but to claim that in present day makes no sense. Many enter the industry for wealth so it's evident you are not. I usually gravitate towards melanated idols. I hope their melanin is something they can be proud of and even put some of the skin bleaching to the side. There are people that want to see a reflection of themselves on stage, not just pale skin.
This is sooo depressing! Tan and dark-colored skin are people! They MATTER!!!!!
I agree. Previously it was easy to spot different shades of skin in K-Pop. Now everyone looks unrealistically white. Being an outsider, I never commented on Korean beauty standard until it started affecting the youngsters in my own country especially those with darker skin tone. Korean beauty standard and the constant bombardment of pale skin idols through social media made many teens more self-conscious than they already are.
From one fan of TVXQ to another, I do understand what you mean. I saw pictures of the guys recently and it's so bizarre to see them with such a white skin tone. They look whiter than I do, and I actually am white. And I've been to some kpop concerts and, while many of them do look pale, they still look like regular humans and not like that girl from The Ring. There comes a point where all the multicolored lights, makeup, and photoshopping make people look like they belong in a horror movie instead of real life.
I had few interaction where 4th gen fans goes feral when I pointed out how filtered, photoshopped their idol looks like. They insist their idol is that pretty/handsome and pale naturally.
I think, in a way, those curated and altered images brainwashed their fans to thinking that it is natural human feature. And when theres a tiny, minor imperfections suddenly their places as an idol disappear. They don't deserve being one because they don't take care of themselves!
This just toxic for the idol and the fans.
I am so glad that you made a video about this. I've been a kpop stan since 1st gen (now not so much) and I've noticed it even on 1st gen idols. The other day, I was watching a video of BoA singing My Name and she (and all her dancers) had their natural skin tone. I can't tell you how many comments I read of clearly younger kpop fans that couldn not understand why her skin color was darker. They started rationalizing that maybe tanning was a big thing back then. I wanted so badly to shout NO, THAT'S WHAT HER NATURAL SKIN LOOKS LIKE, but I knew my comment wouldn't get read.
Like if you look at BoA not and BoA during her peak you can't even recognize her. And as you said, this is true for everyone. I was even looking footage from Niziu's most recent area tour in Japan and they look like ghosts! They've only been in the industry for 3 years and the difference is mind blowing. I think it's mostly lighting anf filters but dang. None of them are dark skin to begin with and one is even half white already. They don't need it.
The way I love their natural honey skin tone it's just so beautiful I wish they knew
I genuinely do not get the hype over fair or light skin. Lmao
You could say the same for every skin color tho its Just a beauty standard
I remember when they were trying to hide Hyolyn’s tan skin on music shows. Clearly she’s naturally tan and looks absolutely gorgeous with that tan. It’s sad that music shows would hide it and give her two shades lighter foundation
This is so sad because when I see idols like Minho from SHINee, Mingyu from Seventeen, or Haechan from NCT I always think they look GORGEOUS with their naturally tan skin tone. I hate when I see photos of them that have clearly been whitewashed to heck. And this is coming from someone who's naturally pale. What's crazy is that America's beauty standard for so long was tan skin and people who were pale (especially females) had to tan themselves if they wanted to be popular celebrities. Like can you imagine Ariana Grande with her naturally paler Italian skin anymore? Nope! Because she's been tanning it so long. It's insane to me how Korea's beauty standards are the exact opposite when many Koreans are actually naturally tanned (or at least, they don't look like ghosts irl). I hope this crazy beauty standard begins to lose steam very soon. It isn't the Joseon dynasty, Koreans aren't separated into noble classes and lower classes anymore. So why should skin colour be this weird hierarchy?
Now Nct have new member called Riku, he is also tanned skin and has incredible visual
It's not only the filters....I recognized some beauty products. I'm japanese/dutch/Portuguese, and have a very pale rosy skin, so my usually go to bb cream and foundation tones are the lighter ones. I have a Korean boyfriend and he recently came back from Korea with some skin care products I asked for. He bought me a BB cream in a shade that was not the lighter, but the 2nd lighter....when I tried it on it was so white it looked almost grey on my skin!....well, Halloween is around the corner, I can always go as a corpse! 😂
😂
I really think Mimi from Oh My Girl, looks great with her tan. Im glad she hasn't face too much backlash.
This is so true, I got into Kpop in 2009 to 2010 and I could see the variety of tones in them, but as you mention, as time went by, it changed to what we now see. At the beginning, it was makeup with super light tones and It was very noticeable until we got to the point of the filters, there was a time where I walked away from Kpop almost halfway through the 3rd generation, which I recently returned and I realize so many things that have not improved, one of them is this topic, and I noticed it right away because I currently follow stray kids and one of its members Felix has many pre-debut photos and videos and you can see his skin tone and freckles, His tone was tan and his freckles were much more noticeable, currently he is super light and his freckles are barely distinguishable to the point that I'm sure they have to put on makeup so that they can be noticed more, the same with Hyunjin I found photos of him from pre-debut and His tone is also more tanned but they lighten it too much, not long ago he uploaded some photos to his Bubble account of him with his dog, photos that were taken by his dad and it looks like his real tone is somewhat tanned but not like when he was child, apart from the fact that it is noticeable how certain areas of his face are somewhat light, that means that he uses lightening products to even out the tone but it only works if you have a light tone, many of the Asian cosmetics have formulas to lighten the skin, this As you mention, it is a cultural issue that at this point is uncomfortable and they should stop doing it.
sorry for my English🥲
8:20 it annoys me when people will call out idols for making colorist comments and their fans start to defend them by saying “well it’s normal in Korea to make those kinds of jokes.” Like okay? if anything that justifies people calling them out even more because they should realize that this is not normal
Exactly. Slavery was also normal at one point, so was child marriage. ‘It’s out culture’ and ‘it’s normal’ and ‘don’t put your ideals on to me’ are just excuses used by idiots who don’t want to examine their behaviour.
I miss 2nd where idols actually look different compared to one another
Firstly, TVXQ yesss!
Secondly, this was a really well explained video. I enjoyed it. As someone who got into kpop/korean entertainment 2nd era and still rewatch the shows from that time like x men, 2days and 1 night, family outing, strong heart etc, it really does show what a difference there is in lighting, editing and post production.
Omg I’m SO glad to see this type of content and the scrutiny it will hopefully help to bring regarding colorism. It’s such a rarely touched upon subject, and a lot of people either don’t really understand what it is or they’re quick to dismiss it, yet it is systematically present in just about every ethnic, non-white culture around the world. It’s truly wild to think how is it possible for all of these cultures to seemingly adopt the same, single prejudice? Especially during the ancient times when cross-cultural exposure wasn’t so easy. And it unfolds in the exact same way, everywhere with light being "superior" to dark. It’s never the other way around!
Gen Z and even younger Millennials have consistently shown to have a more diverse appreciation for beauty, as opposed to the monochrome preference of the older generations. Many of these same older generations occupy positions of cultural/entertainment influence (corporate not social media) like CEOs, managers, hair/makeup heads of department, art directors, studio heads and execs, magazine editors, casting directors etc etc. Remember, diversity (especially in beauty) was NEVER something that occurred organically to those generations. It was a notion they had to adopt in order to not become obsolete.
To me, it's clear that colorism is a hallmark of outdated, narrow-minded, discriminatory people and a clear agenda continually pushed onto newer generations in order to maintain that old, antiquated status quo for the world even long after those older generations have passed, so that things remain in accordance to what THEY believed to be acceptable (beautiful) and correct.
The only way to stop it is to actively challenge these notions and agendas when we see them unfold and to not be complicit with our silence.
Sigh… SM is notorious too. I didn’t know filters were used so much. I thought people were just upping their whitening shots. Some of my fave skin tones were SNSD Soyoung, Kai, Haechan, and Shotaro. It’s sad that people didn’t see it. GLAD we’re bring this topic back around
As an Indian, I am shocked at any justification of colorism in response to this video or in comments in other content. You have done a good job of breaking them all down. Personal choice? Please. I can excuse my dad or grandmother's colorism (but I will still talk to them about it and try to change their mind), but young folks of our generation and younger, especially people in the public spotlight who have clearly been spoken to about colorism have no excuse to still express those views. Now I know it is intrinsic. Many of my own friends find it very difficult to break free from the "fair is beautiful, dark is ugly" mindset we were raised with. But you know what? They do their absolute best not to publicly show their intrinsic prejudice and work hard to overcome it.
Also - what you said at the end is perfect. Talk to them, add comments. If we stand back afraid of offending a culture which inherently has colorism, then we will never improve. I didn't magically learn about how toxic colorism is. I learned from outside resources when people spoke up.
Culture is completely degrading when you see children thinking their voice and opinions are above their elders. Just shows your immaturity. How about get some life experience and grow up well instead. Your skin color does not define your soul. I honestly feel so bad for you and all the young people here who are having to grow up with this non stop burden of always feeling like a victim. The more negative things you push out to the world the more negative things the world will bring to you. "Fair is beautiful, dark is ugly", how can you even say that? How can you literally put that out into the world and passively blame people for such a ridiculous statement? Is there something wrong with fair and dark? No one chooses what color your skin is when you are born, everyone is beautiful. Beauty lays in the eye of the beholder. You blame even your friends on this statement? That is really sad. You must make them feel uncomfortable at times even if you don't outwardly say that to their face. That kind of negative mentality seeps out no matter what you say with your words. Every person has their own ideal beauty and it changes all the time; I am sure you make your friends uncomfortable when there is a darker skin toned person that they genuinely aren't attracted to, you put them in a situation where they can't be openly honest because then you may think they are a racist. Even though if it was a lighter skin toned person; I am sure it wouldn't be so much the case. That is a really unfair and narcistic way of thinking and I feel bad for your friends. I really think you would be a happier young person if you stopped giving skin color so much of your energy, time, emotion, and passion. All this path is going to bring you is pain because you are trying to pick a fight with a straw man.
@@_muse__ I am not sure if you are serious here or a troll. Being a mature older person (not young and immature as you assume - not all kpop fans are young since kpop has been around a LONG time you know), I am struggling with the choice of ignoring you or helping clarify things. You know what? I'll go with option 2 and give you benefit of doubt.
Children thinking their voice and opinions are above their elders -- it is absolutely necessary when elders have hurtful thinking like colorism, sexism, etc. Thinking that their dark skinned son isn't as handsome as their light skinned one, or that the husband has the right to yell at the wife, or that a girl should just stay silent about abuse from family members, etc. When these things happen and the younger generation doesn't speak up, that is when extremely harmful cultural thoughts are perpetuated. So yes, younger generation has to stand up and fix generational trauma.
"Your skin color does not define your soul" - I completely agree with you here!! I am not playing victim and I am not sure what part of my comment screamed victim complex. I was talking about my personal experience growing up in a south asian culture where colorism impacts people's lives on a daily basis. I am not making up and putting statements out there, I was sharing real life experiences. "Fair is beautiful, dark is ugly" - I didn't invent this and put it out in the world. Have you bothered to do any research about this? Have you seen Indian fairness cream ads? Go search up one ad and you will understand what I am saying. And then think of people who live their entire lives under this bombardment of colorism ideals. I have cousins and friends who have deep trauma and still struggle every single day due to this. I have lived with people and witnessed what this horrific beauty standard does to their emotional state as well as their physical state due to all the solutions they try to "fix" the problem. And for you to reduce this to victim complex show how lightly you take others feelings.
Yes beauty lies in the eye of the beholder and yes, on the other end of the spectrum I have people in my life who prefer fairer people. The entire country prefers fairer actors in movies and dark skinned folks rarely become famous. I do not ever make people feel bad for their preferences because as I said originally - it is part of your brain. It is ingrained in you because of how you were raised. Every culture has a beauty standard and kids growing up in that will prefer that beauty standard and be attracted to that. Did I say in my comment I attack people for their preferences? No.
If someone says "ugh, I can't believe Jane married Joe. Joe is so dark and ugly" (true statement I have heard multiple times in my family). Depending on my comfort level with the person who said that, I will speak up and say "hey, is that really a nice thing to say? Clearly Jane loves Joe. And honestly, Joe is a handsome guy. And all that matters is that Jane and Joe like each other for who they are so I don't think we should be making such comments."
If someone says "I love Jane!! She is so fair and beautiful!" , I will smile and say "that is amazing! I am so glad you found someone you love!". Or "yes! Jane is pretty!". and stop there. I would never attack someone for who they love.
I don't know what nerve I hit with you for you to go off like this but hopefully my explanation helps you understand the original intent more. If you are still firm on believing what you do, then I can't help it. I can only hope that your perpetuation of generational trauma doesn't hurt people in your life.
This is such an interesting video. As a DS Black American who just got into K-pop and Kdramas I can blatantly see the colorism but I was aware if anyone else found issue with it. It’s not lost on me when you see the bts videos of them on the beach underneath umbrellas hiding from the sun.
Even my fave group 2PM often they're whitewashed when they appear on JYP esp the members that are naturally tanned and sometimes in their photos. But sometimes without the filters you see their naturally tanned skin and its so beautiful. Its definitely a part of the Korean society i saw first hand and i hope it changes.
it's because having a tan was also popular in the early 2000s so that's why idols would jump into the trend, we all know how much of culture vultures koreans actually are, and since the tan skin fad isn't in anymore they then started obsessed with fair skin. it's a vicious cycle
I'm Asian, and most of my family (mum's side) are like fair-medium, with some who are darker. I have always been a been on the darker side, and I remember this one time when I was 9, I looked in the mirror with 2 of my other cousins and I was upset with the fact my skin was darker. Since then, I have definitely got a much healthier view of my skin being darker, but seeing idols say colorist things makes me feel like the progress is being undone. It reinforces harmful ideals of being white-skinned and makes me feel like I am inferior. I am not the darkest of people and I'd say I have medium skin tone, so I can't imagine what darker kpop fans might feel.
What's awful is "fans" editing the idol selfies... It's still happening so often it's so bad and they don't realise they're really just taking a picture someone took of themselves and said "no it's ugly let me change it"
Absolutely love the fact that you used TVXQ as an example of past acceptance of tanner artists, they’re my fav group ❤
Been a K-pop Stan since 2012, and is so refreshing to see a video finally conclusively talking about this without dividing it into 18 different videos
ANOTHER CASSIOPEIA OMGEEEEE!!!😭❤❤
I think also cosmetic procedures have become more advanced, they have injections that make you lighter. But if you mention this to Korean people they act like they are all paper white and only avoid the sun and that is why their skin goes back to like when they were born, and say people are racist for assuming they try too hard to look lighter using too light makeup, excessive light of filters or bleaching procedures.
The same colorism issue was true with VIXX’s treatment of N. He was made fun of many, many times by the members. It was so internalised that N used to feel bad for the staff because they had to work extra hard for lighting his shots in order to not make him look dark. At first, N used to try to hide his actual complexion until mid-way through he dropped it and embraced his beauty because N is simply gorgeous and one of the most attractive idols on stage with one of the best stage presence. And to me, as a new fan of VIXX, it was very weird seeing all that older content. It’s just incredibly ignorant and backward of the Korean society if they keep following something discriminatory just because it was said in older times. I know these issues because my country has tons of them. So, we know that we can’t change their society ourselves. But we can support healthier conversations by sharing positive thoughts with our idols, just as you said.
As a kpop fan that has also been here since 2nd gen I'm loving all the DBSK pics. It brings me such happiness lol
we STAN a second gen stan ❤️🔥
The worst part isn’t even the idols themselves, who often do apologise in the end, and genuine or not, it’s still appreciated.
The worst part is that there’s a whole group of colourist and toxic fans who will say that ‘it was just a joke’, ‘there’s no need to apologise’, ‘brown people always try to be the victim’, ‘why are you so sensitive’ and will gaslight and attack people who give constructive criticism and defend colourist comments made by their idols as if their life depended on it. 🤦🏽♀️ I know they’re called ‘idols’ but some of these fans literally treat them like deities.
And some of these fans are even coloured themselves, which is the most pathetic thing to me. It’s like, I get you want to be ‘cool’ and ‘chill’ and somehow you think accepting being seen as a joke will allow you to be these things, but don’t disrespect your own community and don’t speak for the rest of us.
Happy to see a fellow Cassie 😊 but yes this topic is so important and you did a great job covering it!!
I'm a SHINee shawol since their debut in 2008 and have been sick to see all idols go from perfection (their natural skin color) to ridiculous (ultra-white to where they look sick and completely fake). I also hate it that everyone has to have exactly the same facial shape, and if you don't have it you have to get plastic surgery in order to debut. Yes, visuals are part of the genre, but I'll take great singing and choreo any day over this horror show. And yeah, TVXQ is a fav also. :)
I saw BlackPink in concert and was shocked by how dark they are in person. Especially Rose and Jisoo. They looked like honey skinned GODDESSES!!!!
Rose was not that white and Jisso too only people who are born with fair or white skin can remain that way
Girly, same, I’m on the TVXQ train, and we’re in this fight together 🥹
me too! Cassie for life!
Yay a fellow TVXQ fan here! 👋🏻 Great video!
Changmin's tanned skin in Fly with the Gold is absolutely GORGEOUS! I loved how natural it looked and I really hope to see his natural tone more... looking forward to their 20th anniversary!
I'd also like to say that people have this weird retort of 'pale skin is beautiful too'... like yes obviously. I shouldn't need to say it but every shade no matter how pale or tan, is gorgeous. The problem is the idols aren't always naturally that pale, you're really kidding yourselves if you think that. Personally if I had to see photos and videos of myself then look in the mirror and see something different to what so many people praise and fawn over, I'd feel like an imposter. It's not healthy for anyone involved. So again, there's nothing wrong with any shade of skin. What's wrong is forcing unrealistic beauty standards on people and shunning (or worse dehumanising and discriminating against) anyone who doesn't fit into them.
Did any one else see the crazy lighting that changed danielle from literally white to a normal looking skin tone.
I choked. Its not even a stage light, i wouldnt be surprised if it was one of those suppeeerrrrr bright torches that could make night into day.
I really like this video and I hope that it reaches a broader audience of K-pop bands. I especially don’t understand certain fans international argue with each other about why this is perfectly OK you’re fine because as someone who is Chinese Thai and Columbian mixed up and happen to have been born and raised primarily in east Asian countries. This is definitely a social construct an issue that is very much so brushed under the table. I feel like most of the time when people do you talk about how bad certain aspects of the beauty standards are. Like my brother-in-law’s fully Korean but he’s also a naturally tan dude. He is so used to people sitting there and pointing out how much darker his skin tone is legitimately being discriminated to a certain degree by people in his own country because of how he looks even though his face card is never declined and it’s kind of ridiculous and would really got me and would really made me pay more attention to it because personally growing up I was aware of it but I also just going to ignore it because I was also aware of the fact that because I was mixed-race, regardless of the fact that I was living back-and-forth between two east Asian countries I was never going to see the beauty standard in the first place, like my ass looked way to south east Asian, and other to fit any of the beauty standards. But it wasn’t until my sister was pregnant and my brother-in-law was genuinely concerned about the color of their child’s skin because again with us being mixed, we all have varying shades of melanin my older sister is lightest out of the three of us, but it still considered darker than is he liked or wanted in Korea and it wasn’t until that kind of hit me that I was like wow this is like way more of an issue that people to talk about.
Not to mention, it kind of sucks because there was a point in time during third GEN I think it was kind of in the middle of it where both Korean fans and international hand have kind of came to an understanding when it came to idols and what they naturally looks like, and not white, washing the shit out of them when he came to tan taking photos like it was still kind of bad and I didn’t leave till like an argument on the Internet that lasted like two months if I remember correctly but it eventually got to a point where the cream pants are like you know what you guys are right they do caulk little ridiculous but also just don’t try fixing the photos because sometimes it looks like you’re making them darker It was just a really weird conversation that happened but then we were getting photos or taken at concerts at the airport at places, venues, etc. that weren’t white washed. Hi heavens, then fourth GEN happen and that just all disappeared again because the company started white washing the crap out of their idols and then the fan start doing it again too.
I kind of miss when K-pop idols were more stupidly, talented people who we would never be able to reach their level of talent and perfection with their craft, and that’s what made them stand out from us and like yeah they were pretty, but they varied in the type of attractive and beautiful that they were versus now where it does feel like slowly, but surely a lot of idols are becoming the new IG models as in, they’re all starting to look the same and it pains me to say that as a fucking Asian person because literally it feels like the whole cloning, the people used to accuse us of doing is starting to happen in K-pop, because everyone is starting to look eerily similar. It’s not just that there are very attractive people being found, and picked and trained, but it also feels like because of the access whitewashing so everyone’s features seem really shallow on their faces most of the time because there’s no contrast and everyone has fairly similar make up done in terms of like their nose contour. Yes, some idols do have minimum invasive procedures, and I do you think people should stop sitting there and acting like idols don’t get worked on. It is something that Korean fans and Asian fans in general are well aware of it’s not anything new and it’s nothing wrong with it. Hell half of us have gotten worked on as teenagers as gifts from our parents. It might sound fucked up and it’s not necessarily the norm but it does happen for my 16th birthday. My parents literally paid for me to get a bump that I have on my fucking nose removed people ask me about it all the time they’re like doesn’t that feel some type away didn’t you feel some type away no because that’s kind of fucking normal there. It’s not the best and it definitely doesn’t help with your self-esteem but that’s a whole Nother situation in story to talk about when he comes to the Asian cultures and beauty standards which let’s be real K-pop does not help especially now because things are very Michelle added it to high heaven and I hell and it’s kind of ridiculous.
You know for 1st gen, having dark skin tone is the benchmark to coolness thanks to icons like Fin.K.L's Lee Hyo Ri and Sechskies's Eun Jiwon. They embrace their skin tones and rock it just fine on broadcasts and they prove that it cool to have dark skin tones. Eun Jiwon embodied the masculine vibes while Lee Hyo Ri embodied the sexy vibes with that skin tones just fine. As for today's gen, the only icon who is rocking dark skin tone is probably only Jessi.
This was very well documented and informative. Thanks ❤❤❤
I never subbed faster, that SNSD picture comparasion had me rolling on the ground. As a second gen stan, I've noticed over the decade the weird obsession that manifested with the looks of these idols. Obviously they were always stunning but 4th gen idols barely look human anymore, they look like AI created the perfect (asian) human and made them dance. It's quite interesting to see that most of them fit into that Korean beauty standard that much, which includes the lighting of their skins on pictures and videos. Sorry I thought I tuned in on Changbinnie rapping not a live broadcast of casper the ghost.
Uwu it makes my heart happy that people haven't completely forgotten about DBSK!
I just want to say that I'm really happy about all the Changmin pics and the comments and images about 2nd gen stuff. I'm a first year 3rd gen fan myself so I "grew up" seeing some of these things. 😂
can’t believe Seventeen wasn’t mentioned or shown once when they have bronzed god Kim Mingyu 😭 he’s an idol that I think is really comfortable with his melanin AS HE SHOULD BE!! it was kinda wild to me after getting into kpop and seeing how coveted pale skin is when tan/medium tone skin is the ideal in the states 🤯
to me title is a bit misleading 😬
I hate that basically every single group goes for the same look. There is basically no diversity. Same skin color, everyone has double eyelids, the same slim long noses, v chins etc etc. Kpop idols back then just looked more like actual people