(G)I-DLE’s Radical Refusal to Conform
Political records have never belonged in K-Pop. But (G)I-DLE are pushing back with an album aimed at misogyny and the repression of women.
Perhaps the worst political ideology an idol in K-Pop could champion is feminism. Feminism is defined, rather plainly, as someone who believes in the social, political and economic equality of men and women. But this is a dirty word in Korea, where feminists are deemed “man-haters” and are blamed for the nation’s low birthrate. To be a feminist in Korea is akin to being a social pariah. The Korean movement of feminism is built not just on equality, but a growing belief that the best way to fight patriarchy is to simply leave it behind entirely.
Though these are prominent, controversial topics in Korea, K-Pop has rarely been a space for political discourse. The industry is built on a fantasy that idols are apolitical entertainers. They do not engage with controversial topics like racial identity, human rights or religion because doing so would likely end their career. Instead, idols are trained to respond with just enough positive reinforcement to evade awkward questions so that a fan can continue to believe whatever they want - no matter how false it may be. This can have damaging effects: Many fans felt betrayed when HyunA, a female idol known for her liberal views towards sexuality, was rumored to date a man involved in the Burning Sun scandal. “But I thought she was a feminist,” many protested on Reddit forums and X. But HyunA never claimed to be a feminist. In fact she never did anything but act in her own self-interest.
But in the West, where K-Pop is expanding mightily, there is a growing call from fans to know where their favorite idol stands on moral, political issues. Girl groups in particular must walk a tighter line than ever as they attempt to appease a Korean public and Western fans. “Feminism tells women that they can and they should be vocal about their rights, but that’s not the case for girl groups,” music critic Park Hee-a recently told KoreaJoong Daily. “If they do, then that’s interpreted as a symbol of distancing themselves from men. They get trapped more and more in the idolized version of women.”
Yet one group that is willing to engage with the politics of feminism is (G)I-DLE, a five member girl group led by Jeon Soyeon with members Miyeon, Minnie, Yuqi and Shuhua. On their new album “2”, (G)I-DLE takes a knife to the expectations of women to be subservient, to show gratitude more than cockiness, and above all, to take on the role of a wife. As the group’s chief lyricist (and I would argue) creative director, Jeon writes scathing narratives about power imbalances, sexual exploitation and the ingrained misogyny of the men she encounters. She’s not only a sharp lyricist, but a keen observer of society. Her best work, such as “TOMBOY” or “Wife”, are sly punches at societal expectations for women.
“2” arrives at a career high for (G)I-DLE. Once thought of as a fairly shallow, midtier girl group, the six women have found themselves at the center of a changing K-Pop industry. Tracks like “NXDE” and “TOMBOY”, which pushback against standards of feminine beauty and the male gaze, are some of the most daring, straightforward tracks about female autonomy released by a mainstream group. Crucially, (G)I-DLE members have also never identified themselves as feminists. But their lyrics seem to speak otherwise.
“2” has plenty of audacious moments of transgressiveness, but none are as bold as “Wife. In the track’s brilliant video, the women dance in synchronicity with bright smiles on their faces. Clad in identical wigs and white outfits, the women never lip synch a word until the final verse, which seems to imply a familiar adage: “Women should be seen, not heard.” But when they rap, the lyrics are ferocious.
Jeon has faced criticism for her use of English in the past, but “Wife” feels like the clearest example of how Jeon uses English to confuse or even disturb her listeners. Jeon writes as if the man is stupid, so she breaks down her wifely duties in the simplest of terms: “I clean your room/ It’s so twinkle,” she snaps. “Want me to be your wife but she is”, and then stops herself. You can fill in the rest: But she is your mother. And when the members finally do lip sync in the final verse, the twist the knife in: “Wife/ I make you feel so high/ I make you feel like lie/ But I don’t wanna wife.”
On the title track “Super Lady”, the women forcefully declare, “I am a god/ I never die”. The song has been embraced not just by women, but by queer men, too, who it was rumored broke out into a fight in a Seoul gay nightclub because everyone wanted to sing the chorus. The song is campy, to be sure, but it’s also deathly serious. This is an anthem of rejection: Women can empower themselves.
With the standout b-side “Doll”, the women blithely pushback on a cheater. “I’m not your doll/ Don’t cry,” Shuhua sings in the chorus. “I wanna change ‘em all,” Minnie admits in the second verse. But the women realize there’s no use in changing a man who refuses to admit his wrongdoing. “I’m not your toy,” Yuqi sneers.
Like “Wife” and “Super Lady”, “Doll” plays with the idea of how a woman, and perhaps a female idol, will be perceived. If you think that a female idol should be a blank canvas to fit your needs and desires, (G)I-DLE will douse you in cold water. They are loud and opinionated, but above all, they want you to feel their wrath.
An undercurrent to (G)I-DLE’s second album is how it reappropriates the style and sound of K-Pop’s second generation girl groups.
From 2007 - 2015, groups like Girls Generation (SNSD), T-ARA, KARA, and f(x) pushed K-Pop into a global consciousness. But these groups were largely made for a male gaze. Groups like T-ARA, specifically, whose tracks like “Sexy Love” and “Sugar Free'' played into a dichotomy that made the group resemble chaste vixens. Others, like NINE MUSES, rarely sought to hide their blatant attempt to lure in male fans. This is seen quite literally in the documetnary “Nine Muses of Star Empire”, when we learn that the group was put together because of the girls’ looks and not necessarily because of their musical talents. In one shocking scene, heavyset middle aged men flip through photos of the girls as they criticize their weight and looks.
I struggle with writing about these groups because of how little autonomy the members had, and because largely, many former members of second generation groups have spoken out about the excessive use of sex appeal. These groups laid the framework for (G)I-DLE or LE SSERAFIM to boldly portray themselves as strong, capable women. But it was not without a large amount of pain.
(G)I-DLE plays with these aesthetics subtly, first, in the album concept photos. In the most striking version, the members are photographed against two backdrops: one that is entirely black and another that is a pattern of brightly contrasted metallic squares. They style sequined hats that resemble tiaras with thigh-high black boots, cut-out silver tops and black striped jackets that look like something a member of a royal court could wear. To my eyes, the women most resemble 2NE1 or T-ARA, two groups who often portrayed punk-queen concepts.
In a second concept shoot, the members look like arctic snow bunnies styled in large fuzzy white hats, a large amount of iced necklaces, sequined bras and fuzzy mini-skirts. These looks grow into high-femme glam with the ultra-futuristic “Super Lady” vide. Here, the women don’t exist in reality but in a CGI-created world that was a favorite of many second generation groups.
Perhaps the most striking – and uncomfortable – factor about “2” is that (G)I-DLE have a voice because of the women who endured before them. Perhaps “2” is an homage to that; a sly tip of the hat to the women who made K-Pop into the global phenomenon it is now. Perhaps, too, “2” is just clever marketing from Cube Entertainment. But the album feels too risky and too confrontational to come from the industry that rarely pushes political buttons. (G)I-DLE, then, seem gleeful to break the biggest unspoken rule yet: To declare their belief that women may be even more powerful than men
