I’m dreading every single lee hyori 10 minutes reel that makes it to my feed because the comments are so predictable every single time. This is something that a lot of people aren’t realising and I need to put it out there. Even though people mention other things too lets talk about lee hyori’s skin tone during that time. A lot of comments talk about how refreshing it is to see an idol have tanned skin and not be whitewashed. Do you guys not see the concept? Her stage props, outfits and makeup and very inspired by america and this is what idols call a “hip”(lmao) or “sexy” concept. That concept is why she is allowed to be tanned. That concept is why it was okay and people praised her. Take a look at kiss of life. Their entire concept is also “western” “sexy” and “hip”. I’m using these words very lightly. But because of that concept, the members are allowed to be curvy or tanned. Its not revolutionary now it wasn’t revolutionary then. If anything its very regressive and stereotypical to associate tanned or darker skin with sensuality or sexiness. If these idols had to do an “elegant” concept, they wouldn’t be tanned even in 2nd gen. Colorist attitude in east and south east asia has existed since decades before kpop even started. It existed in 1995 and it exists in 2025. Not to mention, nothing is natural about how they looked. Female idols back then were also super skinny and had flawless hair and makeup. An average korean person did not look like snsd yoona. So back then, they did look otherworldly and like celebrities the same way wonyoung looks otherworldly to us. Skincare and the beauty industry have advanced and developed a lot since 2nd gen so of course idols use all sorts of treatments and products to enable the same standards that existed since before they were born. It just wasn’t as accessible back then. And what’s the obsession with looking natural anyway? Kpop makeup is art in itself. Its constantly evolving and has employed so many people and provides livelihood to them. Its a creative outlet that has to match various concepts and needs special attention to customise the technique according to the idol’s face. The same can be said about outfits. End of the year award show outfits for girl groups are STUNNING these days. The amount of work, quality and thought that’s put into them despite the schedules of the stylists is remarkable. Even if they’re outsourced, its providing livelihood to so many freelance designers. Kpop is not relatable or simple or natural. Its about putting up a show. If idols remained the same since 2006, their western counterparts would be on a completely different scale when it comes to shows now. Imagine idols still wearing tank tops and using a hand held mic in 2025 while america has superbowl. Performance scales have raised globally due to better production and technology. So why is this used as a way to belittle idols now? submitted by /u/eiuza [link] [comments]
Nostalgia laced opinions about 2nd gen
- reddit.com language
- 2025-10-10 12:50 event
- 8 hours ago schedule