Amer Liu, K-Pop Tomboy

Howard, Keith; Laforgia, Paola

Abstract

South Korean mainstream pop music, known simply as K-Pop, has become such a huge phenomenon in recent years that it is playing a decisive role in reshaping Korean culture and identity. Indeed, the K-Pop phenomenon is much more than just something musical, intertwining a complexity of sound, performance, ethnicity and gender. A contextual analysis needs therefore to take all these elements into consideration. This paper aims to show how K-Pop plays a crucial role in promoting ideologies, and defining gender roles. It does so by analyzing the music and image of the Taiwanese-American originating singer Amber Liu. Liu goes against the standard gender identification and behavior that Korean society imposes on women, and by doing so she can be said to represent a shift in the portrayal and performance of femininity through K-pop. But, how is her gender behavior tolerated, and to what extent is this a stage behavior required and promoted by her management company as a way to mark out difference?

Citation

Howard, K., & Laforgia, P. (2017). Amer Liu, K-Pop Tomboy. Kritika kultura (ADMU. Print), 29, 214-231. https://doi.org/10.13185/KK2017.02910

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 18, 2017
• Publication Date: Aug 1, 2017
• Deposit Date: Jun 29, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 2, 2117
• Print ISSN: 1656-152X
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 29
• Pages: 214-231
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.13185/KK2017.02910