This study examines the construction of the image of K-pop female idol groups and the presentation of postfeminist discourses through a critical discourse analysis of three official documentaries of three K-pop female groups: Blackpink: Light Up the Sky (2020), Mamamoo: Where Are We Now (2022), and Twice: Seize the Light (2020). The study aims to explore how these documentaries present K-pop idols on/off stage and how the K-pop industry employs postfeminist discourses to construct femininity and female empowerment. The study addresses the following research questions: how do the three documentaries construct the image of K-pop female idol groups? In what ways do the documentaries demonstrate elements of postfeminist discourse? By looking at the concept of girl crush in K- pop culture, the study found that the three groups presented the image of girl crush in different ways and to varying degrees, with traits such as self-confidence, power, and sexuality. Blackpink’s double image of strong and powerful onstage and innocent and cute off-stage reflects both traditional and modern expectations of women. Mamamoo’s documentary highlights bold sexual expression and diverse gender representation, situating them as icons of postfeminist empowerment. Twice’s documentary emphasizes authenticity and an affective connection with their fandom. Despite these narratives of empowerment, the analysis also reveals underlying gender inequalities in the K-pop industry, where female idols have limited influence and the industry remains male-dominated. The study contributes to an understanding of K-pop culture and its gender representations, highlighting the tension between empowerment and traditional gender norms.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:uu-532051 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Wen, Jie |
| Publisher | Uppsala universitet, Medier och kommunikation |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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