In K-Pop, fashion and makeup are key tools for constructing gender narratives. These aren’t just surface-level aesthetics, they actively shape how idols are perceived, interpreted, and emotionally engaged with.
Throughout my research, I observed that K-Pop boy groups constantly move between traditionally “masculine” and “feminine” styling cues. One comeback might feature structured military jackets and leather, another soft pastels, lace, or glossy skin. Makeup plays a crucial role here, highlighting certain features (eyes, lips, jawlines) to either sharpen or soften a member’s look, depending on the concept.
This flexibility doesn’t dilute identity, it expands it. It invites fans to see masculinity as multi-faceted, emotional, and performative. In many ways, K-Pop creates space for gender as performance, much like drag or theatre, but within a mainstream pop format. Importantly, this kind of gender play is made digestible and aspirational through the high production quality of styling, visuals, and controlled group dynamics.
Each visual concept becomes a new lens through which to explore and project identity, not as fixed, but as curated and expressive. And fans engage deeply with this process, decoding meanings, reading emotions, and connecting with idols based on how their image evolves over time.
