One of the worst things in K-Pop is the double standards that exist for male and female idols. A lot of times, female idols will get crushed for things that male idols do often. Here’s a list of some times when double standards were exposed in K-Pop.
1. Park Bo Gum & IU receiving different reactions for the same concept
Park Bo Gum and IU both once did the same concept, where they had lipstick smudged on them, but garnered different reactions. While Park Bo Gum was praised by a lot of people, IU ended up receiving a lot of criticism.
It got to the point where netizens and fans had to call out this double standard and defend IU from all the criticism she was receiving.
2. MAMAMOO’s Hwasa getting criticized for showing “too much skin”
In 2018, lots of netizens criticized Hwasa for a dress she wore because it was showing “too much skin”.
However, male idols have been shown on stage wearing much less clothing, but they essentially never receive criticism from netizens when they do this.
3. Female idols receiving a lot more criticism for weight
Netizens are quite harsh on K-Pop idols for their weight, and it seems that it’s mostly female idols who get criticized. GFRIEND‘s Umji is someone who has had to deal with malicious netizens since the beginning of her career due to her weight.
Super Junior‘s Shindong once spoke about this and received massive backlash. He commented on how he thought that if a girl is overweight, then they need to lose weight and that men don’t need to do this.
If someone [looked like they] had to lose weight, I would tell that person to lose weight. Lose some weight. Why can’t you take care of yourself?
When I say this, the person may think, ‘Look who’s talking’. But I’d reply, ‘I’m a boy and you’re a girl.’
— Shindong
4. ITZY’s Ryujin speaking on how girl groups are sometimes seen as inferior to boy groups
Ryujin recently spoke on how she doesn’t like being compared to boys groups when getting complimented.
Ryujin shared that a compliment she hears a lot when people see ITZY perform is, “Your performance seems difficult for a girl group“, or even “too cool to be a girl group’s [performance]“. However, Ryujin isn’t the biggest fan of this kind of compliment, as it implies that girl groups are inferior to boy groups.
“For a girl group” feels like it’s implying we’re a little better than they expected…? It didn’t really feel like a big compliment. We weren’t doing this thinking, “That’ll do because we’re girls.”
— Ryujin
While Ryujin is still thankful for these kinds of “compliments”, she wishes that girl groups weren’t compared to boy groups in this manner.
That’s my hope. It’s different from “I wish they liked it”. Just how it is? Without adding anything else. Think and feel what you see…
— Ryujin
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