User:Tcampos2/sandbox

= Young South Korean Women-The "Soft" and "Cute" = In traditional Confucian families are placed into a hierarchy that assigns each member a dominant and subordinate relationship. In Confucianism, the patriarchal protocol for relationships placed women as subordinate to their male counterpart. Korean Perception of chastity and Gender Roles is one that is embedded in a history that valued woman in coherence to their loyalty to men through both domesticity and chastity. Women were in this way expected to remain faithful to "three subordinates ", before she would honor her dad, when she leaves home she would honor her husband, and after his passing she would honor her son. In 19th century Korea, the ritual of honor was aligned with a young women's reputation. To be honorable meant to respect your subordinate responsibilities, in virtue, obedience, and loyalty. In alliance, the expectancy was that of fertility, and beauty. Notable, sex was arranged by civil arrangements and in this way, remaining a virgin till marriage was seen as the first faithful act towards one's husband. Aspects of traditional Confucian values also instructed that women be submissive to and less sexually aggressive than men. Young women with soft and childlike qualities, were honored and arranged to the wealthy and upper-class men. In marriage, young brides would only be asked to bring their clothes and household cleaning items. Virtuously upheld wives and mothers were publicly recognized with awards and became respectable women in society. The passing on of sociocultural values from one generation to the next is one that does not exclude Aegyo. In South Korea, the attraction and respect towards "soft" and cute continues to place a role in kinship with aesthetic and behavior, a style that often surpasses adolescence.

= Trans-nationalism- Kawaii and Aegyo = Trans-nationalism is the mixing of people and ideas across borders. Kawaii is categorized as having qualities or items that make you cute, and is often seen as the Aegyo of Japan. The Japanese colonial rule was an unresolved mix of emotions for Korea and resulted in the banning of Japanese media in attempts to preserve the countries culture. It was not until the expansion of network within the Kpop industry that Japanese influence was being acceptably integrated into South Korean culture. The technological development of music video production from the early 1980's-till present has seen an aesthetic shift from gangster to soft and cute, specifically in girl bands. In the early 1990's S.E.S "I'm your girl" music video topped the charts in South Korea. The video previewed 3 girls in baggy pants and though still demonstrating aegyo qualities, it reflected more of the "gangster rap" aesthetic of the late 90s. The impact of the IMF crisis of the time heavily influenced this era to be what adults came to coin as a rebellious culture. In the 2000's as more Korean artists began to make debuts in Japan the Korean government waved an an investment into Kpop that allowed for fewer laws around censorship. This allowed industries to shift music videos like After School's "Shampoo MV" which pictured a group of young girls who were manufactured as elements with Japanese style music. Aegyo qualities began to resurface and soft romance and childlike imagery once again became what viewers aspired to imitate. This is still seen today in bands like T-ara who are South Korean artists that are signed to a Japanese record label. The transnational aesthetic appeal of soft and cute is still vastly seen today through music videos like T-ara's "Bunny Style" where the women embody bunny like behaviors that are usually seen as soft and cute appeals.