According to the American Psychological Association, infantilization is described as the process of “the encouragement of infantile or childish behavior in a more mature individual.” The practice of infantilizing someone involves disregarding a person’s character and viewing them as wholly immature.
Over the last few years, Korean popular music, or K-pop, has exploded in popularity worldwide, gaining a particularly large following in the West. K-pop music is centered around the idea of Idol culture, and the popularization of K-pop in the West has re-awakened old stereotypes about East Asian women, which has manifested in the form of infantilization.
Idol Culture “manufactures, markets, and cultivates young performers as objects of devotion.” This subculture originated in Japan but has spread to other East Asian countries and become a key part of their music subculture. In this case, my focus lies in Korean idol culture.
The idols usually belong to a larger all-male or all-female band, with each member developing their own image and group of fans. The idols themselves, as well as the group, are expected to “perform” in a certain manner while in the public eye. It is an attempt to connect with their fans and essentially give them what they want. This behavior of pandering to the public is known as fan service. Fan service originates with the fans, but is encouraged by the entertainment companies to which the groups are signed. The primary behavior that is encouraged is known as aegyo.
Aegyo (애교) is a Korean word that roughly translates to “cuteness,” and is used to describe an individual’s cute, charming, and/or affectionate mannerisms and tone that mimic those of a child. Tactics such as pitching up your voice, hand gestures, puffing out of the cheeks, finger dimples, and any other gestures considered “cute” or that are associated with children.
Though the act of being intentionally cute isn’t harmful, there is a long history of the degradation of women in Korean society, and the overall Western stereotype that East Asian women are docile.
The primary argument against aegyo claims that the practice reinforces harmful stereotypes and traditional Korean hierarchical roles. The practice is a reflection of the inequality of the sexes and gerontocracy in Korea. An article from the Asia Pacific Journal of Anthropology describes aegyo as a “layered phenomenon standing in productive relations with other ideas and concepts typical of Korean remaining hierarchical (patriarchal and gerontocratic) societal organization.” It paints Korean women as childlike and docile, absolving them of having agency over their own careers.
There is an ongoing debate around this issue, and whether or not the practice of aegyo should continue. It is my belief that aegyo, in its current context, devalues K-pop idols and reinforces multiple negative perceptions of Korean and East Asian women. It cannot be passed off as simply a part of Korean culture, and is an issue that must be addressed. To even begin to dismantle these perceptions, however, the root of the issue must be identified.
The stereotype and fetishization of East Asian women originated in the United States and Europe, so is Western culture wholly to blame? Or should blame reside with the Korean entertainment companies who are playing into the stereotype by, essentially, mandating their idols act in this certain manner?
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