in Indonesia lately. Since K-Pop is starting to know spread Hallyu widely, K-Pop music has

become a global trend nowadays in the music industry. The growth of K-Pop all around the

world is fascinating as more and more people are attracted to it in the present decade (Sung,

2014). The rapid development of technology in Korea made Korean society easier to access

everything in the entertainment industry (Jin, 2015). This indirectly makes them follow

everything that is happening in the industry, be it the way the entertainers act or how they look.

groups that try to fit the standards (Alejandro, 2021), and follow everything done by the Korean

society’s expectations from how they dress, the kind of makeup they use, and the extreme diet

psychological traits and characteristics of, as well as the activities appropriate to men or

women.

and feminine characteristics was needed. This is closely related to the issue that women are

always seen as the opposite of men. Copenhaver (2002) separates the characteristics of the trait

into four areas, which are behavior characteristics, communication patterns, sources of power,

and physical appearance. First, behavior characteristics describe how men and women are

reflected to act in relation to each other. Second, communication patterns describe how men

decisive, risk-taker, and self-reliant) and eight feminine (Affectionate, emotionally expressive,

impetuous, nurturing, panicky, passive, tender, and understanding) traits of gender stereotypes.

Both of the theories mentioned above are very suitable for analyzing the data from this study

which brings up the issue of gender stereotypes, especially for women.

a 4

bring the new concepts and break the social standards in Korean society in women’s behavior

stereotypes generally. This study tries to answer questions on how women are constructed

we often listen to in everyday life. People tend to take gender issues for granted, neglecting

their significant impact on society. Thus, this study can give new insight into how gender is

actually an essential part of our life but is often underestimated.

and Hwang (2011), Lin & Rudolf (2017), Ayuningtyas (2017), Abrahamsson (Abrahamsson,

2018), and Andanawari and Nafisah (2020). Nam, Lee, and Hwang (2011) use Goffman's

(1979) typology theory to analyze gender role stereotypes in Korean fashion magazines

targeting adolescent girls. The result shows that Korean women are stereotypically portrayed

differently from Western. Korean women are more stereotypically portrayed than any other

group as smiling, pouting, and with a childlike or cute expression.

reinforce a sexist culture and traditional gender roles both within Korea and around the globe,

further obstructing women’s pursuit of equal opportunities.

represented by K-Pop male idols (Soft masculinity). This research used a mixed-method in

collecting the data from a questionnaire distributed via e-mail and Line to twenty fan girls from

various fandoms in April 2016. The result shows that the respondents are aware that in the

entertainment business, gender identity can be modified and presented as a part of marketing

strategy. In addition, they only see the soft masculinity delivered by K-Pop male idols as a

between cute and sexy. They are also concerned with their looks and their primary interest is

focused on men.

specifically in girl group songs. There are six songs as the data of this study, which are ITZY

“HIP.” This present study aims to give a new perspective on how the issue of women

stereotypes is implied in Korean girl groups’ songs’ lyrics. Actually, this study became the

main reference for the writer to conduct this present study, because all studies discuss gender

roles in K-Pop constructed in media but still a little that carried about how women’s behavior

characteristics of the research setting. The nature of qualitative data is related to this study

because this study works with real video data from Youtube which is a trustworthy platform.

The characteristics of the research setting are related to this study because this study works in

a natural setting without any attempts to manipulate the data and the situation under the study.

This study aims to try to answer questions on how women are constructed through the songs

and determine whether the songs confirm or subvert the stereotype.

by ITZY. The qualitative data show how Korean women are portrayed in Korean entertainment

media to give an example of how gender is constructed in media, more than the quantitative

method can do. Somehow, it can illustrate the big picture in detail with the bigger context being

sub for the English transcript of the video. The writer then downloaded the transcript and

checked its accuracy of the transcript. Due to some parts that were unclear in the transcript, the

writer fixed the transcript to make it easier to read and understood. Fourth, the writer copied

the transcription in Microsoft Word, in order to make the transcript more even and easier to be

more accurate, readable, and analyzed.

(2000) theory of gender stereotype, which is eight gender feminine traits. The second

framework is from Copenhaver's (2002) theory of stereotypical gender traits: behavior

gender traits, and behavior characteristics. After that, compare the MVs with the issues that are

related to those gender theories. Lastly, the findings of the data were concluded and

summarized.

behavior characteristics according to Evans and Davies (2000). “Dalla Dalla” MV uses an

elevator and lifts to represent the restrictions on movement and their behavior is always

monitored by the cameras. The cameras represent how the public sees women as the stereotypes

in certain ways. Actually, in “ICY”, “Wannabe” and “Not Shy” are also mentioned about

women can confess and do everything that they want without hesitation. However, let’s focus

on ICY first.

in that MV. Chaeryeong, Yuna, and Yeji dance freely in the street, pick up and rooftop, Ryujin

hits the table (Something that is considered impolite) to prove that she wants to break all Korean

society's standards about her, as well as Lia who should represent how idols should behave,

calm and elegant, but she did not do that. That is why everyone looks at them with their

judgment, but they really do not pay attention and just do what they want to do. Furthermore,

the perspective that how Korean society (In this case, Lia) views the doll as an individual who

should accept the society’s standards. Then, Chaeryeong who was at the factory with a variety

of matching plastic hangings, and she was running because the drone chased her, it represents

how the drone (Social standards) sue her to be a part of the matching plastics hanging. Also,

Ryujin cuts her hair into short hair, as people in Korean society standard have thought that a

girl should have silky-long hair to be beautiful. Then, Yuna did the catwalk with no shoes on,

as a sign of protest that every woman has the right to decide what she should wear. This further

can do anything by themselves. They do not want others to intervene and tell them to mind

their own business. Through their lyrics, ITZY proves that women can also take control of their

own life. In this case, again, the lyrics of the song subvert the stereotype. Then, in “Not Shy”,

game” and “Not shy to say I want you.”. It can be implied from the lyrics mentioned, that

instead of being passive, ITZY is concerned more about the way women express their feeling.

The ideas mentioned are by being outspoken, saying what is currently on their mind, and being

oblivious to others’ perceptions. According to Evans and Davies (2000), women who have

passive traits will find it difficult to express their feelings to others. However in “Mafia: In the

stereotyped. The first category of behavior characteristics is having no self-confidence. Women

seem to feel insecure about their appearance because of the demands of the standard beauty

It can be seen clearly that they emphasize their confidence. According to the society that forces

women to fit into the beauty standard, the lyrics in Dalla Dalla prove otherwise. ITZY also

mentioned that they do not want to be compared to other women. In the MV, also they throw

the clothes in their hand to the camera to emphasize they don’t want any interference from

Chaeryeong bravely face the drone after running for a while, and Yuna confidently did a

catwalk without shoes on, those are implied of their MV. In “Not Shy” MV, it is just proven

that women can confess and do everything that they want to do, as well as how ITZY drives a

car to concern the boxcar. The boxcar is the dream (Men) that they want to confess. From four

MVs and lyrics, it can be interpreted that ITZY tries to give a message that they do not want to

be compared to others, they have their own life, and do not want to be measured by the

women are reflected as a person who are not confident, Copenhaver (2002) states that most

women are categorized as fearful. Women are often known as those who are afraid to try new

things and to tell the truth because they are anxious about the surrounding community. On the

contrary, ITZY refuses the stereotype and it is seen in “Don’t care what people say, I know

from “Dalla Dalla”. They set aside the fact that women should be afraid to pursue their dreams

because we are all equal as human beings. In "ICY", they also refuse the stereotype that

keep blah, blah They keep talkin', I keep walkin'” shows that they are not afraid of other

brave enough to take a big risk of being caught.

people-oriented. In regards to Copenhaver (2002), women are more categorized as people-

oriented compared to men. Women tend to think of others first rather than themselves. They

tend to think about others’ feelings first before their own. However, “Dalla Dalla” subverts all

and “No matter what they say, I’m just who I am and I just want to be me.”. In “Not Shy” also,

talk about others, why do you care so much about that?”, it is a sarcastic notion for people who

try to interfere with their business a lot. It is really contrary to the popular belief in women

themselves with others’ business.

as submissive, passive, and dependent than any other group. Korean women are also compared

to western women in that western women are more confident and independent. On the contrary,

the lyrics of the five songs express how Korean women nowadays are more open and active in

to take gender issues for granted, neglecting their significant impact on society. All of these

aims have been answered through analytical texts, and have resulted in women against the

stereotype through four things. First, the stereotype has been subverted through feminine traits

which are only seen in the passiveness traits. From four songs via lyrics and MVs by ITZY, it

has proven that women have to express their aspirations and thoughts, meanwhile, in the

“Mafia: In the Morning”, they show their fierceness and savageness to be careful with women

who intend to look as society standard (innocent, calm and elegant) can be a danger or

unbelievable, but also, this phenomenon can’t be generalized at all. Second, the stereotype has

been subverted through three behavior characteristics, which are: not self-confident,

girl groups that giving a big influence on the music world and society in motivate Korean

women and breaking the stereotypes in their music creation.

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