HOW K-POP IS REDEFINING KITSCH
For the likes of BoyNextDoor and IVE, kitschy is cute and cartoony, and often all about retro fashion
Being kitschy is all about being excessive and over the top. Its dictionary definition uses words like “tacky” and “lowbrow.” But in K-pop, it is defined differently. Kitschy is seen as cute and cartoony. It is also often associated with retro style.
Rookie K-pop group BoyNextDoor dropped their second mini album “How?” on Monday. Along with it, they also dropped the term “kitsch core” as the style they embraced for the music video of the title track, “Earth, Wind and Fire.” The group made it clear that it is not related to the American band of the same name.
Band members Sungho, Riwoo, Jaehyun, Taesan, Leehan and Woonhak came out on stage in baggy shorts, black pants, white shirts, neckties and even berets. Their look was far from the kitsch style that many might have pictured in their heads. To be fair, the music video of “Earth, Wind and Fire” has elements of what could pass off as the traditional definition of kitsch. It has orange cats, sun, moon, asymmetrical buildings in Andy Warhol colors.
They wore red overalls accessorized with patches. It’s a mix of trends that were popular in the ’80s and ’90s. This is because in K-pop, kitsch is heavily associated with retro fashion.
New definition
The concept is not new to K-pop. Second-generation group SHINee went all out and ran away with this concept especially in their “1 of 1” era. The quintet wore coordinated suits with undershirts in bright colors. It was one of their most iconic looks: loud but still very tasteful.
The new definition of the word can be attributed to another K-pop group. Girl group IVE came out with the hit song “Kitsch” where, in the music video, the members wore clothes that harkened back to the “Clueless” era. The girls wore yellow plaids, feather jackets and lots of miniskirts.
A lot of fans saw this as IVE redefining kitsch. Because of them, K-pop kitsch is now more of puffy sticker sheets than tacky fashion. It’s nostalgia, but with updates to fit current sensibilities. Nobody questioned the girl group when they wore varsity jackets and pleated skirts and called it kitsch.
This is what sets the new breed of K-pop artists apart from their predecessors. They are always eager to make their mark and establish their own brand. It’s something that K-pop followers need to learn as well. A word is just a a word. It can mean something different in another culture. A look that was previously mocked by some is now a mark of bravery and confidence for a few others.
In that sense, kitsch is not a bad a thing.