Unmasking the mystery: why did K-Pop stars Momoland cover up in Dubai?
K-Pop fever swept the country last week, with the genre’s rising stars Momoland performing at Dubai Tennis Stadium on Friday night.
The mammoth all-girl group, who boast nine members, arrived at the Dubai International Airport at 5am on Thursday to be greeted by an enthusiastic reception. Fans lined the arrivals lounge and followed the group to the terminal, where the girls were whisked away in awaiting cars.
However, any fan who hoped to get snaps of their favourite member were disappointed as all nine Momoland-ers touched down in Dubai donning surgical face masks.
With Dubai’s weather clear and, assuming the business class cabin of their Emirates flight was dust free, the masks adorned by Momoland may have appeared strange and rather abrasive.
But the use of surgical facemasks in South Korea and east Asia has evolved from being merely a hygienic practice.
The surgical mask was initially used as a health measure
Dating back to early 20th century Japan, the face mask (as well as veils and scarves) were adopted as a form of protection from the global pandemic of influenza, which went on to claim the lives of up to 40 million people.
The masks were again used in Japan to protect residents from the massive pollution caused in the wake of the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake that devastated Tokyo and Yokohama.
The practice of wearing a mask spread across Asia in 2003 as a form of protection against the SARS virus, with virtually every resident of Hong Kong – thought to be the epicentre of the outbreak – wearing a face mask.
As a result, donning a face mask was accepted as a way of life. Residents across east Asia continued to wear them to protect themselves from germs, allergies or general city pollution.
Then it became a handy social barrier
The face mask also proved extremely handy on the social front. With respectful interactions a corner stone of the Taoist philosophy followed in east Asian countries, including China, South Korea and Japan, the mask provides a handy away to avoid unwanted attention, all without causing offence.
Just like the usage of our phones or headphones in this country, the face mask has also become a social barrier and a subtle-message to the world that you are not feeling it right now. And that extends to fashion – the mask has allowed women to go where they please without the societal expectations of wearing makeup. Image-conscious men also adopted the mask to hide what they deem unfavourable facial features.
A K-Pop celebrity’s best friend
It is no wonder that this humble accessory has become the best friend of Korean celebrities and K-Pop singers. Members of Momoland can hide the blemishes on faces that could have suffered under the physical strain of continuous live shows and travelling, while simultaneously subduing the attention of fans, the press and paparazzi by denying them the emotional and physical connection they crave.
It is a classy way to say “thank you, but I am not interested”.