Refund Sisters – Don’t Touch me. (Source: YouTube)
As the group composition of Refund Sister and their respective debut year suggests, the presence of “strong,” “Girl Crush” women figures in K-pop is not new (e.g., BoA – Girls on Top (2005); 90’s “strong unnies”). “Sexy female warrior” had been a historical trope that served as an alternative to the cute, innocent, and “girlish” presentation. The same goes for K-pop idols. A step more advanced from “sexy female warrior,” second-generation idol group 2NE1 (2009-2016) was considered groundbreaking during the era with their independent, less male gaze-centric self-presentation. With members at the time who were perceived as less conventionally beautiful (cf., their song Ugly (2011) captures internalized gendered lookism in Korea), 2NE1 confidently sang in studded outfits and experimental hairstyles.
“Ha-ha-ha-ha 다신 널 비웃지 못하도록 [Ha-ha-ha-ha so that they can’t laugh at you anymore] / Now let’s 춤을, 춤을, 춤을 춰요, want to get down [Now let’s dance, dance, dance, want to get down] / 보다 큰 꿈을, 꿈을, 꿈을 꿔 세상은 [dream bigger dream, dream, dream, the world] / 내 맘대로 다 할 수 있기에 큰 자유를 위해[I can do whatever I want for great freedom]” (debut single FIRE, 2010)
Arguably, their songs still tended to be thematically centered around heterosexual romantic love and pursuit. Their global hit I Am the Best (2011) is literally about how they are the best and they feel great being so with many repetitions of the song’s title. However, even this song includes a part where they claim that men take a second look at them and women try to imitate them, after which they mock (contextually presumably male) posers (“playa’”) whose pursuit they reject. Moreover, it should be noted that 2NE1 was considered unconventional. The following are some examples of lyrics from popular second-generation K-pop girl idol groups.
“Hey, 오빠 나 좀 봐 [Hey, oppa (term for older brother and older male acquaintance of similar age range) look at me / 나를 좀 바라봐 [please look at me] … Oh, oh, oh, oh, 빠를 사랑해 [Oh, oh, oh, oh-ppa I love you] / Ah, ah, ah, ah, 많이 많이 해 [Ah, ah, ah, ah, lots and lots] … 오빠 오빠, I’ll be, I’ll be down, down, down, down [oppa oppa, I’ll be, I’ll be down, down, down, down].” – Oh! (2010) by Girls’ Generation
“Tell me, tell me, tell, tell, tell, tell, tell, tell me / 나를 사랑한다고, 날 기다려 왔다고 [that you love me, that you’ve been waiting for me] / Tell me, tell me, tell, tell, tell, tell, tell, tell me / 내가 필요하다 말해, 말해줘요[say that you need me, tell me]” – Tell me (2007) by Wonder Girls
