The beginning feels like the end. The end of traditional Chinese entertainment brought forth new beginnings, namely Korean pop idol culture, which grew globally like a golden apple tree against the frosted Eden of artistic consumerism.
K-pop idols have dream lives, dream talents, and dream hearts aglow a dreamy spine. They thrive on phantasmagoric scopes of intricate choreography, synthetic voices, and eccentric stage fashion, but ultimately, their modus operandi to achieving elusive popularity is archetyping: K-pop idols must share personality traits of a fan’s ideal self-image to sell a self-inserting fantasy.
Interestingly enough, this entire construct of fresh and whimsical manufacturing, packaging, and marketing of archetypes also appears in Beijing. Here, it shows up on TikTok, Instagram, and WeChat Moments, which teenagers browse daily, hourly, and with crackling candor, minutely. To fully grasp this mushroom garden of Chinese archetypes, blooming after the summer pour of Korean pioneers, we shall compare some examples.
The Queen Bee
Did Elizabeth want to be the queen of England? No, she was born to be. BLACKPINK member Jennie Kim fits this Queen Bee archetype: A natural leader; a crowning debutante. She’s all about European vacations and luxury fashion.
The Chinese version is strangely skewed, namely the ABG (Asian Born Gangsters, an awful, awful name!), which entails a confident socialite who’s typically bold, chaotic, and wields marvelous make-up. Whilst the Korean prototype portrays conservative chic, the Chinese doppelganger involves some materialistic lust in the stylings of American pop culture, such as carousing and modeling. This certainly appeals to an exclusive milieu of young, audacious, international teenagers.
The Nymphet
Another idol archetype is for “maknaes” (a Korean term for the youngest in a group), also called the “Nymphet”, derived from Vladimir Nabokov’s novel “Lolita”. Think American Sweethearts, Lana Del Rey, red lollipops, red lipstick, hair ribbons, and baby doll dresses.
This archetype usually makes its appearance in Beijing via Japanese anime cosplay, which in itself spawned an entire Lolita subculture. Typically, Asian or culturally neutral archetypes gain greater success than western ones because the latter is deemed too “ostentatious” or “suggestive” for reticent Chinese youth. Nonetheless, occidental students at international schools enjoy powerful, flamboyant archetypes like the ABG, rather than simpler, cuter aesthetics.
Therefore, Chinese archetypes reside on two opposite ends of the spectrum, in order to satisfy these two often clashing audiences: The traditional “Girl-Next-Door” charm of minimalism, innocence, and natural beauty, or the Americanized “Rich Suburbanite” implosion of materialism, worldliness, and extravagant fashion.
Unfortunately, neither of the Chinese replications transcended their Korean instigators. K-pop idols are more unique and unpredictable because they blend western boldness smoothly with Asian genteelness. This cultural ambiguity means a random teenager can strike up small talk with her favorite archetype, be friends, and eventually become her rather easily because she is extremely believable, relatable, full of human curves and warmth.
Akin to cherry phosphates, too much gas distorts the flavor, while too much cherry smothers it instead. It will require time and practice for Chinese archetypes to concoct their own golden grace.
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Images: Red Velvet Album Cover, Jennie Kim, Dominique Swain, Jang Won Young
