In music, dramas and movies, the women are becoming more 'bad' while the guys are becoming more 'nice.'

What is going on?

Spearheading the transformation of women are CL, who debuted as a solo artist with "THE BADDEST FEMALE," and Lee Hyori, whose title song is "Bad Girls." MBLAQ's "Smoky Girl" and Bumkey's "Crazy Romance" both pivot around bad, irresistible girls who crush hearts left and right.

On the other hand, BEAST's "Will You Be Alright?" portrays a sentimental man who tries to care after a woman who is leaving him on a quick notice. Henry's debut song "Trap" also paints a vulnerable, sensitive man who can't seem to shake off his previous relationship that was marred by the bad girl's sudden departure.

In dramas, 'When a Man Loves' and 'Jang Ok Jung' both featured sacrificial men and manipulative, bad female characters.

Perhaps a bit coincidentally since it's an American film, 'The Great Gatsby' adds to the current trend in K-pop with the pure-hearted male character Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchannan who constantly measures and evaluates the gap between her ideals and realities, namely he man.

About the cultural flow toward such directions on men and women, a social critic Jung Duk Hyun commented, "It is always a matter of what the public can relate to. These days, women strive to be independent and proactive, to no longer take on the passive and obedient roles in society. We call them 'bad girls' but what it really means is someone who is confident and outspoken. On the other hand, men are moving away from the charismatic, authoritarian figure and toward someone who can understand and listen to women. The shift in perspectives of gender roles is being reflected in popular culture."