Which Idol Began 'Bad Girls' Syndrome? Media Highlights THESE 2 Stars
THESE 2 idols are iconic for being "originators" of "Bad Girls" concept amid the influx of artists with the same, innocent and pure image.
Who are they?
Former Fin.K.L Lee Hyori 'Originator' of 'Bad Girls' Concept - K-Media Explains
During the onset of K-pop wave, the concepts that were often used by girl groups circulated only around being innocent, pure, clueless, cute, bubbly, retro, or sexy.
Just then, Lee Hyori entered the K-pop scene to re-introduce strong women by making music with a strong message - starting the "Bad Girls" syndrome.
On June 4, the Korean media outlet StarNews highlighted how Lee Hyori turned the music scene upside down when she released the song, "Bad Girls," on May 21, 2013.
The song is the lead track of her fifth full-length album, "MONOCHROME," which was co-written by Lee Hyori herself.
Just by hearing the title "Bad Girls," it seems to portray women in a negative light; However, upon listening to the lyrics and watching the MV, Hyori actually arouses feminism.
ALSO READ: Lee Hyori 'Bad Girl' Tops 8 Music Charts, 'All-Kill'
The music video shows how Lee Hyori is seen as a "bad girl" with an intimidating physical appearance, especially her raised brows.
But rather, than interpreting her role as someone with deviant behavior, Hyori is interpreted as a strong and confident woman who has a voice to speak without being conscious.
From bullying to tackling beauty standards and sexual objectification, Hyori sticks with her purpose to raise a topic about social injustice.
Upon releasing the song, few voices criticized her message, but it eventually made a big splash in the music industry and received huge support, especially from women.
"Bad Girls" topped eight major music sites in Korea right after its release as well as MelOn's comprehensive weekly chart in the fourth week of May 2013 (May 27-June 2).
To date, the song has over 25 million YouTube views.
2NE1 CL Shouts 'Women's Power' in 'THE BADDEST FEMALE'
Alongside Lee Hyori, CL, who is the former's junior, is also responsible for originating the "bad girls/bad**s" syndrome.
On May 28, 2013, CL dropped her solo song, "THE BADDEST FEMALE," which was initially known as "Bad Girl." Eventually, YG changed the name of the song after Hyori released a track with a similar title, just two days before its official release.
Despite this, it didn't stop CL to portray her message. Until now, this song remains one of her signature songs with fans remembering "THE BADDEST FEMALE" for its iconic lines:
"where’s all my bad girls at"
"All my bad girls around the world// Not bad meaning bad, but bad meaning good, you know// Let's light it up and let it burn like we don't care// Let em know how it feels damn good to be bad."
Upon its release, the song became a huge hit for its message of women empowerment who embrace independence and confidence.
Regarding this song, CL said:
"I always emphasized and supported women's power. It contains the desire for women to become more independent and stronger."
READ MORE: These Female Idols With "RBF" are Often Misunderstood as Rude and Cold But Are Actually The Sweetest
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