TikTok is the ground of trends that start from a small fan community and capture the attention of millions. One such emerging trend is “Wonyoungism,” named after the K-pop star Jang Wonyoung of the girl group IVE.
This trend is rapidly taking over TikTok, but it has a dark side: it promotes unattainable standards and may foster body image issues among young people. To better understand this pop culture trend, its possible impacts, and its ties with the new-gen K-pop singer, let’s start by exploring the trend itself.
What is Wonyoungism?
At the surface level, Wonyoungism is a trend centered around the goal of achieving Jang Wonyoung’s physical appearance and charms. Born in 2004, Wonyoung quickly rose to fame with her musical talents and doll-like appearance. She soon became an ideal for fans of sophisticated and coquette aesthetics.
On TikTok, this trend has taken on a new meaning. It encourages its fans to maintain a perfect life with flawless skin, weight management, and straight A-scores. While none of the aims involved in the trend are problematic on their own, the encouragement of hyper-focusing on its maintenance can lead to various issues ahead.
It is difficult to pinpoint a time when this trend began to go mainstream, attracting the attention of non-K-pop fans. However, as per The Daily Beast, it started to boom last year following Wonyoung’s statement, “I don’t care—you are you, I am me,” from an interview that went viral, aspiring effortless confidence.
Currently, it has escalated to the point where young users are sharing meticulous timetables, including waking up at 5 am, exercising twice a day, and following beauty routines before working on their assignments and studying for upcoming tests.
As previously mentioned, these goals are ideal, but realistically, sticking to a meticulous routine centered around self-improvement can lead to higher levels of stress, anxiety, and body image issues when your achievements don’t look like your benchmark.
The followers of this trend are particularly young, with many being younger than Wonyoung. When such a young demographic dedicates themselves to attaining the physical appearance of an idol who has a group of people helping her achieve the pink hydration glow, it becomes an uphill climb.
The Effects of Wonyoungism on Body Image
Freelance writer Steffi Cao, who deep-dived into this trend by interviewing its followers, mentions that while diet is not directly mentioned in the trend, it is implied in the videos featuring slender girls doing pilates and encouraging other workouts.
Many of the followers also mention achieving a fast metabolism and losing weight as a symbol of their hard work paying off. This provides us with a glimpse of how body image is seen, particularly among teenagers.
This idealization of Wonyoung’s appearance encourages a culture of perfectionism where young individuals start to feel the compulsion to exercise every day or start to notice their regular calorie intake- both of which are early signs of eating disorders.
Additionally, the promotion of perfectionism sets unattainable high standards, developing insecurities among teenagers who are susceptible to self-esteem issues. The constant comparison with an idealized image can result in lasting psychological effects, including anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.
Moreover, the emphasis on achieving a look that involves meticulous attention to every detail creates a sense of inadequacy among those who cannot meet these standards.
For instance, the pursuit of flawless skin, as part of the Wonyoungism trend, leads many teens to invest in various skincare or wellness products and treatments. However, the reality is that skin conditions like acne are common during adolescence, making such perfection nearly impossible to attain.
The Impact on Wonyoung Herself
Ironically, while Wonyoung is the face of this trend, she is neither its pioneer nor its promoter. She has spoken against dieting during one of her livestreams stating that it is bad for your health.
However, her various vlogs have led to social media users turning her public image into wellness routines. Some of the participants of the trend have encouraged others to get back on their feet after a bad day, stating that Wonyoung would encourage you to do that – while the idol has never spoken about the trend or such lifestyle on record.
Many fans who have criticized this trend by giving an example of how it affected them have received counter comments stating that if it doesn’t help in self-growth, then it isn’t Wonyoungism.
In this way the celebrity Wonyoung has become a symbol of a particular lifestyle rather than a person. This can lead to significant stress and anxiety for the idol, who is expected to maintain this standard of perfection at all times. It’s crucial to recognize that Wonyoung, like any other public figure, does not exist solely to embody an ideal.
The role of algorithm and commercialization of trends
The role of social media algorithms in promoting trends like Wonyoungism cannot be ignored. Platforms like TikTok are designed to promote content that receives high engagement, often prioritizing sensational content.
This can create echo chambers where young users are bombarded with specific standards of beauty and success, pushing them towards harmful behaviors in an attempt to conform.
Marketing firms also play a significant role in this dynamic. They exploit such trends by subtly including their products in related content, making it difficult for young users to discern between advice and advertising.
The skincare and wellness industries, in particular, target teenagers with products that promise to help them achieve certain looks, and their demographic is getting younger every day.
This commercial aspect further darkens the trend, as users are constantly exposed to content that ties their self-worth to consumerism and perfection.
In conclusion, while Wonyoungism may seem like just another social media trend, its implications are far-reaching and significant. It reflects broader societal issues around beauty standards and the impact of media on self-perception.
By addressing these issues, we can hope to create a healthier environment for young people — one where they are encouraged to embrace themselves with realistic goals than conform to an impossible ideal.
