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dangermousieThis is going to be pretty random but I have a jpop related question.
I know very little of jpop except for what I've heard from![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
winterspel and read on my flist (I have a number of JE and other jpop fans on my flist). I find it fascinating that JE (Johnny's Entertainment, an agency that runs most of the male jpop groups) seems to actually mix performance and officially-sanctioned RPF. In fact, it plays into RPF on purpose: there is deliberately created RPS fanservice and it's pretty in-your face if the Kat-Tun stuff I've seen is any example (no idea if other bands do it as well but winterspel indicated they do).
Now, I find it sociologically interesting and rather unique to Japan. My knowledge of Asian pop in general is pretty slim but I don't see anything like this in e.g. Taiwan. I mean, F4 is built around the premise 'we have four uber-hot guys' but not 'and they like to rip each other's clothes off off-stage' premise.
But that is not what my question is about. Since RPS seems to be so engraned and such a part of the style of the thing, how does it come into play when any of the JE boys actually end up with someone? Because I doubt all of them are gay, any more than all of them are straight. Does it wreck the fantasy and is it frowned upon? It can't be, at least dating-wise, because I know a lot of them are dating (women) but I wonder if that interferes with the image or do the fans completely appreciate this is a performance? And do all JE bands do this to a greater or lesser degree or just some and is KAT-TUN particularly a stand-out in that way?
And how about marriage? Is it a complete deal-breaker? Aka a kiss of death career-wise? Not just because of RPS/F but because that conclusively takes the idol in question out of the realm of possibility for fantasizing fans. Is it like earlier Bollywood, where if you wanted to be a leading man, you had to conceal if you were married? I know Kimura Takuya is married (and has kids!) but you know...he is Kimura Takuya (plus, I have no idea if SMAPxSMAP ever did RPS. But still, the marriage thing would be a problem on the Bollywood principle above). How about in general? Jpop seems to be so much more all-inclusive about image: it's not just singing ot videos or even acting but an all-round careful, complicated, all-encompassing image, so I wonder...
I am just so completely fascinated by the idea of public life as performance. Not to mention, official RPF fanservice.
Also, I don't feel like watching new doramas but instead am getting urge to rewatch Goong, one of my Top 10. My Top 10 in order are: 1. Mars 2. Pride 3. A Love to Kill 4. Meteor Garden 5. Goong 5. Full House (tie) 6. It Started with a Kiss 7. Forbidden Love 8. Silence (which would be way higher except it's so angsty it's making me want to slit my wrists). 9. Kurosagi 10. Tokyo Juliet. 10. Love Contract 10. Kamisama Mou Sukoshi Dake (tie, yes, I don't care that it adds to 12). Once I watch more episodes Tatta Hitotsu No Koi and Sang-Do, Let's Go to School might join them. I was going to watch Nobuta Wo Produce next but I think I've watched too many jdoramas in a row and am thinking of watching a twdrama next (there is nothing like a well-made twdrama) or maybe a kdrama because I have the most of those.
I know very little of jpop except for what I've heard from
winterspel and read on my flist (I have a number of JE and other jpop fans on my flist). I find it fascinating that JE (Johnny's Entertainment, an agency that runs most of the male jpop groups) seems to actually mix performance and officially-sanctioned RPF. In fact, it plays into RPF on purpose: there is deliberately created RPS fanservice and it's pretty in-your face if the Kat-Tun stuff I've seen is any example (no idea if other bands do it as well but winterspel indicated they do).Now, I find it sociologically interesting and rather unique to Japan. My knowledge of Asian pop in general is pretty slim but I don't see anything like this in e.g. Taiwan. I mean, F4 is built around the premise 'we have four uber-hot guys' but not 'and they like to rip each other's clothes off off-stage' premise.
But that is not what my question is about. Since RPS seems to be so engraned and such a part of the style of the thing, how does it come into play when any of the JE boys actually end up with someone? Because I doubt all of them are gay, any more than all of them are straight. Does it wreck the fantasy and is it frowned upon? It can't be, at least dating-wise, because I know a lot of them are dating (women) but I wonder if that interferes with the image or do the fans completely appreciate this is a performance? And do all JE bands do this to a greater or lesser degree or just some and is KAT-TUN particularly a stand-out in that way?
And how about marriage? Is it a complete deal-breaker? Aka a kiss of death career-wise? Not just because of RPS/F but because that conclusively takes the idol in question out of the realm of possibility for fantasizing fans. Is it like earlier Bollywood, where if you wanted to be a leading man, you had to conceal if you were married? I know Kimura Takuya is married (and has kids!) but you know...he is Kimura Takuya (plus, I have no idea if SMAPxSMAP ever did RPS. But still, the marriage thing would be a problem on the Bollywood principle above). How about in general? Jpop seems to be so much more all-inclusive about image: it's not just singing ot videos or even acting but an all-round careful, complicated, all-encompassing image, so I wonder...
I am just so completely fascinated by the idea of public life as performance. Not to mention, official RPF fanservice.
Also, I don't feel like watching new doramas but instead am getting urge to rewatch Goong, one of my Top 10. My Top 10 in order are: 1. Mars 2. Pride 3. A Love to Kill 4. Meteor Garden 5. Goong 5. Full House (tie) 6. It Started with a Kiss 7. Forbidden Love 8. Silence (which would be way higher except it's so angsty it's making me want to slit my wrists). 9. Kurosagi 10. Tokyo Juliet. 10. Love Contract 10. Kamisama Mou Sukoshi Dake (tie, yes, I don't care that it adds to 12). Once I watch more episodes Tatta Hitotsu No Koi and Sang-Do, Let's Go to School might join them. I was going to watch Nobuta Wo Produce next but I think I've watched too many jdoramas in a row and am thinking of watching a twdrama next (there is nothing like a well-made twdrama) or maybe a kdrama because I have the most of those.
