Reclaiming Nudity: Feminism, Commodification, and the Male Gaze in Nxde

Wanqing Zhao

doi:doi:10.11648/j.hss.20251303.11

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Reclaiming Nudity: Feminism, Commodification, and the Male Gaze in Nxde

Wanqing Zhao^*

Published in Humanities and Social Sciences (Volume 13, Issue 3)

Received: 20 March 2025 Accepted: 24 April 2025 Published: 29 April 2025

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Abstract

With the growing popularity of the Girl Crush concept, an increasing number of K-pop productions incorporate feminist elements. This study examines the Girl Crush style through the lens of postfeminism and commodified feminism, analyzing how it navigates the tension between female empowerment and the male gaze within the highly commercialized K-pop industry. Existing studies rarely provide a detailed account of how feminist symbols in K-pop are constructed and deconstructed. This study fills this gap by conducting a systematic semiotic analysis to uncover the layered meanings of these symbols. Through a semiotic analysis of the visual elements in (G)I-DLE’s Nxde music video, this study examines how symbols of nudity, performance, and objectification engage with feminist discourses. Findings indicate that while Nxde challenges media-driven sexualization by reframing nudity as a symbol of self-expression, it simultaneously conforms to mainstream beauty standards and commercialized aesthetics. This commercialization of feminist ideals paradoxically reinforces the male gaze, highlighting a core tension within postfeminist media culture. The MV oscillates between resisting objectification and reinforcing the very structures it seeks to critique, exemplifying the paradox of postfeminist media representation. This study contributes to the discourse on female representation in East Asian popular culture by emphasizing the performative nature of feminist imagery in K-pop.

Published in	Humanities and Social Sciences (Volume 13, Issue 3)
DOI	10.11648/j.hss.20251303.11
Page(s)	199-206
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Girl Crush, Post Feminist, Semiotic Analysis, Commercial Aesthetics

References

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[2]	Jiayi Chen. "Body and Gender: Postfeminism and Representation of Girl Groups in K-pop Music Videos." Communications in Humanities Research (2024). https://doi.org/10.54254/2753-7064/33/20240087
[3]	Tresna, K., Sukamto, M., & Tondok, M. (2021). Celebrity worship and body image among young girls fans of K-pop girl groups. HUMANITAS: Indonesian Psychological Journal. https://doi.org/10.26555/humanitas.v18i2.19392
[4]	Kim, H. (2022). A study on the ‘Girl Crush Style of 4th Generation Girl Group’. Korea Institute of Design Research Society. https://doi.org/10.46248/kidrs.2022.4.9
[5]	I. Oh, Kyeong-Jun Kim and C. Rowley. "Female Empowerment and Radical Empathy for the Sustainability of Creative Industries: The Case of K-Pop." Sustainability (2023). https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043098
[6]	Sun, Q., Pajé, D., & Lee, H. (2022). “Female empowerment is being commercialized”: online reception of girl crush trend among feminist K-pop fans. Feminist Media Studies, 23, 4156 - 4169. https://doi.org/10.1080/14680777.2022.2154820
[7]	Epstein, S., & Turnbull, J. (2014). Girls’ Generation? Gender, (Dis) Empowerment, and K-pop., 314-336. https://doi.org/10.1215/9780822377566-019
[8]	Zhang, R. (2023). The Awakening of Female Consciousness: Study on K-Pop Girl Groups Music Videos. Communications in Humanities Research. https://doi.org/10.54254/2753-7064/4/20220489
[9]	Banet-Weiser, S. (2018). Empowered: Popular Feminism and Popular Misogyny. Duke UP.
[10]	Gill, R. (2007). Postfeminist media culture: Elements of a sensibility. European Journal of Cultural Studies, 10(2), 147-166. https://doi.org/10.1177/1367549407075898
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[14]	Disekun. (2015). For Western Girls Only? Post-feminism as transnational culture.
[15]	Sun, Paje, & Lee. (2022). “Female empowerment is being commercialized”: online reception of girl crush trend among feminist K-pop fans.
[16]	Oh, Kim, & Rowley. (2023). Female Empowerment and Radical Empathy for the Sustainability of Creative Industries: The Case of K-Pop.
[17]	Tresna, Sukamto, & Tondok. (2021). Celebrity worship and body image among young girls fans of K-pop girl groups.
[18]	Bolton. (2015). #Marilyneveryday: The persistence of Marilyn Monroe as a cultural icon.
[19]	McClary. (2008). Structures of identity and difference in Carmen.
[20]	Maslan. Whitman and His Doubles: Division and Union in Leaves of Grass and Its Critics.
[21]	Graver. The aesthetics of disturbance: Anti-art in avant-garde drama.

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APA Style

Zhao, W. (2025). Reclaiming Nudity: Feminism, Commodification, and the Male Gaze in Nxde. Humanities and Social Sciences, 13(3), 199-206. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20251303.11

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ACS Style

Zhao, W. Reclaiming Nudity: Feminism, Commodification, and the Male Gaze in Nxde. Humanit. Soc. Sci. 2025, 13(3), 199-206. doi: 10.11648/j.hss.20251303.11

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AMA Style

Zhao W. Reclaiming Nudity: Feminism, Commodification, and the Male Gaze in Nxde. Humanit Soc Sci. 2025;13(3):199-206. doi: 10.11648/j.hss.20251303.11

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@article{10.11648/j.hss.20251303.11,
  author = {Wanqing Zhao},
  title = {Reclaiming Nudity: Feminism, Commodification, and the Male Gaze in Nxde
},
  journal = {Humanities and Social Sciences},
  volume = {13},
  number = {3},
  pages = {199-206},
  doi = {10.11648/j.hss.20251303.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20251303.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.hss.20251303.11},
  abstract = {With the growing popularity of the Girl Crush concept, an increasing number of K-pop productions incorporate feminist elements. This study examines the Girl Crush style through the lens of postfeminism and commodified feminism, analyzing how it navigates the tension between female empowerment and the male gaze within the highly commercialized K-pop industry. Existing studies rarely provide a detailed account of how feminist symbols in K-pop are constructed and deconstructed. This study fills this gap by conducting a systematic semiotic analysis to uncover the layered meanings of these symbols. Through a semiotic analysis of the visual elements in (G)I-DLE’s Nxde music video, this study examines how symbols of nudity, performance, and objectification engage with feminist discourses. Findings indicate that while Nxde challenges media-driven sexualization by reframing nudity as a symbol of self-expression, it simultaneously conforms to mainstream beauty standards and commercialized aesthetics. This commercialization of feminist ideals paradoxically reinforces the male gaze, highlighting a core tension within postfeminist media culture. The MV oscillates between resisting objectification and reinforcing the very structures it seeks to critique, exemplifying the paradox of postfeminist media representation. This study contributes to the discourse on female representation in East Asian popular culture by emphasizing the performative nature of feminist imagery in K-pop.
},
 year = {2025}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Reclaiming Nudity: Feminism, Commodification, and the Male Gaze in Nxde

AU  - Wanqing Zhao
Y1  - 2025/04/29
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20251303.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.hss.20251303.11
T2  - Humanities and Social Sciences
JF  - Humanities and Social Sciences
JO  - Humanities and Social Sciences
SP  - 199
EP  - 206
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-8184
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20251303.11
AB  - With the growing popularity of the Girl Crush concept, an increasing number of K-pop productions incorporate feminist elements. This study examines the Girl Crush style through the lens of postfeminism and commodified feminism, analyzing how it navigates the tension between female empowerment and the male gaze within the highly commercialized K-pop industry. Existing studies rarely provide a detailed account of how feminist symbols in K-pop are constructed and deconstructed. This study fills this gap by conducting a systematic semiotic analysis to uncover the layered meanings of these symbols. Through a semiotic analysis of the visual elements in (G)I-DLE’s Nxde music video, this study examines how symbols of nudity, performance, and objectification engage with feminist discourses. Findings indicate that while Nxde challenges media-driven sexualization by reframing nudity as a symbol of self-expression, it simultaneously conforms to mainstream beauty standards and commercialized aesthetics. This commercialization of feminist ideals paradoxically reinforces the male gaze, highlighting a core tension within postfeminist media culture. The MV oscillates between resisting objectification and reinforcing the very structures it seeks to critique, exemplifying the paradox of postfeminist media representation. This study contributes to the discourse on female representation in East Asian popular culture by emphasizing the performative nature of feminist imagery in K-pop.

VL  - 13
IS  - 3
ER  -

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Author Information

Wanqing Zhao

YK Pao High School, Shanghai, China

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0004-8726-6270

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Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Zhao, W. (2025). Reclaiming Nudity: Feminism, Commodification, and the Male Gaze in Nxde. Humanities and Social Sciences, 13(3), 199-206. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20251303.11

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ACS Style

Zhao, W. Reclaiming Nudity: Feminism, Commodification, and the Male Gaze in Nxde. Humanit. Soc. Sci. 2025, 13(3), 199-206. doi: 10.11648/j.hss.20251303.11

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Zhao W. Reclaiming Nudity: Feminism, Commodification, and the Male Gaze in Nxde. Humanit Soc Sci. 2025;13(3):199-206. doi: 10.11648/j.hss.20251303.11

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.hss.20251303.11,
  author = {Wanqing Zhao},
  title = {Reclaiming Nudity: Feminism, Commodification, and the Male Gaze in Nxde
},
  journal = {Humanities and Social Sciences},
  volume = {13},
  number = {3},
  pages = {199-206},
  doi = {10.11648/j.hss.20251303.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20251303.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.hss.20251303.11},
  abstract = {With the growing popularity of the Girl Crush concept, an increasing number of K-pop productions incorporate feminist elements. This study examines the Girl Crush style through the lens of postfeminism and commodified feminism, analyzing how it navigates the tension between female empowerment and the male gaze within the highly commercialized K-pop industry. Existing studies rarely provide a detailed account of how feminist symbols in K-pop are constructed and deconstructed. This study fills this gap by conducting a systematic semiotic analysis to uncover the layered meanings of these symbols. Through a semiotic analysis of the visual elements in (G)I-DLE’s Nxde music video, this study examines how symbols of nudity, performance, and objectification engage with feminist discourses. Findings indicate that while Nxde challenges media-driven sexualization by reframing nudity as a symbol of self-expression, it simultaneously conforms to mainstream beauty standards and commercialized aesthetics. This commercialization of feminist ideals paradoxically reinforces the male gaze, highlighting a core tension within postfeminist media culture. The MV oscillates between resisting objectification and reinforcing the very structures it seeks to critique, exemplifying the paradox of postfeminist media representation. This study contributes to the discourse on female representation in East Asian popular culture by emphasizing the performative nature of feminist imagery in K-pop.
},
 year = {2025}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Reclaiming Nudity: Feminism, Commodification, and the Male Gaze in Nxde

AU  - Wanqing Zhao
Y1  - 2025/04/29
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20251303.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.hss.20251303.11
T2  - Humanities and Social Sciences
JF  - Humanities and Social Sciences
JO  - Humanities and Social Sciences
SP  - 199
EP  - 206
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-8184
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20251303.11
AB  - With the growing popularity of the Girl Crush concept, an increasing number of K-pop productions incorporate feminist elements. This study examines the Girl Crush style through the lens of postfeminism and commodified feminism, analyzing how it navigates the tension between female empowerment and the male gaze within the highly commercialized K-pop industry. Existing studies rarely provide a detailed account of how feminist symbols in K-pop are constructed and deconstructed. This study fills this gap by conducting a systematic semiotic analysis to uncover the layered meanings of these symbols. Through a semiotic analysis of the visual elements in (G)I-DLE’s Nxde music video, this study examines how symbols of nudity, performance, and objectification engage with feminist discourses. Findings indicate that while Nxde challenges media-driven sexualization by reframing nudity as a symbol of self-expression, it simultaneously conforms to mainstream beauty standards and commercialized aesthetics. This commercialization of feminist ideals paradoxically reinforces the male gaze, highlighting a core tension within postfeminist media culture. The MV oscillates between resisting objectification and reinforcing the very structures it seeks to critique, exemplifying the paradox of postfeminist media representation. This study contributes to the discourse on female representation in East Asian popular culture by emphasizing the performative nature of feminist imagery in K-pop.

VL  - 13
IS  - 3
ER  -

Copy | Download