G-Dragon and Fashion Fluidity: Deconstructing Gender and Identity in Contemporary Pop Culture
In Cultural Studies, fashion is not merely understood as a matter of clothing style, but as a cultural practice rich in meaning and identity. Fashion serves as a medium of self-expression, a symbol of social status, and even a form of resistance against dominant norms. One compelling case is G-Dragon (Kwon Ji-yong), a K-Pop icon and a major figure in global fashion.
Fashion in Cultural Studies
From a Cultural Studies perspective, fashion is seen as:
A representation of identity (gender, ethnicity, social class)
A cultural discourse (the intersection of fashion, power, and ideology)
A site of resistance (e.g., against gender norms or Western cultural dominance)
G-Dragon: Fashion as Representation and Resistance
1. Identity and Gender Fluidity
G-Dragon often appears in styles that blur gender boundaries, wearing clothes and accessories conventionally considered “feminine.” This can be interpreted as a form of gender performance (Judith Butler), through which he responds to and redefines gender norms via fashion.
2. Globalization and Cultural Hybridity
G-Dragon’s fashion reflects cultural hybridity, blending elements of Korean streetwear, European high fashion, and American hip-hop culture. He becomes a symbol of how local and global cultures intertwine, creating new, glocal identities.
3. Fashion as Cultural Capital
G-Dragon is not just a fashion consumer but also a taste-maker. Collaborating with Chanel and becoming the face of various global brands, he influences fashion trends across Asia. In Pierre Bourdieu’s terms, G-Dragon possesses significant cultural capital, which he uses to redefine class and taste in Korean pop culture.
4. Subversion and Commodification
G-Dragon’s eccentric and anti-mainstream style initially served as a form of resistance to South Korea’s conservative norms. However, once this style enters the mainstream and is commodified by the industry, the resistance itself becomes part of pop culture capitalism.
Conclusion
G-Dragon exemplifies how fashion can be analyzed in Cultural Studies through various lenses: identity, globalization, power, and commodification. He is not just a fashion icon, but a cultural subject demonstrating how fashion functions as a complex social language.
Image Source: Korea JoongAng Daily
