Description: Kim combines historical contextualization with political economy of the media and critical textual analysis to investigate the socio-ideological effects of K-Pop in the existing networks of power and domination in gender relations. He examines K-Pop female idols' individualism...
Brief description: Douglas Kellner is the George F. Kneller Philosophy of Education Chair, Graduate School of Education & Information Studies, at UCLA.
Review Quotes:
"In it's examination of the sociocultural conjuncture between a patriarchal Korean society and the commodified femininity and sexuality of Korean cultural industries, "From Factory Girls to K-Pop Idol Girls: Cultural Politics of Developmentalism, Patriarchy and Neoliberalism in South Korea's Popular Music Industry" occupies a key position in the emerging critical conversation calling for a feminist perspective in K-pop studies. This book purposes a better way of understanding not only the nature of feminist activism among young Korean women but also the radical feminist movements against traditional social values." --Pacific Affairs
"Gooyong Kim has written a bracing book on K-pop girl groups. From Factory Girls to K-pop Idol Girls is replete with insights and information not only about K-pop, but also about South Korean economy, society, culture, and psychology. No one interested in a serious study of K-pop should ignore it." --John Lie, University of California, Berkeley "With the recent global popularity of K-pop, much has been written about K-pop. Unlike previous works focusing on a micro-scopic and celebratory manner, From Factory Girls to K-pop Idol Girls places K-pop in the wider socio-economic context. It is timely and a landmark study of K-pop. It will be of interest to scholars and students who are eager to read more about critical music studies and cultural industries." --Kyong Yoon Yong Jin, Professor, School of Communication, Simon Fraser University