'Kkothminam': Explaining Flower Boys in K-dramas

The phrase calls attention to youths who are drawn to androgynous beauty, as seen in iconic dramas like Boys Over Flowers' and 'Hwarang'

- DEBASHREE DUTTA

THE TITLE Boys Over Flowers initially caught my eye when I first saw the K-drama. Later on, I discovered that the name of the show was derived from the Korean phrase 'Kkothminam,' which translates to 'beautiful man.' The phrase calls for attention to youths who are drawn to fashion and aesthetics. Additionally, irrespective of the fact that the term 'bishonen' (a Japanese moniker for beautiful boys or young men of androgynous beauty) is occasionally used to identify these people, research reveals that neither gender nor sexuality is implied by the epithet.

My previous articles on Boys Over Flowers frequently discussed how it affected the Hallyu wave and became a landmark in Korean popular culture. It established Lee Min-ho as a Hallyu superstar and is often seen as a trailblazer in the Korean high-school series genre. The most intriguing aspect, however, is how Lee's character and his gang, the opulent F4 boys who ruled Shinhwa High School, encouraged Korean men (and Asian men, for that matter) to emulate their good looks. By experimenting with metrosexual fashion, donning more outfits in pastel colors and floral patterns, and applying makeup, they began to adopt the flower or pretty-boy image.