CAS350H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: J-Pop, Meiji Period, Japanese Idol
Document Summary
Performance of girlhood many groups incorporate girls under 18. Girlhood in japanese idol pop is a concept that is constructed, mobilized, and commodified through ritualized performance. Idols must portray sincerity and unstidied innocence, favoring of girls who are awkward and insecure cute ones who cannot hit the notes or rhythm is slightly off. Term hijitsuroku describes the belief that someone or something is more endearing if flawed. Hanganbiki: fondness of tragic failures, like rooting for the underdog. Girl groups" members are interchangeable as they age. Groups are often further divided into teams, allowing fans to map stereotypes onto group members and to produce narratives about favorite idols. Inclusion of girls, but not produced for girls primary demographic is adult males in their late teens and twenties, members serve as pop culture ambassadors to otakus, supporting part of japan"s tourism strategy. Enka, a different genre of music from the meiji era, is popular with middle aged, rural audiences.
