This year, the K-pop (Korean pop) girl group Twice had the opportunity to perform their songs “This is For” and “Strategy” at the highly anticipated Victoria Secret Fashion Show.
Four of the nine members of Twice performed at the show: Jihyo, Tzuyu, Nayeon, and Momo.
The group was highly praised for their stunning visuals and radiant energy.
They made history as the first K-pop girl group to perform, recognizing the global reach of not only the group itself but also the growing influence of K-pop on the Western media.
The inclusion of Twice at the Victoria Secret Fashion Show was particularly representative of this growing global influence because the members were able to confidently express themselves.
They stayed true to themselves instead of conforming to Western beauty standards, proving that K-pop doesn’t need Western validation. This only made them even more magnetic. Viewers were drawn into their performance and confidence, despite not fully embodying the West’s ideals.
As an Asian American growing up, Asian representation in the Western media was limited. Yes, I saw the few Asians in the movies, but their characters were so stereotypical and were clearly made for the Western eye.
I was left wondering if those stereotypes should resonate with me, if I was supposed to identify with those portrayals.
Of course, some of my peers do resonate with them, which is okay as well, but there really is so much more to Asians than what we have seen.
For one, although this has improved greatly, the American media struggles with representing the full diversity of Asians. East Asians, South Asians, and Southeast Asians should all be equally and fully represented.
Historically, there have been a few Asian models for the Victoria Secret fashion show. Liu Wen, being the first Chinese model to walk in the show, made history in 2009, paving the way for other Asians to be included.
However, the appearances of Asian models have always felt anomalous, like huge rarities instead of something we should expect.
This year, several Asian individuals were included in the show. Apart from Twice, Hmong-American Olympic gymnast Suni Lee, Chinese actress Yang Mi, British-Indian model Neelam Gill, and other Asian models were also a part of the show.
Seeing Asians on the runway helped to validate that Asians belong, and that we are also beautiful.
Hopefully, this is the start to true Asian representation, that this trend will continue until seeing Asians in the Western media is no longer uncommon.
As a country with so much diversity, our stages and our media should reflect that.
We have already seen an improvement in recent years, as exhibited by the creation of Asian New York Fashion Week in 2022. Asians are slowly becoming a part of industries that have been dominated by Western figures.
Personally, watching Twice perform was not solely about their songs or their fashion.
It was about representation and recognition.
It was about the young Asian Americans who have been waiting to see someone like them in the fashion industry, waiting to feel that sense of belonging.
And under the dazzling lights on the runway, they have finally been seen.