Gary, a member of the Korean hip hop duo LeeSsang, released the nineteen plus rated video for his solo single Shower Later to mixed reception from audiences. International female audiences were particularly disturbed by the sexually suggestive nature of the video, which features a cast consisting predominantly of non-Asian women. The comments delivered by international fans is reminiscent of those made after the release of the video for Rain's LA Song. Both videos feature foreign dancers and models in situations that can be considered objectifying.

While vintage cars draped with scantily clad women are the primary subject of Western hip hop and often make their way into pop music tropes, international audiences are generally shocked to see the same devices employed in Korean music videos. However, the same female audiences who express displeasure with the use of barely dressed girls in videos, are often the same fans who readily embrace the shirtless hip-thrusts of male idols and fan service that includes two men mock kissing one another.

While it remains true that American hip hop and pop videos often transcend the levels of sexuality seen in Korean music, the decrease in nineties-style boy bands and artists in the West also attribute to a decrease in Tiger Beat male pin-up imagery. Male K-Pop and many male Korean hip hop artists are promoted through their displays of chocolate abs and choreography that often leaves very little to imagination. Tumblr blogs such as Fyeah Kpop Abs act as shrines to this phenomenon. Top groups like Super Junior and Big Bang rely upon members who have adopted shirt-stripping routines that can beat any Chippendales dancer. Fan service segments of some K-Pop concerts often look more like a bachelorette party than a sequence from a pop performance.

Admittedly, I am not beyond reproach when it comes to reducing male artists to abs, pelvic thrusts, and deep voices. I was confronted head on with my own perception of Korean male sexuality a little over a year ago. Like many non-Korean writers who focus on K-Pop, my initial participation in the industry started at the fan level. While participating in an online fan event for YG Entertainment's Big Bang, I repeatedly made public statements which objectified one of my favorite members, Seungri. Ironically and to my own detriment, I had recently befriended someone who works very close with the artist. This person was sitting next to Seungri at the time and I could only pressume what his reaction was to my audacious statements. In that moment, the fantasy element of K-Pop was almost completely eradicated for me, as I was embarrassed about the words I had publicly expressed. I started to re-evaluate how I viewed and consumed Korean entertainment.

For international fans, the fact K-Pop and Korean hip hop artists are often outside of their native culture provides the opportunity to view the performers with a sense of detached otherness. The fact that Rain has been accused of objectification and portraying foreigners through a lens of otherness is very ironic. As one of the first true Hallyu stars, Rain is the subject of numerous studies regarding international consumption of Korean culture, including Sun Jung's 2011 book Korean Masculinities and Transcultural Consumption: Yonsama, Rain, Oldboy, and K-Pop Idols. Sun Jung focuses on the way in which Rain has been marketed to a worldwide audience through hyper-sexual, yet soft masculinity with Western influences.

2014 has started off on an interesting note, as consumption of Korean entertainment continues to expand beyond Korea. As a participant on the popular variety program Running Man and one half of the beloved Monday couple, Gary has won over many international fans of Korean entertainment. While the reception of Shower Later may remain mixed, Gary was able to initiate debate amongst fans over what levels of sexuality are acceptable for a nineteen plus rated video.  Is there a double standard when it comes to the way in which sexuality is portrayed in Korean music videos or should there be a limit to objectification of both men and women?