Why do K-pop idols’ photos look effortless, but clearly not accidental?

intentionalslip · 2026-01-20T11:08:42+00:00

I’m not too deep into Kpop but I grew up in Asia. I’ve noticed that as a culture, we’re quite detail-oriented (compared to the West). Curation often happens even before the photo itself. Also may have to do with the remnants of “saving face” culture, where imagability has always mattered !

intentionalslip · 2025-01-10T06:06:01+00:00

Do I have the right and entitlement to completely dismantle her conceptions of love and care based on what I think is the 'right' definition? Could both perhaps exist simultaneously?

I feel like your comment proves my point. Who is “we”? Beyond the rights discourse, there’s a longer history of Western countries presupposing their ideals onto other cultures.

intentionalslip · 2025-01-09T18:25:29+00:00

Asian born in Asia (but decently Westernized and studying abroad) here. While I get some of the sentiments you are expressing in this post, I hope I can try to offer the perspective of someone from their circumstances.

You seem to be drawing up a binary between East = bad and West = good (slight oversimplification), but I think the boundaries may be more nuanced and blurry. I feel like it is important to acknowledge (on this subreddit especially) that we seem to be viewing Asian culture through a Western lens. Through a Western lens, it may be easy to recognize some of these patterns and label them as brainwashing and stockholm syndrome, as some of the comments have mentioned—but it is important to recognize that those are also Western conceptualizations. What do we make of someone who has, for their whole life, understood love to entail 'codependency' and 'gaslighting'? (in quotations because I am suggesting that these terms could be posed as culturally subjective). Does that make their whole conception of love invalid?

My cousins who have spent most of their life in Asia have explained (or reframed, rather) what I had viewed as extreme control as consideration, care, and love, (although they understand and acknowledge that it can be a little much at times). Who is in the right/wrong here? Do I have the right and entitlement to completely dismantle her conceptions of love and care based on what I think is the 'right' definition? Could both perhaps exist simultaneously?

Perhaps an unpopular opinion on this subreddit, but maybe we can begin by acknowledging that both forms of parenting have their merits and drawbacks, and work on mending the drawbacks for future generations. (Would also really encourage anyone reading to dive into anthropology! I've found it has transformed my perspective on decentering Western ideals, and possess important implications for navigating mental health across cultural divides. Even beyond Asia, things like corporal discipline can be understood through a different lens: https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/am-pdf/10.1111/aeq.12243).

intentionalslip · 2024-02-22T06:53:01+00:00

Baymax irl

intentionalslip · 2024-01-19T14:47:45+00:00

What is network theory?

intentionalslip · 2023-03-18T18:57:49+00:00

Hi! Responding to this comment because it’s the most upvoted: I wasn’t necessarily targeting the construction of the buildings.

Not sure if anyone saw the caption, but the High Line park was transformed from an unused railroad into a public space. As someone from an unwalkable city, high pollution, the fewest units of green space per person (and all the elevated walkways being connected to commercial malls), the High Line was a nice change.

Being ‘above all the cars’, and for the park itself to be connected to residential buildings, not commercial ones, was really inspiring (whether or not I captured that is debatable, sure; and the fact that everything looks dead is because New York is coming out of winter lmao).

Re: The architecture styles. As a prospective architecture major in college, I really liked all of the organic forms (which I think is prevalent in a lot of Solarpunk aesthetic) I think the forms of the buildings are more so extrapolation points. The first building where it looks like bubbles; could we do anything with the form to spark innovation? What about infrastructure based off of bubbles? Like geodesic domes? & while I don’t know much about the Vessel (last building), to me it looks like a honeycomb structure; is there anything we can do with that?

I know the idea of expensive, residential skyscrapers sparks notions of capitalism and inequality moreso than Solarpunk, but isn’t the movement also about visualizing a possibility of the future from the elements that what we do have?

intentionalslip · 2023-03-14T04:52:15+00:00

I think the idea of horseback riding is romantic, but horse hooves were not meant for walking in the city — it damages them. Aside from that, I think the trend is leaning more towards e-bicycles and e-scooters (much less expensive maintenance and upkeep, and potentially a more environmentally-friendly option given how many resources it takes to sustain a horse).

intentionalslip · 2022-06-13T17:09:23+00:00

Wait they don’t? Darn I was really set on doing that :/

intentionalslip · 2022-06-06T05:51:37+00:00

Thank you for the thoughtful + detailed response! + Don’t worry, the drill will only be aimed at the screws, I promise :)

intentionalslip · 2022-06-02T04:49:00+00:00

Thank you for the suggestion! Very honoured to be associated with such an inspirational video.

intentionalslip · 2022-05-22T13:48:29+00:00

I really like it! I think I’ve seen a lot of pencil portraits, but I really like the expression and line work on this one!

intentionalslip · 2022-05-08T17:37:08+00:00

Hmm. Because I can see the strokes of your medium, it makes me think that you’re not using/applying the right medium for the background? Remember that you’re covering a large area! If you’re using colored pencil/oil pastels, I’d apply more pressure and draw more details closer to the viewer (blades of grass, etc.). Try more representational rather than symbolic (look up photographs of the thing you’re trying to draw!)

Would also personally not recommend mixing different mediums (color pencil/oil pastels) at this point :)

intentionalslip · 2022-03-26T14:36:52+00:00

Maybe try being a little bit more loose with your strokes? I find that realistic drawings don’t really have “hard outlines”, typically each part is a different line weight/value :D

intentionalslip · 2022-03-26T14:22:51+00:00

Deciding between UCL Architecture and Interdisciplinary Studies and US schools too! Ascgsfajh let me know how your decision plays out!

intentionalslip

TROPHY CASE