Ugly - 2NE1

First of all, I’m a huge KPOP fan. Recently I came across one of the KPOP songs that has been in my Itunes for a while called “Ugly”. At first I didn’t like it as much as the other songs by 2NE1, but after looking at the lyrics I realized how well it conveys the situations that many girls in our age are facing: the pressure to look pretty and to be perfect. As a result, girls constantly live with anxiety. It is not innate that girls are more self-conscious than boys, it is because they are constantly confronted by social expectations. These social expectations are not only enforced by males, but also by other females: “And nobody wants to love me
. Just like her I wanna be pretty”. As readings from Bordo has pointed out, beauty is the currency through which women compete for men’s attention. Even as a business major, a woman who wants to obtain professional success, I do feel the urge to look pretty and present myself well in business events. Although knowledge matters, a woman cannot overlook the fact that she can get her way around much easier with an attractive appearance.

Social conventions are also incorporated in, developed and promoted by the media. The 21st century, women’s sexuality can be used to sell almost everything either furniture or beer. Girls appearing on advertisements are stereotyped as skinny figure with big breasts, long legs and alluring faces that represent a female body only few women actually possess. Such portrayal does not only give rise to false, shallow interpretation of women but also poses unrealistic expectations in the female body. The popular use of Photoshop and other programs to manipulate pictures further emphasize the unreasonably high standards for beauty of our modern society. Yet, the fact that beauty is intervened by technology in the media says something about the set of standards that we consider beautiful: it is unrealistic. If there are that many women who actually embrace those traits, then the industry will not have to invest heavily in technology.

Although perfection is subjective or “lies in the eyes of the beholder” as we often say, we have come to somehow only be able to read the same standards of perfection drawn by the society. Not only does this narrow our freedom of choice but restrict self-expression. It’s funny how we are encouraged to respect everyone’s differences, such as cultural or family backgrounds, we are also at the same time pressured to conform and display certain limited traits to be accepted.


UGLY – 2NE1
I put on a smile for tonight
but it wont be all right

I’m not pretty and 
I’m not beautiful.

Singing a song I rejoice

Oh but cannot hear my voice

I’m not pretty and
I’m not beautiful.
Why oh why don’t I look like her?

Is un-attractiveness written all over me

Why is your smile so bright?
And then I am angry
 at life for being so not fair

I’m complaining looking at myself in the mirror

But nothing has changed.
Stop giving me that look.


I think I’m ugly

And nobody wants to love me

Just like her I wanna be pretty
I wanna be pretty

Don’t lie to my face tellin’ me I’m pretty

Don’t think that you can look at life my way

Because I know my ugly heart will resent you
 pretending that it’s alright.
Now don’t talk to me.

See I’m not the perfect girl for you.

The cold in you is patronizing.

Suffocating me just when I’m weak.
Stop coming closer now.

I don’t want your feelings and your heart.

Oh listen I want to 
run from this world,
 to shout at this world
 so filled with filthy lies.