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Ho caro ❤ what do you think is the ultimate kibbe body type for pretty boys/heartthrobs ? I know it can be every type but still ! I've noticed that classics ( v , cillian murphy or even zayn ), soft dramatics( jin and hyunjin ) or soft naturals ( aaron taylor-johnson) are really representative of that archetype, even cha eun woo but I can't pinpoint which type he is . Thanks master as always 😂🌸
kibbe theory VS heartthrobs, romance, and masculinity
or: how pop culture pairs Naturals with Romantics, and Dramatics with Gamines.
hi! thanks for your lovely asks. cha eun woo looks like a soft dramatic to me! tall (6'0), but extra yin. much like bts' jin. chiseled bones, small waist, luscious face, T-silhouette: a narrow geometric structure as the base.
i can't see him as an FN or C as he is vertical-first like a Dramatic, not width-first or average height. the long monochrome D black look with sharp shoulders is right up his alley. in fact, anything else would be too short.
but imo he can do both, severe and dreamy aesthetic, unmoving vs flowing fabric. like christian bale, SD is a type walking between worlds, D and R, which is why they are often considered heartthrobs. but in an elegant, regal way, as they have long limbs and statue bodies.
i noticed that much like C men, SDs are often associated with romance cinema: they have soft faces that don't heavily contrast the usually (!) soft-subtyped or gamine female protagonist. SD can do glamor, sleek, decorum, something that's usually not associated with guys, but they pull it off.
the already fleeting veil between men's and women's fashion becomes thin with this image ID, which is why they fascinate as gnc icons. it's an especially celebrated type in SE Asian television, and historical film.
it bridges the gap and is more female gaze-heavy than casting an intimidating pure D or the obiquitous brawny, flexing, mud-covered FN as the lead. which, and that preceeds marvel, rather belongs to the action/superhero genre. to take an exaggerated example: basically, the N family on crack would be the expendables 😅
jokes aside: casting SD men as the lead still creates a height difference 9 times out of 10, though: they're not R types at a distance. SD is a tall sight. sharp yang is a towering, dignified 6'0+ figure (D always adds older age perception) — so, i would not entirely nominate them as the #1 pretty boys and luring heartthrobs. that would be, in my opinion:
soft gamine & theatrical romantic.
in our polarized world, i observe how they usually only show up when there's a yang counterpart involved. my theory is: you can find a Romantic type in the vicinity of any Natural, and if you want to find a Gamine, search for the Dramatic.
e.g. when the female movie protagonist is very yang like keira knightley or anne hathaway, the male is often more yin/gamin-ish: the gap is bridged, but still, they're two worlds. always contrasting essences in hollywood and beyond, rarely sameness. the bridgerton formula: total contrast. and nicola coughlan (pure R) is the heartthrob one here!
how female gaze male beauty is a balance act
in the long run however, female D types quizzically rule the romance genre. i guess it's because they break the often infantilizing "small, soft, R/G girl" uber-trope and covet the gentle yin and classic men, often far below 6'0, which are much more desirable than the "alpha v beta" status quo used or uses to admit. think 5'9 tom hardy's beautiful yin lips. who wouldn't want to kiss him? few would reject such a devastating smokeshow of a guy. he is gorgeous.
think D.O as an actor, he had people fawning. very yin 5'8 man. either soft gamine or pure romantic. silk and satin hanboks just look best on yin men.
james mcavoy is 5'7, for instance, and far from D and N, too. on eye level/small, hourglass + some extra sharpness. reddit consensus is, he's been typed into TR, SG, SC. in all cases, he is appealingly yin.
hell, keira's D jawline is sharper than his! mcavoy's nose and eyes appear rounder, the lips rosier, the waist more stark, the arms shorter. her shoulders are wider, angular. james: smaller, sloped, not bony. see the famous fountain scene in atonement. striking comparison.
a complete turnaround of what our mainstream-influenced eyes expect. there is nothing yin about her, while he is both. subversion creates movies we can look at twice. it's no immediate clarity, no immediate stereotype that's quickly grasped. i think that's how the heartthrob factor is born: walking the tightrope of yin and yang. neither entirely different nor fully familiar.
anything else, sadly so, would still be widely perceived as comedy/emasculation or deviation from the perceived norm. (remember how people made fun of taylor and bruno simply for existing — still, see how culture finds patterns in D/G or N/R — classics often disguised in the mix).
all the kibbe eye sees is D and SG. D has vertical, SG is petite. so, it seems like the heartthrob walks a fine line, something that SG appears to be excluded from: as they are socially branded by their height. which kibbe takes into account and tries to turn into their style persona (very limiting... but we're talking typecasting here). meanwhile: among all 13 body IDs,
TR is the true heartthrob archetype.
because he is both romantic and dramatic separately. not all mixed up (G) or blended (C). the dramatic current shows up in the face, making it 'feline'. that's how TR differs from gamine: G types have youthful, cuter/softer yin faces. a TR man is more mature. he is often portrayed as: "he tempts the same sex, and women celebrate his championing". TR simply has an insane aura. xiaojun, wayv:
jackson wang, a TR working out heavily. still, the smolder and gender-nonconforming appeal remains.
another distinguishing factor: TR sometimes approaches average height due to a D undercurrent, or at least feels slightly taller (they never exceed 6'0). gamines are even shorter heartthrobs.
besides pure R, he's the only type of man that is almost fully yin unlike the androgynous gamine, and at the same time, carries the most yang undercurrent. i think that's the recipe for being a sex symbol: because you need tension for sex. TR is pure intrigue. his body invites. he's soft and beautiful, but never cross him.
i do think that much like male gamins, they are also stigmatized in almost all countries where strength and slenderness are socially glorified persona- and body-wise in men, still. R and TR men are often seen as stout, chubby and 'ugly', not masculine enough.
jimin dressed very casually/athletically after debut, like basketball player (= FN archetype). ultra tall, broad torso, radiates power and a sturdy physique... N is the opposite of R, twice the height and weight — R being small, rounded, curve-dominant. the jack and rose effect. even surgically, one could never be the other. it is day and night.
namjoon (FN) can't be the short and fatal TR scene stealer, while jimin would have a hard time becoming a huge 6'4 machine that's like a wall. and we wouldn't have it any other way to begin with. kibbe typing means crafting a personalized style with the 3D in front of our eyes, which is why this typology has helped a lot of people and remains timeless.
jimin's transformation visually — and his increase in popularity — is probably what kibbe meant by metamorphosis. coming into your own image by choosing an exterior that fits your body lines and communicates what your archetype represents, regardless of how 'masc' one is or what one does (e.g. jimin is a martial artist). it's more about immediate perception and harmonious dressing. TR just fits the "beautiful, proud, sexy prince" aesthetic the best.
just like namjoon was choosen to be the leader, not just because of his insane intellect but also/maybe because subconsciously, his FN image ID instills authority, respect, and robustness. our military-influenced global society equates height and muscle with hierarchy after all. kibbe picked up on those jungian body politics. doesn't mean being yang urges you to rule — what i convey here is just what is perceived based on cultural values.
but unlike D, the N family seems to be accessible, friendlier, and muscle-heavy masculinity, even in k-pop where gamines are the gold standard. shinee's leader onew, stray kids with chan, too. kang daniel back then as well. shownu, monsta X. all very blunt yang men of all subtypes. in kibbe, D is the most masculine, but in the world, N is.
that's why they are often presented as R's counterpart like beauty and the beast 😅 yin and soft yang are frequently paired, as they are similar in soft edges, but different in height and essence. FN sometimes comes with SG, but R hardly ever with D.
hercules FN, megara TR
khal drogo FN, daenerys R
jay-z FN, beyoncé R.
liz taylor R, burton N.
red white & royal blue similar idea
han solo FN, leia TR-ish?
priyanka SN, nick jonas TR
nas N, nicki minaj TR
baywatch is the FN/R axis
justin N?, selena TR
ares N, aphrodite R, greek mythology in general
lord shiva SN, parvati R
007 franchise: bond girls are often yin, daniel craig is FN not D (he's wide > slimly narrow)
mr incredible FN, elastigirl R
(correct or add any in the comments)
ironically, one usually dresses like the other. the rock FN is a yin dresser! he always has R, TR, and SD outfits on red carpets. he channels his opposite ID much like some Ds dress like a G would, and Gamines want to be Ds.
digressing again. so: some other kpop group leaders are gamines at best (GD, taeyong, s.coups). but its a consistent Natural type trend. the heartthrob is rarely the leader and often relegated to the dancer role (smaller height can facilitate movement, after all). and hell, they do it best. TR ten, best example.
since dance is closest to sex, i guess, and sex is ruled by yin according to the more outdated kibbe book. but i have to agree. nothing sexy about a spartan, dramatic structure. yin adds exciting curve that lets the eye trace. skz' dance line, for instance, are all yin subtypes. hyunjin: yin dramatic (tall height), lee know: yin classic (medium height), felix: yin gamin (small height). all with the super soft romantic undercurrent lips.
so, what a pattern! and TRs truly are the most provocative dancers of all, without even trying. think hwasa. gamines only break the rules, TR breaks AND heeds all the rules simultaneously, creating that whiplash.
imo that's why taemin's (TR) career took off when he adapted to that supposed N body benchmark and started bulking up his arms/shoulders to resemble an SN body more, eradicating all soft yin flesh with harsh exercise (though his face and waistline still gives it away just how R he is, and we know how yin his body gets when he doesn't work out).
it made him more yin AND soft natural yang rather than just mostly yin-leaning with a bit of D undercurrent; aka his narrow legs, sharp nose, prominent cheekbones. (k-)pop's reverence for gamines shows us that people crave more of that inherent contrast. many follow suit and re-shape their body in the gym. but TR is still a romantic first, which is why they are sadly more niche anyway. not to mention how fatphobic the whole gym/ozempic cultural shift has become once more. yin can't help being soft! doesn't make anyone less of a man.
the opposing tall, usually slender, shoulder-heavy FN image is the martial ideal worldwide, while TR is supposed to be the feminine, as per the kylie & kim body-mod influencing campaign. as soon as a guy enters that role: taboo homophobic red alert. but you can't fully change being born your own type. (whole family kardashian family is yang. kendall SD, khloe FN, kourtney FG...)
that all being said, that is how male SD, SC and SN become stand-ins for a more softened FN version as you mentioned, since they're yin subtypes and still perceived as taller, stronger, with less 'allowance/deviation' from the male ideal type. TR women are overly centered culturally and the sole surgical goal, TR men operate far outside the mainstream as the underdog (which creates their mystic sexual pull), much like the following ID, too:
Soft Gamin as the pretty boy archetype.
where TR is the adult version (D undercurrent = looks over 20), SG is the more youthful variant (G + R = looks under 20), regardless of actual age. Gamin is always right on trend, or creating the next one, defiant, youth cultured, anti. ah yes, boy band culture. but elsewhere, SG men are niche or dismissed as quick fads, too, be it e-boys or fashion influencers, punks, rebels, rappers. yungblud is letting the SG flag fly!
SGs rose to more acclaim since you don't have to show your height on tiktok or youtube necessarily, avoiding the "no, girls must be the tiny ones" stigma, which only increases as our world becomes more right-wing and war-oriented recently. look at any propaganda poster of bygone times, the man of a regime is always towering. SG is the opposite: petite, compact, femme, pouty, and sweet as pie, even as they age.
like TRs, i feel SG men kind of become the butt of the joke often, as they are far below 5'10 and also commonly less slender due to yin's width/short bones — but they retaliate by never aging ever, and being able to charm people with their innocence. that whole "neotonous face" craze, it's all gamin characteristics. which is why they are the counterpart of the much more fear-inspiring, extremely tall Dramatics. SDs included!
so, funnily D and G almost always come as a combo. tall sharp and petite sharp. appears in pop culture over and over.
jessica rabbit SD, roger SG
joker D, harley G
sherlock D, watson SG
boa hancock SD, monkey d. luffy G
edward D, bella FG
anakin SD, padme G
slash SD, axl rose G
bill skarsgard/nosferatu SD, lilly rose G
pepper potts D or DC, tony stark FG
lauren bacall D, bogart FG
ava gardner SD, sinatra G
john lennon D, yoko ono and paul SG
austin butler SD, vanessa hudgens SG
zendaya D, tom FG, paul/timothee G
sarah paulson D, holland taylor SG
rihanna SD, rocky FG?
top SD, g-dragon FG
l'wren scott SD, mick jagger FG
will smith SD, jada G type
liam hemsworth SD, miley G
snoop D, kevin hart SG
eve SD, wall-e G
it's a novelty that they progressed from side character/comedic relief to main character. thanks to YA movies and boy bands. i think we have to thank daniel radcliffe there, as well as niall, and bts' popularity which brought yoongi to the scene. he does reflect the spitfire SG trope kibbe mentioned quite literally.
