This article was original written in 2013 and titled "Deconstructing EXO and reclaiming the WOLF."
“I’m the wolf, and you’re the beauty,” EXO insists in their controversial single WOLF. filled with the power of he once divine animal, the boys take control of their “beauty,” biting her “cheese cheoreom.” however, upon deeper look, the basic premise may be flawed. in ancient times, wolves were connected with many female deities. Sumerian goddess Inanna was often depicted with a wolf by her side, representing her warrior instinct. Lupa is the name of the she-wolf who fostered the mythological founders of Rome, illustrating a loving, motherly side to the ferocious wolf. with this in mind, EXO’s flaming, animalistic masculinity is blown out. is EXO really WOLF? or are there “beauties” can tell us who is what?
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a brief werewolf motif is used by SECRET in this live performance of Talk That. the heavy, synthesized song is a departure from their previous colorful, jazzy style. here, the wolf represents transformation: the lyrics tell of an inner change after a bad breakup, while SECRET’s music style has shifted full-throttle into uncharted territory. the moon hanging overhead is a tribute to the overthrown moon goddesses who once held the divine right and power of the wolves
in Bad Girls, Hyori gives a voice to the women in patriarchal societies who are often polarized into moral categories based on their appearance. in her subjective point of view, the he-wolves are the “bad” ones. Hyori recognizes the wolves’ power and criticizes their nature as it is constructed by Korea’s contemporary society
in contrast to Bad Girls, the he-wolves of TODAY are looked on as playful: “I guess I am really pretty / Feels like they keep staring at me / Of course, the eyes of the wolves.” the disconnect between this soft, cute song and the violence of “the wolves” does not go unnoticed; the “eyes of the wolves”/male gaze is both a rite of passage and a threat for young girls. however, BP POP remains introspective and positive. this disturbing environmental change represents a celebrated transformation toward self-awareness within the girls
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similar to TODAY, MISS RIGHT is a coming of age tale, which features brief wolf howls. in this case, there is no moon, but a different symbol of femininity: “gin saengmeori geunyeo.” the boys go crazy fixating on their love interest’s long hair, to the point that is becomes similar to a form of moon worship. unlike EXO, TEENTOP remains comparatively non-threatening for their assumed female audience, choosing to describe their inner torment in a more complex manner. for example, comparing it to a dreary prison, but focusing on the use of bright colors
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EXO
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the wolf has become a symbol of masculinity, despite it roots. similar to many other aspects of women’s history, the moon goddesses and their wolves have been erased from contemporary religion and often forgotten in modern day talks of mythology. EXO is just one example of such atrocities that happen everyday. bring exo down. anti exo. what is love is an ok song i guess
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