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Can an overweight girl group succeed in Korea?*

Written by Dora On January 7, 2011

Can a girl group with three voluptuous members find success in perfection-driven Korea? The answer remains dubious, but the rookie girl group Piggy Dolls will be going against the grain.

We all know how Korean female idols are usually envied for their slim, attractive figures, and the slightest weight gain never escapes unnoticed by eagle-eyed netizens. Of course, the pressure on female celebrities to be thin and pretty is alarmingly high in entertainment industries all over the world today, but this is especially so in Korea, where many have gone under the knife in search of beauty, perfection, and fame.

Nonetheless, the Piggy Dolls recently debuted with their song Trend on various music sites, and also released their debut album Piggy Style. The group consists of Lee Ji-yeon, Kim Min-sun and Park Ji-eun. Together, the 3 ladies have been attracting attention everywhere for their rich and healthy physique, as they collectively weigh over 200kg (approximately 441 lbs).

According to their agency, the members of the Piggy Dolls all have unique, powerful vocal talents and will capture the music scene with their skills by singing to the masses. Trend is a funky mix of electronic sounds which has self-confident lyrics like “Without worry, I say proudly,” “What’s wrong with my body? I have face and personality,” showing how the group is comfortable in their own skin. Check out the MV for Trend below.

When asked about their reasons for debuting, Ji-yeon replied, “Nowadays, people usually believe that only skinny people are pretty. We wish to show that we can too be beautiful and confident with our weight, and it would be good if we could break the stereotype that only skinny girls are attractive.”

Furthermore, the agency also stated that the issue of their weight is of no concern when compared to their outstanding abilities. Judging from how Big Mama was well-received by the music industry, the Piggy Dolls aim to win the hearts of the public and cause an “explosion” as singers on stage. In fact, they made their first debut stage on today’s episode of Music Bank, and will be performing on Music Core too. Check out their performance below:

To be honest, I really have no idea whether Piggy Dolls (gosh, what an unflattering name!) can make a splash in the K-pop music scene once all the hype has died down. I have absolutely nothing against these girls, and I applaud them for their confidence and courage, but when you’re trying to make it in a cut-throat industry where visuals have become as important as talent, they will be facing a rocky path ahead. Still, who knows? This might just signal the start of a new era in K-pop world, where curvy-but-talented girls are appreciated as much as their stick-thin counterparts.

* Piggy Dolls are currently in the top 10 of the Twitter Trend list (above of DBSK).

(My Daily, Net To News, AsianWorldHD, BigBangSHINeeWorld7)

TAGS: Big Mama, Piggy Dolls

Yin
I wish they could make more than a debut impact but knowing the shallowness of how asians view others, it’s just not going to happen.
I guess, They could milk their worth by really heading to variety shows and highlighting their cause as ‘better role models’

Yang
Yes, because only Asians are shallow against fat people. Your absolutely right.

http://www.blog.daniellelacey.com LaniDacey
Their voices are great, but I wish their debut was less gimmicky. It seems like they’re limiting themselves by emphasizing their weight. Some of the members of Big Mama were heavy, but it seems like they didn’t play that up as much.
Still, I wish them well. All the international sites I visit seem to be supportive; I wonder what the average Korean k-pop fan thinks of them.

http://www.blog.daniellelacey.com LaniDacey
Afterthought: Am I the only one who noticed the two slimmer girls got a bit more camera time in the MV? It seems like they had more lines and more focus due to them dancing. But that could just be me.

OMG
Cue Camera: Girls with major Food (of the unhealthy sort)
I think they have great voices. They can totally be idols. But I think you have a point about that “they’re limiting themselves by emphasizing their weight.” But maybe thats also their strategy, to get right to what ppl will see first, who knows?
But if ppl dont support them for their talents that would be sad.
:D
Actually, I think that the middle girl (the bigger one) has more lines (a bigger voice too), but since the other two girls were dancing more, they got slightly more cam time. I think it was quite equally distributed. I LOVE their voices and looks. I can actually tell them apart from other girls just based on their face. This is a girl group (other than maybe Kara) I would actually buy a poster and album from. I hope them won’t get tossed away after the hype like Naked Girls did (but then Naked Girls … yeah… THAT is a truly awful concept and name).

asianromance
i agree! that’s what i felt too. even their name feels a bit gimmicky.

asianromance
anyways, not only awesome vocals, but the song’s really good too!!

happy go lucky
love them!
they’re talented and their vocals was amzing..
good luck to them!
taran
wtf. why would they call themselves PIGGY girls? i have nothing against them and they sound good live but why that name??
anon
They have good vocals, but the beginning of the MV turned me off slightly. Having them eating big slices of pizza and junk food contradict the idea of their “rich and healthy physique.” As someone said above, downplaying their weight would benefit them more, I think. As for the name, it screamed Pussycat Dolls to me when I first saw it.
I don’t mean to hate as I think what they’re doing is great and, like I said, they have some great voices. Just some things about their debut make me go “eh.”

Randy
That’s just a typical scene for 350’000’000 people in the USA every night. So why does it scare you so much?
You prefer to watch Hollywood films where 100% of the people are slim and pretend that’s how life really is?
Daydream
they are using their so-called “overweightness” as a marketing strategy, if they are just as skinny as the other girl groups out there, i doubt they would get the amount of exposure they are receiving now. But they are surrendering themselves to stereotypes, not any different to what other mainstream artists are doing.
on another note, they do have talent, confidence and great stage presence, but they are no where near as good as “Big Mama”.
anon
@ Randy: Haha, it’s not scary.
- I just don’t understand the connection between “rich and healthy physique” with eating junk food. I mean, hey, be confident with your body all you want, just know that those habits aren’t “healthy.”
- The song was just OK, so, yes, I’d prefer a good Hollywood film over it.
- I don’t really care who plays who as long as it’s good.
- Of course that’s not “how life really is”; it’s all entertainment in the end. As such, go for the better one.
@ Daydream: Yes, I agree. Yes, they do have talent. They’re trying to break the “fat girls aren’t pretty” stereotype right now, but why not break the “fat people are unhealthy” stereotype while they’re at it, too? If they want to “surrender,” though, that’s their choice.

lordy
Despite Korea’s OVERemphasis on looks, this won’t succeed in any country (for more than one song).
Btw, I believe the word voluptuous is used completely wrong in the Korean context – we all know it means slim chicks with two large round mounds that they unbelievably carry around without breaking their backs.

Johnelle
Actually, the word that the Korean media uses for what your talking about is ‘glamorous’.

lordy
oh yea, thought they used voluptuous as well?

boom
I like them, but not so much their name. And that eating all that junk food scene was just really unnecessary.
nisha
well hopefully this can bring a change to the norm…bc i believe that if they have talent they should get support…i am not sure abt korea but in US there def. has been singers and others who ma have had a different figure than the norm but are still loved and revered. I mean, unless you have been living under a rock, i think people will agree queen latifah or orpah winfrey do not really fit into the super slim category, yet both come on tv, the former being a singer as well. So i think yes it will take effort, but its not impossible since there are other talented singer, TV personalities, movie stars that have shown that it is possible.
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eh
The girls themselves are doing a disservice to themselves. The group is called “Piggy” for godsakes. You as an OP just wrote over weight. They’re already putting themselves into that stereotypical box. Their band name, and the fact they’re suppose to be a not PC but “fat group” — it’s sad. Even more so it is pathetic.
This is not change, this is just mean people exploiting these girls. It would have been fine, if they didn’t demean them with their stupid band name at first. Anyone who thinks this will bring a change, should sit down. It hasn’t happened anywhere else, and hell I have more hope for America for tackling this issue.

Dora
Well, yes. I do agree that Piggy Dolls isn’t exactly a very flattering or encouraging name, and it’s unfortunate that the girls are being noticed merely for being, um, fat. But by breaking the norm, maybe this group does send out a positive image that you don’t have to be skinny to be a singer, if you’ve got the goods. Whatever they are called, they’re still going to be criticised for exploiting their weight or something; it’s a loselose situation. But from what I see, the company has been focusing on promoting how talented and self-confident they are. Is that really a bad thing?

Dora
And the scene when they were eating…I know it’s a stereotype that only fat people stuff themselves and some think it’s degrading, but IMO, bigger chicks are not the only people who gobble down food. It’s a sight you see everywhere, and I feel it’s more realistic than demeaning. I’d rather see them eating, than to see them dieting. But maybe just not fast food.

http://notes.colorwalk.org/ Melissa
Not sure what this will do in the k-ent scene. Sure it’s great to have women of all sizes represented in the entertainment industry, but naming them “Piggy” and showing them in a run-down, deserted basement binging is not a fair representation of the overweight community. If this is the only way an overweight woman can become a performing artist, then they are not helping further diversity, just perpetuating stereotypes.
kc
what I don’t get is why there can’t be an “inbetween” I mean there’s either girls who are rather big, or girls that are rather thin, there can never be girls that are slightly big and slightly small… if that makes any sense at all…
either way, it seems most girls in music are unhealthy, whether it’s Piggy Dolls or SNSD, both have to watch what they do to their bodies…
I’m not hating or anything, health is just not something you use as a gimmick, eating alot doesn’t mean your healthy and eating very little doesn’t either, what we need is like major health nuts running our singers, not someone who’ll dictate how often these girls eat but what they eat…with moderation, I mean they can splurge every once and a while.
whether they pronounce it our not, it would have came up when they performed, people in general are quite shallow.
and I don’t know, pigs are pretty adorable, I rather like their name^^
Johnelle
Like most of you have said above I really think they did themselves a great disservice by making themselves into a ‘big girls’ girl group kind of gimmick. If they wanted to be taken seriously on the merit of their talent that’s what they should have done – just blow everyone away with their vocals and performances which are good.
By having such a ridiculous name (the Piggy Dolls? ugh) and giving in to stereotypes of people who aren’t thin (like in the beginning of the video with the pizza)they really kind of set themselves up(or the management behind them did) to be a flash in the pan gimmick girl group, which is a total shame. I think they are great singers and performers though and wish them the best of luck.
Rmel0dy
I think they’re awesome but their name should be something like “gorgeous gals”, not “piggy dolls”.

agreed.
I completely agree, but the backlash against these girls might have been even worse. quite frankly, any name for these girls are probably a lose-lose.

lindsey
I remember there was a girl group from china that had the same exact concept, except after awhile they got so obese they checked into a facility…so I guess the piggys have a chance to succeed, but just don’t get super obese…. :/
SOL
IMO if you’re proud BE proud.. you dont have to tell the world you are proud and comfortable with yourself.. just be confident and show them what you got..the world will then see that you are proud without you screaming it at the top of your lungs trying to convince them(if you do that then it all becomes lies)
I think they could have chosen a better name..or maybe just their initials like JYJ for example..
PS. and this is just a random thought but why doesn’t the girl in the middle ever take her shades off?? just wondering
syndisome
I don’t know, the gimmick worked, it got me to listen to them and give them the full 5 minutes of my attention. Then not really liking their mv, I decided to give them another shot and watch them on music bank. I liked their sound, so if they continually improve I will continue watching.
Really, all that matters first is that people listen to them. Names can be changed: take AJ who baceme Ki Kwang in Beast, DGNA(D-NA)who became The Boss. And weight can be gained or lost. So if they go beyond the marketing gimmick, and just continue to improve, who cares how they got in the door.
B2ST
Well Big Mama made it, why can’t they? Girls, if you are hesitant, don’t worry. You have more talent in one little finger than girls like Ga-in, 4Minute, Seo Inyoung, Kara, Wonder Girls…losers that don’t deserve in any sort of way to be in the music industry

Knifey
You forgot to add B2ST to your loser list.

…
ladies and gentlemen…here we have shindong’s object of hate…
care
I dislike the fact that they put such a big emphasis on the group’s image because now I recognize as the group of bigger-than-normal girls with great voices instead of the group with great voices who are confident with their different image. And I don’t even want to start with the poor choice of group name. But to be fair, they are getting attention and recognition with this strategy.
benny
No, period. I think they are talented and wish them the best of luck but no, it aint gonna Happen maybe in 50 yrs
uhh
lol shindong in a boyband filled with fatties
-.-
its great that they’re talented. but does everything they do have to be about their weight? i agree with people saying that they’re being a bit too gimmicky.
ps. being overweight is not healthy. being in the normal/healthy bmi range would have been 1) less gimmicky and 2) different from current girl groups anyway (because almost every girl group atm is underweight).
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그딴식으로 이름 짓는 기획사나 자기비하까지 하면서 노래부르는 것들이나 ㅉㅉㅉ 죠낸 한심…
http://so-bored-of-the-internet.blogspot.com/ RayRay
I’m so not sure about the name it just seems a bit… I dunno, their size is their concept which was a weak decision by their label (or whoever decided their name). That’s a shame because from what I’ve heard so far I think their talented.
Sammoluv
They have beautiful voices and they can dance! Anyone can see that they have talent. Half the girls singing for K-pop companies can’t even sing; such as So Hee from Wonder Girls, but she’s cute so no one cares if she sucks. They only go for the look nowadays. Piggy Dolls have talent and they’re not afraid to show it. Watching their song Trend gives me the chills on my back because their voices surpasses their looks. ;D
Sammoluv
That’s sooo true! They are inspiring they show these fierce girls who are proud to have a talent. It’s reality and they know it, but they have more than what other singers can offer. It’s very admirable.^^
JS
They sound better performing live than in the MV.
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