DinDin, Soran, and Yeong-bae discuss appearance management on new YouTube series

DinDin, Soran, and Yeong-bae met for the first episode of "Why Bother Zone" on the "DinDin Is DinDin" YouTube channel to discuss the realities of grooming. The cast explored the importance of metacognition and the pressure of meeting fan expectations, with DinDin noting he manages his looks to satisfy his fan base.

A group of individuals who put effort into managing their appearance, yet find themselves on the subtle boundary of being called "major" visuals, have gathered. In the first episode of "Why Bother Zone," a content series released through the YouTube channel "DinDin Is DinDin" operated by singer DinDin, DinDin, Soran, and Yeong-bae met to share their honest feelings regarding appearance and the reality of grooming.

"Don't Lose Metacognition"... A Healing Project for Appearance Obsession

This content was inspired by a comment made by 10CM's Kwon Jeong yeol one month ago. DinDin stated that "Why Bother Zone" was planned as an "appearance obsession healing project" for those who are excessively concerned with or manage their looks. Here, "Why Bother Zone" is defined as a concept for those who are not extremely distinct in their features but are considered handsome due to harmony, or those who look neat but do not fall into the category of typical handsome men. According to a definition by an individual named Louis Kim, this is also about finding friends who are on the outer walls of the fortress, unable to join the "major" group.

The cast agreed that rather than excessive obsession with looks, it is important to accept oneself as is while not losing "metacognition" (the ability to objectively perceive oneself) during the process of self-grooming. Explaining the intent to comfort those overly preoccupied with their appearance, DinDin said, "The goal is to well-recognize those moments when you look in the mirror on a good day and feel, 'I look okay.'" The cast shared opinions on the need to break through inferiority complexes and become detached, suggesting a direction of accepting oneself as is while living life diligently to groom oneself.

"Fans' Reactions are Scary"... The Realistic Hardships of Those Who Manage Their Looks

The realistic difficulties faced by those striving to manage their appearance were also revealed without filter. DinDin confessed that compliments from fans regarding his appearance sometimes feel like a burden. "When fans film videos and post them on Instagram and other platforms, I am scared that talk about my appearance might go viral and spread to people who are not fans," he added, noting that there is an aspect of being forced to continue managing one's looks to meet the expectations and demands of fans. DinDin explained that he manages his appearance not because he thinks he is handsome, but to satisfy the demand of the fan base that likes them.

Soran also mentioned the pressure brought by appearance and styling. While taking a firm stance by stating, "It is music and performances that brought me this far, not my appearance," he noted that evaluations of appearance from fans are polarized. He also shared detailed concerns experienced on-site, such as the coordination with stylists and hair/makeup artists, and the influence of lighting and angles. In particular, he mentioned the difficulty of selecting clothing due to changing trends as one of the hardships faced by stylists, suggesting that appearance management is a process of coordinating with staff.

"Truly Handsome People Have No Hardships"... Divergent Metacognition and Grooming Methods

A pleasant debate broke out among the cast regarding each other's "metacognition." DinDin questioned whether they were evaluating themselves too highly and suggested that it is sometimes necessary to break through inferiority complexes and become detached. In particular, he showed respect toward Yeong-bae, calling him "the person we invited." The cast also discussed how their level of metacognition, such as their appearance on social media or their confident stage presence, could potentially be perceived as excessive self-packaging.

Discussions continued regarding actual grooming methods. DinDin revealed that he manages his facial lines using the recently popular "gua sha," sharing his experience that he can feel a difference when compared to the opposite side of his face. On the other hand, they reached the conclusion that "truly handsome people do not worry about their appearance or suffer from grooming issues," concluding the conversation by praising and comforting each other's appearances.

Source: original video (YouTube)