In 2025 the South Korean K-pop boygroup Xlov debuted as the first K-pop group with an explicitly stated genderless concept and the group quickly gained appeal from a large, global audience. Through fashion and music Xlov is both challenging and highlighting boundaries around genderless expression within K-pop and in South Korea, both of which are socially conservative. At Xlov’s concert in Copenhagen the group’s fashion and stage performance speaks for themselves as do their fans such as Elvira: “They wear what they want. That’s what I like about it.”
At the Xlov concert in Copenhagen, the first thing that happens when we walk into the warm arena is that someone approaches us, reaches for a plastic bag filled with beaded bracelets in rainbow patterns and asks:“I made freebies. Do you want one?”
Astrid, another attendee, is standing on the balcony in the back of the arena, offering me a neon blue glowstick. “I really love their concept. And I really felt for their personalities, and their, like, expression of self. And their music is so catchy!”
Emily, one of the performers of Code9 Dance Crew, a K-pop cover crew that did the opening act for the Xlov concert, was also drawn to Xlov’s genderless concept. “I was drawn to the concept as a queer person. I think it’s lovely to see queer representation in K-pop. And then they’re also just so cunty!” Sylvia, another dancer in Code9 Dance Crew, was also drawn to Xlov because of their genderless concept. “It’s such a unique concept. One you haven’t seen before in K-pop.”
Xlov breaking records and boundaries
On 5 November 2025 the South Korean K-pop boygroup Xlov debuted as the first K-pop-group with an explicitly stated genderless concept. Xlov quickly found success with their debut album Imma be selling 9600 albums in its first week and ranking 11th in a chart over K-pop albums sales, among K-pop giants like Rose and Enhypen. On Spotify the group has over 2 million monthly listeners which is comparable to other medium-sized K-pop groups. The group’s genderless concept is usually expressed through the members wearing androgynous clothing or crossdressing such as long wigs, acrylic nails or skirts over pants, in music videos and performances. The group also engages in expressive and experimental fashion over all. Although Xlov is first to have an explicitly genderless concept, gender nonconformity and flexible masculinity has long been an accepted as part of K-pop performance as Jiyoon Auo, a PhD candidate in Musicology at the University of Pittsburgh who has researched K-pop and masculinity, explains in an email to Utblick:
“What makes Xlov stand out is not the presence of these aesthetics, but the decision to explicitly label the group as having a ‘genderless’ concept. In the South Korean context, where gender and sexuality have often been treated cautiously, this act of naming carries particular weight and invites public discussion.”
After explicitly declaring Xlov’s concept as genderless, Jae-yong Park, the CEO of the group’s managing company 257 Entertainment, quickly clarified that the members do not identify as genderless and that genderlessness is only an aesthetic choice to express beauty without gender boundaries.
Jiyoon Auo interprets Jaeyong Park’s emphasis on expression and dismissal of identity as an indication of how queerness is managed in both the K-pop industry and South Korean society where having a genderqueer identity can be socially risky: “Framing genderlessness as a concept allows the company to engage with changing cultural sensibilities without placing the burden of controversy on individual members.”
Fraction – Diverging expectation and interpretation of genderless
Xlov’s fans seem to have a wide range of different interpretations, opinions and expectations of the group’s genderless concept across different audiences. Jiyoon Auo explains that global fans can interpret their genderless concept in ways similar to how masculinity is expressed in K-pop in general, meaning it can be seen as an alternative to Western masculinity, and as a symbol of soft or non-normative masculinity: “While this can be empowering, it can also risk placing limiting and racialized expectations on Asian masculinity.”
There also seems to be a different attitude in South Korea as Jiyoon Auo explains it where the term genderless was first met with caution but shifted to appreciation over how the group expressed it aesthetically on stage. “What many audiences respond to is not queer identity itself, but the way gender is aesthetically reworked and newly articulated as a concept.”
The fans at the Xlov concert in Copenhagen also show appreciation for Xlov’s aesthetic expression of their genderless concept, as well as for their expression of self through both words and fashion. As Astrid at Xlov’s concert said: “I really love their concept, and I really fell for their personalities, and their, like, expression of self.”
This appreciation is however also linked to queerness; either their own or the perceived queerness of the artists. For instance Emily, another fan, says: “I was drawn to the concept as a queer person. I think it’s lovely to see queer representation in K-pop.”
It is clear that Xlov’s genderless concept has appealed to a wide audience that has very divergent opinions, interpretations and expectations of the group’s genderless concept. Adding South Korea’s institutional conservatism and social caution to queer identities places Xlov and their genderless concept at an intersection with complex and contradictory multinational norms to navigate and defy.
Friction – restricting the unrestricted
In October, Xlov’s latest title track,Rizz, was deemed ineligible for broadcast by South Korea’s national broadcaster KBS, which cited the lyrics as overly sexually explicit. The lyrics for Rizz contain phrases, such as “Tryin’ to taste your juice now” or “Take it slow”, which could be interpreted as sexual. However, many fans also speculate that the real reason the song was not approved was due to the fact that the lyrics used “boy” in places where other boy groups would typically use “girl” for example in the line: “Take it slow, boy, I’m gonna kill it hard, like, yeah”, giving the song homoerotic undertones. When asked, Xlov fans at the concert expressed disappointment and frustration over KBS deeming the song ineligible. Elvira commented: “I think it’s just horrible. They didn’t do anything wrong.” Emily agrees but sees it as a prize Xlov pays for pushing boundaries. “I was very angry when I saw that they were being censored. But yeah, I also think it’s important that there’s a group that like pushes those boundaries.”
In October, Xlov member Rui got verbally reprimanded by company staff after trying to pick up a pride flag thrown on stage by a fan during their performance in Warsaw. The day after Xlov’s tour, the organiser and Xlov’s managing company, 257 Entertainment, released a joint statement on Instagram declaring that, henceforth, no flags would be allowed on the group’s tour. This was motivated in the statement as reflecting the group’s wish to “create a neutral and welcoming space”. At the group’s next tour stop in Berlin, Xlov’s leader Wumuti
addressed the situation by saying: “And this one thing never change. It is that no one can stop you from being who you are. We always love to see you come here as yourself, as how you wanna look and show us how beautiful you are.”
The decision to ban flags at the group’s concert sparked frustration among some fans, who felt it was contradictory to promote a genderless concept that can be seen as catering to queer audiences while simultaneously prohibiting the display of explicit queer symbols. One fan writes: “How on earth can you make a gender fluid group, and not let them pick up pride flags? Guess marketability and homophobia won. Again.”
Jiyoon Auo argues that within K-pop gender-nonconforming aesthetic expression has long been practiced and appreciated even as South Korean society remains institutionally conservative toward queerness. “K-pop operates at the intersection of these dynamics. It reflects changing cultural sensibilities while also buffering them, allowing gender nonconformity to appear safely as performance rather than lived identity. In this way, K-pop both mirrors social change and manages its limits.”
However, Jiyoon Aou also warns that in the tense situation between these progressive and conservative forces; if global fans push too strongly for immediate explicit declarations from idols, it might fail to recognize these constraining factors and put the idols themselves in a difficult situation.
Fearlessness – A playground for caution and change
As a group, Xlov has a complex and far from frictionless relationship with cross-national and divergent norms, interpretations, and expectations. The group’s expression of its genderless concept is marked by both caution and fearlessness, still inspiring fans despite restrictions. As Astrid describes it: “It’s really inspiring. Especially as a queer person. It’s really nice to see K-pop groups and just celebrities in general. And they’re really fearless about it.”
Xlov’s explicitly labeled genderless expression creates wide appeal but also friction; breaking some boundaries while highlighting others. It provides an opportunity for both cautious and conservative attitudes as well as attitudes pushing for change and increased openness to interact and influence each in a shared space. Jiyoon Aou recognizes that Xlov with the support of global fans can be seen as a part of the increase of queer visibility within culture that is changing public perceptions in South Korea and slowly creating change. Asked about Xlov’s Rizz being deemed ineligible by KBS, Astrid is disappointed but also hopeful for change. “I feel like we should have come a bit further, but I look forward to the industry changing.”
Expression – Fashion, flags and beauty without gender boundaries
Walking onto the stage under cheers, Rui is wearing a fluffy black skirt on a pair of dark wash jeans and heavy pink blush under the eyes. Wumuti’s hair is styled in a blond curly bob with two rivets under one eye, wearing a cropped dark jeans jacket, fluffy shorts, and knee patches. Hyeon is wearing a halfcropped blazer with text on it, an eyebrow piercing and a tie that ends with a few strands of stones. Haru is wearing a ripped gray hoody and wide shorts. All of them wear decorated black and white nails in various lengths. They look out over a sea of heads decorated with tiaras, barrettes, fiddler hats, pink goggles or hair colored in pink, red, blue, black, brown, blond, and green.
“I am so happy because your makeup is so good today,” Hyeon says to Wumuti before their dual stage.
“You too,” Wumuti answers.
“Thank you. Slay!”
Later Hyeon says this during the ending speech. “When you can’t express yourself I want to make this space a space where you could express yourself. And I can see that you are showing your all.”
Elvira has short hair and is wearing a white blazer and skirt over denim pants and a heartshaped sign with Wumuti and the word “Mother” on it.
What do you like about Xlov’s genderless expression?
“They can express themselves. If someone wants to wear anything, they wear what they want. That’s what I like about it.”
When it is time for the fans to show their banners, there are also a few rainbow fans. There is, however, also a full-size pride flag as well, which Wumuti seems to point to specifically when asking fans to remove banners for their concert photo on Instagram, which they do. But in the picture, you can still catch a glimpse of the flag peeking through between people’s legs. Leaving the venue, someone is rolling up and tucking a small pansexual pride flag into their handbag. In the crammed locker room there is a banner saying Xlov for Asexuals. Despite the ban there are pride flags at the Xlov Copenhagen concert. There were also rainbow-striped tops, toy car belts, rhinestones, skirts over jeans, furry leg warmers and every pattern of lace tights you can imagine. Before the concert my friend and I talked about the pride flag ban. And my friend said that if you wanted to bring a pride flag you could wear it instead. That way, they could not take it from you.
Elsa Segerström
- Elsa Segerström
- Elsa Segerström
- Elsa Segerström
- Elsa Segerström
- Elsa Segerström
