2022 Korean Female Queer (Lesbian, Bisexual, +) Survey Results

  • Yesterday, Twitter user "kimnonsan" posted the results of survey of 3579 lesbian/bisexual/+ women in South Korea concerning their favourite female idols (Twitter link). A total of 9280 votes were cast.


    AKP user Clmlrv already posted about this, but I wanted to dive deeper into the data, so I went ahead and translated the entire ranking of 100 idols, which is shown in the table below:


    Rank Artist Group Votes Vote %
    1 Seola WJSN 554 5.97%
    2 Bona WJSN 506 5.45%
    3 Irene Red Velvet 451 4.86%
    4 Seulgi Red Velvet 422 4.55%
    5 Wendy Red Velvet 297 3.20%
    6 Miyeon (G)I-dle 235 2.53%
    7 Karina Aespa 229 2.47%
    8 Taeyeon SNSD 199 2.14%
    9 Eunseo WJSN 198 2.13%
    10 HeeJin Loona 196 2.11%
    11 Minnie (G)I-dle 192 2.07%
    12 Luda WJSN 182 1.96%
    13 Olivia Hye Loona 175 1.89%
    14 Winter Aespa 155 1.67%
    15 Moonbyul Mamamoo 143 1.54%
    16 An Yujin IVE 140 1.51%
    17 Exy WJSN 139 1.50%
    17 Yves Loona 139 1.50%
    19 Sana Twice 134 1.44%
    20 Shuhua (G)I-dle 122 1.31%
    21 Kazuha Le Sserafim 120 1.29%
    22 Solar Mamamoo 114 1.23%
    23 Jang Wonyoung IVE 110 1.19%
    24 Kwon Eunbi #Soloist# 109 1.17%
    24 Wheein Mamamoo 109 1.17%
    26 Ryujin Itzy 100 1.08%
    27 Jang Gyuri Fromis 9 98 1.06%
    28 Yuqi (G)I-dle 97 1.05%
    29 Yeri Red Velvet 86 0.93%
    30 Joy Red Velvet 79 0.85%
    31 Kim Chaewon Le Sserafim 74 0.80%
    32 Eunha Viviz 69 0.74%
    33 Yeji Itzy 67 0.72%
    34 Hwasa Mamamoo 66 0.71%
    35 Nayeon Twice 64 0.69%
    36 IU #Soloist# 62 0.67%
    37 Rei IVE 61 0.66%
    38 Soyeon (G)I-dle 60 0.65%
    39 Kim Lip Loona 57 0.61%
    40 Haewon Nmixx 55 0.59%
    40 Jennie Blackpink 55 0.59%
    40 Mina Twice 55 0.59%
    43 Choi Yena #Soloist# 54 0.58%
    44 Tsuki Billlie 53 0.57%
    45 Jisoo Blackpink 50 0.54%
    46 SinB Viviz 48 0.52%
    46 Chuu Loona 48 0.52%
    48 Giselle Aespa 47 0.51%
    49 Tiffany SNSD 46 0.50%
    49 Lee Chaeyoung Fromis 9 46 0.50%
    51 Sakura Le Sserafim 45 0.48%
    52 HyunJin Loona 42 0.45%
    53 JiU Dreamcatcher 41 0.44%
    53 Park Jiwon Fromis 9 41 0.44%
    55 Rosé Blackpink 39 0.42%
    55 Chungha #Soloist# 39 0.42%
    57 Siyeon Dreamcatcher 38 0.41%
    58 Jeong Eunji Apink 36 0.39%
    58 Choerry Loona 36 0.39%
    60 Huh Yunjin Le Sserafim 35 0.38%
    60 Umji Viviz 35 0.38%
    62 Krystal f(x) 34 0.37%
    62 Jo Yuri #Soloist# 34 0.37%
    64 Yeonjung WJSN 33 0.36%
    65 Gaeul IVE 32 0.34%
    65 Sieun StayC 32 0.34%
    65 Yoona SNSD 32 0.34%
    65 JinSoul Loona 32 0.34%
    69 Song Hayoung Fromis 9 31 0.33%
    70 Go Won Loona 30 0.32%
    71 Roh Jisun Fromis 9 29 0.31%
    72 Yuna Itzy 28 0.30%
    72 Isa StayC 28 0.30%
    72 Kim Minju Iz*One 28 0.30%
    72 Yeoreum WJSN 28 0.30%
    76 Jiho Oh My Girl 27 0.29%
    77 SuA Dreamcatcher 26 0.28%
    78 Arin Oh My Girl 25 0.27%
    79 Yoon StayC 24 0.26%
    79 Momo Twice 24 0.26%
    81 Xiaoting Kep1er 23 0.25%
    82 Kim Sejeong #Soloist# 22 0.24%
    82 Yubin Oh My Girl 22 0.24%
    82 Lee Nagyung Fromis 9 22 0.24%
    85 Seeun StayC 21 0.23%
    85 Bibi #Soloist# 21 0.23%
    87 Dami Dreamcatcher 20 0.22%
    87 Yoohyeon Dreamcatcher 20 0.22%
    87 Chaeyoung Twice 20 0.22%
    87 Lee Seoyeon Fromis 9 20 0.22%
    91 Sullyoon Nmixx 19 0.20%
    92 Ningning Aespa 18 0.19%
    92 Sumin StayC 18 0.19%
    92 J StayC 18 0.19%
    92 Sunmi #Soloist# 18 0.19%
    92 Seohyun SNSD 18 0.19%
    92 YooA Oh My Girl 18 0.19%
    92 Soobin WJSN 18 0.19%
    92 Jeongyeon Twice 18 0.19%
    100 Liz IVE 17 0.18%
    100 Hyojung Oh My Girl 17 0.18%
    100 Kim Doyeon Weki Meki 17 0.18%
    100 Jihyo Twice 17 0.18%
    NA #Other# #Other# 887 9.56%


    So first off, I've often heard the narrative that queer women tend to prefer their partners on the "tomboy-ish" side, but we can see that these results do not support that claim. In fact, in many cases, it appears that the opposite is true, that is, the "girlier" members of a group rank higher.


    Now, I will say that I don't completely understand the ranking. For example, can anyone explain why Seola and Bona from WJSN rate so unusually highly?


    And why do some supposed "lesbian icons" such as Bibi (who literally kissed one of her female fans at a concert) and Sunmi rank relatively poorly?


    I was also surprised to see Fromis 9 show up so much in the ranking, given that their fandom is notoriously male-dominated, and the group as a whole isn't all that popular. Can anyone decipher that one?


    Further Reading on This Topic

    A Look at Which Groups Are Favoured Among Queer Korean Women

    Edited 2 times, last by wsoet ().

  • I'm honestly surprised Moonbyul is only at 15. She even gave us a whole Shutdown

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  • Now, I will say that I don't completely understand the ranking. For example, can anyone explain why Seola and Bona from WJSN rate so unusually highly?


    And why do some supposed "lesbian icons" such as Bibi (who literally kissed one of her female fans at a concert) and Sunmi rank relatively poorly?


    I was also surprised to see Fromis 9 show up so much in the ranking, given that their fandom is notoriously male-dominated, and the group as a whole isn't all that popular. Can anyone decipher that one?

    If this poll was taken not a long ago, or after the queendom 2 ends, then it would be the reason for why Seola and Bona rank highest, as Seola was picked as the visual queen even by the other participant in that show.
    For Bona, it could be the queendom too but also could be her lastest act in 2521.
    This might makes them as the recent or the hot trends?

    That to be said that all of them is indeed had that visual.

  • I'm surprised Wjsn are ranked this high since (as a queer person myself, I'm not trying to generalise) in the international k-pop community, I see more queer people stan groups such as Loona, Fromis, Izone/ex Izone, Itzy, etc. So it's interesting to see them up there

    seola and Bona have always been popular with the lesbians though especially Seola



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  • seola and Bona have always been popular with the lesbians though especially Seola



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    I guess that goes to show how different queer standards are around the globe! How fascinating!

  • seola and Bona have always been popular with the lesbians though especially Seola



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    this. I have seen a youtube channel named SeolaLGBT or somethin

  • Indeed. Like I can't see how she's ranked lower than, let's say, Luda from WJSN.

    its simple Korean lesbians like feminine girls there was a lesbian couple channel talking about their ideal type and they all mentioned pretty actresses and irene was the only female idol they liked and when it comes to Seola she always had that appeal even in queendom most voted for her as visual queen.



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    Seola has that something

  • Seola always ranks high on these kind of surverys lol

    seola and Bona have always been popular with the lesbians though especially Seola

    its simple Korean lesbians like feminine girls there was a lesbian couple channel talking about their ideal type and they all mentioned pretty actresses and irene was the only female idol they liked and when it comes to Seola she always had that appeal even in queendom most voted for her as visual queen.


    Seola has that something

    Ah, so I see now that Seola always tends to do well on these sorts of surveys. But what I don't understand is: what is that something you refer to?


    I accept that K-lesbians prefer women on the more feminine side. But there has to be more than that. After all, why would they pick Seola over someone like Jisoo, who also skews femme and comes from a much more popular group? What is the secret to Seola's success?

  • If this poll was taken not a long ago, or after the queendom 2 ends, then it would be the reason for why Seola and Bona rank highest, as Seola was picked as the visual queen even by the other participant in that show.
    For Bona, it could be the queendom too but also could be her lastest act in 2521.
    This might makes them as the recent or the hot trends?

    That to be said that all of them is indeed had that visual.

    I did watch Queendom 2 in its entirety, and was surprised when Seola was chosen as the visual queen.


    But I don't find the "Queendom popularity boost" hypothesis very satisfying, since the show doesn't appear to have helped many of the other contestants. For example, there's only one Kep1er member on the list, while Brave Girls and Hyolyn don't appear at all.


    And the ranking can't just be about visuals either. After all, Tzuyu, one of the visual standards of the Third Generation, is absent from the list. Another visual standard, Jisoo, is ranked relatively low.


    I'm still struggling to see what sets the idols at the top of the ranking apart from those further down the list.

  • Ah, so I see now that Seola always tends to do well on these sorts of surveys. But what I don't understand is: what is that something you refer to?


    I accept that K-lesbians prefer women on the more feminine side. But there has to be more than that. After all, why would they pick Seola over someone like Jisoo, who also skews femme and comes from a much more popular group? What is the secret to Seola's success?

    Jisoo is not really that girly lol don't be fooled by her image but I don't think the pinks are that popular with the lesbians in Korea for some reason

  • Indeed, Bibi/Yunjin/Rosé/Soyoon/Moonbyul represent quite a variety! But now you've got me curious, which guys are on your list?

    Off the top of my head I'd say dean and dpr ian are the only ones I've found attractive whereas others are just guys I find aesthetically pretty/ handsome but they're not my type. Which is different to the girls I've listed where I can confidently say I have massive crushes on them

    🍭 iite cool🍭

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  • So now I'm wondering, among all the Le Sserafim members, what in particular would make Yunjin stand out to the lesbian gaze?

    For me she just looks really confident in herself but not in a intimidating or mean way. Just that she looks like she knows what she's capable of which not only makes her stage presence great, but it also makes her really hot I guess :pepeflushed:

    🍭 iite cool🍭

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  • Do you have a list of favourite female idols from straight males? For curiosity's sake

    No, but I'd like to see such a list! In fact, we need the same survey performed for queer males and straight females as well, so we can compare differences in preferences.

  • Charm

    I don't find that to be a satisfactory answer though. First off, she's not the only charming idol on the list right?


    And secondly, is charm really necessary? After all, the 3rd place finisher is Irene, who's generally considered an "ice queen" type.

  • Well it all depends on their type right? Bibi and Devita have me in a permanent choke hold if we're being fr. Joy too!

    Ah I actually wasn't familiar with DeVita, so appreciate the introduction to her. I never figured you for a Joy fan either; I always associate you with Bibi and Yuna (or Itzy in general).

  • Jisoo is not really that girly lol don't be fooled by her image but I don't think the pinks are that popular with the lesbians in Korea for some reason

    Ah fair enough. But I think my larger point still stands. There's clearly something about Seola, but no one has really been able to explain what!

  • BP and TWICE ranking relatively lower is always interesting too, obviously everyone is pretty and charming and I'd assume they'd have sheer numbers on their side

    Absolutely. That was one of the first things that jumped out at me when I was reviewing the data. You'd think they'd do better simply because they're so much more well known.


    Hell, Lisa, Dahyun, and Tzuyu don't appear in the ranking at all!

  • Off the top of my head I'd say dean and dpr ian are the only ones I've found attractive whereas others are just guys I find aesthetically pretty/ handsome but they're not my type. Which is different to the girls I've listed where I can confidently say I have massive crushes on them

    Ah got it; I figured someone from your trophy badges would be on your list haha. And I actually didn't know about all the various members of the DPR family.

    For me she just looks really confident in herself but not in a intimidating or mean way. Just that she looks like she knows what she's capable of which not only makes her stage presence great, but it also makes her really hot I guess

    I see what you're saying, and I'm thinking that may be because Yunjin's Korean-American, which gives her a different "feel".

  • I mean that, it wasn't about the "queendom popularity boost". It was about that poll when Seola was picked as the "visual queen" by another members and groups. It may have a connection to things that I would talk below...

    I don't find that to be a satisfactory answer though. First off, she's not the only charming idol on the list right?


    And secondly, is charm really necessary? After all, the 3rd place finisher is Irene, who's generally considered an "ice queen" type.

    ....which is charm.
    Yeah, just like you said, Irene may considered as an "Ice Queen" type. It's her "charm".
    The same thing might happened with Seola, it just was a different kind of charm/type that we didn't know about. So I guess the answer is she had that "charm" for those people?


    I'm assuming you're talking about the "Queendom Popularity Boost" right? But again, it only seemed to apply to some of the members. Dawon and Dayoung don't appear on the ranking at all.

    Nope, for this one, it is not that queendom thingy. A complete different one tbh. But the thing is I don't know if it appropriate to talk about that here? (perhaps talked this on PM?)

    -----

    And, yes, just like you said the ranking couldn't just be about visual. But like I also said too, those in this list also had a nice visual.

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