Highlights:
Introduction about Cyberpunk and Y2K
Everything about Y2K
Everything about Cyberpunk
The difference between Y2K and Cyberpunk
K-pop could help you catch on to this difference
Cyberpunk and Y2K
Punk, a genre that opposed all existing popular music, appeared in the 1970s. In the field of design in the 1970s, the readability and logic explored by the pioneers of modern style were questioned. Its spiritual core originates from the questioning and rebellion of the punk spirit, so it is also known as the Swiss Punk style. This coincides with the connotation of cyberpunk.
Cybernetics/cyborg (Cybernetics + organism) and Punk, the spirit of liberation and rebellion against the mainstream, constitute the origination of cyberpunk. From the publication of Sasser Knight in 1975, the influence of the term continues to this day.
Cyberpunk not only expresses the scientific rigor of the golden age, but also the philosophical and formal sense of the new wave.
Affected by post-war pessimism, cyberpunk has shown concerns about the fall of technology: the technology bubble burst and the steady development of information control. Artificial intelligence and virtual reality have interestingly led to the contradictory state of high-tech and low life.
Cyberpunk tries to measure the social impact of technology through reflection and rebellion.
Therefore, the visual elements are also full of contrast. Imagine the picture of a futuristic, urbanized world, with the dark alley of an underdeveloped ghetto right next to it. It is the modern world of Gotham City.
On a dark rainy night with neon shining, towering densely populated buildings. The faint illumination of the slums in distance.
Since the 1990s, Retro-futurism has relied on the technology of the past to envisage the future. The most famous of these is “Steampunk”.
After the economic explosion in the 90‘s post-Cold War, commercial creative culture tried to integrate science fiction and network elements to form Y2K aesthetics (1993-2003): fluid modeling, shiny metal, and plastic, "retaining" the traces of cutouts, and sticking to the new futurism Neo-futurism architecture, virtual space outer space. All of these create a Cyberprep-style surreal illusion.
People's adoration and obsession with technology have never disappeared.
Everything about Y2K
The sense of science and technology in designs shines distinctively brightly during the period 1993-2003, with styles including transparent PVC material, futuristic sense, and candy color series as key elements.
The innovative design of space in the millennium.
Technology activists were searching for the contradiction inconvenience and fear that technology brings to people. There’s no right or wrong because the feelings co-exist.
Designers, on the other hand, are much more romantic. They tend to not have as much "sense of crisis" in their eyes: technology simply equals imagination.
With such a chaotic sense in the background, there were revolutionary designs in different fields such as music, fashion, and movies. As a result, many innovative products that continue to be relevant to this day have been released.
Everything about Cyberpunk
The word "Cyberpunk"-emphasizes two basic elements: technology and individualism, namely high-tech contrasting low-end life. To put it simply, it depicts a future society in which prosperity and poverty are only divided by a fine line.
The movie "The Matrix"
"The Matrix", released in 1999, has become one of the most iconic cyberpunk movies. The masterpiece has a significant impact on people, triggering philosophical questions, and major rethinking of life and reality.
When faced with the red and blue pill, will you choose to wake up or continue to sleep in a utopia? This all-time classic is worth another watch.
Tesla launches cyberpunk pickups Cybertruck
Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 is an action role-playing video game developed and published by CD Project. The story takes place in Night City, an open world set in the Cyberpunk universe. Players assume the first-person perspective of a customizable mercenary known as V, who can acquire skills in hacking and machinery with options for melee and ranged combat.
In 2077, local fixer Dexter DeShawn (Michael-Leon Wooley) hires V and Welles to steal a biochip known as "the Relic" from Arasaka Corporation. They acquire the Relic, but the plan goes awry when they witness the murder of the megacorp's leader Saburo Arasaka (Masane Tsukayama) at the hands of his treacherous son Yorinobu (Hideo Kimura). Yorinobu covers up the murder as poisoning and triggers a security sweep in which T-Bug is killed by Arasaka's net runners. V and Welles escape, but Welles is fatally wounded in the process, and the Relic's protective case is damaged, forcing V to insert the biochip into the cyber ware in their head.
The amalgamation of Y2K "retro-futuristic aesthetics" and "cyberpunk industrial functionality” was born!
We can see from the distinct color theme difference: Y2K tends to portray dreamy ice cream color, while cyberpunk has a more serious tone of black, white, and gray.
The difference between Y2K and Cyberpunk
Y2K is approximately equal to the positive energy of looking forward to the future of electronic technology,
Cyberpunk showcases people's fear and particularly, fear of technology and artificial intelligence in the future.
K-pop could help you catch on to this difference
The most popular girl group Blackpink has two representative songs about Y2K and cyberpunk.
Blackpink ice cream
"Ice Cream'' is a song by South Korean girl group Blackpink and American singer Selena Gomez.
"Ice Cream '' is an electro-pop and bubblegum pop song with elements of trap. The debuted and peaked at number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and became the longest-charting song by an all-female Korean act on the Hot 100.
The lyrics are sweet and powerful, dancing chilling in the beautiful summer.
Play part like Moses in Ice Cream lyrics, meaning that the man should take part and keep things fresh between him and his girlfriend in a relationship.
For example, giving the surprise by sending flowers.
Lisa’s rap:
Bekah Boom explained that the line Mona Lisa Kind Lisa means it is essential for every girl to feel like she is a work of art. Thus, she needs a man that sees her values and treats her right.
Bright future for everyone, we all should keep finding real love. The girl’s outfit in the MV is colorful and cute in a typical Y2K style.
Let’s have a look at their Y2K style.
This is the hottest trend outfit in this new song, they are all wearing the same brand in different colors representing their personality.
Soft girls like Jisoo in the rainbow, foxy girls like Jennie in pink, hot girls like Lisa in red, cool girls like Rose in green.
Selena dressed in modern pin-up style, very summer, super Y2K, every girl should have one for summer
Blackpink Kill This Love
"Kill This Love" was released on April 4, 2019. It is an electro-pop song, talking about the girls' decision to end a toxic relationship.
Upon release, the music video broke the record for the most views within 24 hours for 56.7 million views. More than 1.4 billion views on Youtube, until Oct 2021.
Erica Russell ranked "Kill This Love" as the top song released in 2019, calling it a "perfect sonic synthesis" of all members and an "explosive culmination of the musical styles that ruled the last decade".
J.M.K stated that the group's "'girl crush' concept never felt more visceral".
‘Kill This Love’ centers on a toxic romance and how one can deal with its negative consequences.
The lyrics mean; a girl who is in pain when she is in love with a guy. Because she has suffered emotional and mental abuse.
The song is about finding themselves after a bad relationship.
When someone is in love, they can so easily forget who they are.
BLACKPINK is urging women to be more assertive in their relationships.
They are encouraging women to terminate their relationships if things get out of hand.
The title ‘Kill This Love’ is an attempt to influence their fans who are facing these issues.
It will certainly empower women and girls who are trapped in a PUA(pick-up artist situation).
The girls are dressing in gear showing the girls power, very cyberpunk style.
Let’s have a look at their Cyberpunk style.
Jisoo’s over the knee boot K-pop
Jennie’s tank top
Lisa’s shorts
Rose’s shirt
What is your idea about Cyberpunk and Y2K?
Share with us your fashion style!