Masculinity through the Male Gaze
Lindsay Ryklief never imagined himself leading a creative life.
It wasn’t until he moved to South Korea, that he felt like he could live his life as freely and creatively as he wanted, experimenting with photography, DJ'ing, and founding events for the LGBTQ+ community of Seoul, Shade, and Femme he began to quietly observe the societal importance of aesthetics to the Korean male. “In the culture, I grew up in, when a man cares about his appearance, he’s quickly despised as ‘feminine’ or ‘gay-ish. I realize that no one has that prejudice here. I was inspired by that.”
His most well-known project “Boys of Seoul” was born out of Ryklief’s curiosity about the closeness of relationships that exists between male friends, the nearly romantic yet platonic factor was something that struck him as fascinating. “The purpose of Boys of Seoul is to redefine the way people view Asian masculinity and beauty. I wanted to create a sense of fragility and vulnerability while exploring relationships that exist between friends on a platonic level, with models that portray a wide range of looks that display a range of beauty and masculinity.
Looking to offer people a complex yet simple, alternative view into the Asian male form, a view that is often underrepresented in mainstream media aside from K-pop, Ryklief is especially drawn to those who are branded as outcasts of a homogenous and conservative society: “I wanted to break the typical stereotypes of guys covered in tattoos by photographing the tough exterior [and sometimes tough personality too] while creating a sense of vulnerability from my subject. My project also makes many guys uncomfortable - it could be nudity, the styling, the interaction with other models, or certain poses. Here’s where it becomes very important to create a safe and comfortable environment, notably be sure to establish what the model is comfortable with.”
Ryklief further explains, “Outcasts are interesting since they are usually not accepted by society or viewed differently. I wanted to tell that story too since it’s part of Korean society as well.
