Hello! its great to be here - I'm excited to find other fans who question why entertainment does what it does. (Like kdrama product placement - ie selling instant coffee, and every 5 minutes some actor is there demonstrating how great it is!). So many things have already been brought up.
I thumbed through the first product 101, and found the sex kitten routines of the girls (particularly the underaged ones like Somi), together with the general trauma of being evaluated... not really entertainment. I did tune in for a few of their stages, but remember that comment by one of the producers?
the show was wholesome pornography? I did this past summer watch bits of season 2, and it continued to be cringeworthy and as a viewer - it was far too voyeuristic watching from a detached zone as these desperate (for the most part) kids are willing to do anything to be an idol.
I know allkpop is... a lousy source of info.... but here's a
link on a questionable scene for the boys. And agreed on the blatant pyramid imagery. There were also those reports that those boys according to their rank were allowed better privileges - from food to toilet time allowance.
on pink hair, I found this
description so through, I'm just going to copy/paste.
Pink Symbolism
MK Ultra symbolism is used by handlers to advertise their slaves. Just like cat symbolism is used to showcase the subject's sex-kitten alter, the color pink is used to display the child-like sexual alters. This type of symbolism would be used for a BETA slave, or someone under sexual programming. BETA programming has the most primitive sexual instinct, and no moral convictions.
"The color pink is traditionally associated with femininity, sexuality and purity. It is also used to characterize a child-like personality, which is why in programming, it is almost always associated with child alters, which are related to the core personality of the victim. Programmers typically view this alter as weak because it is easy to breakdown and make cry. They can exploit it to their advantage by attacking the true-self of the victim. If the handler wants to advertise the virginity of the victim to other handlers, they may dress them in all white or pink, signalling that the child is still a virgin, which means a lot more money for the handler when the victim is sold into prostitution. As the victim grows older, it is less and less likely that they are still a virgin, which is why the color pink is also used to symbolize sexuality."
In general color theory pink is also the best color for calmness and therefore the typical recommended color of choice for insane asylums and other treatment centers for the mentally ill.
Also, for what its worth, here is EXO's luhan with pink hair and completing the beta kitten look with spotted frames:
Sunmi - note the styling again, white, t-shirt & panties - shy=virginal?
GD, plus I'm sure we can find the meaning behind those crests from the jewelry
gayoon (4minute)
SJ's yesung. mickey mouse and disney is also something to look into in regards to programming.
Astro's Eunwoo
& of course, a lot more