Yuna Kim for Vogue Korea (June cover issue)

[hurrah]

IMO, there has actually been only minimal airbrushing on the Vogue cover---maybe just her nose. Otherwise, it looks quite real.

 

[RABID]

The picture is simply bad.
Yuna looks uncomfortable and confused, badly posed, awkward facial expression, ugly and kitschy post-processing. Her figure is disproportional - a huge head with no neck on a tiny body. Just bad.
Not a good portfolio picture for the photographer and not a good portfolio picture for the model.
She doesn't even look like Yuna.

You don't know what you are talking about if you're saying "kitschy". These aren't wedding or glamour photos, the cover is a thematic photograph and it is up to us to decide what the theme is and if it succeeded or not. It is about Yuna, certainly but it is mostly Yuna being game and participating in a photographer's vision. "Kitschy", is a painting of Elvis Presley done in black velvet found at your local Wall-Mart store.

 

[Manitou]

You don't know what you are talking about if you're saying "kitschy". These aren't wedding or glamour photos, the cover is a thematic photograph and it is up to us to decide what the theme is and if it succeeded or not. It is about Yuna, certainly but it is mostly Yuna being game and participating in a photographer's vision. "Kitschy", is a painting of Elvis Presley done in black velvet found at your local Wall-Mart store.

Kitschy means unsophisticated over-sentimental art directed at artistically untrained people. And exaggerated soft-focus technique is considered kitsch.
Some kitsch may be actually very appealling, for example the paintings of Thomas Kinkade, the master of kitsch.
In case of this photograph it is not only kitsch, but also a bad photograph, period. Awkward and uncomfortably looking facial expression, bad body proportions.

 

[cooper]

Actually, if you look at the picture the right way, it is kind of haunting. The theme is leaving girlhood behind and facing the world as a woman for the first time. She is looking back over her shoulder with a vulnerable expression, like she is saying, "Is this woman really me?"

the voice of reason!

the cover is not actually bad... it's not the greatest cover nor the most incredible work of art.. but it's not that bad.. especially how Vogue's (in general) standard is lower these days.. of course others' overreaction are hilarious though..

 

[jennyanydots]

IMO, there has actually been only minimal airbrushing on the Vogue cover---maybe just her nose. Otherwise, it looks quite real.

I agree. How does it not look like her? The styling is different from what she has usually done but it's still Yuna. Her eyelid folds are more defined but that's the work of the make up artist. The J.estina photos are beautiful but they are seriously way more processed than this one.

 

[RABID]

Kitschy means unsophisticated over-sentimental art directed at artistically untrained people. And exaggerated soft-focus technique is considered kitsch.
Some kitsch may be actually very appealling, for example the paintings of Thomas Kinkade, the master of kitsch.
In case of this photograph it is not only kitsch, but also a bad photograph, period. Awkward and uncomfortably looking facial expression, bad body proportions.

It is not a bad photograph nor is it kitsch; it is simply a photo you don't like. How is a somber, retro image with little to no adornments, melodramatic; kitsch? Come to think about it aren't you being melodramatic about a simple cover image? It isn't my cup of tea but it does work.

 

[BlackPack]

I agree. How does it not look like her? The styling is different from what she has usually done but it's still Yuna. Her eyelid folds are more defined but that's the work of the make up artist. The J.estina photos are beautiful but they are seriously way more processed than this one.

Well, if the topic didn't mention "Yuna" I wouldn't have figured out it was Yuna.

 

[BlackPack]

Personally, a good, naturalistic photo (even though she has makeup) of Yuna is this

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7063/6773045444_9d3ed6e713_b.jpg

Doesn't she look beautiful!

 

[Mathman]

^ Yes.

 

[aftertherain]

It is not a bad photograph nor is it kitsch; it is simply a photo you don't like. How is a somber, retro image with little to no adornments, melodramatic; kitsch? Come to think about it aren't you being melodramatic about a simple cover image? It isn't my cup of tea but it does work.

It is somber in a way that makes you think she's a young woman stuck in a marriage or contract that she doesn't want but cannot leave for various reasons and that she may never ever ever ever get to leave ever.

This picture doesn't make me think she's a young woman looking back at her past as a girl--it's a young woman not looking forward to her future.

 

[BlackPack]

I think some reactions are just personal projections. I wouldn't put that much depth or analysis into a Vogue cover.

My main objection it's that it's try-hard and has failed IMO to capture Yuna as a person. It's not good portrait photography. If they're aiming for a fantasy or a story, it failed too because there needs to be some kind of consensus, not "it's whatever you want it to be" - because then no art is necessary, everything is exactly as we want it to be.

 

[Pamigena]

What does that subheading say?
"blooming women - how to make them look old and tired" ?
no offense, but I don't like the picture either.
I get what they were going for, but I think the realization is just, um... let's call it subpar

 

[Sandpiper]

Btw, anyone know if celebrities have a final say on published images? Like, were they obligated to show Yuna the final photo before publication, and could she have said, "This is not flattering. Let's redo the shoot."? Because that's what I would've done, had I been Yuna.

 

[cooper]

Btw, anyone know if celebrities have a final say on published images? Like, were they obligated to show Yuna the final photo before publication, and could she have said, "This is not flattering. Let's redo the shoot."? Because that's what I would've done, had I been Yuna.

she probably said it's ok.. she's a type of person that it's not hard to please.. after all one of her favorite movies is "remember me" starring robert pattinson..

 

[Olympia]

I think the style currently (at least in the U.S.) is to show models with no smile, and indeed no expression. It's almost as if the goal is to erase personality differences among beautiful women. So it sounds as if this photo is just about standard for an image meant to be edgy and fashion forward. Not necessarily my taste or yours, but it shows that the editors of Vogue think of YuNa as someone who can compete with the top models in terms of glamor and beauty. If that's their take on her, I certainly agree.

 

[fleeting]

I'm curious as to what the shots in her spread are going to look like.
I think Yuna is one of those people who just looks infinitely better smiling

 

[sunnystars]

it's a bit of an off-topic question but I'll ask anyway. Has any skater been featured in fashion magazines like Vogue (any country) and etc.?

 

[cooper]

it's a bit of an off-topic question but I'll ask anyway. Has any skater been featured in fashion magazines like Vogue (any country) and etc.?

i believe mao was featured in vogue japan.. i don't know about the others..

 

[silverfoxes]

it's a bit of an off-topic question but I'll ask anyway. Has any skater been featured in fashion magazines like Vogue (any country) and etc.?

Daisuke Takahashi, Mao Asada and Johnny Weir have been featured in Vogue Japan.

http://www.vogue.co.jp/fashion/news/2010-10/20/johnny_weir

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_wRLcO1OZA Daisuke's photoshoot

http://i595.photobucket.com/albums/tt34/irezev/Mao Asada 2010-2011/maovogue3.jpg One of Mao's pics

Johnny and Yuna were apparently featured before in Vogue Korea in 2009, but I can't find the pics...maybe someone with better googling skills can locate them.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Maybe this??

http://www.hancinema.net/photos/photo240388.jpg

Found this too.

http://media4.onsugar.com/files/2011/11/47/5/725/7259112/1939b5b5d7fa36ae_i3904000120386a2x.jpg

I hear Yulia is doing a shoot with Elle or already did. A photo appeared on her fan page and then disappeared??? Not sure what to make of it.