By Low Wei Xiang

WITH his 1.83m stature, full-time national serviceman Chad Tan could have effortlessly pulled off American actor Taylor Lautner's look of rippling muscles.

But the 22-year-old prefers to be lean and toned, like Jay Park, the former frontman of South Korean boyband 2PM.

More than just an individual preference, body image - an idealised image of what one's body should look like - is constantly being shaped by popular culture.

With the surge in popularity here of Korean shows and music in the past two years, image-conscious men are increasingly opting for the leaner look fashioned by Korean stars, instead of that of bulging muscles made popular by American celebrities.

Mr Tan decided to fashion himself after the lean Korean stars on magazine spreads two years ago.

He told my paper that the facial features of Asians are "less sharp", compared to those of Caucasians, and so are better matched with a lean body.

He maintains his 70kg frame by not overeating, jogging four times a week, and lifting weights that are not too heavy, which would otherwise spur muscle growth.

Mr Pradip Subramanian, a fitness manager with California Fitness, noted that while male gym-goers used to aspire to look like beach hunks, "there is an increasing trend in guys who want to be lean and toned".

The pursuit of the beachhunk look was influenced by sinewy male Hollywood stars who dominated Singapore's entertainment scene, said Mr Chua Shenzi, lifestyle fashion chain NewUrbanMale.com's founder.

But in the last two years, more men are following the lead of popular Korean acts like Beast and U-Kiss in pursuing the trim and toned look, he said.

His 15 stores here have seen a 5 to 10 per cent shift in demand from medium-sized male T-shirts to small-sized ones over about two years.

Home-grown male apparel store SportsmenAsia.com experienced a 30 per cent drop in demand for its mass gainer products that help men bulk up.

This group of men has moved on to supplements that help burn fats or boost metabolism rates, which aid men in achieving the lean look, said the store's co-owner, Mr Ken Hong.

These men range from those in their late teens to working adults in their early 30s.

Men in this age group are "more impressionable...and susceptible to changes in the attractiveness defined by popular culture", Mr Hong added.

This shifting definition of attractiveness can be seen in the change in winners of male beauty pageant Manhunt Singapore.

From 1996 to 2006, the winners all had muscular bodies, said Mr Dinesh Sujanani, co-owner of Manhunt organiser Punch! Events & Promotions.

It was only in the last three years that the crown went to contestants with lean physiques.

In the past, the judges - usually celebrities and experts from the fashion and modelling industry - never really saw lean guys as attractive enough to win, Mr Sujanani explained.

This perception has since changed, because of trends in the modelling industry in the last three years, which calls for models to be leaner too.

The past year has also seen a 20 per cent rise in Manhunt participants with lean bodies.

This new look is more viable for Asians than the muscled look. Mr Subramanian said: "It is easier for Asians to pull off a lean body rather than a muscular physique due to (our) genetic structure and diet."

Mr Chris Chew, fitness portal sgfitness.com's master trainer, said that Asians have naturally smaller frames, and consume less "high-glycemic carbohydrates" than Caucasians.

When digested, such carbohydrates, like pizza dough, cause body sugar levels to rise rapidly, and then fall. This fluctuation encourages overeating and obesity, making it hard to stay trim.

Professor Chua Beng Huat, a National University of Singapore sociologist, feels that as long as one does not resort to extreme or unhealthy dietary measures, this trend is "harmless".

The "consumption of pop culture is short-term". There are "no long-term consequences" as idols change in phases for many people, he added.

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