Seoul sisters: 2NE1's similarities with Western pop's biggest stars

Earlier this month, the UK's Dazed & Confused, one of the top dogs in fashion publishing, referred to 2NE1 rapper-singer CL as "K-pop's Rihanna".

According to the magazine's dissection of their dressing styles, the feisty leader of South Korea's top female quartet bears a striking resemblance to the Barbadian pop queen - they both rock the hyper-masculine look, pulling off emerging menswear designs with oomph and are stunningly attractive in denim dungarees and basketball vests.

If you ask us, it's a lazy and facile comparison.

While part of 2NE1's charm lies in their members' non-conformist get-ups, CL (Lee Chaerin), 23, Bom (Park Bom), 30, Dara (Sandara Park), 29, and Minzy (Gong Minji), 20, are not just fashion icons, they have talent in spades too.

Ahead of the group's upcoming All Or Nothing World Tour concert here, M tells you which A-list stars from the Western pop world could be kindred souls with the members of 2NE1.

And yes, we're leaving RiRi off the list.

CL IS K-POP'S...

NICKI MINAJ

How similar are they? Both are bad girls.

Like her ambitious, straight-talking US hip-hop counterpart, CL exudes an image of toughness. Her solo material consist of female-empowering anthems that wouldn't be out of place in Minaj's catalogue.

Minaj, 31, has a wicked number Baddest Bitch, with lyrics that go "Been around the world, I still can't find another girl that can steal my shine".

CL sings the same confident tune in her debut solo hit, The Baddest Female. Lyrically, it is equally boastful: "I'm the queen bee, I'm the heroine".

Both are magnets for controversy.

Minaj is used to making headlines, from her feuds with fellow American Idol judge Mariah Carey, to her "deeply offensive" usage of revered civil rights leader Malcolm X's picture as the artwork for her latest song Lookin' A** Nigga. (She has since apologised for the insensitivity.)

CL is beginning to feel the heat too. In March, Muslim listeners objected vehemently to a verse from the Quran being included in her solo track MTBD. CL's label, YG Entertainment, promptly removed the portion.

MINZY IS K-POP'S...

IGGY AZALEA

How similar are they? Both are highly evasive.

Ever since bursting onto the scene, sexy Australian hip-hop upstart Iggy Azalea, 23, has been slammed for rapping with a put-on American accent and "trying to sound black".

(Azalea has since hit back at her critics in an interview with Complex magazine, saying: "Voice is my medium. I should have the creative rein to do whatever the f*** I want with it.")

Similarly, when Minzy appeared in public last November looking prettier than before, she caused a major stir by first denying that she had gone under the knife, then retracting her original statement and admitting she had "received cosmetic surgery on her nose to recover from rhinitis".

We admire Minzy's guts for coming clean, but we still have doubts over whether rhinitis was involved in the procedure. Likewise, we wonder why Azalea can't admit that her accent is fake.

Fans love their idols honest and genuine, don't they?

BOM IS K-POP'S...

DOLLY PARTON

How similar are they? Both are purportedly queens of nips and tucks.

You must wonder why we're likening doe-eyed Bom to one of US country music's beloved veterans. Well, the two sound alike. Listen to Bom on her solo numbers Don't Cry and You and I and you'd notice that her voice contains the same saccharine sweet, slightly nasal tone that is evident in Parton's classic tunes The Last Thing On My Mind and 9 to 5.

Parton, 68, is known as showbiz's plastic surgery pioneer, one who has never shied away from talking about her breast implants, liposuction operations and fillers. For years, rumours have been rife that Bom, not unlike Parton, has had multiple plastic surgery procedures done on her body. Shocking before-and-after pictures of Bom have surfaced online. But she has never confirmed the rumours.

DARA IS K-POP'S...

HAYLEY WILLIAMS

How similar are they? Both ooze spunk.

2NE1's prettiest and most bubbly member Dara is one of the main reasons why these girls' shows are filled with electrifying energy and boundless, mind-blowing fun.

Like how Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams is the perennial livewire of the US pop punk band, Dara never fails to light up the group's performances. At 2NE1's last concert here in December 2012, she spontaneously pulled a hapless guy from the audience up on stage and kissed him on the cheek.

Williams, 25, is no stranger to doing things on the fly too. Back in 2010, during Paramore's Honda Civic Tour in Phoenix, she reprimanded a boy in front of the entire audience when he kissed her without permission - after he was invited to do a sing-along with her.

"Don't kiss me...That's disgusting," she scolded him.

Of course, Dara and Williams also grab attention with their flashy tresses. Redhead Williams likes having pink and green streaks in her hair, while Dara has changed her hair colour so many times we've lost count. Platinum blonde, bright blue, purple, auburn - you name it, she's sported it.

This article was first published on June 11, 2014.
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