The Ugly ModelThe Ugly Model

Asian-American female director, Doris Yeung, has been making films across the US, Asia and Europe. Her documentary The Ugly Model explores the problems of masculinity through the portrait of on Kevin Kreider, a Korean-American adoptee working as a fitness model. Being handsome and muscular, Kevin has made his name known by working as a cover model for renowned fitness magazines and has a large number of social media followers. Despite this, the view of others that Asian men are physically inferior to Caucasian men instill in Kevin an inferiority complex. During his youth, he was made fun of for having small eyes, and as an adult, he is treated less attractive on dating applications for being Asian. This is why he has been in self-denial and clung to the impossible goal of becoming like a Caucasian man. Now, Kevin seeks to escape from such past. Therefore, Kevin visits family, relevant scholars as well as actively working actors, models, and basketball players of Asian descent to question them about Asian masculinity. He expands this discourse to the public by sharing his questions and concerns on the news and media. The realization that comes after the bitter experience and long reflection looks simple but resonates deep and clear within as we have observed the difficult journey. (KIM Kyung-tae)