On March 11, 2022, Pixar released (in my opinion) their most ambitious film to date, Turning Red. Turning Red is a bold change from Pixar’s often male-centric films and, instead, celebrates girlhood and womanhood. The coming-of-age story follows Chinese-Canadian student Meilin “Mei” Lee (Rosalie Chiang)—a 13-year-old dealing with all the trials that an awkward, boy band aficionado middle schooler (with overbearing parents) typically faces. However, she also has an additional, less typical, problem—she turns into a giant red panda whenever she’s too excited or stressed.
Mei’s condition stems from her family heritage, as her ancestors had mystic connections to the species. In this manner, the film is also a cultural exploration, delving into her family history and identity. Turning Red was headed by a fully female creative leadership team and is the first Pixar film in history to do so. Their influence is seen strongly in the portrayal of puberty and girlhood, as well as in embracing one’s self and culture.
But that’s not Turning Red’s only milestone. The film has another first in Pixar history—Pixar’s first boy band. Their version of a boy band is one of the lighter and sweeter aspects of the film. Mei is a diehard fan of the fictional boyband 4*Town. Mei’s innocent crush is reminiscent of the boy band obsessions of all ’90s kids. However, fans have noticed that there might be something more to 4*Town than just its nostalgia.
Is Jimin in Turning Red?
In Turning Red, 4*Town has five band members: Robaire, Aaron Z., Aaron T., Jesse, and Tae Young. Eagle-eyed viewers were quick to notice that Young looks suspiciously like Jimin (from the South Korean boyband BTS). Jimin and Young share similar physical features including shaggy blond hair, painted nails, and crooked teeth. Internet sleuths also pointed out that Young’s poses, hand gestures, and personality strongly resemble Jimin’s.
The idea that Young might be based on Jimin isn’t too far out there, as the band is heavily inspired by K-pop boy bands. Turning Red director Domee Shi even confirmed that 4*Town is based on Big Bang and 2PM—two bands she’s a big fan of. Both were popular boy bands in the early 2000s and helped pave the way for today’s modern K-pop.
Considering that 4*Town is strongly influenced by K-pop boybands, there is a strong possibility Young’s based, at least in part, on Jimin. Of course, Young is voiced by actor Grayson Villanueva and not Jimin. Thus, Jimin is not specifically a character in Turning Red nor does he have a voice role in the film. So, we can’t confirm anything, but if you ask me, the evidence is pretty compelling.
(featured image: Disney)
