#The Most Beautiful Boy in the World

[buckera]

EVAN BUCKLEY + close-up 10/?

[wahgifs]

STRAY KIDS HYUNJIN VISITS VERSACE GINZA ☆

[officialpenisenvy]

Riyoko Ikeda on Björn Andrésen's role in inspiring the bishonen archetype and the works of Year 24 mangaka

(from The Most Beautiful Boy in the World, 2021)

[spacehero-23]

same kit, same

ty is so beautiful, what?

[breakerofcurses]

riyoko ikeda, about björn andrésen

[pacingmusings]

Seen in 2024:

The Most Beautiful Boy in the World (Kristina Lindstrom & Kristian Petri), 2021

[littlebabywille]

speaking of brown eyes… baby deer behavior

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

now jimin is such an interesting character like he really logs into social media to post about anything but his own face how is he not obsessed with his face? I just know that if I had a face like his I would force every living creature to look at me 24/7, baby is way too humble sometimes I even wonder if he really really knows how stunning his face is cuz wow

It's easier to talk like that from an outsider's perspective. But I think reality is a bit different. Jimin doesn't come across as a narcissist either.

You saying "I would force every living creature to look at me 24/7" made me think of this documentary I saw recently. It's called The Most Beautiful Boy in The World and it's about Bjorn Andresen, the one who played Tadzio in Death in Venice. I wanna talk about that for a bit, I'm using this ask as an excuse.

The boy's grandmother wanted to have a celebrity/actor in the family, so she took Bjorn to the casting call. Luchino Visconti saw him and knew immediately he was the one. They asked him to take off all his clothes, except underwear, so they can take some shots. He was only 15 at the time. Filming went well and then when Death in Venice premiered at Cannes, it turned into madness. I think that's when Visconti called him the most beautiful boy in the world and that label turned into a curse. The boy was thrown into the lion's den, full of people who wanted to be seen next to him, taken to parties and flaunted as this otherwordly creature. Everyone wanted him or to be in his proximity. What was unfortunate was that he had no adult to take care of him. And for an adolescent who hated absolutely everything of that life but who also believed he was supposed to listen to what he was told, it turned into a nightmare.

He became an "object" of fascination because he was considered androgynous and the character he portrayed in the film had an effect on people's perception of him. Tadzio was Beauty and Death all together, this untouchable being. In the documentary it's explained how his visit to Japan and the work he had to do there was considered probably among the first instances of fans getting crazy over an idol. There's footage of that. He also became the inspiration since the 1970s for a lot of manga. So many famous characters are based on his face.

The guy hated it because he was reduced to his beauty. I won't tell you what happens to him later in life, perhaps you'll want to see the documentary, but his story is heartbreaking.

To circle this back to Jimin and his beauty, often time our own perception of us and the perception other people have of us does not align completely. I will assume that Jimin is aware of his beauty, but somehow I doubt he wakes up everyday thinking he needs to be worshipped for his looks. That's the fan's job which is a daily habit at this point. We are obsessed with looks and beauty, whatever that may mean to us. In Jimin's case we talk so much about his appearance and often times I would see the world "otherwordly" used when describing him. It was impossible not to think of Bjorn Andresen. What I hope is that Jimin had such an upbringing and a life that didn't in turn let the adoration get to his head. So far, he seems fine.

[storms-are-evil]

The Most Beautiful Boy in the World (2021)

[fuzzykazeki87]

Everytime I see young Bjorn, it's Gilbert.

I saw this one as Gilbert and Camille.

(Poor Bjorn...a real beauty with disturbing background. He was so young.)

[hobea]

Painting study of Björn Andrésen 🌹

[lobokraken]

"estaba condenadamente solo"

"no ayudo con mi oscuridad interior"

Vi su mirada y de inmediato la sentí familiar, reconocí a otra alma condenada en esa oscuridad, en ese vacío. Sin saber por qué ya conocía su dolor.

[lovenergy]

hi mutuals tomorrow is a year w my bf and I’m so excited eeeeek

[rotatiffantome]

reading this book & relating to Tadzio made me realize my life circumstances are probably not what one would consider “average”

[haakanlindell]

Björn Andrésen w Jessica Vennberg. Once The most beautiful boy in the world!

!

[mr-e-gallery]

Mr. E Gallery 'My Foreigner Friend' (01-23)