#The Most Beautiful Boy in the World

[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)

[pacingmusings]

Seen in 2024:

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

[kotwkawie]

same kit, same

ty is so beautiful, what?

[indianchindian]

Controversial take I know, but since Gilbert's, character design is based on Bjorn Andresen, I think that they can relate to each other. Both of them were groomed, sexualized, and objectified. All because they were beautiful/good looking. And they were seen to be trophies to be won. But there were not seen to be human first. Heck (idk how true this is) Luchino Visconti said that he didn't look beautiful enough for being a year older and taller (HE WAS FUCKING GROWING UP WTF DO YOU EXPECT?!). Though the trauma levels between both Gilbert and Bjorn are significantly different. At least for Bjorn, it is still at a level where he didn't romanticize it. And while yeah he may not have been raped a lot of times ever since when he was 5 like Gilbert, he was undeniably objectified and beauty acted like a curse for him. He hated having the "most beautiful boy in the world label" and couldn't wait till he grew old and ugly (tho imo he looks majestic asf at old age).

So yeah this is my take on it. I don't think Andresen is entirely fetishised when he was taken as the blueprint for Gilbert because Gilbert is a very complex character and is more than just him having sex with multiple people. And Andresen's journey can also be partially relatable to that of Gilbert's. At least Andresen could live till old age, of only Gilbert could.

(plus it'll be interesting if him and Takemiya met. A segment with Riyoko Ikeda was recorded in the documentary and what I found interesting was that she acknowledged that the manga artists only saw his appearance and was afraid that this kind of view may hurt him, but later she saw the inside of Bjorn so I guess for her taking Andresen as a model for Lady Oscar and drawing that for 40-45 years propably humanized Bjorn in her eyes)

[breakerofcurses]

riyoko ikeda, about björn andrésen

[dzadezdta]

[rotatiffantome]

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

[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.

[lobokraken]

"estaba condenadamente solo"

"no ayudo con mi oscuridad interior"

Vi su mirada y 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

[haakanlindell]

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

!

[boredmezzosoprano]

If anyone passing by wouldn’t mind giving this song a listen to then please do🙏🏻 This will probably be my last song for 2023. I was inspired to write this after watching the documentary the Most Beautiful Boy in the World about Björn Andrésen (I felt so sorry for him) and the treatment of former child stars in general.

[luminescentdark]

[dzadezdta]

I drew it 18.02.25

[gnabnahc]

THE NEW CLASS | BANG CHAN in FENDI for HARPER'S BAZAAR KOREA FEB 2025