Popular American commercial rap is believed to (re)produce cultural narratives of femininity and masculinity. Yet, there is no knowledge about the relationship between consumption of idealized femininity and masculinity in rap and young women's en men’s senses of selves. Kim's PhD research aims to explore how American and Dutch adolescents and emerging adults perceive ideals of gender-appropriate behavior, physical appearance, and mate desirability in commercial rap. Grounded in social comparison theory and self-discrepancy theory, it furthermore aims to understand whether these young people compare themselves to these ideals, and if so, how this informs their self-evaluations. Kim also investigates the potential gatekeepers role of strip club dancers (street A&R's) in the Southern commercial rap. Her dissertation director is prof. dr. Tom ter Bogt of Utrecht University, and her second supervisor is prof. dr. Dionne Stephens of Florida International University

Kim worked as a visting scholar for Georgia State University, and has given lectures at several prestigious universities in Atlanta such as Morehouse college, Agnes Scott college, and Clark Atlanta University.

ORCID ID: 0000-0003-1035-3443