You refer to the Li Yuchun?
In pop, standing out is important. Intuitively the choir/soprano voice type should be the winner but it doesn't really stand out.
In S Korea, they got Lee Hyori. Initially, she adopted the Namie Amuro look that is so contrary to their standards of beauty (fair skinned, etc) but I believe its her distinct voice that got her attention, a low tone but still somewhat feminine. In Japan, Koda Kumi also has a low tone voice, and with the Wonder Girls, the low tone voice Min stands out. Why low tone timbre voice girls standout? Some say its more intimate, like a girl whispering, some say it sounds like women in ecstasy. So hence, we have Li Yuchun kicking *** so speak. A distinctive voice will stand out, not necessarily just the low tone ones, like YUI and YUI looks to ready to replace Ayumi Hamasaki.
Jane Z/Zhang Liangying got the more standard voice but is not distinctive unless the song has a higher range. Ever heard Mariah Carey sing a dance song. Didn't even realise it was her singing but there is no range in the song. And most pop songs don't have huge range. So the distinctive voice timbre girl, be low or otherwise, has the advantage. And then needless to say, she got distinctive bisexual look as well.
A possible difference in China and Japan's taste that is related to the economy. In Japan, boy look like girl good.
Japanese lovely model turns out to be man - People's Daily Online
Why cos, in a weak economy, girl/feminine attributes as hero somehow seems more popular.
In China, girl look like boy good... and maybe that is the case too with S Korea.
[HOT] True Men: Happy Girl Zeng Yike & Super Girl Li Yuchun - China Political & Defence Forum - Global Times Forum - Discuss China, Discuss the world
"Super Girl Chris Li Yuchun wore a tight black shirt with sexy makeup, and sung her self-composition "Amour," the lead song of her self-written album "Li Yuchun." She won "Asia's Best Artist." On the same day, on Naver, the Korean search engine with 80% of the market, Li Yuchun immediately went to the top and became the most searched for artist in Korea"
Those who wonder why he said Super Girls (plural), well
[HOT] True Men: Happy Girl Zeng Yike & Super Girl Li Yuchun - China Political & Defence Forum - Global Times Forum - Discuss China, Discuss the world
PS: Moderator, treat the digression here as comic relief.