Highlights
- South Korean fashion has heavily leaned towards the western style as the K-pop idols now favor trending styles like jeans, hip-hop fashion, etc
- Most of the top brands in the fashion industry have their ambassadors from this country, specifically K-pop idols.
- The historical and cultural influences have changed the dynamics of Korean fashion, from the original, traditional hanbok to the latest mix of the traditional hanbok with modern fashion quirks.
Who does not remember the iconic airport fashion looks of K-pop idols, their award shows, and every performance outfit? South Korean fashion has been extremely noticeable for the past few years, with the increase of K-pop lovers and K-drama fans. The historical and cultural influences have changed the dynamics of Korean fashion, from the original, traditional hanbok to the latest mix of the traditional hanbok with modern fashion quirks.
People in Korea are more accustomed to these changes. Most Korean teenagers walk into this world of fashion following their K-pop idol’s sense of fashion.
Hanbok – The First Step Towards South Korean Fashion
The first one would be the traditional hanbok, a dress all the K-drama lovers would be aware of. Unlike other parts of the world, this traditional dress still has its fanbase and has a lot of lovers all around the world.
Joseon era (1392-1897) is the age when this dress was famous, and it consisted of a blouse and a pant or skirt depending on the gender of the person. Only the wealthiest families could wear this regularly, while the rest of the civilians could only own and wear it for special occasions. The colors would be red, yellow, blue, black, and white. The makeup worn along with hanbok was more on the natural side. But with the end of that century, and with the arrival of foreigners and Japanese people, things took a drastic change.
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The Japanese And The Korean War
With the colonization by the Japanese in Korea, the traditional Korean culture was pushed to the corner. It was prohibited to wear anything that symbolized Korean traditional wear, even be it hairstyles or any form of makeup.
The suits, pants, and other accessories and makeup that had their roots in the westernized community made their way into Korean culture.
During the Korean War, a new outlook on fashion was born, which was followed even after the war ended. A noteworthy point was the reemergence of the once prohibited Hanbok. Even during those hard years, people saw the difficult trends and established a name for themselves. One such figure would be Nora Noh, the mother of Korean fashion, who organized the first Korean fashion show.
K-Beauties And K-Pop (The New Life Of South Korean Fashion)
People were and still are impressed by the charm of Korean men and women, hence it is obvious that there would be an influence from the western side. But due to this influence, the government banned imports and promoted nationally sourced materials, which led to people using more makeup and accessories than they used to.
During 1970, there was a protest by the youth against such policies, which led to a huge wave of changes in the fashion trends of the country.
With the bloom of the K-pop industry in the 90s, there were major changes in the scene of fashion, with each designer and creator coming up with new trends and for the k-pop idols and their fandoms. South Korean fashion took a huge shift towards westernized dresses as the k-pop idols favored trending dresses like jeans, hip-hop fashion, and so on. These changes in the new trends, clothing, and makeup had so much impact that the Seoul Fashion Week was introduced, which helped people in this industry climb up the stairs of fame.
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The Current Position Of South Korean Fashion
There’s no doubt that the South Korean fashion trends are changing the very dynamics of fashion. Most of the top brands in the fashion industry have their ambassadors from this country, specifically the K-pop idols. And it’s not surprising, as even a small accessory worn by these idols would be sold out within a few seconds thanks to their fans from various parts of the world. South Korean fashion has made its impact, and it’s here to stay.
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