Stylists for Kpop idol groups often make 6 grave mistakes, leading to complaints.
Alongside their talents, Kpop idols are also often praised for being true trendsetters and fashionistas. However, it is impossible to be well-dressed all the time, especially with the heavy schedules of idols. Therefore, most Kpop stars enlists the help of stylists, leading to rather awkward situations, when the stylist may be a bit inadequate for styling a whole group. Below are 6 reasons Kpop stylists are most likely to be criticized for:
1. Letting underage idols where sexy clothes
The average age of Kpop idols are decreasing day by day, and many famous 4th gen Kpop idols are actually underage. However, not all stylists are mindful of the ages, leading to incidents where mere minors have to wear see-through and revealing clothes. This greatly enrages the Korena netizens, especially when it comes to female idols.
A prime example of this would be ITZY Yuna while promoting “Crazy In Love”. The female idol was 17 at the time, but was given a mesh and leather minidress with a deep neck cut. In addition, she wore fishnet stockings with huge cuts, which is considered too sexy for a minor.
Previously, the stylist of IVE also faced the same controversy, after letting Ahn Yujin wear an outfit that looked like a bra, and Jang Wonyoung wear a bottom so shorts it revealed her safety garments.
2. Plagiarism
Another issue that’s also taken with great consideration is the plagiarism of clothes, either from small designers or big brands. An example of this would be the concept photo for the 2019 song “Umpah Umpah”, where Red Velvet’s checked dresses were accused of stealing from designer Paris 99. Fortunately, the case was resolved as SM decided to collaborate with Paris 99.
Paris 99 believed Red Velvet’s dress was a copy of his design
Meanwhile, the stylist of The Boyz was harshly criticized for copying Dior’s designs. This accusation stemmed from outfits worn by Hyunjae and Q during their “Thrill Ride” stage on M Counter, which resembles several items in the 2018 Dior Homme Spring – Summer collection.
The logo that was said to resemble a design from the 2018 Dior Homme Spring – Summer collection
3. Non-uniform outfits among members
Sometimes, clothes look brilliant separately, but awkward on a whole group, causing a lack of uniformity. Oh My Girl at the 35th Golden Disc Awards and Red Velvet at the 2021 SBS Gayo Daejun happened to make such mistakes. According to netizens, the stylists of both groups tried to tackle too many different designs, fabric, and accessories, leading to members looking like they are from completely different groups.
4. The outfits that don’t flatter idols’ figure
Many K-pop idols are assigned items that are not the right size, do not cover their flaws and don’t flatter their figure. For example, during the appearance at the Asian Artist Awards – AAA 2021, the aespa members appeared with unflattering outfits. Giselle‘s tight dress made her look a bit fatter while Winter’s outfit made her look older than her signature cute look.
5. Clothing/accessories with controversial prints
The public has harshly criticized many stylists for making reckless clothing and accessory choices. Allowing idols to wear clothing with objectionable pictures not only harms the reputation of the performers but also diminishes the standing and expertise of the stylists. Last November because a Parteiadler badge—a Nazi accessory—was attached to Go Eun’s hat, her agency (Purple Kiss) was forced to issue an apology. J-Hope (BTS) caused controversy for wearing a shirt with a condom pattern. Many people think that this item is inappropriate for BTS‘s young audience, despite the fact that it was made to promote safe sex.
6. Potentially Dangerous for Artists
Not safeguarding the safety of artists is another factor contributing to stylists facing criticism from netizens. Stylists must provide idols with the proper shoes when they perform on stage, especially during concerts. When it was recently discovered that the BTS members were receiving shoes that were too big for their actual foot sizes, fans became concerned. The fan base quickly expressed anger at the group’s stylist. Fans feared that the boys will be in danger while performing the choreography if they dance in too-wide shoes.
