The highly regarded industry hasn&rsquo;t just revolutionized music, but it has also changed the way we dress.

Fashion is a powerful form of self-expression, and clothes can be part of one's personal arsenal to challenge gender stereotypes and redefine societal boundaries. While Western artists like Prince, David Bowie, and Freddie Mercury pushed the limitations of masculinity in the &lsquo;70s and &lsquo;80s, this shift has become prevalent more recently in the world of Korean pop music, where artists like G-Dragon and Seongwha from Ateez embrace fashion that blurs the lines of the traditional gendered expression. These K-pop stars gravitate towards unisex cuts such as blazers and fitted suits, unconventional silhouettes like a male K-pop artist sporting a crop top or a female artist opting for oversized jeans, and boundary-pushing ensembles. By stepping into new stylistic territory within a genre that&rsquo;s been so gender-conformist, they&rsquo;ve captivated a global audience and are reshaping both fan and industry perceptions through their ensembles. 
K-pop has risen to become an international sensation over the past decade and a few years. There&rsquo;s no indication that it&rsquo;s stopping any time soon. As its influence continues to grow, its role in popularizing gender-neutral fashion trends also grows, making it a cultural and commercialized phenomenon. For those unfamiliar with this genre, it&rsquo;s a form of popular music that originated in South Korea and is strongly influenced by Western pop music, blending genres like pop, hip-hop, R&amp;B, and rock to name a few. K-pop first <a href="https://www.lafilm.edu/blog/a-brief-history-of-kpop/">entered the music scene</a> in 1992 with Seo Taiji and Boys but caught the attention of Western fans when groups like Big Bang, EXO, BTS, Girls&rsquo; Generation, 2NE1, and Blackpink set a precedent for K-pop. A breakout moment came in 2012 with PSY's "Gangnam Style."
Like their artistic predecessors, K-pop idols turn to fashion to elevate their performances and as a form of self-expression. G-Dragon of Big Bang is one of K-pop&rsquo;s most influential figures because he paved the way for the genre to reach global audiences and established a standard for the K-pop &ldquo;look.&rdquo; He popularized the <a href="https://www.allkpop.com/article/2020/02/10-mainstream-things-g-dragon-paved-the-way-for-in-kpop-fashion-and-culture">concept of airport fashion</a> that fans see other idols partaking in, he was also the first male idol to <a href="https://www.soompi.com/article/482942wpp/g-dragon-becomes-the-first-male-celebrity-to-advertise-red-lipstick">promote red lipstick</a>, painted nails, and wearing traditionally female silhouettes. G-Dragon&rsquo;s all-encompassing love of fashion earned him a seat at Paris Fashion Week and was the <a href="https://www.revolt.tv/article/2023-04-24/297358/7-of-karl-lagerfelds-famous-muses#:~:text=5.,done%20multiple%20editorials%20in%20Chanel.">late Karl Lagerfeld&rsquo;s muse</a> at a time when collaborations with Asian celebrities were unheard of.

G-Dragon 2015. Photography: Courtesy of Getty.

"Everything is perfectly designed to visually please the audience," <a href="https://www.instagram.com/chuyun.oh/">Professor Chuyun Oh</a>, an associate professor at San Diego State University, tells L&rsquo;OFFICIEL. She is renowned for her work on the role K-pop plays in reinforcing and opposing societal norms, and her work often analyzes K-pop idols and their expression of gender in performance. "The androgyny they're presenting has a stronger and broader impact across the world.&rdquo; 
&ldquo;The polished male beauty has been the symbol of power or the symbol of education and even connected to morality,&rdquo; Oh says. The desire for a slim silhouette and pale skin isn&rsquo;t a new concept in South Korea or rooted in superficial beauty standards seen in Western culture but rather integrated into their culture. Oh&mdash;who specializes in the intersecting topics of fandom culture, Korean pop culture, and performance studies&mdash;adds that androgynous characteristics are also considered desirable in male K-pop groups.

G-Dragon 2022. Photography: Courtesy of Getty.

She adds that social media has been a key factor in distributing the K-pop phenomenon to a global audience, resulting in this conversation of gender-fluid fashion having the same reach. She says, &ldquo;I think it sort of naturalizes the different beauty types through social media because they get exposed to the different images more frequently. And then talking about masculinity, there are idols that you've read about or studied that have faced backlash for pushing these boundaries of gender norms with their fashion choices."
Other K-pop idols have followed in G-Dragon&rsquo;s footsteps by challenging gender norms in the name of finding their identities within this form of expression. Seonghwa from ATEEZ, a K-pop group that debuted in 2018, is another example of a male idol continuing the conversation of freedom of expression through fashion. He likes to style himself in gender-fluid fashion and loves a heeled boot. Recently, at the Isabel Marant Spring/Summer 2025 show in Paris, the K-pop singer made a statement by donning a brown dress with matching leather pants and high heels.

Seonghwa 2024. Photography: Courtesy of Getty.

He complemented the look with a belt and necklace, remixing a traditionally feminine silhouette with more masculine details. Male K-pop idols aren&rsquo;t the only ones challenging gendered ideologies in the traditionally patriarchal society. Female idols like Moonbyul of MAMAMOO, an all-girl group that debuted in 2014, have unapologetically embraced the tomboy aesthetic as she prefers to dress in suits and camouflage gear in her music videos. Singer and rapper Amber Liu is renowned for abandoning feminine concepts and favoring pixie-styled haircuts, athleisure, and menswear-inspired outfits.

Amber Liu 2023. Photography: Courtesy of Getty.

Korean fashion designers have mirrored the boundary-pushing of musical talent, incorporating gender-fluid designs into their collections, the cultural shift. Acceptance Letter Studio's Jae-Kyong Shim wanted a brand representing everything he believes fashion is about.&nbsp;"It comes down to self-determination," Shim says. "I think we should get over having to rely on what is masculine and what is feminine." 
Without these limitations placed on fashion, something that's autonomous, the founder and head designer for the Berlin-based brand believes the industry can improve and more further. Since Acceptance Letter Studio&rsquo;s inception in 2021, the designer has created a space of inclusivity for anyone wearing his designs and ensures that they&rsquo;re seen and heard, regardless of gender. He curates his collection with a genderless approach and allows the clothing to fulfill its purpose: to be worn by people without the constraints of societal expectations.
"The more people dress without dividing themselves into a category, I think it will impact how we approach human bodies with clothing and how garment technology will evolve into a more inclusive form," Shim says.&nbsp;

Jae-Kyong Sim 2023. Photography: Courtesy of Getty.

Acceptance Letter Studio 2023. Photography: Courtesy of Getty.

As gender-fluid fashion continues to gain global traction, K-pop idols and fashion designers like Jakeyoung Shim continue an impactful conversation that questions traditional gender expectations and promotes inclusivity. From trailblazing style icons like G-Dragon to current trendsetters like Seonghwa, these artists are diversifying the worldwide fashion landscape, inspiring others to explore their identities and have fun with fashion.

Inside K-Pop’s Lowkey But Powerful Impact on Gender-Fluid Fashion

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