니 맘을 훔칠 Black suit: an exercise in K-pop styling

K-pop, the idol music industry of South Korea, continues to rise in national and global popularity. Part of the allure of the genre is its aesthetics, which are constantly changing and on the cutting edge of fashion. Due to the complicated requirements of stage costuming, all too often idols are left wearing outfits that are dull, uncomfortable, or malfunctioning. If their outfits are of high quality, often they come with a reflectively high cost that leaves the music agency - and the performers themselves – earning little to no profit from performances. By analyzing decades of K-pop styling and researching the needs and wants of the performers, I formulate a basic standard for an outfit and a group’s attire. Using this standard, I construct two different sets of styling plans that incorporate my individual brand into the future of ensembling, detailing the before, during, and after of the creative process.