Arguably the tamest case on this list, Aespa’s outfits for the recent Asia Artist Awards were the subject of criticism because of their “unflattering” designs. The quartet dressed boldly in all-black, and though the girls themselves rocked stunning hair and make-up looks, their outfits faced criticism from fans.
Giselle and Winter from K-pop group Aespa. Photos: Associated Press

In particular, Giselle’s outfit was criticised by fans for making her look “wide” and hiding her long legs, reported Koreaboo following the December 1 appearance. Winter’s outfit was also picked on for apparently making her look older than she really is. The singer turns a sprightly 21 in January, and fans expressed annoyance at stylists for dressing her in more “mature” clothing.

2. Purple Kiss’ controversial “Nazi-esque” emblem

Na Go-eun from Purple Kiss came under fire after wearing an outfit featuring a symbol that reminded viewers of the Nazi insignia. Photo: RBW Entertainment

Girl group Purple Kiss caused a stir when they released images of their 2022 season’s greetings package in November, and one member, Na Go-eun, was seen wearing an outfit featuring what resembled the Parteiadler insignia, which was used by the Nazi Party. Fans were quick to point this out, criticising the company’s deeply offensive choice of outfit.

RBW Entertainment, the girl group’s agency, quickly issued an apology on Purple Kiss’ official fan site, apologising for “not going through sufficient inspection on all clothes and accessories in advance”. Soon after, they re-released the image with the insignia edited out, according to NME.

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3. Itzy member Yuna’s “edgy” outfit

Yuna’s outfit was criticised for being too “revealing” for her age. Photo: @yuna129square/Twitter

Itzy’s youngest member, 18-year-old Yuna, caused a stir when she was seen on the way to a performance wearing a short black dress and ripped stockings in September this year. Though the outfit may seem harmless to most, some online commentators said it was too “revealing” and “edgy”, according to AllKpop. Fans noted that Yuna was only 17 years old at the time, and was still considered a minor in South Korea.

4. Ive Yujin’s stylist came under fire

Yujin’s stage outfit involved what looked like a bra. Photo: MBC

Rookie girl group Ive has been making waves with their hit debut album “Eleven”, but that’s not the only reason they’ve made headlines. The group’s stylist came under fire this month after a member, Yujin, was seen performing in what looked like a bra on top of a T-shirt. Fans also criticised the outfit as a whole, including the thick belts and the necklace, according to Koreaboo. But the biggest concern for fans was the “bra”, especially since the singer, like Yuna, is a minor in Korea, at 18-year-old.

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5. The Boyz’s allegedly plagiarised outfits

The Boyz member Hyunjae’s outfit and a Dior Homme’s vest. Similar? Photos: @MnetMcountdown/Twitter, Dior Homme
Fans blasted The Boyz’s stylist for their stage outfits, with fans focusing on two members’ clothing in particular. Hyunjae’s jumper and Q’s suit jacket faced plenty of criticism, as fans said they shared a close resemblance to items from Dior Homme’s spring/summer 2018 collection.
The Boyz member Q’s jacket and Dior Homme’s jacket. Photos: @MnetMcountdown/Twitter, Dior Homme

Though the text itself was different – with the two members’ tops containing the words “thrill” and “thrilling” – the wreath outlines, silhouettes, red font and overall designs look very similar to the Dior’s clothing. Though it could be argued that the stylist merely took inspiration from the Dior Homme pieces, or was paying homage, fans couldn’t forgive the similarities.

6. Twice Dahyun’s hanbok

Dahyun’s hanbok looked nearly identical to Jisoo’s. Photos: JYP Entertainment, @sooyaaa__/Instagram
In Twice members Dahyun and Chaeyoung’s Switch to Me cover video released earlier this year, both girls were seen wearing modernised hanboks (traditional Korean clothing), but Dahyun’s black hanbok in particular became the target of criticism. Soon after the video was released, one of Blackpink’s stylists, Kim Balko, posted an Instagram story with a screenshot of Dahyun’s outfit, paired with the caption, “Eh??! A custom outfit designed by me, but I didn’t make??!!”.

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Stylist Kim Balko posted an Instagram story with the caption, “Eh??! A custom outfit designed by me, but I didn’t make??!!”, after the release of the Switch to Me cover video. Photo: @balkothecat/Instagram
Fans quickly noticed that Dahyun’s outfit was almost identical to a custom-made one worn by Jisoo in Blackpink’s controversial How You Like That music video. Twice’s agency, JYP Entertainment, quickly issued a statement apologising in February, stating that the item in question was “bought through a hanbok distributor” and that “we were not able to properly recognise its similarity to others’ work. We would like to sincerely apologise for this mistake”, reports AllKpop.