After Jennie and Jisoo, who’s next? Predicting Korea’s next generation of It-kids as luxury brands start fighting over them
Who will be the next person whose airport outfits sell out no matter what they wear?
Luxury brands’ love of Korean stars is hardly news anymore. Jennie with Chanel, Jisoo with Dior, Rosé with Saint Laurent, Lisa with Louis Vuitton… In recent years, K-pop superstars have practically taken over Fashion Week’s front rows. Whenever a Korean star appears at the airport, anything from their bag and shoes to their phone case can quickly become a trending search. Still, luxury brands are quietly changing how they search for “the next Korean face.”
Vogue Business’ newly released “The It-Kids of South Korea” shifts the focus from K-pop superstars who already have global name recognition to a new generation of actors and entertainment faces, including Moon Sang-min, Choo Young-woo, Roh Jeong-eui, Park Ji-hu, and Cho Yi-hyun. Luxury brands are also forming increasingly close ties with Roh Yoon-seo, Lee Chae-min, and other rising names.
The next people luxury brands vie for may not be idols
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Brands were initially drawn to K-pop idols for straightforward reasons: huge global fan bases, a major social media presence, and the ability to span music, fashion, and beauty. Yet the global reach of K-dramas has given a new generation of actors similar advantages. Netflix has scheduled as many as 33 Korean titles this year, allowing audiences around the world to discover new faces at the same time through streaming platforms. Compared with top idols who already have tens of millions of followers, these fast-rising actors give luxury brands the opportunity to establish a distinctive image with them earlier on.
Roh Yoon-seo has already pulled ahead. From “Crash Course in Romance” to “Castaway Diva,” her fresh yet slightly cool presence quickly caught the fashion world’s attention, and she is now a Balenciaga brand ambassador. Roh Jeong-eui from “Hierarchy,” Moon Sang-min from “Love Next Door,” and Choo Young-woo, whose profile has risen quickly in recent years, are also names to keep watching.
Who will be the next person whose airport looks sell out, no matter what they wear?
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Interestingly, luxury brands are no longer looking only at social media follower counts when choosing ambassadors. Vogue Business points out that brands increasingly care about the media impact value a star can generate, their social media engagement, and how active their fan communities are. The latest list even shows that rookie group CORTIS can already generate considerable media impact value for Dior.
In other words, fashion’s next battle to sign Korean stars may already be underway. Jennie, Jisoo, Rosé, Lisa, and Cha Eun-woo have shown that the right Korean ambassador can help a brand reach young consumers around the world. The truly interesting question now is: Who will be the next person to sit in the front row at Paris Fashion Week and have everyone searching, “What is she wearing?”
POPBEE readers, remember these names
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- Roh Yoon-seo
- Lee Chae-min
- Moon Sang-min
- Choo Young-woo
- Roh Jeong-eui
- Park Ji-hu
- Cho Yi-hyun
Let’s take a closer look at whether these names really are the next generation of Korean fashion faces luxury brands are watching.
Join Popbee Circle and subscribe to the Popbee newsletter for the latest updates, and get early access to exclusive member benefits and discounts. Beyond this article, here are a few other recent stories worth checking out:
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