![BTS performs 'IDOL' in front of Geunjeongjeon Hall at Gyeongbokgung Palace in 2020. [Photo=Big Hit Music]](https://image.ajunews.com/content/image/2026/02/19/20260219093501782645.jpg)
As K-pop stars including BTS have raised the global profile of hanbok, calls are growing to find ways to root the traditional Korean outfit in everyday life, not just special occasions.
According to industry officials on Thursday, attention is rising as BTS’ full-group return nears, with observers watching whether K-pop’s global reach can translate into new momentum for the hanbok industry.
BTS has frequently used hanbok-inspired looks onstage, helping recast the outfit as a modern style. The group drew worldwide attention on NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” performing with Gyeongbokgung Palace and Geunjeongjeon Hall as a backdrop while wearing stage costumes that reinterpreted hanbok.
For its “IDOL” stage, BTS wore outfits based on hanbok, updating traditional patterns and colors. Member Suga also drew notice by wearing a gonryongpo, a royal robe, in the music video for his solo track “Daechwita.” BTS has also introduced hanbok as “Korean culture” in interviews with major overseas media outlets.
![President Lee Jae-myung and first lady Kim Hye-kyung deliver Lunar New Year greetings. [Photo=Cheong Wa Dae]](https://image.ajunews.com/content/image/2026/02/19/20260219095024677699.jpg)
Hanbok is also taking hold as a symbol of K-culture on the diplomatic stage. Ahead of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s visit to South Korea, first lady Rosangela da Silva posted photos on social media wearing a hanbok gifted by a local Korean community. “At this moment, ahead of an official visit to South Korea, I had the honor of receiving a hanbok as a gift,” she wrote, describing it as “Korea’s traditional clothing, mainly worn for festivals, weddings, holidays and cultural events.”
Kim Hye-kyung, recently named an honorary hanbok ambassador, has worn hanbok while accompanying President Lee Jae-myung on overseas trips. At a recent hanbok New Year gathering, she said, “Hanbok is a precious cultural heritage that represents Korea and a core asset of K-culture,” adding, “I will devote myself even more to promoting the beauty of hanbok.”
![Brazilian first lady Rosangela da Silva wears a hanbok in a photo shared on Instagram. [Photo=Instagram capture]](https://image.ajunews.com/content/image/2026/02/19/20260219095201694440.jpg)
Experts say the next step is making hanbok part of daily life, moving beyond the idea that it is only formal wear. Many recommend expanding hanbok’s presence across content such as K-pop, games and virtual reality.
Kim So-hyun, a professor in the Department of Hanbok Culture Contents at Baewha Women’s University, said content is needed so people can experience hanbok in virtual spaces. She pointed to examples of companies such as Louis Vuitton offering brand experiences to younger users in virtual platforms like Zepeto and generating revenue through item sales. “Hanbok is changing into cultural content enjoyed as play by combining with films, dramas, webtoons and games,” she said. “The space for hanbok in daily life is expanding into virtual worlds such as the metaverse.”
Kwon Hye-jin, CEO of hanbok studio Hyeon and an adjunct professor at Ewha Womans University, said idol stars who bow to fans around the world are helping spread awareness of hanbok. She stressed strategies to increase hanbok exposure tied to K-content and collaborations with Korean Wave stars. She also proposed a hanbok festival that friends, couples and families can enjoy together, similar to Brazil’s Carnival or Japan’s matsuri.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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