SHOCKING K-Star Outfits That Defined 2025 Fashion
- lewishooper1
- 15 hours ago
- 3 min read
From Met Gala glam to street style chic, here is every iconic look from K-stars during 2025!
K-pop stars continued to dominate the global fashion scene in 2025. This year, there have been flawless, elegant, and even some of the most shocking outfits out there! This article will focus on five of the most shocking outfits in the K-entertainment industry this year!
The Met Gala this year was an incredible high society event, which Lisa from BLACKPINK attended. Lisa wore a custom Louis Vuitton ensemble at the Met Gala featuring highly publicized sheer panels and tights/pants printed with artwork. This sparked controversy among her fans and other audience members, as the imagery reportedly included depictions of Civil Rights icon Rosa Parks, generating a heated debate.
Fans have said that it was not the outfit itself but rather the placement. Some fans went on to say that putting such a revered historical figure on what looked like designer loungewear was jarring and felt deeply disrespectful to the movement's gravity since Rosa Parks was an advocate for black rights in the U.S.
For their "Bad Desire" promotions, the group embraced highly theatrical, gender-fluid vampire aesthetics, featuring detailed lace, corsetry, and layered velvet coats. This coincided with the peak of a cultural moment earlier in the year, where gender fluidity and gender neutrality were prominent themes in fashion and media.
Their focus on a heavily decorative, 19th-century-inspired style marked a new peak for boundary-breaking male idol fashion, dividing fans as well as the general public. Online, some fans mentioned, "The sheer commitment to the drama! Seeing the whole group in full corsets, ruffles, and heavy gothic makeup wasn't just a style; it was an intensely detailed theatrical statement no one expected from a group known for sharper streetwear."
The Dojeon team also thinks that this was a brave move from ENHYPEN, one move that perhaps the Korean public was not ready for. What do you think?
TWICE's performance outfits for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2025 were less shocking in isolation and more for the shifted cultural perception they highlighted. Unlike previous K-pop appearances, the group's highly revealing, lingerie-inspired looks were celebrated with less intense public backlash in Korea.
Korea, being very conservative still, was perhaps not ready for this level of reveal!
Some fans noted the contrast in public reaction, stating: "The shocking part wasn't the clothes, but the silence. A year ago, this level of revealing fashion would have caused a meltdown. Yet, when TWICE embraced a similar aesthetic, it proved that the industry's acceptance of mature, high-fashion Western looks is finally evolving".
We also observed that the adaptation to a more revealing Western outlook on fashion might take time for the general Korean public. However, K-pop groups are clearly beginning to experiment with these aesthetics, as seen with TWICE. This shift is notable, especially considering how elements inspired by high-end brands, even those known for luxury intimate apparel, are being integrated into stage wear.
Jang Won-young's customized, form-fitting, shoulder-baring top and short shorts worn for a ceremonial soccer kick-off performance sparked intense domestic and international debate for being too revealing. Some critics argued the outfit was "too revealing" and inappropriate for a sporting event, reigniting the public discourse over idol stage wear appropriateness.
Fans stood up for her and commented, "She looked amazing, but it was shocking how much the older public fought against it. It highlighted the constant policing of female idols' bodies; any outfit slightly outside the norm gets slammed as 'too much' instead of just being seen as fashion."
The Dojeon team also believes that she looked incredible. However, the outfit was perhaps too revealing, given its extremely short cut. Since she is a household name, the outfit could have been more age-appropriate and conservative, aligning with her public standing.
Last on our list, for their high-profile debut, member Tarzzan was featured wearing a durag as part of a heavily hip-hop-influenced concept. This instantly drew backlash from international fans, who criticized the choice as blatant cultural appropriation for entertainment, citing the deep cultural significance of the accessory within the Black community.
Some fans expressed their disappointment, stating, "The fashion choice itself wasn't shocking, but the timing was. After years of sustained fan criticism, a new group making that fundamental mistake on debut showed shocking ignorance". This incident proved to the Dojeon team and many fans that some entertainment companies still prioritize visual aesthetics over respecting Black culture, despite the prominent civil rights movements in the UK and the US in recent years.
Which celebrity outfit shocked you the most this year?