Kim Rieul, BTS Hanbok Designer, Died at 32

Visionary hanbok designer Kim Rieul, who transformed traditional Korean dress for contemporary fashion, has died at 32. Though the cause of death stays unknown, his family validated the information on February 12, the last date given. Kim rose to worldwide renown for his innovative mix of traditional hanbok and modern styles, as well as for dressing top K-pop idols, including BTS and MONSTA X.

Know All about Kim Rieul

Celebrated for bringing hanbok to worldwide attention, designer Kim Rieul (born Kim Jong Wong) was born in 1993 in Namwon, North Jeolla Province. He founded his label, ‘Rieul,’ in 2016 and quickly became big within the fashion business. He made the 30 Under 30 list of 2023 by Forbes in Asia due to his classic, highly praised accomplishments.

Kim got the break when BTS members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook showed off his black hanbok-themed garment in their dazzling rendition of “Idol” at Gyeongbokgung Palace on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in 2020. The remarkable mix of modern and ancient features mesmerized worldwide viewers and confirmed Kim’s status as a fashion pioneer.

Apart from BTS, his designs were sported by other K-pop celebrities such as MONSTA X, CLC, Zico, and Tiger JK. His originality in hanbok design pushed Korean history to the forefront of world pop culture.

Transforming Conventional garments

Kim’s interest in updating hanbok began from his observations of overseas visitors in Korea. Knowing that conventional hanbok, while exquisite, could usually be impracticable for daily wear, he started to design hanbok suits, fusing tradition with contemporary comfort.

Famously, he gifted his designs at no cost to Korean performer forces to help spread hanbok fashion globally. His opposition to the surge of less expensive Chinese materials in the market stressed in a 2021 interview for The Korea Herald his insistence on using true Korean textiles.

Rieul Korean Style

Given his nonexistent formal experience in fashion and first job in football, Kim had much to overcome to start his hanbok suit line. Although factories were slow to accept the complex project, he managed to create his first hanbok outfit after six months of perseverance. Social media proved significant in his rise to prominence, with what he created racking up no less than 20,000 likes in just about a week.

Moving past hanbok suits, Kim tapped into various fashion styles, utilizing components from hanbok in sweatshirts, tennis skirts, and leather jackets. His label merged the past with the present and came to symbolize cultural pride and creativity.

Kim’s Contribution

Kim Rieul’s early death strikes a crushing blow to both fashion and K-pop. In years to come, his work toward modernizing the hanbok and advancing Korean culture will receive great acclaim.

Trailblazer of modern hanbok, Kim Rieul, died at the age of 32. The New Wave stylist was a game-changer who took Korean traditional attire to a whole new realm and dressed up top K-Pop superstar artists, including BTS and MONSTA X.