In our last Fashion Face-off, Kim Tan and his Cookie Monster turtleneck were able to hold off some stiff competition from the Yzma lookalike on Miss Korea.
This time around, we're going to look at Kdrama tracksuits, which I secretly love. I mean, it's like wearing pajamas, but outside of the house. What's not to like? My only complaint is that Kdramas rarely allow women to take off their absurdly high heels and lounge around in comfy sportswear. I call sexism! Kdrama women, unite and demand your right to wear zip-up polyester from head to toe!
There are a few standouts in the arena of Kdrama tracksuits, so let's look at the challengers, shall we?
Obviously. I mean, by the end of the show, I felt like his custom-made jogging suits were a character all on their own. They certainly did catch the eye, but on the downside, I can't imagine wearing those things to do any actual exercise. I have a strict no-running-in-sequins policy.
Contender 2: The Joseon Entourage, Rooftop Prince
It's like a couple's outfit, but for best friends! Suddenly, Lee Gak's entourage was transformed into the Joseon Power Rangers with the use of matching suits.
Contender 3: Kim Kwang Soo, Emergency Couple
This tracksuit inspired this post. Look at that camouflage magnificence! This guy knows what he likes, and he wears it like a boss.
Contender 4: Jo Gook, City Hall
I guess we can toss in a serious tracksuit for good measure. Don't be fooled by the fact that he actually plays sports in this thing--it's all a political statement in the end. But a handsome political statement, I must admit.
In the realm of Kdrama tracksuits, there can only be one champion. Vote below!
It's been a while since we featured a solid Fashion Face-off around here. In our last competition, The Master's Sun representing fall, won in a landslide. I think people might have been swayed by their love of the series, though, so I'm not sure it was a fair fight.
Given that it's the Christmas season and all, I figured that we could celebrate some cold-weather wear and do a battle of the kdrama turtlenecks.
But why turtlenecks? Why not fur coats or absurd hats or some other wintery clothing item? To answer that question, I bring you a story:
Once upon a time, Vivi was four years old, and her mother lovingly sewed a dress for her. This dress had a ruffled collar on it that stood up like a turtleneck. When four-year-old Vivi saw this dress, she hated it. HATED IT. But, being the sensitive little whippersnapper she was, she didn't want to hurt her mother's feelings and pretended to like it.
I'm pretty sure I wasn't fooling anyone.
Her family members always wanted her to wear that dress because it was "so cute," but Vivi knew better. Every time she put on that stupid pink dress with its stupid ruffly turtleneck, she was absolutely positive that she looked absurd, so she made up excuses to get out of wearing that dress. Fortunately for her, she eventually outgrew it and was no longer forced to choose between the shame of wearing the dress and the guilt of hurting her mother's feelings. The end.
Ever since I owned that dress, I've had this unreasonable hatred of all turtlenecks. There's something about all that unbroken fabric rubbing up against your chin that I find both unnerving and unflattering, so it drives me absolutely crazy that they're so common in kdramas these days. So, in honor of four-year-old Vivi and her wounded pride, let's look at some of the worst kdrama turtlenecks, shall we?
Contender 1: Park Hae Young, My Princess
YOU. You were the offender.
Look, I totally get the impulse to cover up that turtleneck (with a velvet coat???), but the thing about turtlenecks is that there's always more fabric. This cream number is kind of form-fitting, too, which makes me wonder if they were just trying to show off Abs McGillicuddy over here in a subtle way. Sorry, Song Seung Heon, but even you can't pull it off.
Contender 2: Kim Tan, Heirs
This one's pretty self-explanatory, right? I mean, the sweater is eating his face. I know, I know, I've made fun of Kim Tan a lot lately, but it's kind of like a scab I keep picking. I just can't stop!
Contender 3: Kim Shin, Marry Him If You Dare
If there's one thing I hate more than turtlenecks, it's brown turtlenecks. I don't want to be gross, but the tightness combined with the color really looks like a fresh turd (Turd-leneck--get it?).
Contender 4: Ma Ae Ri, Miss Korea
Not a full-fledged turtleneck like the others, but it reminds me so much of my childhood nemesis dress that I had to include it. Also, this:
Every time I see this character on Miss Korea, I won't be able to get Yzma out of my head.
Which turtleneck takes the cake? If you love turtlenecks and hate me for hating them, which one is your least favorite of the bunch?
It's official: fall is in the air. I can tell because I suddenly have uncontrollable urges to eat ALL of the things made out of pumpkin and sip hot apple cider out of cute mugs. And not that apple juice nonsense that my local grocery store tries to label as "cider," either. I'm a New Englander at heart--I know real cider when I drink it!
The change in the seasons also means that I peek out of my window each morning, patiently waiting for the moment when I can reasonably get away with busting out my boots, scarves, and cardigans. That's why I'm devoting this week's Fashion Face-off to seasonal clothing.
Many kdramas cycle through a full range of seasonal outfits, so instead of going with normal, safe choices, I tried to choose outfits that were over-the-top in their celebration of the chosen season.
Note: In case you're wondering, King 2 Hearts easily won our last face-off, with Richard Armitage swooping in as the dark horse to get second place. I have to say that I applaud these results all around.
On to the new contenders!
Contender 1: Winter (Baek Yeo Chi, History of a Salaryman)
The advantage to cold weather is that you can layer on the accessories without feeling like you're boiling your innards for the sake of fashion. The advantage to being immensely wealthy is that you can purchase as many accessories as your body can carry without hurting your bank account. I like to think that the combination of weather and wealth is partly to blame for Baek Yeo Chi's winter ensemble. The faux fur coat is a given considering that she's a rich lady in a Korean drama, but Yeo Chi went the extra mile with the leather wrist straps (?), bedazzled headband, and cheetah print purse. Because if you're going to fake kill one animal for fashion, you should just go ahead and fake kill all of the animals.
Contender 2: Spring (Kim Ji Soo, Nail Shop Paris)
I wouldn't normally post a picture from behind like this because it feels objectifying and a little creepy, but I really needed to make it clear that Ji Soo is wearing peplum shorts here. I didn't even know that was possible, but, as you can see, it is. If this pastel/floral combo doesn't just scream "springtime!" to you, the fact that her butt looks like it is blossoming into a beautiful rose probably should.
Contender 3: Summer (Geum Jan Di, Boys over Flowers)
Jan Di's expression says it all. When I think of summer, I think of vacation, and when I think of vacation, I think of the beach. Nowhere in the history of resort wear is there an outfit that goes all in like Jan Di's does. The patterned straw hat, the bright, flowing dress--it's all geared towards fun in the sun, regardless of what anyone else says or thinks. Someone on Pinterest once said that Jan Di's dress looks like a salad, and now that's all I can see when I look at her.
Contender 4: Fall (Tae Gong Sil, The Master's Sun)
Walking around wearing a poncho and rain boots? Definitely a spring activity. Walking around a cemetery in a poncho and rain boots? Now we're suited for fall! Halloween is my favorite holiday, and Gong Sil's ghostly poncho seems perfect for the occasion.
I think that our last Fashion Face-Off, the Battle of the Facial Hair, might have been the closest contest we've ever had. As of this minute, Hyun Bin wins for his character in The Snow Queen, but it's been pretty back-and-forth between him and Cha Seung Won in City Hall this entire time. Can I take this as a sign that we wouldn't mind a little more scruff on our leading men every now and again?
I spent last weekend at my little brother's wedding (I can't believe he's married! Awww, but also weird?), and it put me in the mood to write about kdrama nuptials. Now, most wedding fashion that appears in these shows doesn't actually make it to the altar. I feel like the prettiest gowns and suits are usually wasted in those dramatic "Omo, he's marrying the wrong person!" or "We're gonna get married, but in a terrible twist of fate, we need to wait five more episodes!" kinds of scenes. So instead of writing about wedding fashion, I want to devote this week's face-off to something that isn't clothing, but still requires a lot of style: kdrama proposals.
Many kdramas leave us with the couple staring off into the sunset and allow us to assume that they will live lives of blissful commitment. Other dramas fast forward to show us wonderful snippets of future married life. Other dramas are terrible, stingy buttfaces and don't really give us much romantic closure at all. But every once in a while, we get to see the actual engagement unfold, and the proposals are usually tailored to match the characters. This week's contenders might not all be the best kdrama proposals (at least in my opinion), but they are a diverse selection that will hopefully meet everyone's unique tastes.
Obviously, there will be some spoilers here.
Contender 1: The "It's the Thought that Counts" Proposal (Protect the Boss)
I'm terribly biased in favor of this show, and Noh Eun Seol and Cha Ji Heon are one of my favorite kdrama couples. So when Eun Seol shows up to a romantic candlelit dinner and Ji Heon croons a cheesy ballad to her by way of expressing his feelings, you would think it would be heart-melting swoon material, right?
You know that feeling when you're watching a singing show and one of the contestants has a hilarious personality, so you're really rooting for them to win, but then they open their mouths and it's so painful that you have to change the channel? That's kind of what happens here. My reaction went from "Awww, he put 'I love you' inside of a fortune cookie!" to "Why is this happening????" in about 0.2 seconds. Poor Ji Sung has kind of a cringe-worthy voice, but at least he has a nice heart!
If you're someone who values effort over execution and secretly applauds the William Hungs of the world, this proposal is for you.
Contender 2: The Big Gesture Proposal (A Gentleman's Dignity)
I never really understood the allure of proposals that happen in front of gigantic groups of people. Making me come down to the field in a baseball stadium? Blech. Putting my face on a Jumbotron for the whole world to see? No, thanks.
I have to admit, though, that I'm a huuuuuuuuuuge sucker for anything that involves a massive choreographed dance number. Maybe it's my childhood dream that my life would transform into the movie Newsies:
Why yes, that is 17-year-old Christian Bale belting his lungs out. And be-eyepatched Trey Parker, before he became old and gross. And the guy from The Mighty Ducks. Okay, okay, his name is Aaron Lohr, and yes, I do remember that from eight-year-old Vivi's mild obsession with this film.
Choreographed dance numbers have become an increasingly trendy way to propose in recent years, so it's no surprise that A Gentleman's Dignity matched Yi Soo's highly stylish outfits with an equally stylish proposal. No matter how you feel about Kim Do Jin as a character, you gotta give the guy mad props for planning this whole thing and then tacking on a throwback to episode 1, as well.
Aside from Newsies aficionados, this proposal also suits those people who enjoy announcing their love to the world.
Contender 3: The Heartfelt Speech Proposal (King 2 Hearts)
Poor Hang Ah had two big-gesture proposals early on in this series, and both of them ended up being hoaxes. It's only fitting, then, that the real deal would come without any fuss as they stand next to some military vehicles. It might not be the fanciest proposal in the world, but who needs balloons when you get lines like "I'm going to shower you with kisses every morning"?
We're focusing on substance over style here, but those conveniently falling blossoms don't hurt the mood, either.
Contender 4: The Lazy--I Mean, "Low Maintenance"--Proposal (Secret Garden)
Gil Ra Im is a pretty low-maintenance kind of girl. She usually prefers comfort, practicality, and kicking butt to anything frilly, so bringing her to city hall and announcing immediate marriage might be the best bet for her personality. After all, she has already declared her disdain for chocolates, wine, and all other romantic fluff.
On the other hand, "Because I said so" isn't the most compelling reasoning I've ever heard to get married, and I simply can't bring myself to believe that anyone--Gil Ra Im included--actually hates a good box of Lindt truffles. Impossible!
Estonians have this phrase, "laiskvorst," which directly translates to "lazy sausage." I personally feel like this is kind of a laiskvorst proposal, but hey, maybe it works for some people. If you've got a no-nonsense attitude and prefer to circumvent all of the obnoxious wedding planning in favor of getting right to the honeymoon, then you've found your dream proposal right here!
Contender 5: The Classic Fairytale Proposal (City Hall)
Roses? Check. Candles? Check. Waltzing? Check. FREAKING TWINKLE LIGHTS? Check. It might not be new or exciting, but sometimes they're classics for a reason.
Yes, she WILL dance with you through life. She's not a crazy person!
I just noticed that 3/5 proposals here come courtesy of Kim Eun Soook. Does this give us a hint for the future of Heirs?
And, just because you all read through this so nicely, I will share what might just be my favorite ending love scene of anything ever created:
Okay, so Richard Armitage doesn't technically say the words "Let's get married" with his voice, but I don't even care because he SAYS IT WITH HIS EYES.
So which proposal scene best matches your style? Did we miss one of your favorites? Vote and comment below!
Well, folks, it's been about a million years since we had one of these fashion face-offs. Our face-off of rich ladies went to Joo Won's mom in a landslide. I heartily agree with that decision!
For this week's face-off, I have decided to break from the norm. We usually cover trends that appear frequently in kdramas, but this time, I wanted to look at the lone wolves fighting against the pack. And that's why I've chosen facial hair.
It wasn't until fairly recently that I noticed the consistent lack of facial hair on most kdrama leads. Even in historical dramas (which I have excluded here for consistency), half of the men look like someone glued a few strands of fur to their chins and called it good. I don't know if Korean men just tend to grow patchy facial hair or what, but I wanted to let those few guys who weren't clean-shaven have their moment in the spotlight. I couldn't find any good full-on beards, so it's just goatees and shadow-staches for now!
Sorry, Yoochun. You're not fooling anyone.
Now, I know that facial hair isn't everyone's cup of tea. Personally, I can appreciate a decent amount of scruff. In fact, I once based an entire Halloween costume--including sewing myself some neon green pleather pants--around my husband's innate talent for growing Wolverine-like sideburns. I also tend to let mustaches slide because my husband thinks they are hilarious. Exhibit A: His face in its currently mustachioed glory:
I know what you're all thinking. How can so much awesome happen on one face?
In addition to spicing up boring family Christmas cards and making small children cry, facial hair can also make for some excellent jokes:
Ok, ok, I'll stop now. If I have one weakness, it's mustache-related puns. Maybe it's because I share a birthday with Chuck Norris?
Let's meet our proud contenders!
Contender 1: Jo Guk (City Hall)
Cha Seung Won as Jo Guk was the one who reminded me that kdrama men can actually grow hair on their faces. Maybe the drama writers only let it slide because of his status as a smarmy politician, but whatever the reason, he works that goatee for a full 20 episodes.
Contender 2: Tae Woong (The Snow Queen)
I haven't actually seen this drama, but I stumbled on a poster for it and decided it belonged in this battle. I was genuinely surprised at how a little bit of stubble can transform ole baby-face Hyun Bin.
Contender 3: Han Yi Soo (Shark)
Shark pictures have been popping up all over Pinterest since the show started, and I swear that the characters are either crying or gazing into space in every. single. one. Keeping in character, Kim Nam Gil rocks what I like to call the "sad stache."
Contender 4: Kim Hyun Jun (Iris)
Don't let the faintness of the facial hair fool you--a little bit can go a long way! Lee Byung Hun actually has one of those faces that looks like it needs a mustache. Even when he's clean shaven, I can see the ghosts of mustaches past dancing on his upper lip. Besides, we all know that mustaches, when combined with a sweet pair of shades, have been scientifically proven to help you shoot people better.
So out of the few kdrama leads who actually grew their own scruff, who pulled it off the best? Are there any of them who look better when they aren't clean-shaven? Vote below!
Our last Fashion Face-off Friday, Battle of the Guyliner, ended up being a decisive victory for Joo Byung-hee of Shut up Flower Boy Band, proving that a little makeup philosophy can go a long way. I'm a little sad that my favorite vampire prosecutor came in last, but he had some stiff competition. I tend to see a lot of kdrama jokes about rich chaebol styling, but today I'm taking a stand for gender equality and recognizing that women can wear absurd rich outfits, too. Think of it as Girl Power--just with more weird accessories.
As far as I can tell, Han Song-yi only has two defining character traits: 1. She hates everyone and 2. She loves money. As far as I can tell, the costume designers of this show firmly believe that nothing says "I will crush you with the sheer weight of all my money" like wrapping yourself in dead animals. My all-time favorite rich lady outfit was one where she was wearing a gigantic fur arm warmer on each arm, but unfortunately, this series is 31 episodes long, and even after I spent two hours scrolling through every.single.episode (I couldn't help myself--those arm warmers were that outlandish), I couldn't find it again. Sadly, this means that we have to settle for one of her many other fur-covered outfits.
Yes, yes she IS wearing a full suit under that polar bear cape. I guess she thought it would add to her credibility as a businesswoman?
Contender 2: Kim Joo-won's mom (Secret Garden)
I really, really want to make a your momma joke here, but I'm trying to keep it classy. Whenever I see Joo-won's mom, I can't help but think that it's exactly how rich people would dress in real life--if my five-year-old niece dressed them. Her wardrobe is an endless parade of lace, tutus, and tiaras, but she can afford them.
Who doesn't own a lace nightgown/dress for informal gatherings? Poor people. That's who.
Contender 3: Madam Kang (Boys over Flowers)
In all honesty, her clothing isn't as blatant as some of the males on the show. She is here for one reason and one reason only: her collars look like they can (and have) stabbed people in the face.
Randomly, there's this old hip hop song called "Wanna Be a Baller," and even though I know they aren't the actual lyrics, I always think the first line goes "Wanna be a baller, popped collar, 20-inch blades on the Impala" (The REAL lyrics are "shot caller," not "popped collar," in case you were wondering.). I kid you not, EVERY time Madam Kang came on the screen to threaten people with her pointy face and her matching pointy collar, I got that song stuck in my head for a week. And THAT, my friends, is what earned her a spot on this list. Okay, and also for wearing what appears to be a sash.
To be fair, Madam Kang IS pretty baller.
Contender 4: Kang Hye-na (My Fair Lady)
Not to be outdone by the older generation of fancy ladies, Kang Hye-na is out to prove that she can be just as ridiculous and rich as the best of 'em. In Hye-na's world, the words "less is more" don't exist. If you have money MORE is more. The upside? Since she doesn't dress herself, she is single-handedly supporting the Korean economy with the number of servants she hires to hold things like--metal suspenders? Is that what those are?
In related news, I need a bejeweled scrunchy--ASAP
Out of these wealthy women, which one wore the craziest outfit? Vote below!
It's been a while since we had a Fashion Face-off around here, so let's start by announcing the last results. I have to admit that I was really, really surprised by this one. In our "Hotties in Suits" competition, Cha Ji-heon from Protect the Boss won a decisive victory over the more formal suit-wearers. Was it the Batman t-shirt? Because if it was, I can totally get behind that.
For this week's Fashion Face-off, I'm going to go with men wearing eyeliner--also known as "guyliner." The male characters in kdramas often wear noticeable makeup (the OBVIOUS lipliner in a few dramas being the worst example), and guyliner has become something of an immediate indicator that a character is extra broody. As someone who mostly wears makeup for weddings and Halloween, I have to admit that seeing men outdoing my efforts in the makeup category is sometimes unnerving, but I've gotten to a point where I can handle it.
There were a lot of options in the guyliner category. I tried to choose characters who consistently rock it as an integral part of their persona. So, in the battle of the guyliner, who wore it best? Or, if you don't love the guyliner, who pulls it off the most convincingly?
Contender 1: Joo Byung-hee from Shut Up Flower Boy Band
There is plenty of guyliner in this series, but we have to single out Joo Byung-hee because the guyliner is part of his soul. Just read the subtitle in the screencap below:
That's right: the man basically has a guyliner manifesto. That's gotta be worth some credit, right?
Contender 2: Min Tae-yeon in Vampire Prosecutor
As noted in my review of this series, the vampire elements aren't always at the forefront of the show. That being said, the amount of guyliner on everyone's favorite blood-sucking prosecutor seems to be directly proportional to how vampire-ish he is being that day. Does this mean that when he goes home to sulk in his fancy apartment, he stops to apply eyeliner first?
Sitting in a gigantic leather chair is just about the most vampire-ish thing you can possibly do. That would explain the smokey eye.
Contender #3: Hwang Tae-kyung in You're Beautiful
We get it. You're emotionally constipated because you have a mean mom. You're also in a band. All of this naturally leads to a guyliner addiction. We would do the same.
We don't know what you're doing either, but it seems to be working.
Contender #4: Vick in Iris
Sometimes we have to recognize that the villains are just as stylish as the good guys. Just because T.O.P.'s character likes to kill people shouldn't invalidate his use of guyliner, okay? In fact, maybe it makes it more justifiable.
Maybe if those eyes are the ones shooting you, it wouldn't be so bad? On second thought, getting shot always sucks, regardless of makeup application. Image Source
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