Kim Wook: Meet the Stylist Behind aespa and BLACKPINK’s Iconic Coachella Looks
The K-pop ‘Stylist Of The Year’ for 2021 has a resume that includes collaborations with EXO, Seventeen, SuperM and SHINee, to name just a few.
Kim Wook. Photo: Courtesy of the artist
This story appears in Rolling Stone India’s K-Music Special Issue, on sale now. Buy your copy here.
One of the most sought-after and visionary stylists in the world of K-pop and Korean hip-hop, Kim Wook has worked with all of the ‘Big Four’ labels [JYP Entertainment, SM Entertainment, HYBE and YG Entertainment], albeit some of his most impressive creations have been brought to life during his styling stints under SM. He’s the creative genius behind the iconic looks from the music videos of Blackpink’s “Kill This Love,” EXO’s “Obsession” and aespa’s “Savage.”
Last December, Kim bagged the coveted ‘Stylist of the Year’ trophy at the 11th Gaon Chart Music Awards for his unparalleled work in SHINee’s “Don’t Call Me,” Taemin’s “Advice,” Kai’s “Peaches,” IU’s “Coin,” Key’s “Bad Love” and finally, Woodz’s “Feel Like.” Hailed as ‘God Wook’ among the fandoms, in 2018 he tied the knot with collaborator and co-stylist Choi Minhye who has worked with the likes of SHINee, Winner and Dara.
In this exclusive interview for Rolling Stone India‘s K-Music Special issue 2022, Kim opens up to our journalist Oysmita Majumder about his honest thoughts on being a K-pop stylist, dealing with hate comments, and the Easter eggs he left for fans in aespa’s “Savage” outfits.
When and how did you develop an interest towards fashion?
I actually got interested in sneakers back when I was in middle school, and soon enough became interested in the entire ‘sneaker culture.’ Stemming from this passion, I started to ride skateboards in high school. As I nurtured a flair for skateboarding and snowboarding, I ended up working at a skateboard shop once I became an adult. This led me to develop an interest towards hip-hop, both in terms of the music and the fashion, and the rest is history.
Over the years, you’ve been responsible for the styling behind some of SM Entertainment’s most prominent and jet-setting idols, namely Second Generation’s SHINee, Third Generation’s EXO and now Fourth Generation’s SuperM and aespa. How do you manage to keep updating and evolving your art through the times? Is there any method to the way you work?
Actually, there is no special method that I follow as such when it comes to my creative process. I just really enjoy what I do, and I think I naturally came to be a part of this industry because I kept doing what I loved, consistently. I believe that how much one likes their work is of primary importance in order to create art that is congenial and evergreen.
You’re inarguably one of K-pop’s most in-demand stylists at the moment. How does it feel to be so massively successful?
First of all, thank you for calling it a huge success. When people say nice things like this, even from far-away countries like India, it genuinely makes me feel flattered. However, I’m also well aware of the fact that just because I’m working hard and people are appreciating my work, it doesn’t necessarily mean that I’ve achieved enough just yet. Hence, I will continue to work hard and deliver creations that are on par with all the love and appreciation, considering all the wonderful feedback I’m receiving.
“If I were to pick a stage that I styled, I think Blackpink’s Coachella in 2019 and aespa’s Coachella in 2022 were the coolest ones.”
We’ll definitely be looking forward to it! That apart, do you feel any pressure?
I didn’t feel much pressure up until a few years ago, but I’m definitely feeling it these days. And because of this added burden, I sometimes make safe choices with my stylistic decisions. At times, I ponder over how to showcase creations that are unique and different even while playing it safe. This is something that bothers me at times, because I tend to be quite adventurous as a person.
With a career spanning almost a decade, you started out with styling EXO, arguably one of the most influential and fashion-forward boy groups of all time. Hence, can you tell us more about how you first landed a job as a K-pop stylist?
During my military service, I was working as a shop master at an editorial shop. Fortunately, before I was discharged, I got several job offers from various companies and I was happy to think about which one I should choose. At this juncture, I was also offered the job of a stylist. So, instead of choosing a stable job, I chose this one as it was an unexplored avenue for me. I had never experienced anything as a stylist; I did not know how the industry worked, neither was the future guaranteed. However, this was the route that I finally took, and today I’m deeply attached to my job.
Which piece of work would you consider as your best or most noteworthy creation so far?
I can’t pick a single coolest album project out of all the projects I’ve ever done. To me, each of them were with the most precious and amazing artists. Together, we always collectively try and do our best!
So it’s hard to pick one album, but if I were to pick a stage that I styled, I think Blackpink’s Coachella in 2019 and aespa’s Coachella in 2022 were the coolest ones. The live performances showcased by both artists on the massive festival stage were indeed magnificent, and the costumes were prepared in a hurry, so I remember all the team members hustling and working hard in their hotel rooms right until the night before the performance. I thought Coachella with Blackpink would be my first and last Coachella styling stint, but I was so happy to experience it all over again with aespa. I had a wonderful experience this time around as well. If I do happen to get another chance, ever, I want to only do better than before.
“I think I’m quite a strong-minded person, but at the end of the day, I’m also a human being with emotions; so sometimes it’s hard, and sometimes it’s upsetting.”
With all eyes on your work 24/7, you’ve also faced a fair share of controversies. One such instance is BTS’s RM’s much-debated hat from a 2014 photoshoot. You’ve already apologized for your actions and grown from the mistakes – as reflected in your work – but from what we’ve seen, in this industry, the scrutiny never really subsides. Is there anything you’d like to add to your statements from back then?
Actually, I didn’t prepare the hat that became a hot topic of discussion because of the fact that it was used for BTS’s photoshoot a long time ago. I’ve never liked hats with shapes and symbols like that. At that time, during the photoshoot – while the members were being photographed one after another, alongside various costume changes happening simultaneously – things were so chaotic that we couldn’t even look at the monitor screen properly. If we’d have seen the monitor, we’d have undoubtedly taken off the hat! And all I know is that we ultimately couldn’t figure out who that hat came from.
As I’ve said, I’ve made a big mistake in the past. I even explained that it was not a decision that I made on behalf of the artist, but still received a lot of criticism. I’ve blamed myself a lot for what happened, for the things that I said, and for all the things that spiraled out of proportion.
How do you usually deal with negative criticism? Are you someone who has a hard time with trolls and hate comments, or would you say you’re the type to take everything in your stride?
I think I’m quite a strong-minded person, but at the end of the day, I’m also a human being with emotions; so sometimes it’s hard, and sometimes it’s upsetting. I don’t really express these feelings to anyone. Anyway, since it’s me who chose this career path, I accept everything as a part and parcel of this job, and I must choose to overcome it. I accept the reprovals as an aspect of my profession only when I get negative feedback based on the results of my work, but I don’t stay still when I’m emotionally bullied for something that’s not work-related.
Fair enough. How do you think you’ve grown as an artist since the start of your journey? Tell us about any noticeable changes you see in yourself today, as compared to Kim Wook from 10 years ago.
Well, if I had to think of a noticeable change, I’d say that 10 years ago, Kim Wook as a stylist had no recognition or place in the industry, but today, he has earned his place, at least to a certain extent. That’s the only notable change that I can pinpoint right now.
“A question that I’d like the readers to candidly ponder over is this, ‘Even if doing a thing is unbelievably hard, would you still continue to do it?’”
There are many who aspire to be where you are right now, to have the same career path as yours. I’d agree that everything about this line of work looks picture-perfect, but few people actually know all about the sacrifices that are made along the way; the fact that the industry isn’t a bed of roses. Would you like to provide us with some insight pertaining to this scenario, gained from your own experience?
Unlike things that tend to look rosy and splendid on social media, there are many situations where you can’t sleep and eat properly because you’re busy working. I often feel pained and exhausted, and when I’m trapped in such difficult situations, it deeply affects my mental health as well. I want to share and tell my journalist friend who’s interviewing me, about the real scenario that lies beneath all the pomp and show. A question that I’d like the readers to candidly ponder over is this, ‘Even if doing a thing is unbelievably hard, would you still continue to do it?’ There is always the pressing risk of wasting one’s youth in this sphere of work, but one can overcome it only if one likes this job enough. Also, sometimes even if you overcome these hurdles, the right opportunity might not strike throughout the course of your career. It’s such a cruel reality.
What do you consider as the biggest challenge in your job right now?
I’ve been in this job for a long time now, but I’m still worried about tomorrow and the day after, because it all comes down to survival in the long run. I am constantly anxious that even if today’s me is successful, tomorrow’s me may be nothing.
“10 years ago, Kim Wook as a stylist had no recognition or place in the industry, but today, he has earned his place, at least to a certain extent.”
And on the flipside, what would you say is the most rewarding part of it?
After sticking to this career path for a long time, dedicating all of my youth to it, and enduring all the hardships that came alongside, I am now confident that I can overcome anything life tosses my way.
Which piece of work would you say best reflects your true potential as a stylist?
I don’t know about that quite well, because I think it’s more about how the viewers perceive my work, rather than my own judgment.
Really well said! Now, coming to aespa’s “Savage,” you’ve previously stated that you had left a couple of Easter eggs for the fans to uncover, from the outfits displayed in the teaser photos. That apart, you also mentioned that Giselle, Winter, Karina and Ningning’s looks represent the ‘black hole,’ ‘storm,’ ‘spark’ and ‘code,’ respectively. With regards to this, can you comment on the significance that you think symbolism carries in the visual artistry of K-pop music videos?
Sometimes visuals can be quite symbolic and meaningful, yet at other times it’s nothing but a simple visual element without any underlying connotations to it. In certain other cases, fans can interpret the visuals as something serious and purposeful, even though it’s really not that profound. For example, the elements that you just mentioned, like the ‘blackhole,’ ‘storm,’ ‘spark’ and ‘code,’ are simply for visual purposes only; there’s no actual hidden meaning to them. On the other hand, the Easter eggs that were not noticed quite as much as they were intended to be, were the ones on Giselle’s skirt and Ningning’s dress. Now that everyone has some clarity, I’m going to skip the finer details for fun!
“According to me, the idea of hip-hop changes from artist to artist: whether they wear a mesh or cropped shirt, if their attitude is hip-hop, then it’s their own version of hip-hop.”
aespa are known for their experimental and futuristic fashion sense. In fact, Winter’s look for “Savage” was trending for customizing socks into the stunning neon top we see her flaunt in the teaser. As the official stylist for the group, we’d like an insight into what actually goes on in your mind while coordinating these unconventional pieces to build something so uniquely creative.
I actually didn’t really use the material because it was [made from] socks, but because I truly liked the quality of the fabric and its eye-catching neon color. Thereafter, I reformed the piece after purchasing it. By that time, I had already come across a plethora of items utilizing socks as their base, so I didn’t choose to single them out solely because of that factor. This was the crux of the idea behind Winter’s outfit.
That’s really cool! Moving on, let’s discuss a project you were recently awarded for: SHINee’s “Don’t Call Me” music video. What was your artistic vision for the military-influenced street-style fits that we saw in the video and during the promotions?
A few years ago, my wife Minhye was actually SHINee’s stylist; she’d been so for a long time. I have a lot of respect for her styling capabilities. So, when I had the opportunity to take over as SHINee’s stylist, I was very burdened thinking, ‘Can I really do better than Minhye?’ But fortunately, SHINee’s latest song had a completely different vibe as compared to their past releases, so as soon as I heard it, I was like, ‘Ah, I can do this well. This is my specialty!’ In fact, not just for SHINee, but all the other artists’ projects are also executed by my team alongside SM’s visual team. Besides the stylists, there are countless other staff members who are constantly working together to make these projects a success.
You’ve frequently worked on solo projects as well, like Taemin’s “Advice” and Kai’s “Peaches.” Is there any major difference to your creative process while working with groups as opposed to working with solo artists?
Unlike groups, solo artists have to fill entire three to four minutes worth of screen/stage time all by themselves, so sometimes styling them becomes a tad bit trickier than styling groups. Although group projects are important, when working on a solo album, the artist and I get to work closely on a one-on-one basis, so we have to pay more attention to detail. Honestly, my treatment towards both the processes – whether a group release or a solo one – remains the same. I give them both equal importance, and both are equally challenging to nail.
Personally, I was blown away by the styling in Taemin’s “Advice” music video. It also ranked second on Rolling Stone India’s ‘Best Music Videos of 2021’ list. From sports-brassiere sets to fishnet stockings and cropped hoodies, the fashion aesthetic of the music video was equal parts daring and hetero-normativity-smashing. It perfectly encapsulated the mood and message of the song. As fans we always only get to see the end result of the completed projects, but today I’d like you to tell us more about the behind-the-scenes process involving the ideation, conceptualisation and implementation of the stylistic decisions in the video.
For the “Advice” music video, both Taemin and I wanted to do something that’s memorable, but not too complicated. Hence, I tried looking for some ideas from our surroundings and daily lives in order to keep it smooth and easy. Something simple, like incorporating clothes and items for men, which women usually like using. Rather than thinking about styling with seriousness, I mostly focused on the concept: ‘Taemin’s hip-hop.’ According to me, the idea of hip-hop changes from artist to artist: whether they wear a mesh or cropped shirt, if their attitude is hip-hop, then it’s their own version of hip-hop.
We’d like to hear your thoughts on the significance of fashion in K-pop; how do you think the elements of styling and visual direction in K-pop are unique compared to overseas fashion trends in the music and entertainment industry? How do you believe K-pop fashion has helped South Korea stand out in the global pop space?
Each entertainment label, visual director, and stylist has different tendencies and work processes, so it’s hard to categorize K-pop under a single umbrella term. From my point of view, it isn’t all too unique as compared to overseas fashion trends, but it’s about how we adapt and refashion cool trends from our own, unique perspective. K-pop is sometimes concept-based, sometimes it’s all about fashion, and sometimes it’s very flexible and varies with the album or song. When it comes to fashion in K-pop, we can’t miss out on talking about YG Entertainment. Starting from Big Bang and 2NE1 to Blackpink, YG attracted the world’s attention with their outstanding visuals, and I think this played an important role in K-pop’s expansion across the world, in the global pop space.
“When it comes to fashion in K-pop, we can’t miss out on talking about YG Entertainment. Starting from Big Bang and 2NE1 to Blackpink, YG attracted the world’s attention with their outstanding visuals.”
Let’s discuss more about you as an individual. What was your childhood like?
I actually started out quite far from fashion. I fenced for six years, from middle school to high school, and my original dream was to become a member of the national fencing team and participate in the Olympics. I’d made up my mind that if I failed to enter the university that I wanted, I’d quit sports without any regrets. Eventually, I couldn’t go to the university I wanted.
Meanwhile, I had loved sneakers since I was a kid. When I was in middle school, I used to always walk while looking at the ground [to see what shoes people were wearing]. I naturally became interested in clothes because I liked sneakers, and because I liked clothes, I also got inclined to their culture. I thereby came to like music and skateboarding as well. Circling back, as I couldn’t go to the university I wanted to attend, I boldly quit sports and gave up on my dream of becoming a member of the national team. Six long years of hard work had led to nothing, but it didn’t hurt too much. I soon got a job at a skateboard shop, which, as I’ve mentioned earlier, gradually helped strengthen and solidify my passion for the field of fashion.
Someone also said that I majored in fashion at college, and then went abroad to study fashion, but neither did I major in fashion, nor did I study abroad. I just consistently and diligently did what I really wanted to do, and followed my heart, which helped me get to where I am today. That’s my story.
What’s your personal fashion aesthetic like? Do you think your individual predilections tend to influence your work in the professional sphere as well?
I have a strong tendency to gravitate towards hip-hop music and fashion. The boundaries of hip-hop are presently so wide, that there is nothing like ‘this is hip-hop’ and ‘that is not hip-hop’ anymore. I have to say, though, that I’ve always liked hip-hop since my roots belong to it. I think that a job usually reflects one’s tastes to a certain extent, but if I choose a job that suits my taste, the latter gets affected simultaneously, in my opinion.
“I believe that how much one likes their work is of primary importance in order to create art that is congenial and evergreen.”
Makes sense. Apart from fashion, what are some of your other interests? How do you like to spend your free time?
Most of my interests outside of fashion are also related to fashion in some sense or the other, e.g. music, figurines, etc. It is also fun to see nice interior designs and artworks these days. I don’t get much time for myself, but when I do, I watch Netflix, play phone games, or ride MOPEZ. That’s all. Also, I don’t drink and I dislike playing around.
Any wardrobe basics, or essentials which you can’t live without?
Two words: Nike shoes.
Who’s your dream client? Is there any artist you’d love to work with in the future?
Rather than any specific client[s], I prefer working with SM and YG Entertainment. Apart from this, there’s no singular artist that I wish to style right now, above all the rest. However, I do want to style some more up-and-coming, cool boy groups in the near future.
“I am constantly anxious that even if today’s me is successful, tomorrow’s me may be nothing.”
Do you have any favorite designers or fashion labels that you admire on an international front?
There are so many designers and brands that I like, so much so that it’s quite tough to mention just one or two. It’s hard to say, because the answer keeps changing from time to time and on idol to idol.
Lastly, we’d like to know more about your goals and aspirations. Where would you like to see yourself in another five to 10 years?
All in all, I want to continue working as a stylist for a long time, and leave the industry without any regrets when the right time comes. I’ll decide my next five-10 years in five-10 years!
