Fashion has always been a very important aspect of the K-Pop industry and its’ success. That much was proven true when fans began a heated debate after noticing ZEROBASEONE‘s Gyuvin wearing the same outfit that RIIZE‘s Anton had previously been spotted in.
The impromptu fashion “face-off” has not only charmed fans but also stirred up a heated discussion about originality and branding.
The outfit in question — a fusion of edgy and premium elements — comprises a logo-embroidered T-shirt in slub cotton priced at $ 136 USD, a biker jacket in wrinkled leather costing $ 935 USD, and textured leather pants with a logo cut-out valued at $ 715 USD. The three-piece Diesel fit is valued at around $ 1,786 USD in total.
Anton first sported the now-popular “bad boy” look at Incheon Airport in February on his way to Tokyo for the SMCU@TOKYO family concert. Known for his usually understated style, the RIIZE star’s transformation into a full-leather ensemble captured massive attention and went viral across different Korean community sites as well as social media platforms.
240220 GMP#ANTON #앤톤 #찬영 #RIIZE #라이즈 pic.twitter.com/dsJKSmiFNZ
— ACOUNTDOWN321 (@ACOUNTDOWN321) February 19, 2024
Fast forward to this week, Gyuvin — a fellow 5th-generation K-Pop icon — was spotted in the identical outfit as ZEROBASEONE headed to Taiwan for the Golden Wave Awards. The recurrence of this outfit set the internet ablaze with speculation and controversy.
240412 출국#KIMGYUVIN #GYUVIN #김규빈 #규빈 #ZEROBASEONE #ZB1 #제로베이스원 pic.twitter.com/WEs5YPkv4G
— 𝑮𝒊𝑽𝒆𝒏 (@GiVen_Gyuvin) April 12, 2024
RIIZE fans accused Gyuvin of imitating Anton’s style, leveraging the viral fame the outfit garnered earlier. However, fans of ZEROBASEONE defended Gyuvin, pointing out that such decisions are often influenced by the brands sponsoring these idols. In this case, the common denominator is Diesel, known for its marketing and celebrity endorsements.
Not the whole damn look from Anton https://t.co/fLY7yhOxo7
— isitgettingbetter (@namijung118) April 12, 2024
oh Anton you are so famous https://t.co/dzOgi3V2fI pic.twitter.com/YtvGhSeQ8o
— • j a k u • impossible (@jakocvnt) April 12, 2024
he wants to be anton so bad https://t.co/D0LsyHbFIG
— 🍮🐾 (@markoomf) April 12, 2024
If you’re mad he’s wearing this, go talk to Diesel themselves, ya know, considering they gave him the outfit. https://t.co/5yyNM218Td
— kanky💦|켄키 (@rickyyshenn) April 12, 2024
no way y’all think he stole antons outfit, it’s a sponsored outfit ffs 😭 https://t.co/bQOXYfal3O
— rei 💦 (@zhroll) April 12, 2024
y’all are so jobless and yet couldn’t do a simple search to find out it is a whole damn diesel set that goes together. how are you people ALWAYS in our business ?? jesus christ https://t.co/nnFneDdZzO
— jojo 💦🦌 (@sapphorae) April 12, 2024
The debate raises important questions about the nature of fashion in the K-Pop industry. Everyone knows visibility is paramount in the Korean entertainment scene, and clothing often serves as a distinct marker of an idol’s public image. However, when multiple artists sport the same look, it can blur the lines between individual and corporate branding.
As the debate rages on social media, both sets of fans continue to defend their idols fervently.
