Disclaimer: Note to all that I am in no ways bashing/hating/dissing any of the idols that are to be mentioned. I am only keeping up with the professionalism as a fashion critique and I do not blame the fashion choices entirely on the idols themselves, nor on the fashion stylists. This will be based on my opinion, and if you disagree do feel free to express your views :) This is, after all, a 'Hot or Not' segment so it's all personal preference. :>

K-POP stars are known for their funky styles, addicting music and crazy fashion. This edition of Hot or Not I will be exploring the unforgivable, eccentric, and 'wtf' depths of cray cray hairdos. (because really, have you seen some of them hairstyles??)

I love all the idols and I respect their respective styles, albeit sometimes you just can't help but shake your head at some of their choices...*shakes head*

Now the term 'crazy', is really wide, ambiguous and debatable. There is good crazy (not really that crazy though)idols usually sport flashy hair colours or a myriad of different ones, almost like a rainbow. (I'm looking at ya Sehun) Their hairstyles are pretty tamed and even some of them are a definite HOT.


Wait a minute I see a trend in this. Seriously SM.

It's been a while since we've done a "hot or not". Let's take a look at the male actors in some of S. Korea's top magazines. I think the cold weather has led to some cold shoots. In general, I would love to see some more dynamic actions in these shots.
Warning: Image Heavy
The Style Icon Awards  2013 by Mnet has happened. It's an awards show I actually care about since its relating to style. This is a hot or not/best dressed and worst dressed list from me. It is solely my opinion and do not reflect the opinions of everyone at K-world Style. I have one of these previously did for Mnet's 20's Choice. This also includes my commentary, because…hey why not use two tags with one post?


Have you all listened to Kahi's comeback album, "Who are you?" yet? Well, you should. 
She made a music video for "It's Me", which was released on October 9th. 

In the music video, Kahi wore grungy suits and more mature outfits to fit her new solo image. 
But were these all a success? 
 Special feature! Your favourites are dispersed throughout this rating in K-world Style's version of 'Best Dressed' and 'Worse Dressed' from Mnet's 20's Choice Awards blue carpet. We call this 'Hot or Not' for continuation purposes. Also this includes my commentary and feelings about their choices.

Note: This is purely my sole opinion, others may agree with me while some may disagree with me. It does not reflect every writer's thoughts here at K-world Style. I categorized this not by if they look good or not but also by their choices. Some may look incredible but their styling is dull.

Let's talk about famous celebrity couples today. And by 'couples', I mean fake-married persons of opposite sexes. Instyle Marriage's July Issue featured the couples of 'We Got Married'. I'm going to talk about two of them: the Jinwoon-JunHee couple and the Taemin-NaEun couple. What do they have in common? Each of the male members are a part of a Kpop idol group. Jinwoon is from 2am, and Taemin is from, well, you probably know this already, but, SHINee.

2am's Jinwoon & Go JunHee


2AM Jin Woon and Go Joon Hee - InStyle Weddings MagazineI could take of leave this picture. It seems like a wedding gone wrong. JunHee is the bride, who spilled somthing on the top of her (very expensive) wedding dress, aaand so covered it with a t-shirt; Jinwoon is the best man, who has always been in love with the bride, and when the groom runs off, he is there to console her. Yeah...maybe my imagination has gone too far. Overall, this picture is messy and clichéd. I would've liked a traditional marriage pic a bit better. I mean, really, what says marriage like a masculine leather sofa and wife sitting on the hard floor? Loving husband you are, Jinwoon.

2AM Jin Woon and Go Joon Hee - InStyle Weddings Magazine
One word for you: honeymoon. This picture is about being comfortable with your partner. While the tattoos are cute --Jinwoon's says, 'your shadow', and JunHee's says, 'love' -- they are a bit childish, and we all know what I think about poorly done ink. Still, I can imagine them getting tattoos done together during their honeymoon. The flowers in Jinwoon's pants remind me of somewhere tropical. And it seems that with JunHee's salmon/pink dress, that she is the flower of his life. Aw. Not to mention, the colors the stylist picked go with their hair. Very nice. The picture is not my favorite, but it's not terrible, 7/10.

2AM Jin Woon and Go Joon Hee - InStyle Weddings MagazineThe next picture is my favorite from all the shots in the magazine.  Look at you, you adorable creatures. Blowing bubble-gum together is such a PG activity, but when combined with their joint sassy leg poses, it reads, 'stay back, we're a force to be reckoned with'. The neutral/color clash is very ying-yang, and again, the stylists made a conscience effort to unite JunHee's warmth with Jinwoon's cooler image (I mean from the blue hair to his manliness, etc. NOT that he is a cold person). They
look ready for a party on each other's arm, or maybe just a newlyweds' date-night-in.



SHINee's Taemin & A Pink's Na Eun

Note: I am just using the print pictures, but according to a reader, in the actual WGM episode, not all the poses were like the following. Also, I do like Taemin, promise >.<!

SHINee Tae Min and A Pink Na Eun - InStyle Weddings Magazine
For these guys, I can't even break it down picture by picture. There is too much I want to say about the shoot as a whole. First of all, they don't even look like a married couple. The white dress Na Eun wore is no where near a wedding dress, unless the wedding was taking place on a beach, or, you know, at city hall. They look more like people on a first, awkward, date. The Jinwoon-JunHee set of pictures had them so clearly paired off, while this set doesn't. The clothing and poses are ever so slightly disjointed. In the sitting shoot of Jinwoon and JunHee, Jinwoon has his arm protectively around JunHee. Taemin, on the other hand, shies away from his wife. And what sort of guy doesn't wear a suit to a wedding?! Are you kidding me? 

SHINee Tae Min and A Pink Na Eun - InStyle Weddings Magazine
That's aesthetics, but if we take a deeper look at what's happening in these pictures, we see that Taemin is a misogynist. Seriously, why is Na Eun always in a subservient position? Lying on the ground, sitting, blocked by TaeMAN, hidden behind TaeMAN. This is very unlike the Jinwoon-JunHee shoot as 2/3 of their pictures, they posed the same way. I think we need to give Na Eun some sass lessons, because right now, she looks like an innocent deer caught by an almost-as-innocent rabbit's hole. 

The stylists should have done a better job incorporating couple clothing, or at least something that doesn't make them both seem as if they are very young (even though they are). I mean, they are supposed to be married, for Pete's sake, not middle school girlfriend/boyfriend. 

SHINee Tae Min and A Pink Na Eun - InStyle Weddings Magazine
As to the idols, where is the emotion? Where is the happiness? High fashion can be fun. Just look at some of CL's shoots. At least Taemen looks a little more mature. He has very nice hair, and black-out is pretty sexy. Just one note, Are you wearing your pajamas in the woods, Taemin? Because I don't walk around in a house coat with cloads on it when I'm on a date, especially if my partner looked like Na Eun. The girl wear a skirt in the middle of the woods for you,  not practical, but romantic, and you couldn't even change out of your PJ's? Humph.

Maybe it's just I that had an issue with the awkward couple. Sigh.

Which photo was you favorite? Do you agree that Taemin needs to grow a pair and not shy away from his wife?

--Lauren

Super Junior's Henry wears a plethora of fake tattoos for his solo debut
Note: This is an opinion piece. That means, it does not reflect everyone's thoughts nor the point of view of all of Korea. (please don't kill me)

Kpop is all about the idol image. And what image has been increasingly popular?  The bad boy/ bad girl 'gangsta' look. Many idols want to exude the persona of  toughness associated with hip hop music that comes with years of growing up in the streets. However, the majority of these idols have never experienced the same situations. Instead, they are imitating the perceived image from (mainly Western) rap or hip-hop. Many idols have quoted Jay-Z, Micheal Jackson, Omarion, Usher, B2K, and more as their favorite singers. 


Hi guys, in preparation for their comeback, let's take a look into Sistar's feminine/ femme fatale style.
Our mission today is to see what is 'hot' and what is 'not'...


If you really don't want to sit through the 3min video, here's a summary:

HOT:
Ma Boy
So Cool
Alone
June 2013 Comeback

NOT (or as not hot as Sistar can ever be):
Push Push
Loving U
Gone Not Around Any Longer

What do you think? Agree/disagree?

--Lauren


We haven't done this in a long time, I'm so glad to bring it back with Lauren. This time we're bringing you different opinions from different Korean magazine from May.

1. Lee Hyori for Vogue May 2013.

KD: Personally I think this shoot is fun and quirky, showing 
a different side of Korea's Beyonce, Lee Hyori. From what I know, this shoot was inspired by "The Great Gatsby". It brings back the 20's with a modern touch by adding and accessorizing her with playful jewellery pieces. Great way to spice up the past!

Lauren: Honestly, Lee Hyori is sexy no matter what she's wearing. She is definitely a good person to play the flapper, and I think this shoot does a really nice job balancing a fun, avant-garde style with risqué sex-appeal. I adore heels and shimmering dresses, so I, of course, was in love. The shoot also has some very visually dynamic black and white shoots, which adds to the vintage style. All in all, a good round for Vogue.

Full spread: here



2.  So Ga-In  for Harper's Bazaar May 2013   


KD: I think this look made Ga-In look younger. I personally love 
shoots like this in particular because it make the idols look cuter, and it really shows off their fun and flirty side. They used a lot of floral print in this shoot, really making spring more exciting and colorful. When I think of spring, I think of pastels and colors, 
so this shoot really stood out to me the most.

Lauren: Ga-In looks great, but I'm not a huge fan of the basic  pastel-decked idols on a plain background.  Her light skin blends into the white background, so I guess, A+ for emphasizing her pallor? I do appreciate a good floral though. This shoot was  typical, nice, and high-fashion; it just didn't "wow" me. My favorite shot was the blue outfit.

Full spread: here

3. Park Han Byul for W Magazine May 2013


KD: I don't know about this look. Too many things
are going on, and her shorts blend in with the background. Plus, they're using too many prints and textures. I love the hair and make-up in this look, but it doesn't really pull the outfit together. Better luck next time,W!

Lauren: Park Han Byul definitely is sexy, but I really don't like this shoot. Her poses are awkward, and the various wooden chairs do not help matters. Even standing up, she looks like she is about to topple over; I think there is not a single picture in which both her feet are solidly on the ground. The styling is fine, albeit a bit lacking in accessories. The highlight is the various heels Park Han Byul wears. If you want to see beautiful Park Han Byul, I would just screen shot her drama, Couple Breaking.

Full spread: here

Which was your favorite shoot from May?
Want more? Hate this? Tell us in the comments below.

Image Cr. as linked

We're breaking down some of our favorite styles from some of our favorite Hip-Hop Rookies
This time, we have EvoL's "Get Up".

This song was sexy and fun, and it had a little R&B fusion. To fit the sharp beat and Bollywood-inspired riffs, EvoL chose a cool Hip-Hop/Classy Girl fusion for their style. Let's take a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of their outfits.

HOT:


OK, don't judge me, but I really like hot pants. I lked the simplicity of the red and black; EvoL didn't try to be to busy like some other groups (cough SM and YG, looking at you). I also liked that each girl had a little bit of variety to fit their personalities. I normally don't like knee-highs, but I think they looked fine. The leather also looked nice, but I'm reminded of bowling when I see their shoes.
Yull's hair combined with the dress and the heels looked amazing! I love her sassy makeup and good, simple accessories; her bandanna tied the look into the rest of the music video, and I appreciate their continuity.




Hayana is very cute in this music video. Was her styling my favorite? No. But it wasn't my least favorite. Again, props to the continuity of the red. The best thing about her look is her accessories. I like that all the girls had metal accessories  they really fit the cold backgrounds of the video.





Middle of the pack:


Jucy looked nice, what little of her I saw. I liked her black and white tribal top and her spiky suspenders. I'd have liked to see her hair either match the chair or compliment the red, because right now, it just clashes. I hope to see her in more creative clothing in the future.



Say's "sexy" outfit looked nice and showed off her "11" abs, but I wanted more. It was too "Run Devil Run" or Go Hara to be amazing. But it did look nice, and she obviously can wear anything. I especially liked the spikes on her leggings, though they may cause issues sitting down.




NOT:

While Say's one-piece work suit fit the theme of the video, her outfit left much to be desired. First, I don't care how Hip-Hop you are, playboy bunny paraphernalia annoys me. I don't think some of the idols actually understand the implications behind it. I also get confused when looking at her hat. The beret is very painter, not so much Hip-Hop mogul. She has her hair going for her though.
J-Da is very cool, but her styling was too "Jeremy Scott" for my taste. I think her hair blended too much with her jacket, and her hat must be heavy! That being said, it does fit the average Kpop "Hip-Hop" clothing. Maybe that's my issue with it. EvoL is such a cool group that I want their style to be as unique as they are. But...unique NOT weird.
Whose outfit is your favorite? What would you like to see in the future? 
Leave your comments below.
--Lauren
source: Tumblr, 24-7 kpop
Hi guys, this is a new feature brought to you by KD and Lauren. We're going to share our opinions on Kpop Fashion from the week. Welcome to the April magazine edition :).

HOT:


1. G-Dragon for Allure 

Lauren: Here's a busy background done right. GD looks great in a muscle tank. And while I'm not a fan of the mass of necklace he has going on, it works. I really love the pink and blue feather in his hair, and I think the overall "whiteness" of his look does well against the rich scenery. Contrast and harmony ring key in this great shot from Allure.

KD: Overall, this shot is amazing. I think he looks amazing. Good Job, Allure, you sure know how to make girls drools over GD.



2. Miss A's Fei in 1st Look Magazine

Lauren: This picture gets an 'A' from me. Fei looks stunning in subtle way. The stylists stuck to warm colors in the clothing (and meat), which contrasted the metallic, cool feeling of the scene. There is nice balance in the picture and enough visual interest that the looker does not get bored, but not too much that to focus is drawn away from Fei. I especially appreciate her headband and her makeup. Good job, First Look.

KD: Fei looks amazing, the choice of clothing fits her perfectly, although she reminds of a mom cooking. I’m loving her on Master Chef Korea Celebrity, have you watch it yet?




3. Sistar19 for CeCi Magazine

Lauren: Let it be know that good setup and nice photography go a long way in selling a product! I really love this shot. I say I would not have put the retro hair on the girls, but the twinsies look is working with the over-sized chair and table set. This is a shot done right. My favorite fashion piece has to be Hyorin's skirt, but I also like their shoes. Overall, this is clean and stylish. 10/10 for CeCi.

KD: Sistar19, nothing much to say. I’m loving the twin concept. One word, "GORGEOUS"!


NOT:


1. Lee Som for Vogue Girl

Lauren: Lee Som is really very pretty, but I couldn't see any of her natural charm in this awful picture. The poor girl was styled in a yellow on yellow, suede, track-suit-with-shorts-as-the-bottoms combination that was just not working. Not even to mention my loathing for most things Juicy Couture (say hello to the gross tangerine tee shirt). I mean, really, who even wears an athletic tee in a fashion shoot?! The only saving graces this shot has is good makeup and a nice, albeit distracting, scenery. Sorry, Vogue Girl, I'm just not feeling it.

KD: I’m just not feeling it, there’s too much going on. Not loving the look.




2. CL for i-D (a British Magazine)

Lauren: CL is my bias in 2ne1, but I'll be the first to admit that her (and Jeremy Scott's) fashion sense is not always on par with what I think is attractive. We see this no better than in the picture at right. In all overall fuzzy suit (with a tail!!), CL reminds me of Big Bird from Sesame St. rather than a fashion icon. Likewise, her skiing (?) outfit on the far right does not pair well with the cap, which is in a slightly lighter orange, and her shoes, which are some sort of heel and sneaker Frankenstein. I only hope that as Jeremy's "muse", CL can steer him back on the path of good fashion, featuring license plate shoes and cute skirts, and away from this over-dramatic train wreck.

KD: Let just say, CL looks like a bigfoot in the first pic. I love CL, but this sometime her fashion choices don’t really resonate with me. She’s like the GAGA of Kpop. The second picture looks as if a paint machine explode on her. Sorry Jeremy Scott, but these looks are just not my cup of tea.


Want to see more? Never want to see this again?
Please share your feedback in the comments below.

Signing off,
Lauren & KD
Copyright © 2013 K-world Style (K-pop & K-Drama Fashion)