BTS Jimin Creates 23.9 Billion Won Value for Dior with Just Two Posts [K-Star Departure Wars ③]

K-Star Airport Fashion Delivers Staggering Advertising Power
Departure Halls Turn into Runways... Luxury Brands Battle for Promotion

Editor's NoteK-culture has now grown beyond a simple trend to become a full-fledged industry. A star's departure for overseas schedules is no longer a private matter, but a 'public event' and part of cultural content shared with the masses. However, the chaotic scenes at airports during send-offs are a dark shadow hidden behind the industry's bright side. This feature begins with the question: "How can the expansion of culture and public safety coexist?" Amid complex factors such as the autonomy of fandom culture, the public's right to mobility, and the operational efficiency of airports, we examine to what extent and in what ways policy should intervene. Through real-life case studies, responses from relevant organizations, and comparisons with domestic and international policies, we aim to explore both the direction of airport safety management and the sustainability of fan culture appropriate for the K-culture era.

When BTS member Jimin appeared at Incheon International Airport to attend Paris Fashion Week in France, hundreds of fans and photographers flocked to the scene. The olive green mini Saddle Bag from Dior that he wore was showered with camera flashes and quickly spread worldwide through social media and the press. The response was explosive. The bag Jimin wore sold out immediately, and Dior achieved a record annual sales figure of 1 trillion won in Korea alone. The financial magazine The Economist dubbed this phenomenon 'The Jimin Effect.'

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How Did Airports Become Runways?

The departure halls of airports have become a new advertising platform where global brands engage in fierce marketing competition. This trend gained momentum in the early 2000s, as K-pop stars began traveling abroad more frequently and their airport appearances attracted increasing attention from fans and the media. In the past, celebrities would simply show up at the airport in casual clothes, but now the airport has transformed into a marketing space rivaling a fashion runway.

With the rise of social media, brands are leveraging airport departures as a new advertising channel. Outfits and products worn by stars become instant topics of conversation and quickly lead to consumer purchases.

A fashion marketing industry insider explained, "Stars receive various forms of compensation from brands. Sponsorship contracts include not only luxury clothing and bags, but also gift certificates, product giveaways, exposure requirements, and modest appearance fees." Some top stars even have staff costs covered or secure additional advertising contracts for long-term revenue. A representative from a leading entertainment agency said, "Global ambassador contracts between idols and luxury brands can reach several million dollars. Fashion exposure at the airport is a core element of these contracts and provides significant income for the stars."

The Astounding Advertising Impact of Airport Fashion

The advertising industry rates the ROI (return on investment) of airport fashion extremely highly. In fact, Jimin generated approximately $17 million (about 2.39 billion won) in media value for Dior with just two social media posts. Jennie of Blackpink also generated about $6.9 million (970 million won) in advertising impact through her collaboration with Chanel. In 2023, Chanel's global marketing budget reached $2.463 billion (about 3.47 trillion won), and content marketing with K-pop stars is seen as maximizing investment efficiency while strengthening the 'young luxury' image.

Korea is becoming an increasingly important market for global luxury brands. Chanel Korea's 2023 sales of 1.7 trillion won accounted for about 7-8% of Chanel's global sales, making Korea the top single-country market for Chanel. For LVMH, which owns Louis Vuitton and Dior, the share of sales in Asia (excluding Japan) is about 30%, the largest in the group, and Korea is a core market within this. Prada's Asia-Pacific sales in 2021 increased by 29% year-on-year, with 90% of that growth attributed to Korea. As the size and growth rate of Korea's luxury market have expanded significantly over the past five years, Korea's share in global brand sales has also risen sharply.

According to the Korea Fashion Industry Association, the market for luxury brand sponsorships related to airport fashion grew by about 40% from 2022 to 2024. At the center of this growth are K-pop stars. In February this year, the Gucci jacket, pants, and bag worn by BTS member Jin at Incheon Airport sold out within hours on the official U.S. website, and the 60,000-won silver necklace worn by Jungkook in April last year also sold out completely within a week.

The Shadows and Challenges Behind K-Star Glamour

While the airport departures of K-pop stars have become a new economic platform reshaping the global fashion industry, there remain challenges related to safety and order behind the glamour. Recently, at the arrival of a star, hundreds of fans gathered, leading to people falling and raising concerns about the risk of crowd crush accidents. Some agencies are attempting to keep filming schedules confidential or arrange for quiet arrivals and departures, but there are practical limitations. A representative from a major agency stated, "We try to minimize exposure of departure schedules through coordination with all stakeholders, but it is virtually impossible to keep everything secret, as fan site masters (homma) still manage to find out and gather at the scene."

There are also calls for agencies to take greater responsibility and effort from a long-term perspective. Pop culture critic Kim Heonsik emphasized, "Entertainment agencies should not be fixated solely on immediate profits or fandom reactions, but should guide stars in the right direction. They need to consider the intrinsic value of content and strategies for a sustainable cultural entertainment industry." He added, "It is also necessary to consider how singers or actors from countries with repeated airport chaos are perceived overseas. If they want to be recognized on international stages such as the Grammy Awards, now is the time to focus on the essence and sustainability of K-content, rather than obsessing over chart rankings or airport fashion buzz."