Rising as a Fashion Item for Women in Their 20s and 30s amid Chon-cation and Halmaenial Trends
Retro Appeal and Celebrity Influence Drive Surge in Searches and Sales
The floral quilted vest, commonly referred to as the "kimjang vest" and once regarded as the epitome of outdated design, has recently emerged as a new fashion item among women in their 20s and 30s. This trend is driven by the retro consumption tendencies of the younger generation, who enjoy turning "tackiness" into "hipness," combined with the rapid spread of trends through social networking services (SNS).
The 'Kimjang Vest Craze' Ignited by SNS
The kimjang vest refers to a thick quilted vest traditionally worn by older adults during kimchi-making season for warmth. Its vibrant floral patterns and loose silhouette have long established it as a symbol of "grandmother fashion."
However, recently on SNS platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, content related to kimjang vests has surged, with reactions like "It's tacky but cute," "It's flashy and unique," and "It's perfect for the current trend." In particular, content featuring kimjang vests as school outfits (OOTD) has gone viral, drawing even more attention.
The 'Halmaenial' Trend: Turning Outdated into Attractive
Recently, kimjang vests have diversified beyond vibrant florals to include checkered and reversible designs, greatly expanding their use as fashion items. Their affordable price, typically between 10,000 and 20,000 won, also lowers the barrier to purchase.
In addition, the "Chon-cation" (a portmanteau of "countryside" and "vacation") craze, which embraces rural aesthetics, and the "Halmaenial" trend (a blend of "halmeoni," meaning grandmother, and "millennial"), which celebrates grandmother-inspired tastes, have further fueled the kimjang vest phenomenon. As the culture of enjoying "tackiness" as "hipness" has taken root, the kimjang vest is now viewed as "newtro" rather than "old-fashioned." The trend gained even more momentum when popular celebrities such as Jennie of Blackpink and Karina of aespa posted photos of themselves wearing kimjang vests on SNS.
Explosive Search Volume Among 20s and 30s... Overwhelming Female Ratio
According to Naver Data Lab's keyword trend on November 16, the search volume for "kimjang vest" and related keywords (such as "floral vest") among those aged 19 to 34 reached 77. Naver sets 100 as the maximum search volume to indicate relative changes. After peaking at 100 on December 22 last year, the search volume declined as the weather warmed, but began to surge again in the middle of last month.
On the search analytics platform BlackKiwi, searches for kimjang vests this month increased by about seven times (699.85%) compared to the previous month. Those in their 20s (13.2%) and 30s (36.0%) accounted for nearly half of all age groups, and the female ratio was overwhelming at 84.3%. Quilted vests have also ranked in the top 10 bestsellers in the vest category on Zigzag, a fashion platform mainly used by women in their 20s, highlighting their popularity.
Recently, even people wearing kimjang vests with their pets have appeared. At the Garyas (BYC's pet clothing brand) pop-up event at COEX on October 22, kimjang vests for dogs drew significant attention.
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