Who was Kim Rieul? K-pop hanbok designer for idols like BTS, Monsta X dead at 32

BTS hanbok designer Kim Rieul passed away this week, his family confirmed on the 12th. He was only 32 years old.

The hanbok designer for top K-pop idols like BTS and MONSTA X Kim Rieul sadly passed away on Tuesday night, per K-media reports published on February 12. He was just 32 years old. Rieul's (birth name Kim Jong Wong) family confirmed the tragic news, saying, “It is true that Kim Rieul passed away yesterday,” Chosun Biz reported. They have yet to reveal his cause of death.

Kim Rieul, modern hanbok designer who has created outfits for K-pop idols like BTS and MONSTA X, passed away on the night of 11th February. (Instagram)

Who was Kim Rieul?

The modern hanbok designer was born in 1993 in Namwon, North Jeolla Province, and was named in Forbes' list of Asia's 30 Under 30 Leaders in 2023. In 2016, he attracted attention by releasing hanbok designs under his own brand, ‘Rieul’.

Kim further shot to mainstream focus when K-pop sensation BTS members (RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook) shook the music scene with their moonlit performance of “Idol” at Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, rocking his creations of black outfits inspired by hanbok. The powerhouse display was seen on NBC's The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in 2020.

In addition to sparking BTS' onstage fashion with modern hanbok trends, Kim's brand has offered beautiful pieces to K-pop greats like MONSTA X (Shownu, Minhyuk, Kihyun, Hyungwon, Joohoney, IM and former member Wonho), CLC, Zico, Tiger JK and many others.

Rieul's modern hanbok brand bridged the gap between traditional fashion and 21st-century comfort

In an interview with AYO on YouTube, the modern hanbok pioneer revealed that the idea first emerged when he realised how enthusiastic his international friends were about renting and wearing hanbok in Korea. However, the traditional Korean outfit isn't necessarily synonymous with comfort.

Making the 19th-century fashion pick more accessible for the 21st-century people, Rieul dove deep into creating hanbok suits. Moulding the traditional attire for modern customers, he soon started renting his creations to “people who perform on behalf of Korea” for free so that the international audience could naturally discover the hanbok. Promoting the Korean culture through fashion was a bigger priority for Kim over commercial success.

Further sharing why he felt drawn to the world of hanbok growing up in the historic city of Jeonju, he told The Korea Herald in 2021, “I saw a row of hanbok rental shops springing up at the village frequented by tourists. It’s been less than 20 years since the rental business became a boom. As the market got bigger, problems started to emerge, as many shops started using cheaper Chinese fabrics instead of authentic Korean ones.”

MONSTA X's Kihyun wearing Rieul's hanbok creation during 'Follow' era promotions.

Reinventing traditional Korean attire

Despite no connections to fashion, Kim, who was actually a hardcore soccer enthusiast, decided to incorporate hanbok into everyday suits. Birthing an idea ahead of its time, Rieul started the business when there “was no such thing as hanbok suits.” On being rejected “by almost all hanbok makers and factories, not only because it was labour-intensive work, but also the texture of hanbok is really tough to handle,” it took Kim six months to tailor his first hanbok suit.

Social media ultimately helped boost his unique fashion ideas as the photos quickly earned him over 20,000 likes within a week of their Instagram launch. Shooting to stardom, he eventually became the most sought-after hanbok brand among local designers and celebrities. Beyond making tailored hanbok suits, Kim's brand and vision also delved into diverse possibilities by fusing the essence of traditional clothing with fashion pieces like tennis skirts, leather jackets and sweatshirts.

BTS on Jimmy Fallon Show

Rest in peace, Kim Rieul.