How Jennie and Karina made ‘kimjang vest’ trendy in Korea

Karina, left, and Jennie / Captured from social media of each

A floral quilted vest long seen as an unfashionable “grandma-style” item in Korea — commonly nicknamed the “kimjang vest” because older women often wore it while making kimchi for winter — is enjoying a surprising revival among young consumers as a trendy winter fashion piece.

According to Naver Data Lab search trends on Nov. 18, searches for these quilted vests and related keywords such as “floral vest” among users aged 19 to 34 hit an all-time high of 100 the previous day. Naver assigns the peak search volume a value out of 100 to show relative change. After reaching 96 in December 2024 and dropping to zero, interest began surging again in mid-October.

Search analysis platform BlackKiwi also reported that searches for the vest this month increased nearly sevenfold — 699.85 percent — from the previous month. Users in their 20s and 30s accounted for nearly half of all searches, at 13.2 percent and 36 percent respectively, while women made up an overwhelming 84.3 percent.

Analysts say the resurgence is linked to the growing popularity of “choncance,” a trend where young people seek out rural-themed relaxation, and “halmaenial,” a fashion aesthetic that embraces grandma-style nostalgia. As more people adopt these retro influences, the quilted floral vest — once associated with older rural homemakers preparing kimchi for winter storage — has reemerged as a stylish, ironic statement piece. Rural tourism has also grown: According to the Rural Development Administration’s Oct. 29 report, 43.8 percent of Koreans said they experienced rural travel, up from 35.2 percent in 2022.

The trend gained further momentum after global K-pop stars such as BLACKPINK’s Jennie and aespa’s Karina shared photos of themselves wearing the vest on social media, sparking interest among younger fans.

With the rising buzz, related items have climbed to top-selling positions across major online shopping platforms. On apps popular with women in their 20s, including Zigzag and Ably, the floral quilted vest consistently ranks as a bestseller. Prices range from 5,000 won ($3.85) to 40,000 won.

The trend has even expanded into pet fashion. On Oct. 22, Korean underwear brand BYC collaborated with pet clothing label Gaeryas to release a dog-sized version of the quilted vest, which drew significant attention at a Coex popup event in southern Seoul.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.