Why Korean men want G-Dragon to make parasols cool
G-Dragon performs during the encore concert of his “Ubermensch” world tour at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro District, Seoul, on Dec. 14, 2025. Yonhap
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Korea’s weather over the past few days could be described as turbulent, with record rainfall and scorching heat waves taking turns battering the peninsula. In a strange twist, Korean men are now turning to G-Dragon, a celebrity known for setting fashion trends, hoping he can make parasols fashionable.
Korea’s first severe heat wave warning of the year was issued last Sunday, followed Tuesday by heavy rain warnings for the Seoul metropolitan area and Gangwon Province, with rainfall of more than 50 millimeters per hour.
A day later, the Korea Meteorological Administration forecast another heat wave and tropical nights, a weather condition in which the overnight temperature does not fall below 25 degrees Celsius between 6 p.m. and 9 a.m. the following day. Seoul was forecast to reach 30 degrees Celsius during the day, with humidity of up to 75 percent through the evening.
G-Dragon, leader of K-pop group BIGBANG and one of Korea’s best-known fashion trendsetters, carries a parasol during a YouTube appearance, a sign of the item’s growing popularity among men. Captured from DaeSung's YouTube channel
A look at the comments under YouTube weather forecasts, meanwhile, finds them increasingly filled with calls for G-Dragon, a member of K-pop group BIGBANG, to use a parasol.
The celebrity has established himself as a fashion trendsetter known for popularizing gender-neutral styles, including scarves and tweed jackets. The half-joking calls for him to carry a parasol follow a simple logic: If G-Dragon starts using one, parasols will catch on and people of all ages and genders will feel comfortable carrying them.
The meme began in 2024, when a record heat wave struck the country and tips for avoiding ultraviolet rays were widely shared online. G-Dragon appears to be aware of the calls for parasol use.
“I heard that some men want to carry parasols but feel self-conscious because no one else on the street is using one, so they are urging me to use one first,” he said during an appearance on fellow BIGBANG member Daesung’s YouTube channel.
People carrying parasols walk along a street in Wansan District, Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, on Tuesday, when a heat wave advisory was in effect. Yonhap
Parasols are seeing a meaningful increase in sales in Korea this year.
According to Shinsegae Group's lifestyle brand JAJU, sales of lightweight umbrellas and parasols rose about 38 percent month-on-month in June.
Sales climbed even more sharply as the monsoon season began in earnest. From July 1 to 8, sales were about 50 percent higher than during the first week of June, an increase attributed to the repeated swings between extreme heat and heavy rain.
Medical experts have also named parasols as one of the most useful items for beating the heat this summer.
“The most effective way to prevent heat-related illnesses, including heat exhaustion and heatstroke, is to provide shade,” said Kim Ho-jung, a professor of emergency medicine at Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital. “On an individual level, people should actively use parasols or sun-blocking umbrellas.”
According to Kim, using shade structures or parasols outdoors can lower the perceived temperature by as much as 10 degrees Celsius. Parasols are particularly effective because they shield not only the face and head but also part of the upper body from direct sunlight, reducing exposure to radiant heat.
Kim also offered additional guidelines for preventing heat-related illnesses, including drinking water regularly, avoiding prolonged outdoor activity during the hottest hours and taking regular breaks.
He further advised wearing light-colored, breathable clothing and checking daily temperatures and weather forecasts.
This article from Kormedi.com, Korea’s top health care and medical portal, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.