NewJeans wows crowd at 2024 Korea On Stage in hanbok

K-pop act NewJeans performs at the “2024 Korea On Stage — New Generation″ event at Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

K-pop girl group NewJeans dazzled at Gyeongbok Palace, Tuesday, with a stunning performance in modernized "hanbok," (traditional clothing) beautifully showcasing Korea's rich heritage.

The event, dubbed "2024 Korea On Stage — New Generation," was co-hosted by the Korea Heritage Service and KBS as part of the celebration for the Korea Heritage Service, a newly named entity replacing the Cultural Heritage Administration.

The night’s event opened with NewJeans member Danielle as the solo emcee and concluded with a performance by the group, with only four of five members in attendance as Hyein recovered from a foot injury.

Before NewJeans took the stage, a special performance video of the group filmed in front of the palace's main Geunjeongjeon Hall was shown. In the video, NewJeans performed its 2023 track, "Cool With You," donning white "dansam" (or single-layer hanbok jacket) and double-layered hanbok skirts to complement the ethereal spectacle.

This performance in traditional Korean attire, pre-released to heighten anticipation for the event last week, received acclaim from online users.

Comments such as "I love this Korean traditional fairy look on them," and "Korean designers do the most amazing modern takes on Hanbok and I love it," were shared, with some even harking back to when K-pop juggernauts like BTS and BLACKPINK wore hanbok to promote traditional Korean style on the international stage.

After the video, NewJeans took the stage in pastel-colored hanbok, wearing translucent jeogori (jacket) and high-waisted, voluminous skirts, and performed their hits including "Ditto," "ETA" and "Super Shy." The lightweight material of the outfits enhanced NewJeans' performance, accentuating the members' dance moves.

From left are NewJeans members Minji, Danielle, Hanni and Haerin at the “2024 Korea On Stage — New Generation″ event at Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul, Tuesday. Hyein was absent due to foot injury. Yonhap

Song Hye-mi, the designer of Seodamhwa who created NewJeans' costumes for the Geunjeongjeon performance, expressed gratitude for the group's efforts to showcase the essence of Korean beauty.

"Unlike most stage hanbok that is modified to be comfortable and trendy, NewJeans wore 'jeoksam' (hanbok's unlined inner jacket) without alteration, showcasing its beauty in the truest form," Song revealed through an Instagram post.

"I was deeply moved by NewJeans and their styling team's effort to preserve hanbok's image and their warm, cheerful demeanor despite the current turmoil they are in."

Despite ongoing disputes between the group's agency, Ador, and its parent company HYBE, the members maintained bright expressions throughout the performance.

Han, a Korean attendee of the concert in his 20s, noted that the night's performance in hanbok reminded him of how national heritage could seamlessly blend into everyday life.

"Their hanbok suited the members perfectly ... Watching the hanbok performance set against Gyeongbok Palace made me realize that the everyday things we see could also be part of our national heritage," Han said.

After the performance, NewJeans members took turns in expressing gratitude for the opportunity.

Haerin shared, "I've performed on many stages, but being able to perform at Gyeongbok Palace, a national heritage site, was very meaningful and an honor."

Minji concluded the night with "Our new album is being released on Friday and we ask for your love and support."