Complex recently released one of the most notable K-pop fashion rankings of 2026: the 25 best-dressed K-pop stars of all time.
Rather than focusing solely on stars currently dominating fashion weeks or collecting luxury brand ambassadorships, the magazine assessed each artist’s entire career, taking into account their ability to set trends, versatility in style, and influence across generations. As a result, the list includes not only contemporary stars such as Jennie, Lisa, and Felix, but also icons from earlier generations.
G-Dragon tops the list, with Jennie taking second place. However, perhaps the biggest surprise is the artist at No. 3: BTS’s RM. While many of the other stars stand out through bold transformations, Complex sees a different kind of appeal in RM.
1. G-Dragon (BIGBANG)
Everyone else on this list seems to be competing for a position that G-Dragon essentially created himself. Before K-pop idols became regulars in the front rows of fashion weeks and before nearly every major group had a member signed to a luxury fashion house, G-Dragon had already been personally chosen by Karl Lagerfeld to represent Chanel. He became the first K-pop artist to serve as an ambassador for a fashion house, and that relationship continues to this day. That achievement alone helped change how the fashion world viewed Korean idols.
What separates G-Dragon from other stylish ambassadors is that he does not simply wear fashion—he actually creates it. Peaceminusone began as an art project before evolving into a genuine fashion brand rather than merely an artist merchandise line. Its best-known projects include collaborations on Nike Air Force 1 sneakers, alongside partnerships with names such as Comme des Garçons and BMW.
G-Dragon is also frequently seen wearing bold custom pieces from Jacob & Co. and Chrome Hearts. His style has been developed alongside longtime stylist Gee Eun, in a creative partnership comparable to Zendaya and Law Roach. Together, they continuously search for rare pieces from designers across different generations, experimenting and pushing fashion boundaries.
The constant throughout G-Dragon’s style is his approach to fashion as an extension of art. After 20 years of being an artist whom other stars reference and learn from, he continues to occupy that position.
2. Jennie (BLACKPINK)
Few K-pop artists have shaped the way people dress as clearly as Jennie. As one of the world’s most famous female celebrities, her influence is enormous, and the so-called “Jennie effect” has become a phenomenon of its own. Jennie has been a global ambassador for Chanel since 2019, long enough for fans to simply call her “Human Chanel.”
She has appeared in campaigns for the Chanel 25 bag and Coco Crush, made her Met Gala debut in 2023 wearing a vintage 1990s Chanel look for the Karl Lagerfeld tribute, and returned to the Met Gala in 2026 in a custom Chanel creation. But Jennie’s wardrobe extends far beyond Chanel. She frequently wears Alaïa, Jacquemus, and numerous other brands. Almost every styling choice she makes, whether major or minor, has the potential to quickly become a trend among fans.
3. RM (BTS)
RM proves that sometimes the smartest way to dress is not to try too hard to stand out. While many names on the list favor bold and attention-grabbing fashion choices, the BTS leader takes the opposite approach. He favors relaxed tailoring and muted colors and embraced the spirit of “quiet luxury” long before the term became widely popular.
Bottega Veneta recognized that connection and appointed RM as its first celebrity ambassador in 2023, a particularly fitting choice for a fashion house whose identity revolves around logo-free craftsmanship. RM once explained the relationship himself, saying that he had gradually lost interest in logos and the endless cycle of trends, while Bottega appealed to him because the brand did not need to “shout” to attract attention.
RM’s interest in fashion also extends beyond his public appearances. During his military service, he quietly created a second Instagram account, @rpwprpwprpwp, dedicated to photos of his outfits. Fans discovered the account only a few days later.
4. Seo Taiji
Every star on this list—and arguably every K-pop album that has ever become a phenomenon—can be traced back in some way to Seo Taiji. He was one of the figures who shaped Korean pop music into what it is today. When Seo Taiji and Boys debuted in 1992, their music was initially so shocking that it was not immediately embraced. Fashion played an important role in that initial impact.
Seo Taiji brought the spirit of American hip-hop into a South Korea that was still largely unfamiliar with the style: oversized T-shirts, windbreakers, overalls, sports jerseys, and backward caps. But after his first success, he refused to repeat the same image. Seo Taiji also changed how the industry operated by popularizing the model of artists working with dedicated stylists, something that has since become standard across K-pop.
5. Lisa (BLACKPINK)
Lisa has always been the BLACKPINK member with one of the clearest international footprints. As the group’s only non-Korean member and its only Thai member, she already had a strong foundation for building a massive fan base outside South Korea. In 2020, Lisa became Celine’s first brand ambassador and quickly emerged as a muse for Hedi Slimane. She later worked with Bvlgari before beginning a new relationship with Louis Vuitton in 2024.
Lisa made her Met Gala debut in 2025 wearing a Louis Vuitton bodysuit in a “no-pants” look, then returned in 2026 in an avant-garde Robert Wun creation featuring sculptural arms holding a veil above her head. And, of course, her role in turning Labubu into a global phenomenon cannot be overlooked. She began posting photos with Labubu in 2024, helping transform a Pop Mart collectible once known mainly within a niche community into a worldwide craze and a genuine fashion accessory. Few idols have demonstrated the ability to shift pop culture in the way Lisa has.
6. Taeyang (BIGBANG)
To understand Taeyang’s style, you have to start with BIGBANG. The group was among the first K-pop idol acts to be taken seriously by the global fashion industry. Long before ambassadorship deals became commonplace, Taeyang was already attending fashion weeks alongside G-Dragon and gradually developing a distinctive personal style that fans followed and imitated. He helped make having an individual fashion perspective almost a requirement for K-pop idols.
Taeyang’s style has always been heavily influenced by hip-hop and rock, expressed through leather, denim, silver, and layers of jewelry, often featuring custom Chrome Hearts pieces. When asked to define his style, he once said he could not give it an exact name, only that “hip-hop and rock ’n’ roll have always been the roots.”
7. Lee Hyo Ri
Lee Hyo Ri is Korea’s original “it girl.” If Uhm Jung Hwa is South Korea’s Madonna, Lee Hyo Ri could be considered its Britney Spears. She debuted with first-generation girl group Fin.K.L in 1998, but it was her 2003 solo hit “10 Minutes” that truly turned her into a phenomenon. The fashion associated with the song—tank tops, every imaginable form of low-rise clothing, and trucker hats—became so popular that Korean media dubbed 2003 the “Year of Hyo Ri.” Two decades later, her style has shifted toward something softer and more relaxed, but her influence as an “it girl” remains intact.
8. J-Hope (BTS)
All BTS members are active in fashion, which is hardly surprising given the group’s global stature. But J-Hope’s everyday outfits make his personal love of fashion and streetwear particularly clear. Louis Vuitton appointed him a House Ambassador in 2023, and he regularly appears in custom pieces from the fashion house. In 2025, he even introduced his own version of the LV Buttersoft sneaker: a pink suede shoe featuring “HOPE” on the tongue. J-Hope also frequently connects with figures such as Fragment’s Hiroshi Fujiwara and Jiyong Kim, a Korean menswear designer with a devoted following in Seoul and London.
9. Oh Hyuk (Hyukoh)
Oh Hyuk is the vocalist and leader of alternative rock band Hyukoh, and a reminder that Korean music extends far beyond K-pop. The band’s alternative spirit is clearly reflected in the way he dresses. Lived-in suits, workwear, and vintage clothing are frequently paired with Converse sneakers. He may not appear on red carpets as often as K-pop idols, but his style and visual sensibility are highly regarded within Seoul’s creative community.
10. CL (2NE1)
CL was one of the pioneers who helped establish K-pop as a global force in fashion. As 2NE1’s leader, she consistently stood out and fully embodied her “Baddest Female” persona. She carried that energy into the U.S. market and became one of the earliest K-pop idols to attend the Met Gala in 2021.
11. Rosé (BLACKPINK)
Rosé is a prime example of the perfect relationship between a muse and a fashion house. She became Saint Laurent’s global ambassador in 2020—an almost ancient length of time by the rapidly changing standards of K-pop. Yet throughout that period, Rosé has never looked out of place within the brand’s image. Saint Laurent’s sharp yet feminine sensuality under Anthony Vaccarello fits her and her signature blonde hair particularly well, turning Rosé into a quintessential “YSL girl.” For major red-carpet appearances including the 2026 Met Gala and the Grammys, she has also worked with Law Roach, the stylist famous for shaping Zendaya’s image.
12. T.O.P (BIGBANG)
T.O.P embraced art collecting as a way of developing his aesthetic sensibility long before it became common among K-pop idols. In 2016, he co-curated an auction at Sotheby’s that generated $17.4 million, far exceeding its original estimate and demonstrating that his artistic eye was taken seriously even in spaces that traditionally paid little attention to pop stars. That sensibility is equally evident in his wardrobe, which often consists of perfectly tailored monochromatic suits. Alongside G-Dragon and Taeyang, he was part of the original BIGBANG lineup that helped propel K-pop toward becoming a global phenomenon.
13. Lil Moshpit
Lil Moshpit, whose real name is HWIMIN, is one half of the superstar production duo GroovyRoom. His style leans heavily toward streetwear, with Chrome Hearts, Stüssy, and Off-White appearing frequently in his wardrobe. Lil Moshpit is also the founder of cult label AREA, which has collaborated with AMBUSH, and he is particularly skilled at combining archival vintage pieces with streetwear classics.
14. Hyein (NewJeans)
In 2022, Hyein became a Louis Vuitton ambassador before she had even finished middle school, making her the youngest face ever signed by the fashion house. While the rest of NewJeans leaned more heavily into a soft, retro aesthetic, Hyein pursued a more high-fashion image and proved particularly well suited to the sharp, neo-futuristic spirit of Nicolas Ghesquière’s Louis Vuitton.
15. Lee Chanhyuk (AKMU)
Lee Chanhyuk is the creative brain behind sibling duo AKMU. He writes and produces the duo’s entire discography while also taking charge of its visual direction. For years, Chanhyuk was mocked for supposedly suffering from “GD disease,” a Korean expression used for artists perceived as trying to imitate G-Dragon’s eccentricity. But Chanhyuk eventually moved beyond the joke. What was once dismissed as imitation has developed into a style entirely his own, proving that interesting K-pop fashion does not necessarily have to revolve around major luxury houses.
16. Lara (KATSEYE)
KATSEYE’s Lara is Tamil American and openly queer. She consistently incorporates her South Asian heritage into her maximalist Y2K looks, from bindis coordinated with her outfits to her nose ring. Lara has said in interviews that she wants brown girls to be able to see themselves on billboards. Through campaigns with Gap and other brands, that is exactly what she is doing.
17. Annie (ALLDAY PROJECT)
Annie’s style is exceptionally polished and put together. Some might describe it as “old money,” and in her case, that description has a literal connection to her family background. When she debuted in 2025, Korean media called her the “first chaebol idol.” Annie wears wealth the way someone born into that world might be expected to: understated and without needing to show it off.
18. Felix (Stray Kids)
Nicolas Ghesquière appointed Felix as a Louis Vuitton ambassador in 2023. Since then, he has twice walked the runway for the fashion house’s womenswear collections in Paris, in 2024 and 2025. In 2025, Felix was also named a global ambassador for Gentle Monster, a partnership that opened up a more experimental side of his fashion identity.
19. Martin (CORTIS)
Martin, leader of CORTIS—a group that has even released a song titled “FaSHioN”—is one of the newer names worth watching. He embodies the image of a quintessential Gen Z fashion kid, drawing inspiration from indie sleaze and 2010s grunge. Brands including Chanel, Saint Laurent, and Dior have already taken notice, while Complex sees Martin as one of the most promising emerging figures in fashion.
20. Hanni (NewJeans)
Hanni is perhaps the NewJeans member who best embodies the effortless, soft, retro appeal at the heart of the group’s identity. Gucci signed her less than three months after NewJeans debuted. Hanni has a talent for turning outfits that look as though they came straight out of an early-2000s shopping mall into something effortlessly stylish—the fashion-forward version of the ultimate “girl next door” wardrobe.
21. Zion.T
Zion.T sometimes jokingly describes himself as “the skinny guy with glasses.” Instead of trying to escape that image, he has turned it into his personal style signature. As he is not an idol, Zion.T does not chase conventional brand ambassadorships, but he frequently wears luxury designs and was one of nine figures selected for Maison Margiela’s “Tabi Collectors” exhibition in Chengdu, China, earlier this year. Zion.T’s fashion is unmistakably his own.
22. Uhm Jung Hwa
For those unfamiliar with her legacy, Uhm Jung Hwa is often described as the “Madonna of Korea.” Her stage looks throughout the 1990s and 2000s—including the signature blunt bob from “Poison”—became trends eagerly copied by young Koreans. She laid the groundwork for many of the female solo artists who followed. Although her commercial peak belonged to another era, her fashion influence and legacy remain highly significant.
23. Yeonjun (TXT)
Every now and then, an idol actually appears on the fashion runway itself, and Yeonjun is one of them. In March 2026, Miu Miu sent him down the runway alongside names such as Gillian Anderson and Chloë Sevigny. Yeonjun has the ability to embody Miu Miu’s playful, quirky character without making it feel forced or as though he is simply playing a role.
24. Ningning (aespa)
Ningning has steadily built her fashion influence since aespa was appointed an ambassador for Givenchy. Her personal style leans toward a futuristic aesthetic, or what Korean fans sometimes call “쇠맛”—a sharp, metallic sensibility. In April 2026, she signed with Gucci. Her heavily smudged smoky eyes combined with Demna’s sensual vision create a striking contrast with the brand’s previous imagery.
25. Jaehyun (NCT)
Jaehyun is the kind of idol who makes luxury fashion look effortless and natural. Yet when the occasion calls for something more polished, he maintains that same ease while wearing interesting tailored pieces. Prada appointed him as an ambassador in 2022, and four years later, Jaehyun remains one of the fashion house’s favored faces.
Sources: k14