Apink’s Costume Designers Explain How Their “Eung Eung” Outfits Were Made To Work On Stage
In a new “Comment Defenders” interview with AYO on YouTube, two experienced costume designers who worked on “Eung Eung” for Apink explained how their outfits were specially made.
These days, in most cases, idol stage outfits are typically purchased from premium fashion brands, with different pieces mixed and matched to create a theme. For some comebacks, however, handmade outfits are the only way to truly embody a concept.
That was the case for Apink when they came back with “Eung Eung” in January 2019. Both in the music video and on stage, several members wore specially-designed corsets that were handcrafted by Lingerie Han. Together, CEO Han Seon Mi and junior designer Na Hyun Bin have been working on costume design for Korean entertainment since the 2016 movie The Handmaiden.
In a new video with AYO, they explained how the outfits were specially made to work well on stage. Na Hyun Bin showed off Naeun‘s glitzy white corset first.
Corsets have been worn since the 16th century, but the corsets found in history wouldn’t work as stage outfits today. In traditional corsets, Han Seon Mi explained, the boning doesn’t bend. Originally, corset boning was made from whalebone, but these days it’s made from tough plastic or even steel. These materials are designed to be inflexible and hold the body into a certain position.
Of course, that doesn’t work for dancing on stage, where idols need to be able to twist and bend comfortably. So, Han Seon Mi used special springy boning in Apink’s corsets to ensure their dancing wasn’t affected.
Traditional corset hooks would also present a problem for idols on stage. According to Han Seon Mi, while the original steel hooks look very beautiful when sitting or standing for a short time, they quickly become very uncomfortable.
So, for live performances, the steel hooks were switched out for hook-and-eyelet closures, similar to those found on everyday bras.
Finally, Swarovski crystals were added to the corset one by one to create a bright and flashy look that stands out.
The end result is an unforgettable stage outfit that’s comfortable to perform in.
Na Hyun Bin also showed off Chorong‘s corset, designed in soft, pink fabric.
It seems that similar techniques were used to construct it, with steel hooks reserved for music video shoots rather than stage performances. “If you look at this,” Na says, “You would understand that the lingerie look can be lovely and pure.”
Are Stage Outfits Uncomfortable For Idols? K-Pop Costume Designers Explain All
