Comparing J.Seph, BM, Somin, and Jiwoo of the K-pop group KARD to other idols, or even artists in general, is not an easy task. They’re a co-ed group, a rare find in the industry these days, who have earned remarkable international success with a distinct cross-cultural take on music and dance.
However, when they aren’t releasing new music or touring, you can find the quartet attending fashion shows, walking runways, modeling, directing photoshoots, or doing makeup tutorials on YouTube. With such varied ventures, it’s become easier for their fans, known as Hidden Kard, to compare KARD to the only people who do more than them: Barbies — and the members themselves have been joining in on the fun.
“I feel like J. Seph would be like ‘High School Sweetheart Ken,’” BM tells Teen Vogue in English, at a hotel conference room in New York City, just a day after the first United States show on their Playground tour. In a puzzled tone, J.Seph repeats, “High School Sweetheart?” and BM explains the popular English phrase. “He said really he was like that in high school, everyone,” BM finally announces after discussing among themselves in Korean.
Don’t let his eyebrow piercing fool you, J.Seph fits the High School Sweetheart bill almost too perfectly. The eldest rapper has a suave and confident attitude, not unlike the main character of your favorite high school rom-com. It’s evident in his Instagram feed, full of “boyfriend-aesthetic” pictures for fans to screenshot and make their phone backgrounds. J.Seph has his selfies down to a science, which BM is eager to break down for us: “Can I translate this? I feel like I can translate this one.”
“He finds an angle where he likes to expose the features of his face that he likes,” BM explains. “So for instance, for J. Seph, it's his left side, where he likes his cheekbone. It protrudes a little outwards the way he likes. He doesn't like shooting from the front, because it's not an angle that he likes. So his advice for taking selfies is finding the features of your face you like, focusing on them and finding the right angle. For him, his angle is 45 degrees up, left side.” J.Seph takes it a step further. “I will show you,” he says, proceeding to demonstrate several wrong examples and finally the perfect selfie-taking stance.
Jiwoo, the youngest of the group, is also confident about what type of Barbie she would be. Before the interpreter can relay her message, BM enthusiastically interjects, “I feel like she would be like a dark, twisted Barbie.” Again, his groupmate repeats his descriptors in a puzzled tone. “Dark and twisted, but more on the darker edge,” he responds. “Rockstar Barbie. How's that sound?” Finally, the interpreter has time to relay Jiwoo’s words, “She's saying she's definitely not the traditional Barbie style.” BM adds, “She's on the grungier side.”
Grungy with a sweet edge seems to have become her signature aesthetic. During the interview, Jiwoo wears a baby pink top and hot pink pants, but the distressed fabric and baggy fit of the outfit give it a grunge look, which is now an integral part of her artistry. The singer has gone viral a number of times and become a Pinterest mood board mainstay for her fearless, edgy style. It’s something that has permeated way past sartorial clothes and is palpable in everything she does, including her latest feat: Photoshoots.
During the pandemic and the subsequent pause on promotions, Jiwoo wanted another creative outlet. When her close friend proposed they work together on an editorial for an overseas magazine, she joined the project immediately and ultimately became part of the crew. Since then, she’s worked on a number of projects with the team, even taking on the role of creative director.
“I always wanted to really get into that editing part and really learn how things work on a professional level,” Jiwoo says. “And I always enjoyed fashion so much and I wanted to try directing somebody else.”
While the others may have second-guessed BM’s suggestions, there is, however, one member whose title is not up for debate. “I feel like Somin could be the Korean version of the very traditional Barbie,” BM says. This time, there’s no question. Somin agrees that she likes the stereotypical Barbie, which comes as no surprise. The veteran K-pop singer has been known to dress just like her. “Pink,” BM echoes through the room.
Somin started her YouTube page four years ago and has shared everything from behind-the-scenes footage of music video shoots to room tours and beauty routines, giving fans an intimate look at her daily life. Now, she maintains the same candor with fans, but from the front rows of fashion shows. Through it all, she says, she’s been able to be so open with fans due to her own passion for beauty and fashion that she wants to share.
“I have no fear in using different products,” Somin tells Teen Vogue, clarifying that not only does she enjoy trying new products but also giving others recommendations. So, even when she’s not sent products via brands themselves, she’s researching and buying them herself to share her thoughts with viewers. (At the moment, her favorite product is a serum from the brand Belif, in case you were wondering.)
With beauty already conquered, Somin is now also getting her footing in fashion attending shows around the world, which she considers an honor. “When I was looking at the collections, I was always amazed how every time different outfits can come out with different styles, different concepts,” she says, calling the clothing masterpieces.
Though BM eagerly made suggestions for his group mates, when it's his turn to name his Ken, the Californian rapper hesitates. “I have no idea. Can you think of one for me?” he asks the room. Jiwoo responds: “L.A. Ken.” Now, it’s BM’s turn to question the label. After a quick back and forth, they almost settle. “Los Angeles Ken. Super laid-back, chill,” BM concurs before backtracking a tiny bit. “Oh, I'll be Surfer Ken. There you go. Or Skater Ken! Let's go with surfer. I think surfer sounds sexier.”
BM’s easy-going attitude juxtaposes, yet somehow also strengthens, his dedicated work ethic. In addition to his music, both with KARD and as a soloist, BM has also been developing his presence in the fashion industry. He has fully dived into the cycle, attending and even walking shows like Boss’ at Milan Fashion Week.
“Fashion was always a lane I wanted to dive into for a long time, and finally being able to do it on a big scale was big for me,” he says. “Fashion is another way to express yourself. You literally wear your expression and I feel like loving music and different types of art, I see clothes differently. And so being able to be there and soak in the world in a different light was just amazing for me and I just can't get enough of it.”
For the same reasons, the next project BM has his eyes on is, perhaps rather unexpectedly, furniture. “My favorite part about furniture, fashion, and art is how you can create something new with something that's already there,” he says. “I think that's so beautiful and I can't wait to dive into it more and be at a point where I know enough about it as I do music to be able to one day maybe create my own as well.”
You probably wouldn’t imagine High School Sweetheart Ken, Grunge Barbie, Traditional Pink Barbie, and Surfer Ken in a K-pop group together, but that’s why it works. “Normally other K-pop artists, they have fashion style where it's a bit similar so that they could show as a group,” Jiwoo tells Teen Vogue, “but KARD is more likely to focus on individually having styles that fit each individual and bringing those different unique styles actually makes KARD.”
“We always want to show something different,” BM adds. “Us being just a co-ed group in itself is a very different thing, but we want to maximize the idea of being bold, of being different, being unique, and I think one of the best places to do that is also through fashion and style as well.”
Their latest release, “ICKY,” has been the perfect opportunity for KARD to do just that. “We're now entering early 30s, late 20s, so we wanted to spice it up a little bit, give it a little bit more of a sexy vibe and add a little bit of sly innuendos and make it fun for the listeners to see if they are able to catch those,” BM says. ”And we've never actually done that before, so kind of just taking a little bit more of a risk because of how conservative K-pop is traditionally. So we wanted to take a fun route for that and get the fans talking.”
Currently on their Playground world tour, KARD is bringing their unmatched energy from city to city. During each show, the group performs around 19 songs with intense choreography, but they don’t spare any opportunity for outfit changes, speaking segments, and engaging with fans. Factor in the summer heat, humidity, and at times, high altitude, and it’s even more strenuous. Yet, while watching KARD, you’d think it was a piece of cake.
There are tricks to keeping up with the pace. For Jiwoo, it’s adding an extra layer of glue to her eyelashes after she’s applied them. J.Seph’s hack is going light on makeup, and opting for hair gel that gives a wet look. Somin puts on a perfume that fits her outfit and the vibe of the show before heading to the stage. BM goes for a holistic approach, “I really try to live in the moment and really try to soak up everything. And I think that preparation, just trying to go in with that mindset and having it even the day before, is the biggest thing for me to put on the best show I can.”
Even though they have different routines for getting ready, the group does have a pre-show ritual they all do together. Just before they start the show, the members always take a group photo to share with fans. This small gesture itself is the perfect example of KARD’s dynamic. No matter what they’re doing or where they are in the world (real, or Barbieland), KARD are in it together.
