Why K-pop idols wear Acubi: The rise of Korean quiet cool | CNN

Known for its oversized silhouettes and muted layers, the Seoul-born streetwear aesthetic Acubi is being adopted by style-conscious shoppers around the world as an alternative to the precision-cut silhouettes common in American and European fashion. Named after the fashion label Acubi Club, which pioneered the style, the look draws on early-2000s Y2K styling, while moving toward more wearable pieces as consumers shift away from high-end maximalism, replacing glossy metallic pastels with neutral tones. Emerging around 2021, Acubi’s global profile was raised by South Korean girl groups: Blackpink, NewJeans and Aespa have worn the look during performances and fashion week appearances. “K-pop functioned less as the origin and more as an accelerator, transforming a local styling approach into a globally recognized look,” Heewon Yuh, youth fashion strategist at trend forecaster WGSN, said of Acubi’s appeal. “As global Y2K reached saturation, there was a growing appetite for something subtler and more modular,” she added. Content creators around the world on platforms like TikTok and Instagram have extended Acubi’s reach. The #Acubi hashtag on TikTok generates around 65,000

Apr 14, 2026 → Apr 14, 2026