A drama staple
The groundwork was the unadorned lead character Korean drama returned to again and again.
Style encyclopedia
청순Cheongsun
Origin/South KoreaCountry
Transparency built from white and pale tones. It is usually discussed as the counterpart to girl crush.
Where it began
Cheongsun means pure or unaffected in Korean. It names a register K-pop and Korean drama have drawn on for a long time: an impression built from restraint and cleanness rather than strong colour or exposure.
How it spread
It settled alongside the 'pure' character types of Korean drama and idol imagery, and moved from there into everyday dressing.
How to recognise it
White, ivory and pale beige, soft fabrics, ease that does not trace the body. It shares the limited palette of Korean style generally, but sits at a higher brightness.
What it costs
¥2,500–14,000. Pale colours expose cheap fabric quickly, so putting the budget into cloth quality changes how it reads.
Timeline
Era
mid 2000s – now
Price range
¥2,500–14,000
Dominant
—
Key brands
DHOLIC · tocco · chuu · SNIDEL · Lily Brown · MARDI MERCREDI
Headings are written in the language of the style's place of origin.