Sports Illustrated Highlights K-Pop Fashion Trends And The Increasing Popularity Of NBA Merchandise Among Idols

Last month the Sports Illustrated culture blog, Extra Mustard, investigated the NBA's use of K-Pop to spread its popularity across the globe.

The article, titled 'How the NBA is Using K-Pop to Dominate Asian Pop Culture,' revealed some shocking insight into the increasingly popular fashion trends in South Korea and how K-Pop idols are helping to fuel basketball's expansion into Asian markets.

Following the lead of many major companies and brands who have been cashing in on the vast markets in places like China and Japan, the National Basketball Association has moved into South Korea with a new approach, and it appears to be paying off.

In an unprecedented move, the league has partnered up with South Korean retailer MK Trend to sell exclusive merchandise in their 56 nation-wide stores. What's more, for the first time, the NBA gave the company permission to change traditional team colors and add a variety of funky designs to league merchandise making it more appealing to Korean consumers.

The reason for the revolutionary marketing gambit lies in the very nature of K-Pop and its affect on fashion trends around Asia.

K-Pop idols are known as much for their music as they are for their style and it is not at all unusual to see Korea's biggest stars decked out in vibrant sports attire on stage, in music videos and variety shows, or in their day-to-day lives.

MK Trend's flashy line of NBA gear has become so popular, in fact, that the company's CEO Michael Kim says his stores regularly get customers from places like Japan and China who bring in photos of K-Pop stars wearing the vibrant basketball merchandise looking to buy the same items for themselves.

And while hardcore basketball fans in the US may frown upon hats and jackets with altered designs and colors, consumers in Korea are more interested in what looks cool. And the result has been increased NBA brand exposure in foreign markets across Asia, a very good thing for basketball.

For the full story, check out the Extra Mustard blog HERE.

Tags
K-Pop
fashion
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