'Paemalmot' Yoon... Recently Favoring Turtleneck Knit 'Semi-Casual' Fashion

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol is arriving at his office set up at the Financial Supervisory Service Training Institute in Tongui-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 14th. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group

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[Asia Economy reporters Song Seung-yoon and Jeon Jin-young] As changes are detected in President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol's attire, attention is also focusing on his fashion.

According to political circles on the 24th, the fashion recently preferred by President-elect Yoon is a "semi-casual look" featuring a suit paired with a turtleneck knit. The semi-casual look is a lighter outfit than a suit that maintains formality without appearing too stiff, emphasizing activity and a youthful style.

At the announcement of the Presidential Transition Committee appointments on the 13th, he wore a sky-blue turtleneck knit, and on his first day at the committee, he had a similar outfit. During the election campaign, he appeared wearing turtleneck knits in different colors such as dark gray, light gray, and brown under his suit. Unlike the so-called "aje fashion" (middle-aged man fashion) of formal suits usually worn at official events, this is interpreted as an intention to give a more down-to-earth and comfortable impression. He sometimes folded the full turtleneck inward to create a half-turtleneck look or wore a half-turtleneck outright to emphasize a youthful image.

His formal suit attire at official events is not much different from the fashion he had as Prosecutor General. He wears a large-sized jacket and a tie tied not with the Windsor knot, which is generally formal, but closer to the four-in-hand knot, which suits semi-formal or casual looks. This somewhat loose knot symbolically reflects President-elect Yoon’s practical personality.

Fashion is used as a means to effectively convey the image one wants to show to the public according to TPO (time, place, occasion). It can also carry political messages. Jumi Kim, CEO of Soul Beauty Design and an image branding expert, said, "Recently, there are many traces of efforts to emphasize a simple and friendly image in President-elect Yoon’s attire. When styling changes, likability and impressions change a lot, and it often affects business. In this regard, fashion is important even for politicians."

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol is answering questions from the press after announcing the appointment results of the Presidential Transition Committee chairman and vice-chairman at the People Power Party central office in Yeouido, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 13th. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

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It is known that President-elect Yoon’s usual attire is mainly coordinated by his wife, Kim Geon-hee, who is regarded as having an exceptional fashion sense. In 2019, when he was appointed Prosecutor General, a scene where Mrs. Kim accompanied him to the Blue House and fixed his outfit while waiting was revealed through the media, becoming a hot topic. President-elect Yoon once said on a variety show, "She gives me (fashion) advice, but I don’t listen well. She gave up on me," he said. When asked by reporters about the meaning of his tie color at a press conference during his presidential campaign, he answered nonchalantly, "I wear what my wife picks for me in the morning."

Even after becoming a presidential candidate, President-elect Yoon continued to wear the suits he wore during his prosecutorial career, and after being advised by those around him to "get new ones tailored," he recently purchased a ready-made suit. It is said that he often wears what Mrs. Kim coordinates or repeats outfits he has worn before. He is so indifferent to fashion that those around him have never seen him shop for clothes himself. Because of this, he has no favorite brands, and most of his casual clothes are from domestic small and medium-sized brands that are hard to recognize, according to those close to him.

A close aide who has supported candidate Yoon closely said, "(President-elect Yoon) prefers clothes with many pockets or loose and comfortable fits, and he still finds bright-colored clothes somewhat burdensome."

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