Black padded jackets tend to dominate Korea’s winter fashion. A retro alternative, however, has begun to stand out: quilted floral vests once worn by grandmothers and now embraced by celebrities, including aespa’s Karina and Blackpink’s Jennie.

The vests have emerged as the latest look in grannycore fashion, a trend that blends styles associated with older generations with the tastes of younger consumers. The “halmaenial” trend — which combines the Korean word for grandmother, halmeoni, with “millennial” — resembles popular food trends that revived traditional flavors, such as black sesame and roasted soybean powder.


The item at the center of the halmaenial fashion trend is known as the gimjang vest, named after the nation's annual communal preparation of kimchi. During this winter ritual, neighbors gather in courtyards filled with plastic basins and share food and labor. Quilted and floral-patterned vests have long served as practical workwear for women who spend hours making kimchi while outside in the cold.

Once viewed as old-fashioned, the vest has gained new appeal after celebrities — from Karina and Jennie to Girls' Generation's Taeyeon — posted photos on social media of them wearing a gimjang vest over casual tops. Fans welcomed the look, describing it as “something unfashionable becoming cool.”

Consumer interest has surged. According to keyword analysis platform Blackkiwi, searches for the gimjang vests rose about 699 percent in November from the previous month. A search for the clothing article on the KakaoTalk Shopping platform yields 10,425 gift items, most priced at around 10,000 won ($7).

The trend has also intersected with “chon-cance,” a term combining the Korean word for countryside with the French word for vacation. The concept reflects a desire among young people to escape urban routines and spend time in rural settings, often framed as being similar to visiting a grandmother's home. Social media posts show friends traveling together in matching gimjang vests, reinforcing the nostalgic image.

Retailers have extended the look to pets. Matching gimjang vest sets for owners and their dogs sell for about 40,000 won. Underwear maker BYC launched winter products for its pet fashion brand on Oct. 1, offering nine items including quilted vests and fleece-lined designs. The company said it used high-quality insulating fabrics to balance warmth and style.

Gimjang vests have also drawn attention from Japanese tourists as a Korean souvenir. On social media, Japanese residents in Korea share shopping tips, with one comment reading, “Maybe Koreans don’t need to spend a lot on Uniqlo padded vests,” referring to the Japanese casual wear brand.


This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY SEO JEONG-MIN [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]