“See-Through at a Parliamentary Audit?” Park Jin-young’s Bold Outfit Rekindles Dress Controversies Involving Ryu Hojeong and Yoo Simin

Wears a see-through top under a gray suit
Politicians: "Unconventional" vs. "Inappropriate for his role"

The unconventional outfit worn by singer and producer Park Jin-young, co-chair of the Popular Culture Exchange Committee, during a parliamentary audit has become a talking point. As politicians offered differing views on whether it was appropriate attire for an official setting like the National Assembly, the controversy over former Justice Party lawmaker Ryu Hojeong wearing a dress to the Assembly has also drawn renewed attention.

Park Jinyoung, co-chair of the Committee on Public Culture Exchange, gives a work report during a parliamentary audit of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism at the National Assembly on the 7th. Reporter Yoon Dongju.

On Oct. 7, Park appeared as a witness at a parliamentary audit of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism conducted by the National Assembly’s Committee on Culture, Sports and Tourism. He wore a gray jacket and trousers, with a see-through top underneath that caught people’s attention. His outfit stood out in an audit room where conventional business suits are the norm.

Politicians also offered a range of reactions to Park’s attire. Kang Seong-pil, a former deputy spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Korea, appeared on MBN’s “News Wide” that day and commented, “It may be familiar at other TV stations, but the National Assembly is a conservative place. I’ve never seen anything like it before. It does feel a little awkward.” He added, “I think it’s fine because he’s Park. He’s the chair of the Popular Culture Exchange Committee, a singer, a producer and a world-renowned producer. It’s not a problem because he’s Park, but it was unconventional.” Jo Yong-sul, a spokesperson for the People Power Party, disagreed, saying, “The outfit was somewhat inappropriate for his role.”

Past Controversies over Ryu Hojeong’s Pink Dress and Yoo Simin’s White Pants Revisited

This is not the first time an outfit has sparked controversy at the National Assembly. In August 2020, Ryu Hojeong, then a member of the Justice Party, drew controversy when she attended a plenary session of the National Assembly wearing a pink polka-dot dress. Some criticized the outfit as too informal for a lawmaker, while others defended her, arguing that the Assembly’s overly conservative dress customs needed to change.

Justice Party lawmaker Ryu Hojeong (left) on August 4, 2020, and Roh Moo-hyun Foundation Chairman Yoo Simin on April 29, 2003. The Asia Business Daily archive.

Some of the criticism directed at Ryu also included sexist remarks and personal attacks, further fueling the controversy. Ryu responded that the National Assembly’s authority does not come from suits, explaining that she wanted to break with the Assembly’s customs, symbolized by suits and ties.

Controversies over attire at the National Assembly date back even further. In 2003, Yoo Simin, then a lawmaker for the Reformist People’s Party, sparked controversy when he took the oath of office as a National Assembly member wearing white pants and an informal top. At the time, opinions were divided between those who argued that the Assembly’s authority and formality should be respected and those who said individuals’ freedom to dress as they wished should be respected. In this way, whenever unconventional outfits appear at the National Assembly, views have clashed over whether proper decorum is required in an official setting or whether the substance of lawmakers’ work matters more than their attire.

He Also Wore a Mesh Shirt at a 2003 Blue House Performance

Park has repeatedly made headlines in the past for his unconventional stage outfits. He challenged conventions in popular culture with daring fashions for the time, including vinyl pants, halter tops and mesh outfits. In particular, he drew widespread attention by wearing a mesh shirt and leather pants at a celebratory performance held at the Blue House in 2003.

Park, the committee chair, also recalled the incident when he appeared on MBC's “The Manager” last August. “At the time, Korean society felt so frustrating,” he said. “I wanted to change my outfit at the Blue House, but they told me not to.” MBC

Park also appeared on MBC’s “Omniscient Interfering View” in August and recalled what happened at the time. “Korean society felt so stifling then,” he said. “I tried to change clothes at the Blue House, but they told me not to.” He continued, “I brought the outfit, but when they told me not to wear it, I went in without changing. I thought, ‘I’m a singer, so what?’”

Meanwhile, allegations of preferential treatment surrounding “Paenomeoneon,” a K-pop festival Park is promoting, also emerged as an issue at the audit. Paenomeoneon is a K-culture festival being planned jointly by the Popular Culture Exchange Committee and four major Korean entertainment companies: HYBE, JYP Entertainment, SM Entertainment and YG Entertainment. In response to opposition lawmakers’ allegations of preferential treatment in the process of organizing the event, Park said, “If we don’t hold Paenomeoneon and each company puts on its own concert, they would make two to three times more revenue, or even more. We set that aside and agreed to work together at a sacrifice.” Regarding the trademark application, he acknowledged that “some aspects of the process were not proper,” but explained that “JYP Entertainment filed the trademark application first with the intention of moving the project forward successfully.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.