Year of Chaeyoung
2023 enters the Year of the Rabbit, a year of celebration for those born in 2011, 1999, 1987, and beyond. Among the idols born in 1999, one whose energy and vibe stand out, particularly for 2023, is TWICE’s Chaeyoung. From her personal style to her attitude toward life and individuality, Chaeyoung’s vibe is the epitome of Korean youth, which simply draws the luck of being born in the Year of the Rabbit out this year.
There are many characteristics of people born in the Year of Rabbit, and Chaeyoung seems to embody these in her day-to-day life. One characteristic is that these people are in some way creative. Chaeyoung’s fashion sense has always been experimental; whether it be wearing upcycled pieces at the airport, accessorizing with multiple items, or playing around with silhouettes in her outfits, Chaeyoung always pulls it off.
Image: Jang Dukhwa for GQ Korea
Another way Chaeyoung portrays the creativity of someone born in the Year of the Rabbit is with her sketchbook style of tattoos, appearing when they want to but catching everyone’s interest when they do. Being the first TWICE member to have tattoos, Chaeyoung’s desire to do whatever she likes has not let up and has continued to grow as she has grown as a person.
When people look at Chaeyoung with her tattoos and sense of style, they associate her as a person who does whatever she likes. In her GQ shoot, Chaeyoung explained that in the past when asked what freedom meant to her, it meant doing whatever she wanted. But now, freedom means peace of mind to her.
A second characteristic of those born in the Year of the Rabbit is that they are social people and love to connect with others of similar interests. Chaeyoung always seems to meet people or like musicians with similar vibes to herself, for example, Filipino-born British artist beabadoobee. beabadoobee is known for her tattoos and cool fashion sense of experimenting with various materials and colors, being styled in her earlier days by notjusttrash, who collect and upcycle rare vintage finds. Both Chaeyoung and beabadoobee personify individuals Gen-Z would dream of being, so it’s no wonder Chaeyoung enjoys beabadoobee’s music.
Chaeyoung has been expressing her individuality for years after her debut now, and another characteristic that she continues to show is ambition. In 2022, Chaeyoung began pursuing fashion endeavors and attended Salvatore Ferragamo’s Milan Fashion Week show, where Black-British designer Maximilian Davin made his creative directing debut for the brand.
This served to be Chaeyoung’s first international fashion event, where she bumped shoulders with fashion moguls Naomi Campbell and many others. Members of TWICE have been branching out toward different fashion brands, as fellow members Dahyun and Sana also attended Fashion Week shows for Michael Kors and Prada respectively.
In the future, if Chaeyoung wants to expand her personal portfolio and create more in the fashion scene, I think it would be fun for Chaeyoung to collaborate with brands Heaven by Marc Jacobs, Happy99, or Beepy Bella to create her own limited line for them. These three brands make clothes that tap into that childlike curiosity and wonder of the world through their illustrations and graphics, which makes people want to cover their bodies in their pieces. Chaeyoung is known for her drawings and doodles, even designing Lee Youngji’s YouTube channel logo and personal Instagram icon. The fantastical and almost whimsical nature around Chaeyoung’s drawings is what draws people to her, so I have no doubt there would be an interest in clothing pieces created by her.
As well as this, TWICE’s group account revealed on January 9 that the next installment of the member’s Yes, I am photobooks would be Chaeyoung’s version. Through these photobooks, the members are able to explore different concepts and show this through their own gazes. For Yes, I am Chaeyoung to be released at the beginning of 2023, the Year of the Chaeyoung is already in full spring. The photobook is currently available for online pre-order.
Edited by Vivian N.