Is it a challenge or a fad? Or is ballet—the delicate and disciplined form—becoming a new language of transformation for Korea’s brightest stars? With the momentum of balletcore still going strong, it was only a matter of time before the movement stepped beyond the wardrobe. Now, it’s taking centre stage in the lives of Korean celebrities. Not just as a look, but a lifestyle.
When the highly-acclaimed Netflix series Navillera aired in 2021, it did more than tug heartstrings. Song Kang’s turn as a young male ballet dancer—mentored by a retiree chasing one last dream—planted a quiet but powerful seed in the Korean pop-cultural psyche: ballet, long held at arm’s length by masculine convention, could be powerful, poetic, and profoundly moving.
Fast forward to 2025, and that seed has bloomed into a movement. K-pop stars like BTS’s V and Shinee’s Choi Min-ho have all been spotted at the barre, easing into ballet not just for its aesthetic grace, but for its gentle rigour. It’s a shift that feels intimate and sincere, set against the backdrop of a time when authenticity is currency. Parallel to this is balletcore, a fashion trend that has traded in high drama for high arches. Think soft palettes, stretch fabrics, satin footwear—once reserved for rehearsal studios, now reimagined for everyday wear. But while fashion borrows the silhouette, these stars are embodying the discipline itself.
When V of BTS took to Instagram to share snaps of himself at the barre, the internet ignited. Not just because of the novelty, but because it felt like a reclamation of grace. This is especially so since it came soon after the megastar’s military discharge. For an idol long accustomed to fast-paced choreography and relentless schedules, ballet offers something different: slowness. It’s less about perfecting a plié than it is about reclaiming agency over the body.
And it’s not just the male celebrities taking to the studio. Actress Kwon Nara and style icon Irene Kim are also turning to ballet, drawn by its fluid form and meditative control. Across Korea’s celebrity circle, the dance form is emerging not as a performance to perfect, but a practice to return to. In lives shaped by public demand and the pressure to constantly evolve, it offers a rare sense of grounding—a quiet, deliberate way to reconnect with the self. And in an industry that thrives on reinvention, there may be no bolder move than learning to dance to your own rhythm. Even if it begins with first position.
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