The Style Rebellion of K-pop: BTS Jin, Kim Jaejoong, and NCT Yuta Are Leading K-pop’s New Trend

Is rock making a stylish return in K-pop? Recently, a growing number of male idols have been embracing rock—not just as a musical experiment but as a complete concept that fuses sound, style, and attitude.

This isn’t just a nostalgic nod to early-2000s emo or 90s alt-rock. Instead, it's a new wave of rock expression, filtered through the lens of modern K-pop, where vulnerability, edge, and theatricality collide.

BTS Jin Goes Full Rockstar

Take BTS’s Jin, for example. With his second solo mini album Echo, Jin completes his transformation into a full-fledged rocker. In newly released concept photos, he appears with heavily layered long hair cascading past his neckline, and jet-black nail polish.

Adding to the edgy look are subtle wound-like makeup accents that instantly break away from his previously tidy, boy-next-door image. It’s a striking reinvention—raw, intense, and styled with precision.

His wardrobe embraces classic rock staples like leather and faux fur, punctuated with bold, oversized accessories. Details like star tattoos on his hands and artistic black nails give the look a rebellious yet curated energy. Jin isn’t just wearing rock—he’s embodying it, crafting a visual identity that feels both unexpected and undeniably powerful.

Kim Jaejoong Embraces Chaos and Freedom in His Loudest Era Yet

Kim Jaejoong, a longtime vocal powerhouse, has also fully embraced rock with the release of his new EP Beauty in Chaos on the 19th. In the concept visuals, he grabs a stand microphone in a cropped leather jacket, exhales smoke in dramatic profile, and glitters with ornate accessories—every image a deliberate embrace of glam-infused rock aesthetics. The styling is bold, fearless, and unmistakably loud.

The album centers on the theme of starting anew from the heart of chaos. The title track “Rock Star” delivers explosive energy through heavy guitar riffs and unfiltered emotion. Lyrically, it carries a fiery message: even the imperfect, masked parts of oneself are worth embracing, and when shared with someone else, that truth becomes a personal form of stardom. "You can be your own rock star," the song seems to say, "especially when you’re not alone."

Jaejoong’s styling—complete with statement headpieces, leather, Guitar in the MV, and attitude—mirrors this liberation. Explaining why he chose rock, Jaejoong said, “Rock gives me freedom. No matter what sound or emotion I layer on, the spirit of the music never loses its sense of freedom.”

It’s a genre, he suggests, that refuses to be tamed—and now, so does he.

NCT’s Yuta Channels High-Drama Rock Style

Meanwhile, NCT’s Yuta is pushing boundaries with “Twisted Paradise”, his recent Japanese single. The visual concept fuses elements of glam rock blending metallic accessories, dramatic makeup, and high-drama outfits.

Musically and visually, Yuta taps into chaotic glam and reinterprets it through a K-pop idol lens—part rebellion, part elegance. It's experimental, theatrical, and undeniably magnetic.

What these artists have in common is not just a sound, but a full-concept approach to rock. This includes fashion—leather, mesh, chains, and smoky makeup—crafted not as decoration but as narrative. Their performances embody tension, rawness, and confidence, revealing a desire to express deeper emotions and a broader range of masculinity. Rock gives these idols room to be messy, vulnerable, and loud in ways that feel fresh and authentic.

Fans are loving it and fans are celebrating this “rock boyfriend” era. Instead of seeing rock as outdated or niche, younger audiences are embracing it as cool again. In the hands of these idols, rock is being remixed for a new generation—not as a throwback, but as an evolution.

Ultimately, this isn’t just a trend. It’s a signal of K-pop’s continued expansion and a reflection of how artists are carving out new lanes to express themselves. For K-pop idols, rock isn’t just about rebellion—it’s about reinvention.

Get the latest on K-pop & K-drama here!