Once upon a time, sportswear was created and manufactured purely for functionality. But today, with the advent of pop culture trends such as K-Pop, donning sportswear can be a fashion statement.

With the obsession to look good while working out, sportswear manufacturers have to cater to such demands and workout clothes now have to serve more than one purpose.

The rapid rise of K-Pop has had a a huge impact on fashion. Popular K-Pop boy and girl groups, such as Girls’ Generation, have redefined sporting attire, adding a sense of style and flair to what was once just t-shirts and shorts. K-Pop idols don vibrant sportswear to perform and have made activewear a staple of their everyday wardrobe.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) predicted the profitability of the market by infiltrating South Korea by collaborating with retailer MK Trend to sell exclusive basketball-related apparel and merchandise.

According to Sports Illustrated culture blog, Extra Mustard, the NBA granted MK Trend permission to change traditional team jersey colours to make the designs more appealing to Korean idol groups, and subsequently local consumers.

Thanks to the popularity of South Korean culture, similar trends have sprouted across the region, resulting in a change of direction for sports apparel.

Once used only for the sake of working out, one can now don sportswear as a casual outfit, and not worry about criticisms or fear of committing a fashion faux pas. While these sporting concepts are still considerably fresh, one cannot deny that the healthy and positive outlook portrayed by good-looking K-Pop idol groups is exciting.