Myart Auction's auction of BTS member Jimin's unwashed stage outfit, a hanbok, has been called off after uproar by fans. The K-pop singer wore the outfit for his performance on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon." It was lent to him by designer Kim Rieul.
According to reports, due to their busy schedules, BTS's styling team was unable to dry clean the outfit before returning it to Rieul's atelier, as the designer spoke about in a short documentary on VIDEOMUG:
"This outfit is touched and worn by Jimin. I didn’t even wash it… These are the clothes that still keep Jimin’s sweat and fragrance of that day."
According to reports, Rieul provided the outfits for BTS's performance on the American talk show. While HYBE Entertainment wanted to purchase outfits worn by Jimin and the other members, Rieul - who has lent his designs to other idols in the past - refused, stating that he does not normally sell his clothing idol stars.
The Korea Times reported that while Rieul initially hesitated to place Jimin's Hanbok at auction, he eventually agreed.
A Myart spokesperson said of the outfit:
Jimin's hanbok is a work of art that is unique. It was left unwashed after the performance and will be sold with Jimin's body odor intact.
BTS fans were outraged by the auction as they believed the designer had to procure Jimin's consent before selling the hanbok that had his "body odor."
Myart Auction stated that the auction had been canceled, explaining that this was the first time Rieul had attempted to sell a hanbok worn by an idol through an auction. The company stated:
"He felt burdened as it was being seen as a commercial appearance. For this reason, we decided to cancel the auction after much consideration because we agreed with the designer."