It was the first Monday of May, which means the Met Gala was once again in full swing. The theme for this year’s event is Costume Art, with the dress code being “Fashion Is Art”. As usual, there were high expectations for the stars and how they would honour the dress code.
In recent years, K-Pop stars have dominated social media with their Met Gala appearances, drawing attention with their interpretations of the dress codes. This year, we continue to see more Korean stars on the red carpet, with some making their Met Gala debuts. Among those in attendance this year were all four members of BLACKPINK, and Karina and Ningning of aespa. Here are their looks:
Lisa (BLACKPINK)
A familiar face at the Met Gala, Lisa pulled out all the stops for this year’s event, donning a custom Robert Wun gown with a matching veil. The look also featured arms moulded from the Met Gala 2026 co-chair’s own body, which snaked out from the back of her dress.
Jennie (BLACKPINK)
Another seasoned Met Gala attendee is K-Pop’s it-girl, Jennie. This year, the singer stepped out in a shimmering Chanel column dress, designed by the label’s creative director, Matthieu Blazy. The dress featured 15,000 sequined leaves and reportedly took 540 hours to create.
Rosé (BLACKPINK)
Making her third appearance at the Met Gala is Rosé. The Saint Laurent ambassador once again opted for a classic black dress this year, donning a custom look featuring a high slit and a sequinned bird-shaped appliqué.
Jisoo (BLACKPINK)
Finally making her Met Gala debut is Jisoo, who wore a custom Dior gown by Jonathan Anderson. Accompanying the sparkly pink floral number is a matching flower hairpiece and a vintage Cartier necklace.
Karina (aespa)
Also making her Met Gala debut is aespa member Karina. Her custom Prada look is inspired by the traditional Korean attire, the hanbok, with a black cape layered over a white satin dress with an embellished neckline.
Ningning (aespa)
Fellow aespa member Ningning also made her first appearance at the Met Gala this year. The idol’s all-black custom Gucci look featured sculpted and layered ruffles. On top, she kept it simple with a slick-back updo and earrings from Bvlgari.
EJAE
Grammy-winner and “K-Pop Demon Hunters” star EJAE also stunned with her debut Met Gala look. The singer stepped out in a sculptural dress beaded in Swarovski gemstones, completing the look with a diamante-encrusted Korean-style updo.
Audrey Nuna
Another KDH star to set foot on the Met Gala red carpet this year is Audrey Nuna. Known for taking fashion risks, the singer donned a dramatic black-and-white splattered look, with a matching hat, by designer Robert Wun.
Ahn Hyo Seop
Representing the Saja Boys is Ahn Hyo Seop, who is also making his Met Gala debut. The actor wore a custom Valentino single-breasted jacket with frog closure, along with a champagne jacquard silk shirt and a red silk ascot.
Which look was your favourite?
Sources: Vogue, Billboard, Forbes, Korea JoongAng
