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Local underwear companies leave behind 'less is more' mantra

Published: 03 Mar. 2023, 15:41 Updated: 03 Mar. 2023, 17:30

Girl group Oh My Girl's Arin as a model for BYC, an underwear company [BYC]

Underwear companies are promoting body positivity with natural, less revealing advertisements.

Underwear brand Vivien hired girl group Alice as its new model on Friday, marking the first time for the underwear company to advertise its products with a girl group since its establishment in 1975. Its previous models have all been actresses.

Alice's candor and confident image coupled well with the brand, according to Vivien's CEO Sohn Young Sup.

BYC, another underwear company, signed an exclusive contract with Oh My Girl's Arin in 2020. It renewed the contract on Tuesday.

Underwear commercials have changed along with the models.

Vivien was known for its ads featuring top actresses such as Kim Nam-joo, Song Hye-gyo, Kim Tae-hee and Shin Min-a. The commercials focused on flaunting the underwear's features and designs as the actress wore them.

But recently, many underwear ads are no longer "under."

Arin appeared in BYC photo ads holding the underwear in her hands and showing it hung on a hanger. Alice wore pajamas in a Vivien ad.

"The stereotype of showing underwear being worn in underwear commercials is fading away," said a spokesperson for a local underwear company. "More young models such as girl groups will be in commercials to follow the trend of emphasizing bright and positive image."

BY YOO JI-YOEN [[email protected]]