Back to Index CR and KSY – More Life Imitates Art

Chae Rim vs Kim So-Yeon: Life Imitates Art
Chae Rim		In one of those odd quirks of life, six years after the airing of All About Eve, Kim So-Yeon and Chae Rim again happened to wear the identical dress, but this time a few weeks apart on the red carpet, with two completely different looks. KIM SO-YEON So-Yeon wore the dress first, for her red carpet walk at the 11th Pusan International Film Festival, held in Busan, South Korea on October 12, 2006. She is a regular celebrity presence at this annual festival, and infamous for the more daring gowns she wore in subsequent years. So-Yeon accessorized the form-fitting sheath with a small red clutch and leopard-print stiletto pumps. She wore her long hair loose and limited her jewelry to a pair of chandelier earrings for a simple, uncluttered look that kept the focus on the dress and her fabulous figure. CHAE RIM On December 21, Chae Rim appeared in the identical dress to accept her award for “Most Popular International Star” at the Third Annual Golden TVS Awards held in Guangzhou, China. That year, Chae Rim performed her role as the title character in the Chinese rom-com Princess Shenping (新醉打金枝/ Xin Zui Da Jin Zhi) with Hong Kong actor Nick Cheung. Chae Rim paired the dress with sheer black hose and classic black peep-toe pumps to create a lengthening effect for the mid-calf skirt. Like So-Yeon, she kept her accessories minimal; the jeweled bracelet, earrings, and shoe embellishments provide a bit of sparkle without being distracting. Her sleek, asymmetric updo put the focus on the fine lace detailing of the shoulders. On the red carpet, her feathery black coat added a hint of glamour, while the small white handbag gave a bright, playful touch to the otherwise sedate monochrome ensemble. For a closer look at the dress, scroll down…			Kim So-Yeon
The lace pattern of the shoulder straps reflects the detailing of the appliqués on the bodice and hem.
Two stars of the red carpet. One dress. One question:  Who wore it better?
For more on Chae Rim’s Manolo Blanik d’Orsey pumps go HERE.	This curve-hugging LBD fits Chae Rim’s slender frame as snugly as the traditional qipao on the attendant next to her.			[Images of Chae Rim from  www.tvscn.coml] Two days before this event, Chae Rim was was on stage at the press conference for her upcoming drama Oh Dal Jah’s Spring. In this KBS romantic comedy, she played the title character in a performance that won her the 2007 KBS Drama Female Top Excellence award.
All-About-AAE's choice:  The win goes to Chae-Rim Regarding the dress, although the wide lace shoulder straps and scattered appliqués add some interest to what is otherwise just a boring black sheath, the lateral contrast lines on the front attract the eye to what appears to be undersized breast cups. Aside from that unflattering feature, a woman needs a certain figure type to wear this curve-hugging dress well; here Kim So-Yeon has a natural advantage over Chae Rim... and the result is obvious. So why give the win to Chae Rim? So-Yeon usually shows an elegant sense of style on the red carpet (PIFF 2007 is one notable exception). This dress falls short of her usual standard and her accessorizing is unexceptional, doing nothing for the overall look. Chae Rim's red carpet style is more hit-or-miss; the dress is about par for her. Yet this time she put together the more elegant outfit, and deserves recognition for it.

Back to Index CR and KSY – More Life Imitates Art