A claim circulating on social media platforms suggests that Adidas is launching a Korean hanbok-style jacket as a new product. The claim has gained traction alongside viral images and short videos showing jackets with traditional East Asian silhouettes. However, a review of official Adidas announcements, product listings, and credible media coverage shows no evidence of such a launch. Therefore, we found this claim to be misleading.
Social Media Posts
Viral post features images of jackets styled with overlapping front panels, ribbon ties, or loose silhouettes, often labeled as “Adidas hanbok jacket” or “Korean hanbok Adidas.” The concept has gained traction across multiple social media platforms.
Fact Check
No Official Adidas Hanbok Jacket Announcement
A review of Adidas’s official website, newsroom, and product catalog shows no announcement or listing of a hanbok-style jacket as part of any global or regional collection. Adidas routinely publishes product launches and collaborations through its newsroom and retail platforms, yet no such item appears in these official channels.
For example, Adidas’s official Lunar New Year collection page lists multiple themed items but does not include any hanbok-style jacket. Similarly, recent press releases, including the Adidas Originals x CLOT Chinese New Year 2026 collection, detail culturally inspired apparel rooted in Chinese aesthetics, with no mention of Korean hanbok designs.
The timing of the viral claim appears to be linked to the recent surge in popularity of Adidas’s Chinese New Year “Tang-style” jackets, rather than simple confusion. These jackets, characterized by mandarin collars and frog-button closures, have gained significant traction across social media and streetwear communities, becoming a viral fashion item in early 2026.
As these Chinese-inspired designs gained visibility, some social media users began circulating new visuals and concepts that referenced similar traditional East Asian aesthetics. This may have contributed to claims about a “hanbok-style” Adidas jacket, despite the absence of an official product announcement.
Adidas has previously incorporated Korean cultural elements into its designs. Notably, the “Adidas Originals by Ji Won Choi” collection featured hanbok-inspired details such as ribbon ties (goreum) and multicolored stripes reminiscent of traditional garments. These designs were presented as reinterpretations within sportswear, rather than authentic hanbok garments.
Viral Images Are AI-generated
These images appear to have been generated using Gemini. Alongside the presence of a SynthID watermark, a visual review shows several common indicators of AI-generated imagery. For example, the ribbon (goreum) is integrated without clearly defined stitching, the Adidas-style logo looks slightly uneven, and the lighting and surface texture are more consistent with high-quality AI renders than typical product photography.
Moreover, Hive Moderation, an AI image detector, shows consistent results indicating that these images are highly likely to have been created using AI.
Conclusion
The claim that Adidas is launching a “Korean hanbok jacket” is misleading. Our review found no official Adidas announcement or product listing for a hanbok-style jacket in its Lunar New Year / Chinese New Year collections or newsroom updates. The viral narrative appears to be driven by a mix of confusion with Adidas’s Chinese-inspired “Tang-style” jackets that have surged in popularity and the circulation of AI-generated concept images shared without proper context.
Although Adidas has previously incorporated hanbok-inspired details in past collaborations and styling, there is currently no reliable evidence that the company is releasing an official hanbok-style jacket as a retail product.
Title: No Evidence Adidas Is Launching a Korean Hanbok Jacket
Fact Check By: Cielito Wang
Result: Misleading
