Korean fashion, beauty and music have shaped the cultural zeitgeist at an unprecedented scale in recent years, from Netflix viewing habits to the global success of the animated fantasy musical K-Pop Demon Hunters, to new runway aesthetics and popularised beauty routines.
However, the “K-wave” movement began in the late 1990s — when Korean music, TV dramas, film, fashion, beauty, food and more rose in popularity in countries such as China, Japan, Taiwan and Thailand. A second wave in the 2010s reached even further, driven by the success of Korean pop music, or K-pop, and groups like BTS, Black Pink and Girls’ Generation.
The Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) seeks to further propel this momentum, as creative industries and their consumers embrace Korean culture at large. A state-run body, KOCCA is charged with transforming the nation’s brands and creative businesses into dominant, global players across fashion, broadcasting, gaming, music and more.
As a part of its work, KOCCA provides funded programmes and international collaborations to assist emerging fashion designers with the exposure and support necessary to compete in the global marketplace. Its initiatives appear to be working: brands within the programme that participated at Paris Fashion Week last September have conducted over 350 meetings with international buyers since.
Concept Korea, which was founded in 2010, is part of a national strategy backed by KOCCA to provide emerging and established Korean designers with the financial and production support to present at global showcases, such as in Paris and New York.
In Paris, Concept Korea presented a standalone show for Korean-born, France-based label Kimhēkim. The luxury brand was founded in 2016 by Kiminte Kimhēkim, who trained in Paris before becoming a member of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode. Meanwhile, Bonbom — which was founded in 2020 by designer BonBom Jo with a subversive and streetwear-inspired approach to luxury pieces — presented alongside Re Rhee, a womenswear brand founded in 2010 by Central Saint Martins-trained Junebok Rhee.
To learn more about how KOCCA supports both emerging and established Korean fashion labels in their strategies for global success, The Business of Fashion sits down with the founders of Kimhēkim, Bonbom and Re Rhee to learn more.
Kimhēkim by Kiminte Kimhēkim
What are the biggest challenges and opportunities facing emerging Korean fashion labels today?
Proximity proves to be a challenge. Local designers often need to travel long distances to present their collections and connect with global audiences. While this can be demanding, the process itself can be inspiring. The exposure to different places, cultures and perspectives fuels creativity and broadens our vision.
Korean fashion is gaining unprecedented attention worldwide, and with the growing interest in Korean culture as a whole, new doors are opening for collaboration, visibility and cultural exchange.
How has KOCCA’s support and initiatives contributed to your international expansion?
KOCCA has long supported Korean designers and fostered the growth of native creative talent, which we’ve admired for years.
KOCCA has served as a valuable bridge, connecting us with the production team Eyesight and enabling us to naturally integrate Korean culture into our brand. They also facilitated meaningful collaborations with influential artists and platforms such as Dazed Korea and [K-popstar] Somi, helping us expand our creative reach both locally and globally.
How do you celebrate Korean culture while creating collections that resonate with global markets?
Right now, there’s a growing wave of global enthusiasm for Korean culture. I feel fortunate to be part of this movement, contributing in my own way while staying rooted in the traditions that inspire me.
My grandmother taught me how to sew traditional Korean garments when I was seven — and that early experience has stayed with me. My deep appreciation for Korean crafts and decorative arts continues to shape my collections in a natural and meaningful way.
I focus on expressing this identity in a way that feels relevant to today’s audience, without losing its authenticity.
Re Rhee by Junebok Rhee
What are the biggest challenges and opportunities facing Korean fashion labels today?
The key challenge is achieving differentiation in global markets while balancing commercial performance with brand identity. Preserving a unique point of view is difficult with fast trend cycles, so we separated the collection line from the general line, giving buyers and customers a broader range that serves all needs.
Meanwhile, the evolution of social platforms and commerce channels accelerates conversion from offline experiences — such as trips to Korea and flagship visits — into purchases. In this environment, Korean labels can grow faster and at a greater scale.
The global rise of K-culture is more than a trend: it’s the outcome of a symbiotic cultural ecosystem. Streaming and social media have lowered international boundaries, enabling K-content to surface simultaneously across platforms.
What is the mission and vision of your brand?
We place great emphasis on movement and structure when designing clothes. We prioritise tactile qualities over purely visual ones, exploring how the designer’s perspective and philosophy are woven through both touch and sight.
How has KOCCA’s support and initiatives contributed to your international expansion?
Our participation in Paris Fashion Week — which was spearheaded by Concept Korea — was pivotal in rapidly expanding our network of global buyers and press. We appeared on official invitations and press lists, which helped validate Re Rhee. This recognition increased response rates to pre-show outreach and boosted confirmed meetings.
By sharing line sheets and a preview lookbook in advance, we secured targeted appointments and strengthened our credibility for entering global markets. This, in turn, enabled us to build a stable overseas order pipeline through trade shows and showroom operations.
Bonbom by BonBom Jo
What are the biggest challenges and opportunities facing Korean fashion labels today?
With the ongoing K-wave, K-fashion has gained significant attention — creating an exciting opportunity for brands like ours. However, as many Korean fashion brands are emerging simultaneously, it has become even more important to stand out and have a distinct identity.
Entering global markets comes with challenges such as communicating the depth of a Korean brand’s philosophy beyond trends, maintaining sustainable production and adapting to different market systems and timelines.
How has KOCCA’s support and initiatives contributed to your international expansion?
KOCCA understands the realities that fashion brands face and provides practical, grounded support through its programmes. For example, they help cover essential costs involved in joining global showrooms — such as airfare, logistics and showroom entrance fees — as well as the expenses for sample production.
Through initiatives like Concept Korea, KOCCA offers opportunities to showcase collections to international audiences, and provides support, which has been valuable for Bonbom. It allows us to present our brand to a broader global cohort while easing the financial burdens that often come with necessary investments for a growing label.
With KOCCA’s support, Bonbom successfully held its first show during Paris Fashion Week. This milestone allowed us to introduce our vision to a new audience and build meaningful relationships with international buyers, press and industry professionals.
How do you celebrate your Korean culture while creating collections that resonate with global markets?
Each collection is rooted in personal experiences, drawing on memories from school days — a pivotal time when Western clothing styles began filtering into daily life — while maintaining a distinctly Korean sensibility and an awareness of how others perceived this cultural shift.
This personal and introspective viewpoint often resonates with international buyers and press — it conveys something universal through a distinctly Korean lens.
This is a sponsored feature paid for by Concept Korea as part of a BoF partnership.
