The second edition of Seoul Fashion Forum, hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and WWD Korea, brought together both domestic and international industry leaders to discuss the future of K-fashion in an uncertain global market.
Themed “The Next Chapter of K-Fashion: Deep Dive & Inspiring,” the forum launched on the opening day of the fall 2026 edition of Seoul Fashion Week, which was hosted at the Zaha Hadid-designed DDP in Dongdaemun, Seoul.
“I hope this forum serves as a critical turning point for K-fashion as it prepares for a new leap forward in the global market,” said Byungmin Kim, vice mayor for political affairs of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, during the forum’s opening remarks.
The forum opened with a keynote by Jörn Zempel, president of Loewe Korea. Sharing insights into global industry trends, Zempel said that in a “stagnant global market,” K-fashion’s competitive edge lies in “designing meaning and experiences that connect emotionally with the world.”
During the “Industry Session” panel discussion, Boyoung Kim, vice president of the fashion magazine Fashionbiz; Jieun Lee, executive director of W Concept, a leading fashion e-commerce platform; Eunkyoung Yang, assistant professor at Yonsei University Department of Integrated Design’s Fashion Design Concentration, and Ran Almog, managing director of Korea and Japan at Global-e, a cross-border e-commerce solution provider, shared firsthand experiences and actionable strategies for global growth during a panel called “Practical Strategies for the Global Expansion of K-Fashion: Brand, Distribution, and Partnership Case Studies.”
During the subsequent keynote, Eunsun Min, adjunct professor at Korea University and chief executive officer of Value Makers Media, a South Korean sales consulting company, delivered a presentation titled “K-Fashion at Zero Hour: From Exploration to Execution.”
Min emphasized execution-driven strategies for entering global markets, stating that “for K-fashion to evolve into a global industry, what is needed is not individual brand talent, but structure and systems.”
The ensuing Public Session, which is open to registered attendees, featured a talk by Jeonghey Seok, chief executive officer of Vunque, a South Korean handbag brand.
“Taste is shaped through experience,” remarked Seok during the talk themed “The Cultural Influence and Global Growth of K-Fashion: A Message to the Next Generation.”
This year’s forum concluded with a panel moderated by Ruby Kim, editor in chief of WWD Korea. Panelists included Dohun Kim, creative director of Andersson Bell; Hyemee Lee, CEO of Eenk, and Sean Jeon, chief technology officer of CLO Virtual Fashion, a 3D fashion design platform.
The focus of the concluding session was when to use AI and when to avoid it.
Speakers agreed that AI can enable faster creation — yet “true success” depends on what one chooses and how the experience is designed.
Created to examine the present and future of K-fashion through the lens of industry, culture and technology, the Seoul Fashion Forum was launched in 2025.
Last year’s theme was “Fashion City Seoul: Potential and Competitiveness of K-Fashion.”
