Fashion Friday: The Increasing South Korean Influence on Global Fashion

Hallyu (a Chinese term that translates to ‘the Korean Wave’) refers to the transcendence and increasing popularity of South Korean cultural exports such as South Korean TV dramas and pop music. Popular in Asian countries from the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s, the second wave or Hallyu 2.0 is now becoming popular in Western countries - and luxury brands are seeking out more collaborations with Korean celebrities as global brand ambassadors. Are Western consumers and Korean consumers different in terms of their expectations from the brands in which they invest? How is South Korea influencing global fashion, and is the luxury industry prepared to accurately understand consumer groups across different communities and cultures?