Ulzzang generation, Seoul’s fashion and music

In the sky of Korea there aren’t merely the missiles of North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong-un’s. Seoul’s skyline stands out with its Lotte World Tower, 555 meters making it the tallest building in the South and the fifth tallest building in the world. With the highest swimming pool (85^th floor), the tallest panoramic window (almost 500 metres) the fastest elevator, which takes less than one minute to reach the roof. Designed by the American KPF (Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates) it was inaugurated last April with events and fireworks enhancing the glass surface, inspired by the traditional Korean pottery and calligraphy techniques. Lotte World Mall is the shopping mall along the banks of river Han visited every year by 28 million people. It represents a record-winning and an ground-breaking concept, as it gathers activities that greatly differ one from another: offices, hotels, multipurpose spaces, luxury apartments, but also “officetel”, little apartments for the employees who work there. Everything is exciting and challenging in this city that has just witnessed the change of the guard from Right to Liberal, by choosing Moon Jae-in, 64 years old, former human rights lawyer, to be the country’s President. This man wants a more active political and diplomatic role for South Korea in the international effort to stop the nuclear showdown with the North. Most people, when considering the 38^th parallel, seem to forget that South Korea is the eleventh world power in terms of GDP and the sixth in terms of exports. The K-pop wave, a worldwide phenomenon, is hurling South Korea into the world of youthful consumerism, with bands like Bangtan Boys or BTS, counting 6 million followers on Twitter, and ranking first for almost 29 uninterrupted weeks in Billboard’s chart, which assesses the activity of the artist’s famepage. They also won the Billboard Music Awards as Social Artist, beating the likes of Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande. They charmed even Céline Dion, who invited them to her concert. After all, in South Korea they can boast over 10 million visualizations with their latest video, a record-breaking figure reached in just 24 hours. They are now touring the globe for their second world tour and they are sold out everywhere.

To make an example, in Chile the band is so popular online, that the tour’s promoter did not even advertise on traditional media. The fans started to cue in front of Santiago Arena’s ticket office a week before the concert. The price of the ticket went from 35 and 200 euro. But the 12.500 tickets were all sold out within two hours. The boy band Big Bang is also extremely popular: currently in stand-by mode, as one of the members is doing the military service. The leader, G-Dragon, is also a well-known soloist, besides modelling and having been Vogue Korea’s face for one year. The Seventeen are very loved for their spotless performances, highlighting a K-pop’s feature, since PSY hypnotized the whole world with Gangnam Style, from the name of Seoul’s most populated district. Launched on You Tube on 24^th November 2012, one month on it had already reached one billion visualizations, and two billion in May 2014. Stunning figures that have transformed music into a national industry, so much so, that the Government allows artists to postpone their military service, which is mandatory. A wave of female bands is also gathering consensus and wild fans, like Black Pink and Twice, with over 100 million visualizations. C L, was the 2NE1’s leader and last year she debuted as a solo artist in the United States. Like a whole new generation, the so-called “ulzzang”, the beautiful and talented gathering followers on the social networks owing to their looks and style, as highlighted in the music videos, featuring utmost care for tiniest details, as well as amazing choreographies. This is what captivates music-enthusiast teen-agers, keen on Korean or Asian fashion, that they follow on Instagram, like the special beauty care, involving constant face masks, creative haircuts and colours, ranging from pink to teal. The hype is such that Seoul Fashion Week has signed an important agreement with WHITE, the Trade Show under the aegis of the Municipality of Milan, to showcase, during the show, approximately twenty brands symbolizing Asian creativity, like Dozoh, label created by designer Dongwook Jo Choo, who graduated from London College of Fashion, focussing on a modernist menswear, Nal Project, womenswear brand exploring all the aesthetic facets of modernity, 1LStudio, D-Antidote, Contempoh and ATM. The Government supports this widespread creativity with the project Ten Seoul Designer, through funding and sponsors allowing the picked brands to partake in several fashion weeks. Alfredo Canducci, Sales and Business Development Director with Tomorrow Ltd, expert in the scouting of Korean and Asian brands, based in London, is convinced that this style - mixing pure design and marked suggestions – already acclaimed in Asia, can gather notable consensus on the European markets too. “They are Instagram communication masters and are capable of blending huge popularity with a clear-cut concept of style selection. It’s just the beginning, they have a bright and interesting future ahead”.

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