Fashion & Design Fashion Sense Korea ' s early modern fashion began around the 50 s with much of the new resources and ideas coming from abroad . Woman ' s bobbed hair introduced in " Roman Holiday " ( 1953 ) starring Audrey Hepburn was one of the big influences together with wide flare skirts and drainpipe pants . Past and present of Korean fashionAnother revolutionary item was nylon cloth which came into wide use as women ' s blouses , lingerie , pantyhose and other dresses . In 1955 a woman ' s magazine " Yeowon " was the first to introduce western fashions in its " mode " section . In 1956 fashion designer Nora Noh became the first to open a fashion show in Korea . With tailors setting up shop in busy downtown Seoul , Korea came to host its own group of fashion designers from then on . In the early 60 s a tubular - style overcoat or sack dress with tailored collar or round neckline was in vogue . The whole nation was in uproar at singer Yoon Bok - hee ' s miniskirt in 1967 . Miniskirts became so popular that later , in the 1970 s , police strictly enforced a ban on all skirts that were 20 cm above the knee . Long boots as well as fashions from beatniks and hippies were also introduced . During this period , thick eyeliner , fake eyelashes and flared up hairstyles were the popular fashion . Wigs were another welcome fashion item that also contributed to exports . Men ' s leather jackets also sold well after the hit movie " The Barefooted Young " ( 1964 ) . " Eui - sang " the first fashion magazine came to be in 1968 . A beer , a guitar and a pair of jeans were three things that symbolized the youth generation in the 1970 s . Hot pants emerged in 1971 and pantaloons in 1974 . Other fashion items included sunglasses , headscarves and tight boots or platform shoes . The market for men ' s ready - made apparel was begun in 1972 by Hwashin Industry , and women ' s wear by Bando Fashion and Kyungbang Fashion in 1974 . In 1977 major fashion makers such as Cheil Industries and Kolon joined in , opening the era of ready - made clothes . Korea ' s hosting of two global sports events -- the 1986 Asian Games and the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games -- was also a tremendous inspiration to fashion industry . Women ' s wear in the 1980 s had a layered look based on an androgynous look . Formal suits that stressed shoulders with pads and casual sportswear were the main trends at the time . In 1983 , a kind of punk - look , though not as bold as overseas , became popular and in 1987 , stone - wash jeans were big . Around the mid - 1980 s fashion brands from overseas and local companies working with foreign makers made the scene more vibrant . An increased number of fashion magazines and the introduction of color TV with commercials also increased the public ' s interest in fashion . During the 1990 ' s with the emergence of environmental issues , ecology became the newest theme in fashion . Natural colors , natural materials and natural shapes were expressed in various ways . By the mid - 1990 s , the oldies ' styles of the 60 s , 70 s and even 50 s returned with a new touch . Hippie look , grunge looks and lingerie fashion were another fresh addition . Andre Kim ( left ) , the first male designer in Korea ( Photo : Yonhap News ) , Designer Andre Kim ' s fashion show ( Photo : Yonhap News ) Korea ' s current most famous designer is undoubtedly Andre Kim . He has held numerous fashion shows around the world . He was chief designer for the 1981 Miss Universe Beauty Pageant and also designed uniforms for Korean athletes in the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games . He received the Presidential Culture and Art Medal in 1997 , Italy ' s Culture and Merit Award in 2003 and has even been selected as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador . Other famous Korean designers making names for themselves in the world in New York , Paris and other countries include Lee Young - hee , who popularized the term " Hanbok " in her modern versions of the traditional Korean national costume ; Lie Sang - bong , who incorporated patterns of Hangeul , the Korean alphabet , into patterns on his dresses ; Doori Chung , known for her signature draping skills and sexy jersey dresses ; Richard Chai , with casual clothes of a refined touch through mixtures of wool , silk and other fabrics ; Im Sang - a , a former singer and dancer in Korea , now known as Sang A in New York with her hit handbags , which are a mixture of classic styles and a unique touch of her own ; Cho Sung - kyong , who mainly pursues romantic looks and has had her clothes worn in many television shows and films . City Design It was always Korea ' s desire to establish an image of its own both as a country and a city . City design emerged as a viable solution to that problem and also as a way to upgrade the competitiveness of the provinces , all through creative ideas that generate new revenue for culture and tourism . A few exemplary cases emerged by the turn of the 21 st century . In 2005 , the city of Seoul restored Cheonggyecheon Stream after it had been buried under concrete for decades . A museum that tells the history of Cheonggyecheon Stream from the time it served as a waterway during the Joseon Dynasty ( 1329 - 1910 ) has also been erected in Cheonggye Plaza . Also in the same year , Seoul Forest Park , benchmarked from world renowned counterparts such as New York ' s Central Park and the United Kingdom ' s Hyde Park , was opened as a green forest with deer and other live animals for visitors to enjoy . New cultural centers for both locals and foreign residents are also on the increase . The bridges over the Hangang River are also glowing with colors at night , becoming a new tourist attraction . The first phase of the three year illumination project has been completed , brightening up the bridges of Noryang , Han - gang , Dongjak , Wonhyo , Yanghwa , Gayang and Seongsan in February 2008 and upgraded lightings of 11 more bridges by the end of 2008 . This excludes other four bridges illuminated back in 2004 and 2006 . New taxis in the capital city have recently begun to bear the image of " Haechi " -- a mythical unicorn - lion in Korea that guards royal palaces against fire -- on doors of both sides , in an effort to remake the image of taxis . Another new wave of city design is the re - emergence of Hanok , the Korean traditional architecture in forms of cafes , meditation centers , hospitals , kindergartens and even hotels . Lately there are even plans to build the first ever Hanok - inspired apartment building with places to store traditional fermented food like kimchi on the veranda . Also , some of the old palace buildings in downtown Seoul , such as Gyeongbokgung , are undergoing reconstruction to restore the partially damaged grounds or dislocated gates back to their original places . In October 2008 the capital city hosted the Seoul Design Olympiad 2008 for a whole month . The theme of the event " Design is the Air " presented artworks that were mainly recyclable , eco - friendly and futuristic . Over 2 million people participated in the event , including top architects like Zaha Hadid , the first female to win the esteemed Pritzker Prize , and industrial designer Ross Lovegrove , as well as other well known names including Daniel Libeskind , Yao Ying Jia , Richard Buchanan and Kazuo Sugiyama . In 2010 Seoul was appointed the World Design Capital by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design in recognition of the city ’ s efforts to upgrade its image and environment . Seoul is celebrating the year with a variety of special programs like fashion shows , fairs , markets , exhibitions and summits .