How did Korea conquer the world? Through pop culture.
Back in 1985, the country was not seen as the cool destination it is today.
Now, South Korea is a trend setter and increasingly futuristic. It is the world’s fifteenth largest economy and Seoul resembles the type of space-age city that Arthur C. Clarke imagined in his novel 2001: A Space Odyssey.
It all started with a vision back in 1994 when the West was still protesting against analog to digital TV, Korea was busy wiring the entire country for Internet broadband with government funds, just like building a national highway or railway system.
Apart from Korea being the hub of exciting recreational spots, their entertainment industry has touched the souls of many. Korean dramas, or ‘K-dramas’ as people like to call it, are famous for their heartwarming yet adventurous plots.
These shows tend to make our hearts flutter as though we were the heroine of the story. Not only do they have storylines worth holding on to, but they have become a major source of inspiration for anything fashion and beauty related. Who wouldn't want their flawless, glowing skin?
We did our homework and highlighted some of our favorite K-dramas with empowering female characters in outfits we are obsessed with.
Take note, Atenians!*
*Our community of MDLR women inspired by the Greek Goddess, Atena. They are bold, fearless, yet feminine and gentle.
What better way to read and mimic the styles by listening to our Korean playlist, simply music for the Seoul.
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Scarlett, the sexy and bold director of an IT company who works tirelessly from dusk until dawn. A character who is not afraid to flaunt her curves and boss-like attitude.
She is fierce and hip. She would wear audaciously printed tops paired with body-hugging skirts and outfits consisting of ruched and sequin detailing. Her signature red lip and ornamented heels to top it all of.
A trademark look that brought attention to her presence even though she is not the main character.
Crash Landing On You
Yoon Se-Ri, otherwise known as ‘picky princess’.
Her character portrays an independent wealthy business woman who runs her own major beauty company in Korea. One day, she crash-landed in North Korea due to a paragliding accident and was saved by the captain of the Korean People’s Army. Over time, they fell in love despite the dispute between their two countries.
Aside from the show’s interesting premise, we found ourselves waiting to see which outfit she would be wearing in the next episodes.
Powerful outfits; either voluminous or structural in nature. From elegant knee-length dresses that cinched her waistline to the preppy layering of collared shirts beneath oversized coats. Alternating between thigh-high boots or fierce heels, it was her love for bold yet dainty jewelry that held our breath.
Statement handbags were worn with utmost poise as not only did her outfits scream elegance with a dash of extravagance, it was the manner in which she would carry herself that made us fall in love.
Hotel Del Luna
Jang Man-Wol, an immortal character who lived through several timelines.
This got us excited as we witnessed the combination of past fashion styles that was brought back to life, with a twist of modernity.
Did you know? There were over 100 outfits spanned across the show's 16 episodes. If we did our math correctly, she changed her outfits approximately every 7 minutes!
Here we are complaining about wearing something other than our pajamas.
Her character wore gorgeous vintage and couture pieces centered around primary colors. Shoulder pad dresses and peplum skirts that placed the limelight on her elegant yet strong persona.
Accessories on accessories! From gloves, berets, gemmed jewelry and statement bags. A binge worthy show that brilliantly portrayed the element of fantasy and humor.
Beauty Inside Both
Kang Sa-Ra, another strong female lead to the rescue.
A confident and ambitious director of an airline company, with a mission of revealing the truth.
She wore structural blazers and voluminous blouses; bold prints like stripes, polka dots and gingham. Rest assured, all attention was directed on her.
A sophisticated persona, as supported by her love for gold-accented jewelry. Not to mention, massive handbags that kept all her essentials secure, making sure she had everything she needed in the instance of an impromptu meeting.
The common denominator to the female characters? They all carry flair and finesse to each look they wear.
We hope our adoration for K-dramas and its accompanying outfits has led you to stumble upon looks you cannot wait to mimic for your next Zoom meeting. We are excited for you to try!
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