WWD Launching Korea Edition

Evan Clark

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Continuing its global expansion, WWD is launching a new edition for the dynamic and influential fashion and beauty market in South Korea.

WWD Korea will be produced under license with WWD parent company Penske Media Corp., and led by Yuna Kim, an entrepreneur with a background in entertainment, beauty, blockchain technology and more. Heading up the editorial side will be editor in chief Reese Kim, former director of Vogue Korea.

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“The license allows WWD to take an even deeper dive into South Korea’s ever-expanding beauty, fashion and related industries,” said James Fallon, editorial director of WWD and Fairchild Media. “We look forward to continuing to expand WWD’s reach across the globe, while providing even greater access to WWD’s world-renowned content.”

WWD Korea will debut today in partnership with Seoul Fashion Week spring 2020 as its official media sponsor. The official launch comes in January.

The rising influence of South Korea runs throughout the fashion industry and global culture.

Fila just signed boy band BTS as global ambassadors, giving the lifestyle brand seven fresh faces. Under the deal, BTS will sport Fila apparel and footwear in South Korea, as well as in areas of the Americas, Europe and other parts of Asia.

And the country has been a key nexus of innovation and branding in beauty for years.

Alicia Yoon, chief executive officer and founder of Peach and Lily Inc., which distributes Korean and Japanese beauty brands to North America, has described the appeal this way: “Korea is a country where beauty is truly democratized. It isn’t as easy for power bloggers to make as much money. There is real dialogue among real women and men. Everybody is an expert. Brands have products that can become heroes or zeroes overnight. Listening digitally to what everyone is saying has been a key for us.”

South Korea is just the latest international stop for WWD, which launched a China edition this summer in partnership with China Mind Next, headed up by chairman Bentham Liu. WWD has had an edition in Japan since 1979.

A vital resource for fashion-industry news, intel and analysis, WWD was founded in 1910 in New York, but has established outposts across the U.S., Europe and Asia, including a bureau in Beijing.

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