Luxury brands secure their spot in Korea [REWIND 2023]

European luxury fashion houses not only appointed a plethora of Korean celebrities as their promotional ambassadors, but they also held notable events in Korea throughout the year.

Models walk down Geunjeongjeon's haenggak, a roofed corridor, for the latest Gucci Cruise 2024 collection show on May 16. [GUCCI]

European luxury fashion houses not only appointed a plethora of Korean celebrities as their promotional ambassadors, but they also held notable events in Korea throughout the year.

In late May, Italian luxury fashion house Gucci, with approval from the Cultural Heritage Administration, launched its Gucci Cruise 2024 collection at Gyeongbok Palace’s Geunjeongjeon courtyard. The event was star-studded with guests like NewJeans’ Hanni, Lee Jung-jae and Elizabeth Olsen, and Korean model Sora Choi strutted down the runway.

Louis Vuitton in April also held its first Korean fashion show at Some Sevit, the artificial floating islands in southern Seoul, for its 2023 Pre-fall collection.

In the fine dining sector, the French luxury brand held two pop-up restaurants at its flagship store Louis Vuitton Maison Seoul in Gangnam District, southern Seoul: Iyoki at Louis Vuitton and Woori Louis Vuitton.

Global luxury jewelry brand Van Cleef & Arpels held an exhibition at D Museum in eastern Seoul in November, showcasing its priceless jewelry collections. Back in January it had also held another exhibition at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in central Seoul.

REWIND 2023

In 2023, Korea witnessed a tumultuous year in its entertainment and culture scenes. A drug scandal sent shock waves through the industry, ensnaring luminaries like Yoo Ah-in, G-Dragon and Lee Sun-kyun, with Lee reportedly dying by suicide at the age of 48 on Wednesday. BTS members one by one reported for duty to fulfill their looming military service, and Blackpink decided to stand united as a quartet with YG. The K-pop market grappled with alleged tampering scandals, involving artists Fifty Fifty, EXO, Omega X and soloists like Chuu. K-dramas continued their global reign, with "Moving" on Disney+ and "The Glory" on Netflix ranking among the most viewed shows worldwide. Korean literature earned accolades, with the international recognition of Cheon Myeong-kwan and Han Kang's works. Historic cultural landmarks and treasures also made the news, from vandalized Gyeongbok Palace walls to Jikji's exhibition and Gucci's fashion show in Gyeongbok Palace. Only two Korean films were able to make the 10 million ticket sales mark.

Here are the top 10 culture stories in 2023:

1. Lee Sun-kyun dies by suicide, drug scandal sweeps entertainment scene

2. Bye for now, BTS says

3. Blackpink 'fourever'

4. Cupid's roller coaster ride

5. Streaming services up the ante with hit shows

6. Scribbling on the royal palace walls

7. Fiction books find global acclaim

8. Jikji sees spotlight after half a century in hiding

9. Luxury brands secure their spot in Korea

10. Two films in the 10 million club

BY SHIN MIN-HEE [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]