Korean fashion brands turn to Jeju amid rising number of foreign tourists

View of the Matin Kim Hago House in Jeju branch.

South Korean fashion and cosmetics brands are turning to Jeju Island, which has been seeing a surge in the number of foreign tourists.

According to industry sources on Sunday, Marithé + François Girbaud, a casual brand that is experiencing renewed popularity among young adults in Korea, will open its first branch in Jeju in September.

The store will be located in Ildo 1-dong, in Jeju City, an area known as the Myeong-dong of Jeju. Although the area previously experienced a decline in visitors and an increase in vacancies due to a drop in tourism, it is now regaining attention with the recent rise in tourist numbers.

In March, the Hago House select shop, featuring the trendy brand Matin Kim, opened in Jeju. In April, the flagship store of the popular street casual brand Thisisneverthat also launched on the island.

The renewed interest in Jeju from popular fashion brands is largely due to the increase in foreign tourists visiting the island.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport’s aviation information portal, 1,120,596 visitors from abroad arrived at Jeju Airport in the first half of this year. This is about three times the number from the same period last year.

With the increase in foreign tourists, the proportion of foreign customers in Ildo 1-dong has risen to 70-80 percent. This trend allows fashion brands to promote themselves to international visitors, particularly from China, through their presence in Jeju.