Meeting Minju Kim in Itaewon

Programs for this blog post

Summer Korean Studies

Authored By:

Emma S.

On my first day out of quarantine, I met up with my friend from high school to go to Itaewon. We had met in 10th grade and became friends through a cultural exchange program (as he was an international student) and we both enjoyed art. However, during our senior year he left in March 2020 to go back to Korea because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so I had not seen him in over a year! I used the subway for the first time, and fell (I advise you to watch your step!). My fall wasn’t the most serious, but the entire length of my leg became a multicolored bruise. Fortunately, we finally made it to Itaewon without any other problems. Itaewon is right next to a mountain, and we had to walk up steep hills in 90 degree weather to reach our final destination.

We specifically went to Itaewon because Minju Kim, a famous Korean fashion designer, opened a pop-up shop for one weekend only. The shop was in a cute, outdoorsy area and displayed Kim’s many pieces from her Spring and Summer 2021 collection, “The Spring We Lost.” Kim became globally recognized after her appearance on “Next in Fashion,” a series by Netflix. She has also collaborated with many musical artists such as Red Velvet, BTS, and Jennie from Blackpink. I really admire artists and the effort they put into their work, and I especially wanted to see Kim’s clothes in person because of the bright colors and unique styles. She also had several necklaces on display that matched well with her collection. After we browsed Kim’s store, we walked down a main street in Itaewon. There are so many places to explore, especially restaurants, and I definitely want to visit again and take my time to discover hidden gems. Overall, I would consider my first day to be a success.