Rejina Pyo x Kerry J Dean Seoul series
Gallery / 19 images
Fashion designer Rejina Pyo was born and raised in Seoul. Her mother, an interior designer, taught her how to sew, and eventually, she enrolled onto a fine art course at the city’s Hongik University. In 2008, she swapped the South Korean capital for the UK, moving to London to take on Central Saint Martins’ prestigious MA Fashion course. After graduating in 2011, Pyo remained in London, though she returns to Seoul every summer.
Naturally, her background is engrained in the DNA of her brand. While she’s inspired by London’s brutalist architecture and pioneering female figures, her South Korean upbringing is (literally) woven into each of her collections. “The history of craft in Korea goes back centuries, and I think I absorbed that tradition without even realising it,” she says. “There’s a discipline and perseverance to Korean craftsmanship which has influenced the way I design and paint.”
Photography Kerry J Dean
Next week, Pyo will host a panel discussion during London Fashion Week, but before then, she’s celebrating Seoul via a new medium. The designer has teamed up with photographer Kerry J Dean on a new project: a series of images that capture Korean women in their own city, framed by its often overlooked urban architecture. It’s a deliberate contrast to Seoul’s polished veneer, presenting a raw version of the city, while the women remain elegant in Pyo’s latest collection. To accompany the series, below, the designer describes her ultimate guide to the South Korean capital – from the best dish she’s ever eaten to the must-visit shopping spot for sourcing independent designers.
What’s your earliest memory of Seoul?
Rejina Pyo: Family picnics on the Han river, with a spread of gimbap, japchae noodles and kimchi pancakes.
What’s the first thing you do when you land in Seoul?
Rejina Pyo: No matter what time my flight arrives, I always go straight home to my parents house. My mum always cooks a traditional Korean feast of jeon – a kind of savoury pancake made with everything from minced pork and tofu to mushrooms and prawns, all coated in beaten egg and fried. She always serves it alongside a myriad of banchan side dishes, like kimchi and dried squid, short grain rice and doenjang-guk, a soup made from fermented soy bean paste.
How would you describe the city in three words?
Rejina Pyo: Frenetic. Seamless. Layered.
What’s the best meal you’ve ever eaten there?
Rejina Pyo: My mum’s food always wins, but around the corner from my parents home is Geodae Gomtang (거대곰탕), the Seoul outpost of the Busan original, serving a really rich and comforting beef bone broth soup. It’s truly one of the most restorative and nourishing dishes. So simple but so well executed.
What’s one local dish everyone should try?
Rejina Pyo: It should be something that is difficult to make or find abroad, so I would say dotorimuk-muchim (도토리묵무침), which is a seasoned acorn jelly salad. The jelly consistency can be a bit divisive, but the sauce – made with soy sauce, garlic, honey, gochugaru dried red pepper flakes and roasted sesame oil – is so delicious, and it is served with chrysanthemum leaves and crispy vegetables. I could eat it all day.
Photography Kerry J Dean
What restaurant should everyone visit?
Rejina Pyo: Jaha Son Mandu (자하손만두) in the mountains of north Seoul. It’s a family run restaurant serving home made Korean dumpling soup, and in the summer time you can also get kong-guksu, which is a soy bean noodle soup that I love. You are also right beside some wonderful hiking spots in Inwangsan mountain.
What’s the best bar in Seoul?
Rejina Pyo: I love tequila and margaritas in general and Kiez makes a great one with a nice vibe. I also love Seendosi. Or if you want to have a bit of a late night drunken electronic dance head to Nyapi!
Where’s your favourite place to stay?
Rejina Pyo: For Hanok [a traditional Korean house], I love Rakkojae, and Stayfolio is great for more considered B&B style bookings.
What’s the perfect first date spot in Seoul?
Rejina Pyo: Seoul Forest would be perfect. It’s beautiful and so calming, you would almost forget you’re in the middle of Seoul. I’d rent bikes and explore the park, walk around the mirror lake, see the deer and play a game of table tennis at the communal courts. Then, as the sun goes down, walk out into Seongsu and find a small bar for a drink.
Where are the best spots for fashion enthusiasts?
Rejina Pyo: Hanam and Seochon are great for independent Korean brands and boutiques. If you are in the market for younger, contemporary Korean brands, the main street running through Seongsu, and the streets running off it, are the place to go – but it is very touristy and busy, so be warned!
What’s one thing you’d like to change about Seoul?
Rejina Pyo: Maybe I’d make it a little slower. But then, the ppalli-ppalli (quick, quick) culture is also one of the things I love about Seoul, everything is possible and gets done… quickly!
Outside of Seoul, where else in South Korea would you recommend people visit?
Rejina Pyo: So few people visiting Korea head to the beaches of the east coast, which run the entire length of the peninsula. Jeju is a popular destination, but it is a flight away, whereas the beaches are a 90 minute bullet train from Seoul, or a three hour drive through beautiful and lush mountains and valleys.
