Items by more than 100 designers and brands on display across 150 design spots throughout Seoul

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the Seoul Design Week held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Jung-gu, Seoul, Wednesday. (Yonhap)
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the Seoul Design Week held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Jung-gu, Seoul, Wednesday. (Yonhap)

The 12th edition of Seoul Design Week kicked off Wednesday at the iconic Dongdaemun Design Plaza, joined by more than 100 designers and designer brands.

This year's event collaborated with Musinsa, South Korea’s leading online fashion retailer, to recruit and select the participating designer brands as well as market the fair.

Seoul Design Week's main event, DDP Design Fair, presents a theme pavilion featuring ordinary objects that reflect the taste of selected Seoul-based designers: Yang Tae-o, Mochoon & Soho, Mun Seung-ji, Baek Jong-hwan, Seog Jun-woong, Yoo Bo-ra, Lee Suk-woo, Lee Jae-min, Jeon Chae-ri and Paul C.

Visitors view displays at DDP Design Fair, held as part of the 2025 Seoul Design Week, at Donggaemun Design Plaza in Jung-gu, central Seoul, Wednesday. (Park Yuna/The Korea Herald)
Visitors view displays at DDP Design Fair, held as part of the 2025 Seoul Design Week, at Donggaemun Design Plaza in Jung-gu, central Seoul, Wednesday. (Park Yuna/The Korea Herald)

“We are no longer a city that looks to others for benchmarking. Seoul is now one of the trendiest cities in the world. The dreams we envisioned two decades ago through the Design Seoul initiative are now becoming a reality,” said Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon at the opening ceremony on Wednesday.

“We are becoming category creators, setting new trends for the global stage. Just as K-pop established itself as a new genre of popular music worldwide, I hope Seoul design becomes a genre of its own,” the mayor added.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon looks around the DDP Design Fair held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Jung-gu, central Seoul, on Wednesday as part of the 2025 Seoul Design Week. (Yonhap)
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon looks around the DDP Design Fair held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Jung-gu, central Seoul, on Wednesday as part of the 2025 Seoul Design Week. (Yonhap)

Along with the theme pavilion at DDP Design Fair, 87 booths offer products for sale, categorized into four sections based on their design philosophy or features: The Maximalist, The Rest Devotee, The Serene Epicure and The Romantic Pragmatist.

Designer brand booths include those from Uns, founded by graphic designer Jo In-hyuk, presenting a Korean vintage aesthetic; Fram, established by fabric designer Yang Na-yoon; and Sabre Paris, a French cutlery brand known for vibrant colors and playful patterns.

Young Designer Special Exhibition at the DDP Design Fair highlights Korean companies and young collegiate designers.

Brands participating in the DDP Design Fair offer discounts for those who make purchases at the fair. Running through Oct. 19, Seoul Design Week events will take place at some 150 venues, including DDP, around the city.


yunapark@heraldcorp.com