Hwang Lee-sl, CEO of hanbok shopping mall LEESL wants to reclaim hanbok as regular wear.

“Many know the value and excellence of hanbok, but not many bring it into everyday life. I always wanted to show that you can wear hanbok in everyday life,” said Hwang.

Hwang, 29, shows herself in social media wearing the traditional Korean outfit while shopping, drinking coffee and clubbing to show how easy it is to wear hanbok in everyday life.

LEESL (www.leesle.com) hanbok are modernized to minimize the discomfort and inconvenience of more traditional hanbok. She put zippers in place of wraparound skirts, narrowed the skirts for easier walking, shortened the “goreum” (coat strings) for better fastening and used washer-friendly material for the clothes.

Hwang also poses before more modern establishments such as cafes and theaters unlike other typical hanbok shops.

Due to its trendy hanbok design, LEESL has been gaining popularity overseas. Sales have increased since setting up websites in English, Chinese and Japanese through the Cafe 24 Global Service (www.cafe24.com).

Hwang said that customers first bought her products out of curiosity, but have often come back due to the clothes’ unique design and comfort.

“I hope I can be of some help in popularizing hanbok internationally through more research and development,” she added.


By Sang Youn-joo
(sangyj@heraldcorp.com)