Musinsa sales surge as tourists drive demand

By Ko Dong-hwan

Tourists visiting the country are increasingly seeking out Korean fashion brands and culture firsthand, making Musinsa’s physical stores prominent shopping destinations. As Korean fashion continues to gain popularity on the global stage, the demand for Korean brands is also rising.

Musinsa's three physical stores in Seoul and Daegu, along with 19 locations for its private fast-fashion brand, Musinsa Standard, saw sales from foreign customers exceed 20 billion won ($14 million) last year. This figure is more than six times higher than the previous year's total.

According to industry sources, the nationalities of foreign customers who visited Musinsa stores have been recorded as over 100 countries, establishing Musinsa as a must-visit destination for shoppers worldwide.

The majority of foreign patrons visited Musinsa Store Seongsu@DaelimChanggo, the company’s flagship store in Seoul’s trendy Seongsu area, in Seongdong District. Nearly 44 percent of the store's total sales last year came from foreign customers.

Musinsa Standard stores, which opened 10 new locations in 2024, also saw a surge in foreign customers. Four stores in Seoul's trendiest neighborhoods — Myeong-dong, Seongsu, Hannam and Hongdae — had foreign customers make up more than 70 percent of total sales last year.

“Musinsa stores are gaining international attention because K-fashion trends are becoming increasingly viral on TikTok and YouTube, and foreigners have discovered they can experience and shop the trends at our stores,” a Musinsa official said.

“With the growing number of visitors from outside the country, our offline stores have become [a great way to determine and test] which Korean fashion trends are most appealing to foreigners.”

Each Musinsa store features products from nearly 200 different brands, mostly designed by Korean companies. Originally an online platform, Musinsa expanded to physical locations in response to growing demand. This strategy has not only boosted sales but also helped transform the streets surrounding their stores into trendy hubs for younger crowds who follow the latest fashion trends.

Musinsa said that foreign customers showed interest in specific Korean brands. Casual women’s fashion brand Fallett and accessory brand Stand Oil were among the top choices. Additionally, brands like Joegush, Masmarulez and Iuga Makaras saw over half of their sales last year come from foreign customers.

DaelimChanggo also gained popularity, as foreign customers sought certain Korean fashion brands available at the store, including Marithe Francois Girbaud, Aeae and Treemingbird.