[Report] 'Fashion Dinosaur' That Took Over Dongdaemun, Can It Revive the Glory of 6,000 Pyeong from 50 Years Ago?

Musinsa Studio Dongdaemun General Market Branch Opens
Reducing Time and Costs from Sample Production to Sales
A Space for Solo Fashion Entrepreneurs... Supporting Small Businesses

In the pristine white space, various meeting rooms extended endlessly. Meeting rooms of various sizes, ranging from single-person rooms to rooms for up to 25 people, were designed to accommodate everyone from solo designers to mid-sized brands. Spaces specialized in fashion, such as sewing rooms, clothing design, and product packaging, stood out.

Musinsa Studio Dongdaemun General Market Branch, visited on the 13th, is located in the heart of Seoul's Dongdaemun General Market. This place, covering a total area of 1,400 pyeong, is situated at the center of the Dongdaemun cluster, where the fashion ecosystem is concentrated, including fabric, accessories, production, and wholesale and retail. The studio on the 4th floor is directly above the 3rd floor, which houses about 800 fabric companies, and the 5th floor, densely occupied by about 500 accessory and material companies. This is the background for Musinsa establishing a studio in Dongdaemun General Market.

Musinsa Studio is a kind of shared office where small-scale fashion companies, including solo designers, can work during their early startup phase. Since Musinsa first introduced the studio in Dongdaemun in 2018, it has expanded to Seongsu and Hannam branches.

Inside Musinsa Studio Dongdaemun General Market Branch. The meeting rooms are densely arranged. (Photo by Jaehyun Park)

Musinsa Studio Dongdaemun General Market Branch, which opened on the 10th, is the sixth space introduced after the Sindang branch in 2023, marking a two-year interval. It increased the proportion of single-person rooms and expanded the usable area compared to existing shared offices.

In the room labeled 'Workroom' inside the studio, 15 inspection tables are installed to check clothing samples and finished products. The 'Packing Zone' allows for direct product packaging and logistics work such as shipping. The sewing room is equipped with four latest sewing machines, one overlock machine, and two pressing irons, enabling small-scale production of products. Next to the main lounge, a photo studio is set up to shoot completed clothing products. The number of seats reached 1,100, and there were about 180 offices.

Musinsa Studio Dongdaemun General Market Branch Office. (Photo by Jaehyun Park)

Sewing room inside Musinsa Studio Dongdaemun General Market branch. (Photo by Jae-Hyun Park)

Musinsa opening its second studio in Dongdaemun is an attempt to revive the mecca of the Korean fashion industry. Dongdaemun General Market launched in 1970 as Asia's largest single fashion market with an area of 6,000 pyeong and has maintained its position for over 50 years as a specialized market for fabric, clothing accessories, and materials.

The biggest advantage here is the close communication with nearby fabric and accessory companies, which reduces time and costs in the distribution process such as sample production and sales. It is a space specialized in clothing production and design. About 80% of the tenants in Musinsa Studio Dongdaemun Branch (1st branch), located 10 minutes away, are clothing brands. Although there has been steady demand from clothing designers and production companies, there were limits to accommodating them. A Musinsa official explained, "There were times when the occupancy rate of the existing Dongdaemun branch reached 95%," adding, "We opened a new studio to create a specialized space that clothing production companies and designers can use." Currently, clothing production companies, designers, and related businesses have moved in here.

Musinsa Studio Dongdaemun General Market Branch allows even solo entrepreneurs with limited capital to start their business. As of last month, about 270 companies have moved into all Musinsa studios. Musinsa supports startups and small brands by allowing them to use the address of each Musinsa Studio branch as their headquarters location when registering new corporations. The average occupancy rate of existing Musinsa Studios is about 80%.

Companies residing in Musinsa Studio can receive various benefits. Musinsa states that tenants can save 5 million KRW per month. They start with a two-month deposit and have no additional management fees beyond the monthly usage fee. Additionally, a photo studio is available, meaning tenants can save on separate photography costs. Currently, through partnerships with courier companies, tenant companies can use delivery services at a unit price of 1,950 KRW for ultra-small packages. Kim Heera, a Musinsa manager, explained, "Members receive more competitive services compared to other places," adding, "Since pattern companies, fabric companies, clothing printing companies, and photography companies are also tenants, they can get discounts on production costs and sample fees."