[Exclusive] Cho Saeho's Fashion Brand Shuts Down Amid Organized Crime Controversy

Shutting Down Five Years After Its 2021 Launch
Kolon FnC Streamlines and Refocuses Its Brand Portfolio

The fashion brand Amopre, which featured the participation of TV personality Cho Saeho, is shutting down its business. Amopre was a menswear brand launched in 2021, with Cho Saeho directly involved as Creative Director (CD), in collaboration with Kolon FnC.

A product collaborated with the Hannam-dong restaurant 'Bangul and Kkomak'. Provided by Amopre.

According to Kolon FnC on December 23, the brand management contract between Cho Saeho and Amopre will expire at the end of this month. With the end of the contract, Amopre will cease brand operations after the Fall/Winter (FW) 2025 season. In fact, when visiting the official Kolon FnC website and clicking on the Amopre mall, a message stating 'Page Not Found' is currently displayed.

Amopre positioned itself as a brand targeting the 'average body type of Korean men' with practical designs, with Cho Saeho actively participating from the planning stage. In its early days, the brand introduced lively clothing featuring graphic designs such as 'Joseph Smile' and 'Joseph Flower', both based on Cho Saeho's signature. Since 2024, it has shifted to offering modern menswear centered on items like the 'DBSG Jacket' and 'setup (top and bottom)'. Leveraging Cho Saeho's connections and network, the brand also released collaborative products with the Hannam-dong pub 'Bangul and Kkomak', lifestyle brand 'MHN', and Camel Coffee, attracting interest from younger consumers.

Within the fashion industry, some speculated that the controversy over Cho Saeho's alleged ties to organized crime may have influenced the decision to discontinue the brand. Given that some Amopre products were popular enough to sell out, analysts believe that the risks associated with Cho Saeho's personal life may have placed a significant burden on the brand's operations.

Recently, Cho Saeho stepped down from several variety shows after a crime-reporting social media operator claimed that "Cho Saeho is acquainted with members of an organized crime group running illegal gambling sites" and that "he has promoted franchises operated by these organized crime members."

However, a Kolon FnC representative stated, "The decision was simply a natural result of the contract with Cho Saeho expiring," drawing a clear line that it was unrelated to recent issues. The representative added, "The remaining inventory is expected to be sold through outlets and other channels, but the exact method and schedule for clearance have yet to be determined."

Instead, Kolon FnC plans to launch a new brand with a celebrity creative director, building on its experience operating Amopre. A company official explained, "Having accumulated know-how in running celebrity collaboration brands through Amopre, we plan to develop a new brand with another celebrity."

The company is also accelerating the restructuring of low-profit brands. Since last year, Kolon FnC has been streamlining some brands and focusing on its core brands to improve operational efficiency. While its flagship brand Kolon Sports is performing well in China, other brands have been struggling in the stagnant domestic fashion market.

As of the third quarter of last year, sales for Kolon Industries' fashion division (Kolon FnC) stood at 786.7 billion won, down about 5.3% from 831.1 billion won in the third quarter of the previous year. Consequently, the division's share of total Kolon Industries sales also dropped from 23.4% to 21.4%.

Last year, Kolon FnC ended operations of the menswear brand 'Freaker' and the womenswear brand 'Limentary'. This year, 'Jack Nicklaus' shifted to a sub-licensing business model, the sports brands 'Head' (ski and tennis) transitioned to a sportswear brand, and the golfwear brand 'Elord' was repositioned as a golf club specialist brand. Considering the favorable performance of imported fashion brands in the domestic market, Kolon FnC also introduced the premium streetwear brand 'Drole de Monsieur' by a French designer and the Italian designer brand 'Diatico' in the second half of this year.