Interview with Designer Kim Yun-kang, Founder & CEO of DANA_BEEM

1. How was the brand name DANA_BEEM created?

A.With more than 30eyars of experience in the textile industry, I have continuously explored ways to combine traditional Korean aesthetics with innovative textile technologies. This experience became the foundation of DANA_BEEM, a brand that connects Korean heritage with contemporary global fashion.

DANA_BEEM represents Korean elegance and light.

The word “DANA (端雅)” symbolizes the refined grace and restrained beauty inherent in traditional Korean culture, while “BEEM (Beam)” represents a ray of light reaching out to the world. I have always hoped that Korean culture and art would not simply remain as relics of the past, but would be reinterpreted as a new source of inspiration in modern life. DANA_BEEM was born from the desire to become a cultural light that shines the beauty of Korea onto the world.

2. What is the most important principle when incorporating the elegance of Hanbok and traditional Korean patterns into modern designs?

A.The most important principle is “preserving the essence while renewing the expression.” Simply replicating tradition is not true cultural inheritance. Instead, tradition must be reinterpreted so that modern people can naturally embrace and enjoy it. DANA_BEEM maintains traditional motifs, colors, and cultural symbolism while adding practicality and contemporary aesthetics, creating designs that resonate with global consumers.

3. You mentioned that each DANA_BEEM piece tells a story. How are these stories discovered and translated into design?

A.Our products are not merely fashion items; they are cultural content.

We draw inspiration from various aspects of Korean culture, including the genre paintings of Shin Yun-bok, traditional Korean architecture, cultural heritage, folk paintings, and traditional patterns. After researching the history and meaning behind these elements, we reinterpret them through a modern design language. DANA_BEEM’s storytelling philosophy is that every time a customer uses our products, they encounter a piece of Korea’s story.

4. What messages did the collections presented at the two Fashion Factor shows in Dubai in 2025 convey?

A.The first collection focused on showcasing the harmony between traditional Korean culture and contemporary fashion. The second collection aimed to demonstrate that Korea’s cultural heritage has strong competitiveness on the global stage.

By combining traditional patterns with modern silhouettes, we delivered the message that “Korean tradition is not a relic of the past, but a design asset for the future.”

5. This June, you will introduce a Korea-UAE cultural fusion collection featuring eco-friendly bags and pouches. What inspired this first attempt to combine Korean heritage with Emirati culture?

A.While working in Dubai, I discovered that Korean and UAE cultures, despite their differences, share profound similarities. Both countries highly value tradition and take great pride in their cultural identities. I wanted to connect these shared values through design.

This collection combines traditional Korean symbols such as the Haetae, the Emille Bell, and Hunminjeongeum motifs with UAE-inspired elements such as the desert, arabesque patterns, and regional cultural symbolism, expressing how different cultures can coexist harmoniously.

6. How did you maintain traditional aesthetics while incorporating sustainability into this eco-friendly bag and pouch collection?

A.I believe sustainability is not a choice but a responsibility for the future.

For this collection, we actively utilized eco-friendly recycled polyester materials. Our focus was on transforming discarded resources into new value while maintaining high standards of quality and design. DANA_BEEM aims to continue developing sustainable materials and production methods, becoming a brand where culture and environmental responsibility grow together.

7. What new possibilities do you see for K-Fashion?

A.The true strength of K-Fashion lies not in trends alone, but in cultural storytelling.

Just as K-Pop has exported culture beyond music, K-Fashion can create even greater value when it incorporates Korea’s history, art, and traditional culture.

I firmly believe that designs rooted in Korea’s cultural identity can establish a new premium category in the global fashion market.

8. What do you believe is the most important factor for Korean traditional design to remain competitive in the global market?

A. Authenticity and storytelling.

Today’s global consumers seek more than beautiful products; they seek meaning and value.

If the philosophy and beauty of Korean traditional culture can be authentically reinterpreted through modern design and communicated sincerely, Korean traditional design can achieve strong global competitiveness.

9. What is the core message DANA_BEEM hopes to share with the world?

A.DANA_BEEM is more than a brand that creates bags and apparel.

We aspire to become a cultural platform that connects Korean culture and stories with the world. Through designs that connect tradition and modernity, East and West, and people from different backgrounds, we hope to share the message that:

“Cultures may be different, but beauty is universal.”

DANA_BEEM will continue challenging itself so that the light of Korea can shine even further across the world.

10. After the fashion show, only selected designer brands were invited to participate in the pop-up event held at a luxury hotel in Dubai. DANA_BEEM’s Hanbok collection and the newly launched bag and pouch collection received tremendous attention from local customers and VIP guests, leading to actual sales and orders. How did you feel about this experience, and what are your future plans and vision for the Middle Eastern market?

A.This Dubai fashion show and pop-up event were incredibly meaningful experiences that reaffirmed DANA_BEEM’s potential.

In particular, during the VIP pop-up event held at a luxury hotel following the fashion show, DANA_BEEM’s Hanbok collection and our bags and pouches inspired by Korean cultural heritage attracted significant interest from local customers.

What impressed us most was that the interest extended beyond admiration and resulted in actual sales, additional orders, and collaboration proposals. It was a firsthand confirmation that the beauty and stories of Korean traditional culture can transcend language and borders and resonate with people globally.

Through this experience, we became convinced that the Middle East is not merely an export destination but an important global stage where Korean culture and lifestyle can be introduced together.

Moving forward, DANA_BEEM plans to continuously develop and introduce diverse collections inspired by Korean traditional patterns, the beauty of Hanbok, and K-Heritage storytelling for the Middle Eastern market.

We also intend to strengthen partnerships with local buyers and expand our reach from Dubai into the broader UAE and GCC, Europe markets.

In addition, we are developing the “K-Heritage Abaya Collection,” which has already attracted considerable local interest, aiming to create new fashion content that bridges Korean aesthetics with Middle Eastern culture.

Guided by our philosophy of “telling stories that connect tradition and modernity,” DANA_BEEM will continue growing as a global K-cultural fashion brand that introduces the beauty of Korea to the world.

Our mission is not simply to export products, but to share the beauty, stories, and spirit of Korea with world. Through DANA_BEEM, we hope Korean culture will inspire people across borders and generations.