The metro
My recent trip to Seoul opened my eyes. The city is surreal - the energy, the friendliness and the men who like to wear everything tight and shiny. The trendy male population of South Korea love snug-fitting jackets, and they can pull it off because they tend to be well built. It's probably partly genetic and partly because of the compulsory military training.
Many jackets by local designers also tend to have dangling jacket sleeves, which I never thought would work so well. They dangle just enough to show the cuffs of the shirt. The back of the jacket often is short too, just about below the waistline. Instead of looking ill-fitting, this style emphasises a well structured physique. The jackets are designed this way so that the shoulders fit but everything else is short. I tried on a similar style with sheened lapels at the outlet of Korean brand Buckaroo Jeans, and it looked sensational. My build is much slimmer than the average Korean man's, but it still worked well.
Near Konkuk University, you'll find many great shops that sell affordable and trendy menswear, apparently all Korean-made. There I secured an excellent tight-fitting burgundy jacket with a colourful stripped lining. Too many men in Hong Kong forget the importance of a jacket lining - people do see it and it's an integral part of a good jacket. Another of my trophies is a light brown leather belt with silver stripes and matching silver buckle with coloured stripes (right). Both items came down to just about HK$500 - a bargain, I have to say.
Unfortunately, not many Korean designers' clothes are available in Hong Kong so recreating the 'Korean look' isn't so easy. But there are designer alternatives, such as the grey, four-button jacket from Antonio Marras (top). Korean men also wear vests a lot, and for the warm Hong Kong climate it makes sense for men here to do the same. An example would be from Kenzo.
Even the trench coats are short in Korea, as illustrated by this great buy that I found at another Korean brand called Aden (below left). Trench coats were once associated with British gentlemen, but make it short and tighten the fit and you have a young Korean look. The male Seoulites would likely be wearing theirs with blue-stripe shirts with a reverse collar and a very bold stripped necktie.
While diving into my ginseng chicken in Myeongdong, I spotted a man sporting the perfect Calvin Klein Jeans look: a white denim-cut jacket with sleeves pushed up, black tank top inside and straight-cut blue jeans. The jacket reminds me of a linen number I tried on at the Calvin Klein Jeans shop in IFC. He could easily be the Korean Ashton Kutcher, and could easily take on this season's look by keeping the tank top and changing the jacket.