[A Wholesaler's Daily Life] Interview with CEO who overcame multiple setbacks and earned recognition for quality

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Q. Please introduce yourselves and your store.

I'm Tae-hyuk Lee, who runs a brand called 'ji-soo' in Dongdaemun Theot.

 

Q. How long have you been running a wholesale business in Dongdaemun?

It's been 10 years since I started the wholesale business in Dongdaemun. My wife, who majored in fashion design, has been working as a designer in the Dongdaemun wholesale market for over 20 years and even launched her own brand. I’ve been helping with the store’s operations since we were dating, and now we run it together as a family.

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Q. What do you think is the secret behind Ji-soo being loved for such a long time in Dongdaemun?

I believe the secret lies in both design and quality. My wife oversees every step from design to production, while I handle store management and marketing. I’ve watched her make clothes for years, and she never compromises.

She personally selects the fabrics and materials, and we produce everything at our own factory. I think this commitment to quality and craftsmanship is the main reason customers have continued to love our brand. The second key is maintaining close communication with customers for marketing purposes.

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Q. What are the advantages of owning your own factory?

When it comes to small-batch, multi-product production, external factories sometimes fail to meet the desired quality. However, owning our factory allows us to produce at the quality we want as quickly as possible. We can make our designs exactly how we want them and within the timeframe we set. Ji-soo is a wholesale brand that can produce high-quality garments in a short period.

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Q. What changes have you observed in Dongdaemun over the past 10 years?

I’m a little over 40 years old, and when I was in middle and high school, Dongdaemun was the go-to place for fashion. That image of Dongdaemun as a fashion hub hasn’t really changed, in my opinion. However, back in the day, you could try on clothes and negotiate prices, but now the culture has shifted.

With online marketplaces like Sinsang Market, wholesale and retail transactions have become much more convenient, though I do miss the human connection and liveliness of the old market days.

 

Q. How are you operating your wholesale business in this rapidly changing environment?

With fewer people physically coming to Dongdaemun, we’re focusing on increasing our online brand exposure. From a marketing perspective, we’re actively using Sinsang Market as the only platform to showcase our brand to retail business owners. We’ve been able to secure new clients through Sinsang Market, and I even regret not starting it sooner.

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Q. What brand do you want Ji-soo to be remembered by customers?

We want our brand to be remembered for using excellent fabrics and maintaining outstanding quality. When we create clothes, we don’t compromise with reality. Each season, we use high-quality fabrics and insist on producing domestically.

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Q. What does 'Dongdaemun' mean to you?

Dongdaemun is the place that allowed me to start a new chapter in life. At one point, I was close to despair after being scammed during my business ventures. But during that difficult time, I met my wife in Dongdaemun, and that’s how I was able to start anew.

For me, Dongdaemun is the foundation of my life and the place where I’ve gained valuable experience. It’s filled with people who are working tirelessly day and night toward their goals. When I’m feeling exhausted or down, seeing them reassures me.

Dongdaemun is a place that is both fiercely competitive yet full of warmth, loyalty, and human connection. There’s no other place like it in the world, and it fills me with pride to work here in this special neighborhood.