MANILA, Philippines – Your favorite K-pop star’s favorite K-fashion brand just made landfall in Manila, bringing Seoul street style to local shores for the first time.
Popular South Korean fast-fashion brand 8seconds opened its first Philippine flagship store at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City, marking the retail label’s historic first foray into Southeast Asia.
Located at the mall’s second level, the new store welcomed hordes of excited shoppers on opening day who wanted a glimpse of 8seconds’ global ambassador, Kim Sunoo of K-pop group ENHYPEN, who made an appearance.
His visit came just four months after performing in Bulacan with ENHYPEN for their “Walk the Line” concert in March.
Meaning in ‘every second’
Backed by Samsung C&T Fashion Group, 8seconds has built a loyal following since launching its Gangnam flagship in 2012.
Envisioned as an “accessible alternative” to global giants like Uniqlo and Zara in its home nation of South Korea, the brand now stands out even amidst the peninsula’s lightning-fast-fashion scene with its trend-driven designs, unisex silhouettes, and youth-oriented sensibility.
8seconds was founded to localize the fast-fashion format while staying recognizably Korean. Its 2016 expansion into Shanghai’s chic Huaihai Road heavily promoted its partnership with Korean rapper G-Dragon. It was an early attempt at showcasing “K-style” to international audiences, distinct from run-of-the-mill clothing stores.
The brand continued evolving, leaning deeper into Korean cultural aesthetics and digital influence. Today, it frequently collaborates with artists like SOON.EASY and Lee Yo-han from global creative agency AXOO, as well as influencers like Jisoo Seo.
Over a decade later, the brand is focused on what’s current, playful, and expressive; a match for the unstoppable zeitgeist of Gen Z.
What’s in store
The Manila boutique mirrors its Seoul counterparts in both look and feel: clean lines, neutral displays, and distinct product zones that separate tailored basics from bold statement pieces. Customers can expect racks of oversized button-downs, boxy tees, straight-cut trousers, structured outerwear, pastel knits, and a wide mix of gender-neutral styles.
Accessories like bucket hats, mesh bags, phone straps, and other ornamentations, similarly in vogue, round out the lifestyle offering.
The brand’s menswear skews minimalist and practical, with nods to both streetwear and preppy tailoring. For womenswear, there’s an emphasis on versatility — office-appropriate pieces, casual daywear, and soft textures in a muted palette.
Instead of rigid seasonal drops, 8seconds frequently introduces limited-edition collections and new colorways. Many pieces are offered in unisex sizing, ranging from XXS to XL, aligning with a more inclusive approach to fit and styling.
Hooked on hallyu
The brand’s expansion into the Philippines is a calculated move, they said. It only makes sense to leveraging a market deeply receptive to Korean cultural exports.
The country’s youth-heavy, digitally fluent population, particularly those attuned to K-pop and K-drama, presents a compelling strategic entry point into Southeast Asia.
According to Bryan Lim, vice president for business development at Suyen Corporation, which brought 8seconds to the country, the brand speaks directly to the fashion tastes of Gen Z Filipinos.
“We’re confident that Filipino fashion enthusiasts, especially the Zoomers, will fully embrace the brand,” Lim shared. “It perfectly aligns with their fashion tastes.”
Ben Chan, chairman and CEO of Suyen Corporation, added that 8seconds reflects the company’s broader goal of championing identity and individuality through retail.
“Filipinos probably have one of the most distinct and inspired fashion senses,” he said. “8seconds strongly caters to the younger generation, which makes up more than half of our population.”
Tapping Sunoo as its global ambassador may be 8seconds’ most strategic move yet!
With a strong, youthful following in Korea and the Philippines, Sunoo led the star-studded opening, joined by the likes of Michelle Dee and local boy groups HORI7ON and VXON. – Rappler.com
Angela Divina is a Rappler intern studying Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at the Ateneo de Manila University.