In today’s digital age, people access news from a variety of sources and platforms, shaping their tastes and preferences with a whole new global perspective. Consequently, more and more media platforms have emerged and established themselves as trusted information sources.

In the world of fashion, there’s been a notable shift as more Asian outlets steadily gain recognition and capture global attention, joining the likes of major players such as Hypebeast, Sneaker News and Complex.

Le Syndrome, a South Korean media with a primary focus on Instagram, is one such example. From latest releases to first-hand coverage on events happening in the country, they have grown to become a widely recognized authority in the realms of street and pop culture.

This time, we had the privilege of interviewing them and learning about their journey and vision for the future.

First of all, can you introduce yourself to our readers?

Hi, we’re Le Syndrome, a fashion community based in Seoul, South Korea—dedicated to bringing you the latest and trendiest news, spanning beyond just street fashion and culture.

How did you start out as a sneaker and streetwear media platform? What was the inspiration and motivation behind founding Le Syndrome?

We started out in March 2017 with the aim to become one of the leading media platforms reporting from South Korea.

At that time, local sources for fashion-related news were limited, and there weren’t many Korean media outlets covering international news using information from overseas media. Hence, we were able to quickly garner attention from the sneaker community within the country.

Can you share with us the meaning behind the name “Le Syndrome”?

The name “Le Syndrome” originated from the initials LSDR, which stands for “Life, Style, Deliver, Round”. We hope that we are able to create a positive impact and offer unique insights on the current streetwear and fashion scene.

Why fashion of all fields?

We aimed to cover something that might not be of interest to certain sectors within the Korean society. Additionally, our goal was to deliver our favorite fashion news by combining credible information and journalism.

What are some of your favorite streetwear brands and sneakers?

For brands, I would say Cav Empt, Supreme, Carhartt WIP and Dime. As for sneakers, it would be the ACRONYM x Nike Lunar Force 1, JJJJound x New Balance 992 “Grey” and the CPFM x Nike By You Air Force 1.

If you are able to collab with any brand, who would it be and why?

I’ll go with Nike. As a sneakerhead, it would be a tremendous honor to collaborate with one of the most influential names in the industry. While collaborating on either apparel or sneakers would be great, if I had to pick one, it would undoubtedly be a sneaker collaboration.

What are your thoughts on streetwear culture in South Korea? Is it very different from other countries?

Because of the relatively brief history of South Korean street culture, it’s a fact that we remain significantly influenced by overseas trends. Nevertheless, the scene has undergone rapid growth within a short time, and we are starting to see an increase in exposure and domestic startups in recent times.

Do you think this phenomenon is linked to the rise of K-Pop? If so, could you give a few examples of such cases?

Yes, definitely. With the rising popularity of K-pop among the global audience, idols have a strong influence on the streetwear scene.

For example, I believe G-Dragon’s collaboration with Nike was a great exposure and triggering point for the slew of collaborations between Korean artists or brands and global brands that followed.

Following the rise of the Gorpcore trend, Blokecore is becoming more and more popular too. What are some prominent fashion trends in South Korea now?

Likewise, Gorpcore and Blokecore are also currently trending in South Korea. Additionally, thanks to the resurgence of the Y2K aesthetics, many Koreans are starting to show interest towards vintage clothings.

Are there any South Korean brands that you recommend checking out?

I would recommend POST ARCHIVE FACTION, ADER ERROR, thisisneverthat and MSCHF.

If we were in Seoul for a one-day whirlwind trip, which areas or stores should we visit to cop the best stuff and to spot the trendiest crowd?

You should definitely check out Seongsu-dong. It is a buzzing area filled with flagship stores and known to hold occasional pop-up events by various brands.

Since transport in Seoul is very convenient, you can also explore major fashion districts like Garosu-gil and Hongdae within a day by using the subway.

Coming out of Seoul, why do you think that your sources of sneaker and streetwear news got picked up by international media sites?

I believe it was around 2017 when Nike included Seoul in its list of key cities and the APLA (Asia Pacific & Latin America) region. Since then, there has been a surge in experimental ventures aimed at global expansion, leveraging South Korea’s distinctive culture.

This led to more domestic releases, including collaborations which quickly garnered the attention of international media sites and, eventually, our exposure in the scene.

Any future plans for Le Syndrome that you can share?

We are still looking into the scalability of our brand. But we are planning to release more goods for our community, just like the “NUMERO UNO” hoodie we dropped in partnership with South Korean label Extraordinary back in 2022.

Lastly, any messages to our readers?

A huge thanks to the SNKRDUNK team for giving us this opportunity to talk about ourselves and our visions. We hope that in the near future, South Korean brands, including ourselves, can grow to become as influential and develop a distinct identity, much like Japanese brands.

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