The South Korean fashion and entertainment world is in mourning after news broke of the sudden death of designer Rieul Kim at the age of 32.
Authorities detailed that the designer 's body was found outside his parents' apartment, whom he was visiting in Namwon. Based on initial investigations, police have ruled out the possibility of foul play, stating that it is likely a case of suicide .
The theory is gaining strength after some of Rieul's followers noticed that a week ago the designer edited the description of his last Instagram post, which he shared on January 9. The enigmatic and chilling message that accompanied the image in which his name can be read was "1993-2025", indicating the year in which he was born and the year in which he ended up dying.
This detail has raised suspicions of a possible suicide, although authorities are continuing their investigation to clarify the motives and the moments before the death.
Rieul Kim's impact on South Korean fashion
The designer began his career with the creation of his own brand in 2016. From the very beginning he knew that he wanted to be faithful to his cultural roots, but also combine them with modernity and the trends that were making their way into the market.
His designs began to make their way into the Korean fashion sphere, impressing with their versatility and duality of tradition and modernity coexisting in the same design.
Just four years after founding his label, Rieul was approached by the team of the famous K-pop group BTS . The talented designer was tasked with creating hanbok-style outfits, a traditional garment, for their presentation at Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, which was broadcast on the American program The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
This presentation gave great exposure to his designs, attracting the attention of different brands that were captivated by them. From there, Rieul worked with large companies such as Samsung, McLaren and New Balance, building a unique legacy in the fashion and culture of his country.
