Shanghai-based Agency Boh Project Enters South Korea
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LONDON — Boh Project, the Shanghai-based communication, creative and branding consultancy agency founded by Mr Porter alum Bohan Qiu, will expand into the homeland of K-pop with Boh Korea, an independent business led by Jeffrey Jin.
With the goal of bringing “a refreshed approach to creative communications in the South Korean market,” Boh Korea will launch next month with service offerings including communications, creative production, casting, celebrity management and branding consultancy for clients such as Calvin Klein, Amiri and Nanushka.
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A long-term partner of Boh Project, Jin has led Jfry, a creative production service in Seoul, developing branding strategies for clients like Shinsegae and Emart.
“With K-pop and South Korean culture gaining huge global attention and momentum, we really believe we’re only at the starting line of showcasing the full creative potential of South Korea today. Our collaboration is about more than just connecting two points on a map; it’s an invitation to delve into the untapped artistic and innovative talents that exist here in [South] Korea and across Asia.
“Instead of merely introducing ourselves to the global creative scene, we’re actively inviting them into this unexplored territory. I’m fully committed to bringing Korean creativity and authentic voices into the spotlight and helping emerging talents get the recognition they deserve, both in [South] Korea and on the international stage,” Jin said.
Found in 2019 by Qiu, Boh Project has become one of the buzziest fashion agencies in China with clients ranging from global brands like Dries Van Noten, Calvin Klein, Amiri, Dionlee, Ottolinger, Nanushka and Machine-A as well as emerging local designers such as Rui, Louis Shengtao Chen, Yueqi Qi, Windowsen, Markgong and Near4Rest.
The firm has also worked on cultural consultation projects for Louis Vuitton, Marni and Alaïa, and is working on upcoming projects with Diesel for the Chinese market.
The two offices have also collectively worked with Ottolinger and Alaïa on special projects, and will join forces for the upcoming spring 2024 Paris Fashion Week.
In an interview, Qiu said it’s “a very natural move into the South Korean market.”
“China and South Korea are two major fashion hubs in the fashion and creative industry today. The power of K-pop has led Asian voices to new heights internationally while Chinese creatives have also been crafting their own voices locally for years. With the rise of independent designers and the need for a new way of communication in both countries, we feel strongly about joining forces between the two markets. This partnership aims to fuse communities, create synergies and unlock new possibilities between these two cultural epicenters of the world today that we call home,” he said.
“For China, we have been building a great local ecosystem during COVID-19, supporting local creative and design talents, and innovating a new way for how brands can localize in the market that feels both relevant and culturally correct.
“Similarly for South Korea, a new generation of customers has full access to everything everywhere all at once. We want to present what’s really cool, what’s really going on that is changing the scene and how people think and perceive, and craft truly interesting messages that may not always be a replica, but are full of thinking and localized market knowledge,” Qiu added.
Qiu studied political science and journalism at the University of Hong Kong, and Sciences Po in Paris prior to making his foyer into fashion as a writer. He later joined Mr Porter as a communications executive, looking after the APAC region until 2019.
Boh Project now employs 18 people in Shanghai, and two in Seoul.
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