SEOUL: It was in 2006 when Kim Jin-woo saw an opportunity where few others in South Korea were looking: the global halal industry. Nearly two decades later, he stands at the forefront of the country’s growing K-halal scene, introducing new trends in lifestyle, fashion, and food.
The idea to enter a niche market in a country where the Muslim population is less than 0.2 percent came to Kim while he was living in Malaysia and understood the industry’s scale.
“Halal is not just about food. It is a lifestyle that includes fashion, beauty, culture and how we live every day. The magnitude of this economy is about $3 trillion and affects about 1.9 billion people’s lives,” he told Arab News.
“I saw Malaysia doing that and thought Korea could definitely engage in the halal economy too.”
It took years of trials and various initiatives — from modest fashion shows to advising Korean firms on halal certification and exports — before Kim’s efforts bore fruit in bridging Muslim consumers and Korean businesses closer together.
