Kim Minsoo Is Done Selling the Fashion Fantasy
The Korean model is pulling back the curtain on the industry, one honest conversation at a time
- Korean model Kim Minsoo opens up about his accidental journey into fashion and why he sees modeling as a form of performance.
- He shares candid thoughts on rejection, inclusivity, and the industry’s hidden realities, which inspired him to launch the Models Podcast.
Sometimes the detour becomes the destination
Kim Minsoo has spent more than a decade in fashion, but he has little interest in selling the fantasy.
The Korean model speaks about the industry with unusual candor, viewing it as any other profession built on preparation and persistence. Behind every campaign, he suggests, is an endless cycle of self-questioning and learning to hear “no” without letting it define you.
Ironically, modeling was never part of the plan. Before fashion, Minsoo was pursuing music, performing on stage and imagining a different future.
That changed while studying at Donghua University in Shanghai, a school known for producing some of China’s top fashion designers. Although his major had nothing to do with fashion, classmates regularly asked him to model for their projects.
What started as helping friends gradually became a career, and somewhere along the way, modeling filled the creative space that music had left behind.
One moment, however, pushed the possibility into focus. While traveling alone in Tokyo in 2017, he spotted a Uniqlo billboard starring Korean supermodel Park Sungjin. “I thought, ‘Wow, I want one like that,'” he recalls. It was a simple thought, but one that redirected the course of his career.
The model as a storyteller
Today, Minsoo approaches modeling as a performance. Every campaign begins long before he steps in front of the camera. Mood boards become character studies, and creative briefs become scripts.
He researches references, asks questions, and imagines himself into the world the team is trying to create, whether that means drawing inspiration from a film, a commercial, or someone he has observed in everyday life.
“If you don’t know what the team is trying to create, you’re nothing more than a pretty figure with an empty soul.”
It’s a philosophy that separates image-making from simply looking good. For Minsoo, the best photographs come from understanding the story, not just wearing the clothes.
Beyond the fantasy of fashion
While the industry often celebrates inclusivity, Minsoo is cautious about declaring victory. Trends shift quickly, casting preferences evolve, and every model understands how temporary visibility can be.
“The fashion industry today includes some elements of inclusivity, but does it truly represent diversity overall? I think my answer is still a question mark.”
Rather than positioning himself as a figurehead of representation, Minsoo prefers to see his role as part of a more collaborative effort. He sees models as artists navigating the same unpredictable landscape. Still, he wants to leave the industry better than he found it.
His latest project, Models Podcast, was created with exactly that goal. Launching on YouTube, the series aims to pull back the curtain on the parts of modeling that rarely make it into glossy editorials or backstage TikToks.
From difficult working realities to the conversations many people avoid, Minsoo hopes newcomers can enter fashion with clearer expectations instead of unrealistic illusions.
“There are a lot of shadows that many people don’t speak about,” he says.
For someone so honest about the industry’s shortcomings, it is no surprise that he speaks just as openly about rejection. Eleven years into modeling, he admits he still hasn’t grown comfortable with hearing no. Instead, he has built a mindset that allows him to move forward without carrying every casting home.
“If they don’t want me, they lost the chance to work with me, not the other way around,” he says.
It sounds bold, but beneath it is a practical understanding of how fashion works. Most casting decisions come down to client preferences rather than personal shortcomings. The healthiest approach, he believes, is showing up prepared, giving your best, and remembering there will always be another opportunity.
The person behind the persona
Off duty, Minsoo keeps things refreshingly uncomplicated. Morning runs are non-negotiable, helping him reset after flights and keep his body clock in rhythm.
Quality sleep, however, has become more elusive. With marketing budgets tightening across the industry and work becoming less predictable, he admits that anxiety has made rest harder to come by.
It is a reminder that even in an industry built on appearances, uncertainty is universal.
He may have entered fashion by accident, inspired by a billboard that made the impossible feel tangible. Years later, what defines him is the perspective he has gained along the way, far beyond the campaign he once imagined.
Equal parts performer, realist, and astute observer of the industry he has helped shape, Kim Minsoo understands that great modeling comes from knowing exactly who you need to become when the camera starts rolling.
Photography Bjorn Michael
Frequently Asked Questions
Kim Minsoo is a South Korean model who has worked in the fashion industry for over a decade. Known for his thoughtful approach to modeling, he also recently launched the Models Podcast to encourage more honest conversations about the industry.
Minsoo never planned to become a model. While studying at Donghua University in Shanghai, student fashion designers invited him to model for their projects, which eventually led to a professional career.
A major turning point came in 2017 when he saw Korean supermodel Park Sungjin on a Uniqlo billboard during a trip to Tokyo. The moment inspired him to imagine himself pursuing a career in fashion.
Minsoo believes rejection is a normal part of the job and is often based on client preferences and trends rather than personal shortcomings.
The Models Podcast is a YouTube series created to discuss the realities of the modeling industry that are often overlooked. Minsoo hopes it helps aspiring models make informed decisions before entering the profession.
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