South Korean First Lady praised for style during state visit to UK

Kim and Yoon arrived in the United Kingdom Monday in celebration of the 140th anniversary of U.K.-South Korea diplomatic ties, before departing for France for another visit on Thursday.

Landing at the airport in an elegant black and white outfit, the First Lady chose a scarf to fight the cold and complete her fitted blazer.

Members of the Royal Air Force (RAF) welcome South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee, as they arrive at Stansted Airport, near London, Britain, Nov. 20, 2023. Photo by Reuters

Kim and Yoon then arrived at their hotel to the welcome of the Prince and Princess of Wales.

For her subsequent appearance at the state banquet hosted by King Charles at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday, Kim chose a black dress with lined stones as its highlight.

(From L) Britain's Queen Camilla, Britain's King Charles III, South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee pose for pictures during a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace in central London on Nov. 21, 2023. Photo handout via AFP

Her earrings were the only piece of jewelry used, while her small clutch was her only accessory.

According to Edaily, Kim’s fashion sense has been a hot topic in South Korea since her husband took office in May last year. Favoring a minimalistic style, Kim often wears timeless designed clothing items and limits on her jewelry, creating looks that align with a "quiet luxury" attitude. However, it is reported that as simple as they look, they are all from luxury brands and thus not widely available.

Age 51, she was praised for her youthful look, according to an Daily Mail article.

She was praised for her sophistication as she wore a royal blue blazer to the investiture when three members of K-pop group Blackpink were awarded honorary MBEs by King Charles. She completed her look with straight trousers and minimalist heels.

First Lady of South Korea Kim Keon-hee (third from R) attends a special investiture ceremony to present the members of the K-Pop band Blackpink with Honorary MBEs (Member of the Order of the British Empire), conducted by King Charles at Buckingham Palace, London, Britain Nov. 22, 2023. Photo by Reuters

Blazers, suits, and formal dresses have been Kim’s favorite outfit choices during trips with her husband.

Kim graduated from Kyonggi University with an art degree before getting a master’s degree in art education and a doctorate in digital content design.

She married Yoon in 2012.

Since Yoon became president, she has been in the limelight, according to Korea Times. When she accompanied him to a NATO summit in Spain last year, she had been dubbed a "fashionista" by many South Korean newspapers.

Kang Jin-joo, former South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's image consultant, said: "Kim portrays the image of a classy, sophisticated, independent and professional woman."

Cho Jin-man, professor of Political Science at Duksung Women’s University in Seoul, said Kim is unique compared to her predecessors for her style, background, and character.