Hankook Kim

Hankook Kim is the founder and chief executive of Gentle Monster, a South Korean eyewear brand known for its avant-garde designs and immersive retail experiences. Under his leadership, the company has disrupted the eyewear industry with its Asia-focused product lines and unique blend of art and commerce. By 2024, the brand had opened more than 80 mono-brand stores across 32 countries and partnered with major luxury fashion houses. Securing deals with Maison Margiela, Marine Serre, Ambush, Mugler and others, Kim produced cult favourites and trend-setting models for brands looking for an edgy eyewear partner.

From its inception, Gentle Monster has been known for its innovative approach to retail. The brand’s stores are sometimes more akin to art galleries than traditional retail spaces, featuring colossal robots and zen gardens. Kim’s commitment to experiential retail has set new standards in the industry, emphasising unpredictability and otherworldliness. "I wanted the products to look as if they were being exhibited," Kim told BoF in 2016, adding that when he founded Gentle Monster in 2011, “there were no competitors for oversize glasses [and] eyewear was all about the Western facial structure.”