Project Runway Korea (Korean프로젝트 런웨이 코리아) was the South Korean version of the American reality show Project Runway. It was Korean television's first localized franchise from a foreign-language reality competition, and the third Project Runway version in Asia after Malaysia and the Philippines.[1]

Project Runway Korea
Logo
Hangul
프로젝트 런웨이 코리아
Created byEli Holzman
StarringLee So-ra
(2009-)
Kan Ho-sup
(2009-12)
Shin Yoo-jin
(2009-10)
Kim Seok-won
(2009-)
Jeon Mi-Gyeong
(2011-)
Jung Goo-ho
(2013-)
Country of originSouth Korea
Original languageKorean
No. of seasons5
No. of episodes59
Production
Running time60 minutes
Original release
NetworkOnStyle
ReleaseFebruary 7, 2009 (2009-02-07) –
May 18, 2015 (2015-05-18)

The winner of Project Runway Korea's first season received 50 million in prize money, along with a car and a fashion spread in Elle Korea; the second season increased the prize money to ₩70 million.[2]

The show's fifth and final season, an All Stars Season, concluded in May 2015.

Production

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The show is hosted by Lee So-ra, supermodel, together with Editor-in-Chief of ELLE Korea Shin Yoo-jin and ANDY & DEBB designer Kim Seok-won completing the judging panel. Meanwhile, fashion design professor Kan Ho-sup serves as mentor to the designers.[1][3] Lee replaced Kang Ho-dong (comedian and variety show host), who was the choice to host Project Runway Korea, as FremantleMedia (international distributor of the Project Runway franchise) found it inappropriate to have a comedian in a fashion-related program.[4] Over 500 designers auditioned, and 14 of them were chosen as finalists. The final three designers will get the chance to show their collection in the 2009 Fall/ Winter Seoul Collection, with the winner receiving 50 million won (roughly US$34,200), a 2009 GM Daewoo Lacetti and a fashion spread in ELLE Korea. The show premiered on cable network OnStyle on February 7, 2009.[1]

News reports stated that the production company of Project Runway Korea paid 100 million won (roughly US$71,900) to purchase the franchise, which included a 700-page "bible" that details the program's format, production notes, and casting procedures. The whole season is said to have been produced at a budget of 700 million won (roughly US$506,100) for all of its 10 episodes, compared to Project Runway that has a production budget of 500 million won (roughly US$361,500) for every episode.[4]

During the promotion of the program, the staff of Project Runway Korea stated that "everything about (Project Runway and its Korean version) is the same except for the color of the contestants' skin."[4]

The first season will feature appearances from celebrity Uhm Jung-hwa, fashion photographer Gilles Bensimon, and designer from Project Runway's fourth season Victorya Hong, who incidentally has Korean lineage.[5][6]

As of Season 4, the show has begun filming in an HDTV format.

Season 1

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Project Runway Korea's host Lee So-ra (foreground) together with 14 designers competing in the program

Names of the designers are arranged in "Romanized" order, while the ages listed are the designers' ages at the time the show was taped in late 2008.[7]

Contestant Age Place Finished
Kye Han-hee 21 14th
Lee Eun-jeong 37 13th
Kim Hong-bum 30 12th
So Ye-in 25 11th
Yoo Sang-wook 27 10th
Kyung Cho-rong 28 9th
Shin Jae-eun 41 8th
Kim Jae-min 21 7th
Lee Myung-sin 22 6th
Jung Jae-woong 25 5th
Lee Seung-hee 33 4th
Choi Hye-jung 28 2nd Runner-up
Nam Yong-seop 29 1st Runner-up
Lee Woo-kyung 26 Winner
Designer Elimination Chart
Designer 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 11 Eliminated Episode
Lee Woo-kyung WIN IN IN IN IN LOW LOW HIGH WIN WINNER 11 - Finale
Nam Yong-seop IN IN WIN IN LOW HIGH LOW WIN HIGH RUNNER-UP
Choi Hye-jung IN IN IN HIGH IN LOW HIGH LOW LOW 3RD PLACE
Lee Seung-hee HIGH LOW LOW HIGH LOW IN WIN HIGH OUT 9 - Korean Soul
Jung Jae-woong IN HIGH HIGH IN HIGH WIN HIGH LOW OUT
Lee Myung-sin IN IN LOW WIN WIN IN HIGH OUT 8 - Absolute Esthetics of Ballerinas
Kim Jae-min LOW IN LOW1 LOW HIGH HIGH OUT 7 - Hello! Africa!
Shin Jae-eun IN IN IN LOW IN OUT 6 - Try To Follow Me
Kyung Cho-rong IN LOW HIGH IN OUT 5 - Resort Project
Yoo Sang-wook LOW WIN IN OUT 4 - Bag Transformation
So Ye-in IN IN OUT 3 - Sedan Above Design
Kim Hong-bum HIGH LOW OUT
Lee Eun-jung LOW OUT 2 - Standard Of Party
Kye Han-hee OUT 1 - Welcome To The Runway
  The designer won Project Runway Korea.
  The designer won that challenge.
  The designer was in the top two, but did not win.
  The designer had one of the highest scores for that challenge, but did not win.
  The designer had one of the lowest scores for that challenge, but was not eliminated.
  The designer was in the bottom two, but was not eliminated.
  The designer lost and was out of the competition.
  • ^Note 1 : Kim Jae-min's team had one of the highest scores but because of his attitude, he was on the bottom 5.

Season 2

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Contestant Age Place Finished
Lee Hyun-shik 31 15th
Lee Jae-hoon 25 14th
Hyun Sung-shik 32 13th
Yoon Se-na 30 12th
Lee Dong-jun 22 11th
Jung Ga-young 23 10th
Bang Ji-eun 25 9th
Jung Hyun-joo 29 8th
Choi Chang-sook 36 7th
An Song-eun 22 6th
Yoon Choon-ho 27 5th
Kim Ji-hye 31 4th
Jung Mi-young 30 2nd Runner-up
Choi Hyoung-wook 30 1st Runner-up
Jung Go-woun 25 Winner
Designer Elimination Chart
Designer 1 2 3 4 5 6 71 8 9 10 12 Eliminated Episode
Jung Go-woun WIN WIN IN IN IN HIGH WIN LOW HIGH HIGH WINNER 12 - Finale
Choi Hyoung-wook HIGH IN IN LOW WIN WIN LOW LOW LOW LOW RUNNER-UP
Jung Mi-young IN HIGH HIGH WIN LOW IN LOW WIN LOW WIN 3RD PLACE
Kim Ji-hye IN HIGH IN HIGH IN HIGH LOW LOW HIGH OUT 10 - Capital of Design
Yoon Choon-ho IN IN WIN IN LOW LOW LOW HIGH WIN OUT
An Song-eun IN IN IN LOW IN LOW LOW HIGH OUT 9 - Preety Women, Lovely Couple
Choi Chang-sook IN IN LOW HIGH HIGH IN LOW OUT 8 - Hiphoper's Wedding Crasher
Jung Hyun-joo LOW IN IN HIGH HIGH IN OUT 7 - 101 Purple Bloom
Bang Ji-eun IN LOW IN IN IN OUT 6 - Imigination : The Car
Jung Ga-young LOW IN LOW IN OUT 5 - Heel is Finish of Couture
Lee Dong-jun IN IN IN OUT 4 - Christine, Yesterday & Today
Yoon Se-na HIGH LOW HIGH OUT
Hyun Sung-shik IN IN OUT 3 - Warming Rainy Day
Lee Jae-hoon IN OUT 2 - Fashionista's Going Out
Lee Hyun-shik OUT 1 - Master of Recycling
  The designer won Project Runway Korea.
  The designer won that challenge.
  The designer was in the top two, but did not win.
  The designer had one of the highest scores for that challenge, but did not win.
  The designer had one of the lowest scores for that challenge, but was not eliminated.
  The designer was in the bottom two, but was not eliminated.
  The designer lost and was out of the competition.
  • ^Note 1 : Two team's teamwork are worst. And all of contestants are critiqued.

Season 3

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Contestant Age Place Finished
Lee Hak-lim 33 15th
Lee Tae-kyung 27 14th
Jeon Ju-hyun 27 13th
Jung Nok-young 25 12th
Hong Ji-sun 23 11th
Gwon Bo-mi 27 10th
Jo Seo-young 32 9th
Jo Hang-yong 24 8th
Hwang Jae-geun 34 7th
Kim Won-shik 26 6th
Jung Hee-jin 27 5th
Kim Jin 32 4th
Lee Se-jin 24 2nd Runner-up
Gwon Soon-soo 24 1st Runner-up
Shin Joo-yeon 24 Winner
Designer Elimination Chart
Designer 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 Eliminated Episode
Shin Joo-yeon WIN LOW IN IN HIGH HIGH IN WIN LOW HIGH WINNER 12 - Finale
Gwon Soon-soo IN HIGH WIN IN IN LOW WIN IN LOW WIN RUNNER-UP
Lee Se-jin IN HIGH HIGH HIGH IN IN IN HIGH LOW LOW 3RD PLACE
Kim Jin HIGH IN HIGH HIGH IN WIN LOW LOW LOW OUT 9 - Meaning The Motor Clothing / 10 - Love, I Love You
Jung Hee-jin IN LOW IN IN IN IN HIGH LOW LOW1 OUT
Kim Won-shik IN IN IN LOW LOW HIGH HIGH HIGH WIN OUT
Hwang Jae-geun HIGH LOW IN WIN HIGH IN LOW OUT 8 - Invite The Latin Continent
Jo Hang-yong IN LOW LOW LOW WIN LOW OUT 7 - Stage Shock
Jo Seo-young IN IN IN IN LOW OUT 6 - Blue Jeans Being Beautiful
Gwon Bo-mi IN IN IN IN OUT 5 - Only My Jewels
Hong Ji-sun IN WIN LOW OUT 4 - Toy Madness
Jung Nok-young LOW HIGH OUT 3 - Spring Scent For Her
Jeon Ju-hyun IN OUT 2 - Café Non-Standard
Lee Tae-kyung LOW OUT
Lee Hak-lim OUT 1 - If I Becomes Top 3?
  The designer won Project Runway Korea.
  The designer won that challenge.
  The designer was in the top two, but did not win.
  The designer had one of the highest scores for that challenge, but did not win.
  The designer had one of the lowest scores for that challenge, but was not eliminated.
  The designer was in the bottom two, but was not eliminated.
  The designer lost and was out of the competition.
  • ^Note 1 : Jung Hee-jin was eliminated at panel, but was saved. Because all of contestants are critiqued.

Season 4

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Contestant Age Place Finished
Jung Ji-eun 31 15th
Kim Sung-gwon 28 14th
Kim Min-ji 23 13th
Lim Je-yoon 22 12th
Park So-hyun 29 11th
Kim Gyung-mi 30 10th
Gi Yoon-ha 24 9th
Kim Sung-hyun 23 8th
Kim Jae-woong 21 7th
Gang Sung-do 27 6th
An Jae-hyun 29 5th
Jo A-ra 26 4th
Oh Yu-kyung 25 2nd Runner-up
Lee Ji-seung 28 1st Runner-up
Kim Hye-ran 30 Winner
Designer Elimination Chart
Designer 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Eliminated Episode
Kim Hye-ran LOW HIGH IN HIGH IN WIN IN WIN IN LOW WIN WINNER 13 - Finale
Lee Ji-seung IN WIN IN IN HIGH LOW HIGH HIGH WIN WIN HIGH RUNNER-UP
Oh Yu-kyung LOW IN IN HIGH IN IN IN IN HIGH HIGH LOW 3RD PLACE
Jo A-ra HIGH IN WIN IN IN IN WIN HIGH LOW HIGH OUT 12 - Fashion Herb City
An Jae-hyun IN IN IN IN LOW LOW IN IN HIGH LOW OUT
Gang Sung-do WIN IN IN LOW IN HIGH HIGH LOW LOW OUT 11 - Fashion Outline
Kim Jae-woong IN LOW HIGH IN HIGH HIGH LOW LOW OUT 10 - My Lucky Cast
Kim Sung-hyun HIGH IN HIGH LOW LOW HIGH LOW OUT 9 - Fashionikids VVIP
Gi Yoon-ha IN LOW LOW IN WIN LOW OUT 8 - See The Future of Runway
Kim Gyung-mi LOW IN IN WIN IN OUT 7 - Driver Gentleness
Park So-hyun HIGH IN LOW IN OUT 6 - Red Carpet Goddess
Lim Je-yoon HIGH HIGH IN OUT 5 - Hard-Wear
Kim Min-ji IN IN OUT 4 - Collects The Light Of Amethyst
Kim Sung-gwon LOW OUT 3 - The Heroes of Pyongchang
Jung Ji-eun OUT 1 - Fall Off The Party 1 / 2 - Wonder Designer
  The designer won Project Runway Korea.
  The designer won that challenge.
  The designer was in the top two, but did not win.
  The designer had one of the highest scores for that challenge, but did not win.
  The designer had one of the lowest scores for that challenge, but was not eliminated.
  The designer was in the bottom two, but was not eliminated.
  The designer lost and was out of the competition.
  • ^Note 1 : In episode 1, Nam Bo-ra, Park Jung-sang, Back Ye-jin, Lee Kyung-hae, and Jung Yong-jin were the 5 designers who were eliminated before the final 15 were officially participants of the show.

All-STARS

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Contestant Age Original Season Original Ranked Place Finished
Jung Jae-woong 30 Season 1 5th 12th
Jo A-ra 28 Season 4 4th 11th
Oh Yu-Kyung 27 Season 4 2nd Runner-up 10th
Choi Chang-sook 40 Season 2 7th 9th
Nam Yong-seop 34 Season 1 1st Runner-up 8th
Hyun Sung-shik 36 Season 2 13th 7th
Kim Sung-hyun 25 Season 4 8th 6th
Jung Mi-young 34 Season 2 2nd Runner-up 5th
Yoon Se-na 34 Season 2 12th 4th
Lim Je-yoon 24 Season 4 12th 2nd Runner-Up
Lee Myung-sin 27 Season 1 6th 1st Runner-Up
Hwang Jae-geun 37 Season 3 7th Winner
Designer Elimination Chart
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Eliminated Episode
Hwang Jae-geun IN HIGH HIGH WIN LOW HIGH LOW HIGH HIGH WIN WINNER 11 - Finale
Lee Myung-sin WIN LOW2 IN IN WIN LOW HIGH HIGH WIN LOW RUNNER-UP
Lim Je-yoon HIGH LOW2 IN IN HIGH HIGH HIGH LOW HIGH HIGH 3RD PLACE
Yoon Se-na IN HIGH WIN LOW IN WIN IN LOW LOW OUT 10 - Cause and Effect
Jung Mi-young IN LOW IN HIGH HIGH LOW3 LOW WIN OUT 9 - Feather Magic
Kim Sung-hyun LOW LOW LOW LOW LOW LOW WIN OUT 8 - Bag Hi-End
Hyun Sung-shik IN HIGH IN IN IN HIGH OUT 7 - Dog-Healing Life
Nam Yong-seop HIGH HIGH HIGH IN IN OUT 6 - Ultimate Paper Couture
Choi Chang-sook IN LOW LOW HIGH OUT 5 - Korean Women President
Oh Yu-Kyung IN HIGH IN OUT 4 - Make-Up Extreme
Jo A-ra LOW WIN OUT 3 - Brand New Boy
Jung Jae-woong LOW1 OUT 1 - Mistakes Breed Success / 2 - Princess Twist
  The designer won Project Runway Korea.
  The designer won that challenge.
  The designer was in the top two, but did not win.
  The designer had one of the highest scores for that challenge, but did not win.
  The designer had one of the lowest scores for that challenge, but was not eliminated.
  The designer was in the bottom two, but was not eliminated.
  The designer lost and was out of the competition.
  • ^Note 1 :Jung Jae-woong was eliminated at panel, but was saved. Because judges thought that he had potential, and stayed in the competition.
  • ^Note 2 :Lee Myung-sin & Lim Je-yoon's design was considered good even though they are received a low score to lose the battle.
  • ^Note 3 :Jung Mi-young's design was considered good even though her group received a low score.
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On March 28, 2009, Muhan Dojeon, the top-rating comic-variety programme in Korea, broadcast a special episode titled "Project RunAway" (프로젝트 런어웨이) (episode 147) to test each of the member's commercial design ability, with the host of PRK, Lee So-ra. The main challenge given to each member was made by comedian Kim Gyeong-min's request, to design his comic dress to wear at the MBC's variety programme Happy-Time. At last, surprisingly, the winner of this neck-and-neck competition is Park Myeong-su by the judges' Rock-paper-scissors decision. This free-to-air episode also marked the highest ratings of the series.[8]

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Han, Sang-hee (December 3, 2008). "Project Runway Korea to Hit Small Screen". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on May 11, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
  2. ^ (in English) Han, Sang-hee. 'Project Runway Korea' Season 2 Launches. The Korea Times. January 26, 2010. Retrieved February 9, 2010.
  3. ^ OnMedia. "Judges, Project Runway Korea official site". Archived from the original on 2009-02-04.
  4. ^ a b c Jung, Kang-hyun (February 4, 2009). "In fashion, one day you're in - airing in Korea, that is". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on October 21, 2010. Retrieved February 8, 2009.
  5. ^ Oh, Jean (February 6, 2009). "Project Runway Korea ready to hit catwalk". The Korea Herald. Archived from the original on February 8, 2009. Retrieved February 8, 2009.
  6. ^ "Victorya Hong Takes to Korean Project Runway". Digital Chosun Ilbo. February 7, 2009. Archived from the original on February 11, 2009. Retrieved February 9, 2009.
  7. ^ OnMedia. "Designers, Project Runway Korea official site". Archived from the original on 2009-02-04.
  8. ^ Muhan Dojeon marked as the highest ratings with Project RunAway special edition[permanent dead link](Korean), Artsnews.com, Retrieved on March 29th, 2009