A Mini Wedding Dress Trip to Korea at Studio Wonkyu

Text & Photos / Yu Tian

Beauty is something cultivated through culture, built up by environment, and incubated over time. Though many aesthetic principles are taught, beauty is not easily replicated. It continuously evolves with time and shifts with the culture of a place. Looking at the Korean Wave that has swept Taiwan in recent years, isn’t it that unique, fresh beauty of Korean fashion that fans of Korean dramas are drawn to?

The self-service wedding photography trend that has gained popularity in recent years has also caught the Korean Wave bug, with couples hoping to capture the romantic charm of Korean drama leads—those fairytale, prince-and-princess-like moments straight out of drama stills.

Yu Tian would like to share her observations and experience at the highly popular Korean-style wedding studio, Studio Wonkyu. She was also very curious about what makes Korean wedding photography so captivating.

The interior of Studio Wonkyu is warm and bright, with wood-toned colors that feel soft and cozy. There’s also a large coffee bar inside, making it the most exciting moment—enjoying coffee while planning a trip to Korea to shoot your wedding photos.

▲ The handmade Korean wedding shoes in the store are quite delicate and elegant. I couldn’t help but consider getting a few pairs—they’d be perfect for attending events too.

The wedding heels displayed in the window are elegant and clean, not gaudy or overly flashy. Studio Wonkyu has partnered with Walentines to introduce exclusive Korean handmade wedding shoes, custom wedding dresses, and fashion brand accessories. They have also established a wedding planning department, making them Taiwan’s first Korean-style integrated wedding photography company.

▲ The design of the handmade wedding dresses is refined and three-dimensional, with a vintage tactile charm.

▲ The evening shoes in the store are also extremely beautiful and very elegant, with no overly flashy vulgarity.

A characteristic of Korean wedding photography is that the wedding dress shop, beauty salon, and photography studio are all separate. Studio Wonkyu + Taiwan is a one-stop workstation where all wedding details can be decided. Fashion-forward urban couples who are busy and don’t want the hassle love entrusting their big day entirely to a professional team to plan and handle. The couple mainly just needs to make decisions, take leave, and show up according to the schedule set by the experts to complete the wedding.

▲ Up your wedding photo style selection game. On the table are several wedding photo works showcasing different styles. The main choices are the photographer’s style and the photography studio.

▲ %The price difference isn’t huge, and there are also modern options that suit you. There’s also a cultural vibe that you like. What impressed me the most was that the proportion of the groom in the photos isn’t negligible—it’s not like traditional wedding photos where the bride often dominates the frame. The styling and makeup for the groom are also handled with great care.

After selecting your wedding photo style, it’s time to plan your wedding photography trip to Korea. Schedule time to visit local designer bridal boutiques to pick your wedding dress, and the most anticipated part—Korean celebrity beauty salons (Korea’s top hair salons). The beauty salon they partner with here is one used by Korean celebrities themselves.

Shooting your wedding photos in Korea requires at least a 3-day, 2-night itinerary. You can add a few more days for personal free time and explore Korea as a tourist too. Here’s a general timeline for shooting wedding photos in Korea:
DAY 1: Free time upon arrival in Korea
DAY 2: Visit a bridal shop to select your wedding dress and attire (about 2 hours)
DAY 3: Visit a beauty salon for hair and makeup (about 3 hours), then head to the photography studio for the wedding shoot (about 5 hours)
DAY 4: Pick up the digital files of your photos at Studio Wonkyu Korea headquarters, then depart Korea.

▲ The minimum schedule required for shooting wedding photos in Korea.

▲ %If you’re not interested in the studio lighting and set backgrounds, you can also consult here for other options. There are also larger indoor venues for indoor activities and performances, and many families find the atmosphere here to be quite nice.