Q: I am an engineer who is into Korean fashion. My bosses are always complaining that I'm over-dressed. How can I look professional while still incorporating a touch of Korean style?

A: I'm not quite sure what you mean by Korean style because fashion trends in South Korea tend to be very much derived from Japanese ones.

However, I do feel your pain when it comes to expressing personal style while still abiding by corporate dress codes.

A simple way to jazz up your workwear is by playing with colours. Both Korean and Japanese menswear often favour pastels, for instance.

Andre Neo, advertising and promotions manager of menswear brand T.M. Lewin, also suggests you play with patterns - by wearing striped shirts, for example - and accessories such as slim leather belts to jack up the style quotient for your office outfits.

Another approach is to incorporate designs by South Korean designers into your wardrobe. Multi-label boutique Actually stocks South Korean labels like [BLNK], designed by up-and-comer Chung Jae Woong, a recent finalist in Project Runway Korea. Tops from this brand start from about $100 and trousers from about $300.

The new ActuallyActually, another multi-label boutique in Purvis Street, also has South Korean brands like Song Zio (prices range from $100 to $600) and Junn J (priced from $125 to $230).

Both brands offer sharp, minimalist takes on menswear staples such as blazers.

This article was first published in Urban, The Straits Times.