South Korea shows Abu Dhabi its shiny, glossy side

South Korea, which is supplying the UAE with nuclear reactors, is expanding its offerings to the country to include such diverse items as a rhinestone cabinet and a submarine-type vessel.

The Made In Korea Fair, which promotes business between the UAE and South Korea, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Lee Hoagland / The National

South Korea, which is supplying the UAE with nuclear reactors, is expanding its offerings to the country to include such diverse items as a virtual golf system, a rhinestone cabinet and even a submarine-type vessel with a glass lookout.

Such wares were on display at a trade exhibition in Abu Dhabi yesterday, sponsored by the governments of both nations.

Seoul and Abu Dhabi have woven closer political and economic ties at the highest level since 2009 when Lee Myung-bak, the South Korean president, came to seal a US$20 billion (Dh73.4bn) deal for four nuclear reactors.

In the years since, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, has flown in the other direction, most recently this year for a nuclear security conference.

Abu Dhabi has granted South Korea a range of oil concessions spanning a tenth of the emirate's land mass, promised it the rights to develop fields with a further billion barrels' worth of reserves and agreed to cooperate in strategic arenas from military training to health care.

Even the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, was built with help from the Korean contractor Samsung C&T.The two-way trade between the countries totalled $22bn last year thanks to rising oil sales.

Mariam Al Shehhi, 25, a masters student from Dubai, was the fifth Emirati visitor to the exhibition in 15 minutes to stop by one unusual piece of furniture on show - a credenza covered in rose rhinestones with two golden swans perched on top.

"It's glossy, it's shiny and if you see it inside I think it represents the Korean style," said Ms Al Shehhi. She was accompanied by two girlfriends, who were also members of a group called UAE Loves Korea.

Mohammed Al Zaabi, 33, stopped by to ask the price of the rhinestone cabinet. The answer: Dh4,200 and an extra Dh2,700 for a matching mirror featuring rhinestones trimmed in gold paint.

"Everybody's looking for something unique and I think this will add to my collection," said Mr Al Zaabi

He told the Korean exhibitor he would have his interior designer look into buying the item for his villa in Abu Dhabi.

Schick Korea, which manufactured the item, has made such crystal-studded stools, cabinets and coffee tables for the past 15 years.

Dan-Shik Lee, the company's founder, operated a glass factory for 20 years before the idea struck. "I suddenly thought, 'How about if I produced furniture utilising glass or crystals?'" he said.

Now he is seeking a distributor in the UAE, Schick's second foreign market after Japan.

Travels to China and Italy inspire his designs. Asked to describe his style, he had three words: "gorgeous but unique".

"I don't know what they call that," said Mr Al Zaabi. "It looks contemporary."

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