Sung Jinwoo Cosplay

Sung Jinwoo's default hunter outfit looks simple in photos and turns out to be a whole project. A black coat, black pants, a messy wig, some daggers. Simple, right? Then you notice the purple lining, the armor-style shoulder plates, the structured collar, the silver chain, and the two distinctly different daggers.

I have built this one twice, first for a con and then for a commission client. Here is what I learned both times.

This is an intermediate build, and the reason is the coat. Jinwoo's coat is not a thrifted trench coat. It is a hybrid garment that needs sewing skills plus foam work for the shoulder armor. If you have sewn a lined garment before and shaped EVA foam, you can do this. If you have not, buy a plain black long coat as a base and put your energy into the details: the shoulder armor, the purple lining, and the daggers. You will still read as Jinwoo.

Start with the coat pattern, because everything else depends on that silhouette. I used a basic trench coat pattern from McCall's and modified it: removed the lapels, added a standing collar piece, tapered the waist, and added a subtle hem flare. Mock it up in muslin first. The fit on this coat is much more important than it looks because the fitted silhouette shows every fit issue. Use heavyweight fusible interfacing (Pellon 931TD) on the collar and front panels. A collar that flops kills this costume.

Flat-line the purple lining into the coat body, do not just let it hang loose. You want it to peek out when the coat moves or opens. I used UV reactive purple polyester lining from JoAnn. It glows under blacklight at cons with zero wiring. If you want active EL wire glow, you can add that later by sewing a channel into the lining hem. Skip it on build one, add it for build two.

The shoulder armor is your second biggest decision. I cut mine from 6mm EVA foam using a template I traced from a side-view reference image. Heat-shaped the curve with a heat gun, sealed with Plasti Dip, painted with metallic silver acrylic, and attached with snaps so they come off for washing. Barge contact cement for the seams, same as any foam build.

For the dagger, build Kasaka's Venom Fang first. I traced the curved blade profile from a printed reference, cut it from 6mm EVA foam with a PVC pipe core for rigidity, heat-shaped the curve, and painted it with silver and purple acrylics. Pre-made foam daggers run $10 to $15, but the details are always wrong. You get much better accuracy for the same cost in materials.

Two mistakes I made so you do not have to. First, I bought a pleather coat on my first build and was drenched by noon at Anime Expo. Swap to heavy cotton twill and you will thank yourself. Second, I built both daggers and carried them all day. One was constantly in my way. Take only one for crowds and stash the second in your bag.

The wig is the easiest part. Short black heat-resistant wig, mist it with diluted purple alcohol ink for the undertone, thin it with shears, spike with Got2b Glued, and set on a wig stand overnight. The whole wig takes an afternoon.

Budget $120 to $320. Give yourself 5 to 7 weeks if you are sewing the coat. Start with the pattern mockup so you know the fit is right before cutting your good fabric.