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Korea Retail News

Reporting and analysis on retail, e-commerce, and consumer trends in Korea, updated continuously by our newsroom.

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12 Jul 2023

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Latest Korea retail stories

charles keith summer 23 store opening gangnam blog 01
Sarah ChenFashion

Charles & Keith opens first flagship store in South Korea

CHARLES & KEITH’s inaugural duplex flagship store in South Korea, situated in the vibrant shopping district of Gangnam, Seoul, is now open. Spanning an expansive area of over 330 sqm, the two-storey flagship store stands as the largest CHARLES & KEITH…

Coffee Beans
Wei ZhangFood

South Korean cafe chain Compose Coffee to launch in Singapore

The popular coffee chain from Korea, Compose Coffee, is set to open in Singapore at Suntec City. The scaffolding of the number one coffee in Korea can be seen around the shop, showing off the brand with two simple words: “Coming soon”. Its menu boasts a wide…

c stores
Wei ZhangGeneral

South Korean c-store chain CU launches in Kazakhstan

South Korean convenience store chain CU is setting its eyes on the Central Asian region, entering Kazakhstan under a partnership with CU Central Asia, the c-store operation arm of local ice cream manufacturer Shin Line. CU’s first store there is set to open…

starbucks 1
Wei ZhangFood

Starbucks Coffee Korea seeks new ventures amid sales slowdown

Starbucks Coffee Korea, which experienced a slowdown in sales growth last year, is seeking new ventures to secure a fresh growth engine. The company held a board meeting in late March and revised its articles of association to include 65 additional business…

ApplePay
Maria SantosFinance

Apple launches Apple Pay in South Korea

After a years-long wait, Apple Pay today launched in South Korea, allowing those living in the country to use Apple’s payment system to make contactless payments using the iPhone or Apple Watch. Apple has been working to bring ‌Apple Pay‌ to South Korea since…

coupang korea
Rajiv MenonE-Tailing

Coupang to exit Japan to focus on Korea, Taiwan

Coupang has decided to withdraw its e-commerce business from Japan, 21 months after it began offering its online delivery service there, a company official said Sunday. “After testing our service as a pilot version, we have decided to withdraw our business…

food restaurant
Rajiv MenonFood

South Korean restaurants feel the pinch of surging delivery costs

Higher demand for food delivery workers has ramped up the industry’s labor cost. The rapid growth of South Korea’s food delivery market during the COVID-19 pandemic has inadvertently caused a sharp rise in delivery fees, leaving small business owners and…

jd sports uk scaled
Maria SantosE-Tailing

JD Sports to quit South Korean after five years

UK activewear label JD Sports is set to withdraw from South Korea after five years of operation, according to Edaily. The retailer was reported to have experienced a deepening deficit since the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to the decision. The source said JD…

KFC Straw
Rajiv MenonFood

Orchestra Private Equity to acquire KFC Korea for 60 billion won

Orchestra Private Equity, a private equity firm based in Singapore, has signed a stock purchase agreement to acquire chicken franchise KFC Korea, according to industry sources on Friday. Under the deal signed on Thursday, Orchestra PE will purchase a 100…

Abdriud TV 11
Rajiv MenonElectronics

South Korean TV brands dominate Vietnam market

South Korean TV manufacturers Samsung and LG account for more than 50% of Vietnam’s market share, ranking first and third place respectively. Samsung leads with a 35-40.5% market share each month between October last year and this year, according to Thanh…

bubble tea
Minjun ParkFood

Chinese tea chain Mixue expands into South Korea and Japan

Mixue, a Chinese tea-based beverages brand that is set to list on the main board of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, has recently entered the South Korean and Japanese markets. In the beginning of November, an account named “MIXUE.Japa” became active on…

Airasia
Minjun ParkGeneral

AirAsia X says it’s back in profit

AirAsia X (AAX) said it posted a quarterly net profit of RM25.1 million (US$5.6 million) compared to a net loss of RM652.5 million in the preceding quarter. Revenue was slightly lower at RM100.1 million as compared to RM107.2 million during the period ending…

popeyes
Aiko TanakaFood

Popeyes to return to South Korea

American fried chicken restaurant chain Popeyes is returning to the Korean market after pulling the plug on its business here in December 2020.Its operator Restaurant Brands International (RBI) confirmed Monday it has signed an exclusive master franchise…

coupang korea
Aiko TanakaE-Tailing

Coupang Swings to Profit in Q3, the First Since 2014

E-commerce giant Coupang said Thursday it swung to the black in the third quarter for the first time since 2014, when it introduced its ultra-fast delivery service, Rocket Delivery. Net income came to $90.7 million in the July-September period, compared with…

Bonchon chicken spread supplied 1920x1440 1
Minjun ParkFood

Bonchon stays in the Korean fried chicken game in Vietnam

Bonchon, the global restaurant concept known for its Korean fried chicken, celebrates a year with market expansion, sales growth, and a new fast-casual model. Despite continued industry challenges due to the pandemic, Bonchon retained its strong year-to-date…

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