Reporting and analysis on retail, e-commerce, and consumer trends in Korea, updated continuously by our newsroom.
Department stores are undergoing renovations to attract the so-called MZ generation – encompassing the Millennials and Generation Z. After its first renovation in 11 years, Hyundai Department Store’s Jungdong branch reopened the ‘U-Plex’ Fashion House on…
Stung by the protracted new coronavirus outbreak, South Korean duty-free operators are struggling to overcome the industry-wide slump with belt-tightening measures, including increasing the number of closing days at some outlets in major local cities and…
South Korea is restricting operations of restaurants, bakeries and franchised coffee chains in the greater Seoul area in an effort to contain a new outbreak of Covid-19. Under the plan that lasts until next Sunday, restaurants and bakeries can operate until…
Ikea’s business in South Korea has reported 32.6-per-cent sales growth over the past fiscal year despite the impact of the coronavirus outbreak. The success of the retail business over the period has been attributed to a surge in interest in home furnishings…
Apple’s South Korean unit has offered 100 billion won (US$84 million) worth of programs for consumers and mobile phone carriers, in an effort to address concerns about the company’s alleged violation of competition law. Apple Korea has been under probe by the…
New Zealand’s footwear label Allbirds is expanding its retail network into South Korea. From the early stages of Allbirds’ international expansion plan, South Korea was always high on the destination list as the company makes its Wool Runner product in Busan.…
South Korean food and entertainment conglomerate CJ Group has announced it plans to sell its retail bakery franchise Tous Les Jours. CJ Group has chosen accounting firm Deloitte Anjin to manage the sale process and at the same time launched a review of…
South Korea will ban social-media influencers – KOLs – from pitching a new product or service on their online platforms without disclosing their business ties with corporate sponsors, government officials have announced. The move comes amid controversy over…
South Korean convenience-store operator GS Retail plans to hire local residents with ample knowledge about their neighborhoods to speed delivery of products in areas where alleyways and addresses may prove confusing. GS Retail, which runs the…
Football club PSG has become the first European side to open a retail outlet in Seoul, South Korea’s capital city. The new store – which is described as a pop-up but looks rather long-term to us – was organized with local football magazine Over the Pitch. It…
Starbucks South Korea has opened its largest store yet, celebrating the brand’s 21st anniversary in the country. Located in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggido near the Namhan River, the store spans three floors and occupies a 1203sqm area and has a design unlike any…
Amid the hype for Starbucks Korea’s small suitcases offered under its reward program, customers’ competition to get camping chairs, another promotional item, ran high this week ahead of an end to the seasonal event. On May 21, Starbucks kicked off a summer…
7-Eleven has hit a new milestone with the opening of its 71,100th store, located in Seoul, the capital of South Korea. “7-Eleven’s iconic orange, green and red stripes are easily recognized in 17 countries around the world,” said 7-Eleven President and CEO…
Fashion label Burberry is optimistic about a post-Covid-19 recovery as sales began to return to normal in Asia during the June quarter. While same-store sales were down by 45 percent across the three months, June’s decline was 20 percent and the brand…
A South Korean government-led retail sale festival designed to boost spending amid the coronavirus outbreak ended yesterday, with major department stores posting an increase in revenue on high demand for luxury goods. But discount store chains and traditional…
Boutique luggage brand Lojel has launched an immersive pop-up store in Hong Kong’s K11 Musea, opening today, focusing on the concept of staycations. Dubbed “The Art of Staycation”, the event is a first for the brand, featuring the opportunity for visitors to…
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