Reporting and analysis on retail, e-commerce, and consumer trends in Korea, updated continuously by our newsroom.
Retailers have long been using online channels to make up for sluggish sales at their brick-and-mortar stores, but recently, they have taken the shift to another level, introducing products exclusively for online. The trend-conscious fashion and cosmetics…
As China’s desire for organic, healthy products gains momentum, international beauty brands are seeking to take advantage of a new approach to well-being. Last week, founder and supermodel Miranda Kerr launched Australian luxury skincare brand KORA Organics’…
AmorePacific seems to be in a quandary, with the country’s fair trade watchdog investigating the cosmetics giant amid declining performance. According to AmorePacific’s auditory filing, the company logged 731.5 billion won (US$685.2 million) in operating…
Shinsegae Group’s discount chain E-mart has decided to shut several more stagnant stores this year to improve the company’s efficiency. Shinsegae says it has also sold its Deoki-dong branch in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province. The outlet had initially been a Walmart…
Unmanned Stores without cashiers are on the rise, industry sources said, amid local retailers‘ efforts to find a breakthrough in the saturated market. Local software firm Danal Co., which operates coffee franchise dal.komm coffee, said it recently opened the…
Korean makeup brand The Face Shop has launched a range of Coca Cola cosmetics in an unusual collaboration with the US soft drink brand. The makeup range includes cushion compact, powder pact, five cream lip tints, five lipsticks, three gel lip tints, and an…
Brothers Frideric and Alexandre Prandecki’s journey to success in the home repair business started with a simple problem – their air conditioner broke in the Las Vegas heat. Rather than scan the local yellow pages, the brothers called in a repairman with a…
It’s only been a couple of weeks since the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang concluded, but for two of Germany’s major premium brands the hunt for gold in South Korea continues. BMW’s and Mercedes-Benz’s sales are booming and, unlike Europe, diesels have…
KT plans to roll out its next-generation 5G network to users as soon as next March after its test run at the PyeongChang Olympics proved a success. The country’s second-largest mobile carrier said Thursday that its 5G system will offer true wireless service…
South Korea has agreed to further open its auto market to the United States as the two countries prepare to amend their six-year-old free trade agreement, its top trade negotiator said Monday. South Korea’s Trade Minister Kim Hyun-chong said the United States…
Hong Kong retail rents are expected to move into an “early upswing cycle” this year according to a regional real estate market briefing prepared by Savills. The report details commercial and residential property leasing trends across major Asian markets and…
Korean casual fashion brand Hazzys has unveiled its second collection for Artist Edition in co-operation with photographer Todd Selby. Including more than 30 items for womenswear, menswear, golf wear, accessories and childrenswear, the Todd Selby collection…
H&M China launched on Chinese e-commerce platform Tmall, complementing the Swedish clothing retailer’s 400-plus physical stores and HM.com Shop Online. “We are very happy to extend our collaboration with Alibaba by launching H&M and H&M Home on Tmall,” says…
Unsafe levels of the heavy metal antimony have led to the South Korean government banning 13 cosmetics products. Some of the products, including eyebrow pencils from 3CE and Etude House, were previously available in Hong Kong and have been taken off store…
Fila Korea has collaborated with Japanese VR game franchise Pokemon on a range of colourful sneakers. Available via Fila South Korea, the limited-edition shoes feature Pokemon characters including Bulbasaur, Charmander, Jigglypuff, Pikachu and Squirtle. The…
Korea is pushing to commercialize 10-gigabit transfer speeds that are 10 times faster than Giga Internet, the fastest broadband service currently available in the country, the Ministry of Science and ICT said Sunday. The ministry would work closely with local…
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