Reporting and analysis on retail, e-commerce, and consumer trends in Korea, updated continuously by our newsroom.
Following a 30 per cent drop in duty-free sales last month and the virtual closure of more than 100 supermarkets and discount shops in China, the Lotte Group has cancelled its US$4.5 billion IPO. Its woes are fallout from the mainland’s objection to South…
Diageo has launched a 20cl bottle of its Johnnie Walker Black Label as it looks to make whisky more accessible to consumers in South Korea. The new pack, which rolled out yesterday, follows a launch for a 20cl Johnnie Walker Red Label last October, the firm…
South Korean low-cost carrier Jin Air is ready to fly to Lombok in the Indonesian province of West Nusa Tenggara using a wide-bodied Boeing 777 plane to encourage the tourism industry there, an official said. “I have received an official (notification) from…
South Korea is among the top 10 global beauty markets, estimated to be worth more than US$13 billion this year, according to London-based market research firm Mintel Group. Its research was released on the eve of the 27th edition of In-cosmetics Global in…
A Lotte Group executive says the retail giant will continue to invest in its China business despite diplomatic tensions. Chinese authorities last month closed dozens of Lotte stores following inspections, ramping up pressure on South Korea’s fifth-largest…
CVS Pharmacy is introducing Korean beauty products to the US, launching its K-Beauty HQ concept at 2100 stores across the nation. In one of the largest Korean beauty initiatives globally, more than 100 products – some exclusive to CVS – are being rolled out…
New research from Mintel, presented at in-cosmetics Global, is taking a look at the size of South Korea’s beauty market, the changes Korean beauty has brought to the global market and what trends to expect in the coming year. Mintel notes that South Korea is…
Shares of Samsung Electronics got a boost on Tuesday after the report that archrival Apple had ordered 70 million display panels that the South Korean giant specializes in for the upcoming iPhone. Samsung’s stock closed at 2.1 million Korean won, posting a…
AirAsia X is in talks with Jeju’s provincial government about direct flights between Kuala Lumpur and the South Korean resort island. Jeju officials said discussions were held last week in Kuala Lumpur about frequencies in the absence presently of direct…
The Ministry of Commerce assesses that there is a significant opportunity for exporting coffee commodity to South Korea. To achieve this, the Ministry of Commerce plans to hold an exhibition in South Korea. Arlinda Director General of Export Development at…
Shinsegae Department Store has become the first South Korean retailer to deploy a marketing strategy using AI technology. A wave of artificial intelligence (AI) is sweeping the nation’s retail industry, as major department stores and online shopping malls…
Food experts from Korea and Indonesia will gather in Jakarta to discuss ways to boost cooperation in the food sector. The ASEAN-Korea Centre and Indonesia’s Ministry of Trade will organize the “Trade Facilitation Workshop for Indonesian Food Micro, Small and…
Sales of major South Korean retailers rose slightly last month as a sharp gain in online sales was offset by a drop in those of discount chains and department stores, government data showed Thursday. The combined sales of department stores, large outlets and…
South Korea has the world’s fourth largest number of Starbucks Coffee stores in relation to its population, industry data showed Thursday. Starbucks Coffee Korea, the local unit of the U.S. coffee giant, said it has 1,008 stores across the country as of the…
French luxury fashion house Celine Korea has opened a store in Seoul’s fashionable Cheongdam district. In a double-storey building with a perforated brick facade, the shop has an interior furnished with bespoke ware designed by Danish artist Fos (Thomas…
A virtual reality shopping mall is set to be launched in Korea, backed by the government. The Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy says it will be rolling out the mall during this year’s Korea Sale Festa – Korean Black Friday – in October. The ministry hopes…
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