SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — BGF Retail, operator of South Korea’s CU convenience stores, announced on Thursday a new accessibility initiative designed to assist visually impaired customers with in-store shopping. In partnership with social venture Tuat, the company has integrated a CU-specific mode into the Android version of Sullivan Plus, an AI-powered visual assistance app [...]
SEOUL, July 30 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s convenience store chains reported double-digit sales growth in the first week following the rollout of government-issued consumption coupons, with customers increasingly turning to nearby stores for everyday shopping. According to industry data released Tuesday, the four major operators — CU, GS25, 7-Eleven, and Emart24 — saw weekly [...]
SEOUL, July 29 (Korea Bizwire) — A sweltering heatwave over the weekend sent South Koreans flocking to air-conditioned department stores and shopping malls, leading to a double-digit surge in sales at major retailers. In contrast, large discount chains saw a dip in revenue, despite government-issued consumer coupons aimed at reviving domestic spending. According to industry data [...]
SEOUL, June 30 (Korea Bizwire) — Major South Korean retailers have launched special pop-up stores and exclusive tie-in merchandise in collaboration with the newly released third season of Netflix’s hit series “Squid Game,” according to industry officials Monday. GS25, the convenience store chain operated by GS Group, has partnered with Netflix to showcase new collaborative [...]
SEOUL, June 30 (Korea Bizwire) — Emart24, a South Korean convenience store chain, said Monday it will open its first outlet in India this August, marking the first entry into the world’s most populous market by a Korean convenience store. Emart24 has signed a brand license agreement with local franchise company Jung Brothers Hospitality to [...]
SEOUL, June 25 (Korea Bizwire) — Emart24, a South Korean convenience store chain, said Wednesday it has opened its 100th outlet in Malaysia and plans to launch 30 additional stores there by December under its expansion strategy. The company entered the Malaysian market in June 2021 with a single store, operating under a master franchise [...]
SEOUL, June 19 (Korea Bizwire) — On a weekday afternoon in Seoul, a single-person household places a modest ₩9,000 food order through Baemin. It’s a small indulgence—but soon, it will come with even smaller strings attached. In a move that could reshape the economics of Korea’s food delivery market, Woowa Brothers Corp., the operator behind [...]
SEOUL, June 15 (Korea Bizwire) — As summer temperatures begin to climb, South Korea’s major retailers are seeing a sharp uptick in sales of sliced and mini watermelons, reflecting a growing consumer preference for convenience and smaller servings—especially among the nation’s increasing number of one- and two-person households. Traditionally seen as a “the bigger, the [...]
SEOUL, June 11 (Korea Bizwire) — In a country where convenience stores have become cultural fixtures — offering everything from late-night ramen to phone charging stations — BGF Retail, the operator of CU, is taking things one step further: temporary tattoos. On Wednesday, BGF Retail unveiled what it’s calling the industry’s first “tattoo kiosk,” [...]
SEOUL, June 10 (Korea Bizwire) — Musinsa Co., a South Korean fashion platform, said Tuesday it plans to open offline stores in China and Japan in the coming months as part of its global expansion strategy. The company currently offers around 8,000 South Korean fashion brands on its online platform and operates several offline stores [...]