SEOUL, July 26 (Korea Bizwire) — As YouTube continues to dominate the global internet landscape—with over 20 trillion videos uploaded and 20 million more added daily—its influence in South Korea has become particularly pronounced. More than half of South Koreans (51%) now consume news via YouTube, significantly outpacing the global average of 31%, according to the [...]
SEOUL, July 25 (Korea Bizwire) — Sales of multigrain instant rice are surging in South Korea, especially among younger consumers, as part of a broader shift toward health-conscious eating, NH NongHyup Bank reported Friday. Analyzing 4.2 billion transaction records from its NH Members loyalty program between January 2022 and June 2025, the bank found that [...]
SEOUL, July 25 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s latest round of stimulus coupons, intended to boost domestic consumption, is drawing scrutiny as some recipients are reportedly using them to purchase large quantities of tobacco products—prompting renewed calls to restrict eligible items. According to reports gathered by Yonhap News Agency on Friday, a significant number of [...]
SEOUL, July 22 (Korea Bizwire) — As record-breaking heat and monsoon rains sweep across South Korea this month, a growing number of consumers are opting to spend their leisure time indoors — fueling a retail phenomenon known as “mallcations” and delivering a significant sales boost to department stores and outlet malls. According to major retailers, [...]
SEOUL, July 22 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s imported car market is on a sharp rebound in 2025, reversing a two-year contraction as demand for eco-friendly and high-end models soars, supported by a wave of new releases and increased purchases by consumers in their 40s and corporate buyers. According to the Korea Automobile Importers & [...]
SEOUL, July 21 (Korea Bizwire) — With South Korea’s pet-owning population now exceeding 15 million, demand is surging for home appliances designed with companion animals in mind — a fast-growing category known as “pet care appliances.” According to industry sources, the number of users accessing the Pet Care features of Samsung Electronics’ SmartThings platform increased [...]
SEOUL, July 21 (Korea Bizwire) — As Korean pop culture continues to captivate global audiences, secondhand K-pop merchandise is experiencing a dramatic surge in international demand, driving a new wave of “reverse direct-to-consumer” sales from South Korea to overseas buyers. According to Bunjang, a leading Korean secondhand marketplace, the platform’s global transaction volume in the first [...]
DAEJEON, July 18 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea is seeing a sharp rise in baking-related patents, driven by growing consumer demand for bread and a cultural shift toward Western-style diets, according to the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO). Over the past two decades, more than 3,500 patent applications have been filed in the baking sector, [...]
IKSAN, July 18 (Korea Bizwire) – McDonald’s Korea’s latest local specialty, the “Iksan Sweet Potato Mozzarella Burger,” has become a viral sensation on social media, surpassing 500,000 units sold within just four days of its release on July 10. The burger is now poised to reach the one-million mark by this weekend, according to officials [...]
SEOUL, July 18 (Korea Bizwire) — As in vitro fertilization (IVF) becomes increasingly mainstream in South Korea, the number of embryos created annually has approached 800,000 — with over 500,000 discarded each year — prompting renewed debate over embryo management and ethical oversight. According to data released Thursday by Rep. Kim Yoon of the Democratic [...]