SEOUL, Sept. 5 (Korea Bizwire) — With more than one in four South Korean households now raising a pet, real estate developers are racing to appeal to so-called “pet families” by building apartments with dedicated pet-friendly amenities. According to data released Thursday by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, 28.6 percent of households [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — Once a niche Japanese tea, matcha has surged into the global mainstream, embraced by younger consumers seeking both flavor and wellness. From convenience-store desserts and cocktails to luxury fashion and beauty, the powdered green tea has become a cultural and commercial phenomenon. In South Korea, convenience chain CU announced on [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 27 (Korea Bizwire) — South Koreans are marrying later, living more often in single-person households, and reporting higher life satisfaction than in past decades, even as chronic illness and suicide remain persistent challenges, new government data show. A report released Wednesday by Statistics Korea’s National Statistical Research Institute traced sweeping social changes since the [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 26 (Korea Bizwire) — The soaring cost of sanitary pads, a necessity for nearly all women, has become a flashpoint in South Korea, where inflation is squeezing household budgets and driving consumers to seek cheaper alternatives abroad. Major brands such as Bodyfit and Good Feel raised prices by 100 to 900 won (about [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — Once confined to military bases and the closets of enlisted soldiers, the “ROKA Tee” — a functional T-shirt emblazoned with the insignia of South Korea’s armed forces — has become an unlikely fashion hit among civilians, tourists, and students. At a military supply store in Yongsan earlier this month, [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 21 (Korea Bizwire) — The runaway success of KPop Demon Hunters, a U.S. animated film released on Netflix in June, is driving a sharp rise in global curiosity about South Korea, with ripple effects expected across food, cosmetics and tourism. Google search data show that worldwide queries for “Korea” reached their highest level [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 21 (Korea Bizwire) — As South Korea’s millennial and Gen Z generations begin raising families, pregnancy and childbirth are taking on new cultural forms, blending tradition, technology and social media. Once marked by simple customs — such as hanging peppers or charcoal on a straw rope outside a home to signal the birth [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 20 (Korea Bizwire) — Seoul has been voted the world’s most beloved city by younger travelers for the fourth consecutive year, cementing its reputation as a global cultural and tourism hub amid the surging popularity of Korean content such as Netflix’s hit animation KPop Demon Hunters. The city government and the Seoul Tourism Organization [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 20 (Korea Bizwire) — Nongshim, South Korea’s leading instant noodle maker, is teaming up with one of Netflix’s latest global sensations to give its iconic snacks a new look. The company announced Wednesday that its flagship Shin Ramyun and Shrimp Crackers will debut in limited-edition packaging later this month featuring characters from KPop [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 20 (Korea Bizwire) – More than half of South Korean consumers who unknowingly purchase counterfeit goods online do not seek refunds, citing complicated procedures and small amounts of money at stake, according to a survey released Tuesday by the Korea Consumer Agency. The survey, conducted among 1,000 consumers across eight major platforms — [...]