Emart (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, March 31 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s quick commerce (or “Q-commerce”) market—defined by delivery times under an hour—is rapidly expanding as major players including Emart, Naver, and Daiso aggressively enter the fray, intensifying competition in the nation’s retail and e-commerce sectors.
Emart, the country’s largest hypermarket chain, has quietly rejoined the Q-commerce arena after a failed attempt in 2022. In late 2024, Emart began offering sub-one-hour delivery through the food delivery platform Baemin at its Wangsimni, Guro, and Dongtan locations.
Customers living within a two-kilometer radius of these stores can now order fresh groceries and daily necessities via the app and receive them within 60 minutes.
Unlike its previous standalone quick delivery brand “SSG GO,” which was shut down after struggling with profitability, Emart now leverages Baemin’s platform and uses existing retail locations as mini fulfillment centers.
The company believes this model will be more cost-effective and provide better access to new customers. Expansion into regional stores beyond the Seoul metropolitan area is currently under review.
This file photo provided by CJ Logistics Corp. shows a delivery truck. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
A spokesperson for Emart explained the shift: “Consumers increasingly expect fast delivery of high-quality goods from large retailers. The market conditions have evolved, and we’re aiming to enhance customer convenience while offering new shopping experiences.”
Tech giant Naver is also poised to roll out its own Q-commerce service within 2025. As part of a broader push to strengthen its commerce platform, Naver plans to introduce “Now Delivery,” a one-hour delivery option designed to compete with Baemin’s B Mart. Given Naver’s open-market structure, the service will likely operate through partnerships with participating merchants.
Meanwhile, Daiso, known for its fixed-price household goods, launched a pilot Q-commerce service in select districts of Seoul, including Gangnam, Seocho, and Songpa, in February 2025. The company is monitoring the results before expanding the service further.
These new entrants are set to challenge established players such as GS Retail, Homeplus, and Kurly—who already offer fast delivery services centered on fresh food and household essentials. Other major offerings include CJ Olive Young’s “Today Dream” and Kurly’s “Kurly Now.”
Market watchers expect competition to intensify. Emart’s renewed presence threatens GS Retail and Kurly in the fresh food segment, while Naver’s move targets Baemin B Mart, and Daiso’s new service directly rivals Olive Young in the household goods category.
The retail sector’s pivot toward Q-commerce reflects changing consumer expectations, particularly a strong preference for fast, local delivery of groceries and ready-to-eat meals—driven in part by inflation and the resurgence of home-cooked meals.
Crucially, the market’s growth potential is drawing attention. The size of South Korea’s Q-commerce market has surged from 350 billion won in 2020 to a projected 5 trillion won in 2025—a staggering 220% average annual growth rate. Yet, it still accounts for only about 2% of total online retail sales, suggesting significant room for expansion.
“Quick commerce represents a rare blue ocean in the current landscape of prolonged domestic sluggishness and stiff competition,” said one retail industry insider. “As rapid delivery becomes increasingly vital, we can expect even fiercer battles ahead.”
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
