Journalist

Cho Jae-hyung
  • LG H&H says AI-aided study finds hair-growth compound from cnidium extract
    LG H&H says AI-aided study finds hair-growth compound from cnidium extract LG Household & Health Care said it has developed a new scalp and hair-care ingredient combination that significantly improves hair growth speed and durability, based on a compound extracted from the herbal medicine cnidium. The company said April 28 that its research institute used artificial intelligence to identify “cnidium-derived ferulic acid” and combined it with NMN, described as a key ingredient for extending skin longevity, to create the new formulation. The findings were published in the latest issue of Scientific Reports, a sister journal of Nature, the company said. Researchers said they have focused on cnidium since 2009 after traditional medical texts, including Donguibogam and Bencao Gangmu, described it as helping improve stagnant circulation, suggesting potential to improve the scalp environment. In the latest work, the team applied AI and molecular modeling and found that ferulic acid in cnidium activates estrogen receptors in dermal papilla cells, which it described as a key factor in hair growth. Based on that, the researchers combined ferulic acid and NMN at an optimized ratio and ran human hair-follicle culture tests. The company said the combination promoted proliferation of dermal papilla cells and helped activate mitochondrial function inside the cells. It said the mechanism boosts cellular energy metabolism needed for new hair formation and growth, maximizing hair-growth effects. In comparative tests using cultured follicles, the company said the new combination showed a higher hair growth-phase retention rate than minoxidil, a widely used hair-strengthening ingredient, demonstrating a strong hair-growth promoting effect. “This research will serve as a turning point for continuing to develop materials that can help us approach hair-growth technology that makes hair thicker and stronger,” said Kang Nae-gyu, LG Household & Health Care’s chief technology officer. He said the company will advance research on hair growth and improved volume by confirming the potential of cnidium-derived ferulic acid and expanding its work to combinations with NMN.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 17:13:52
  • Hyundai Duty Free Opens New Incheon Airport DF2 Zone, Targets 1 Trillion Won in Annual Sales
    Hyundai Duty Free Opens New Incheon Airport DF2 Zone, Targets 1 Trillion Won in Annual Sales Hyundai Duty Free has begun operations in Incheon International Airport’s DF2 zone, expanding its footprint to three of the airport’s six duty-free areas: DF2, DF5 and DF7. The company said it is now the airport’s largest duty-free operator and the only one there offering every major category, from luxury and fashion to cosmetics and liquor. The company said Tuesday it started full-scale business in DF2 across the airport’s Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. The DF2 zone covers 4,571 square meters (about 1,382 pyeong). A total of 287 brands have moved in, including cosmetics and fragrance labels such as Chanel Beauty, Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and Estée Lauder, and liquor, tobacco and food brands including Ballantine’s, Johnnie Walker, Hennessy and CheongKwanJang. The operating term runs through June 30, 2033, and can be extended by three years to as late as April 2036, for up to 10 years in total. Stores are open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., with some cosmetics, liquor and tobacco shops operating 24 hours. Hyundai Duty Free said its existing DF5 and DF7 zones already host the airport’s widest selection of luxury brands, including Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci, Loewe and Burberry. With DF2 added, the company said it is positioned to capture a broader range of high-end shopping demand. Targeting overseas travelers, the company has also set up a “K-cosmetics zone” near Gate 248 on the third floor of Terminal 2’s duty-free area. It features about 40 Korean beauty brands, including Medicube, Torriden, Wellage and Abib, and offers experiences such as AI-based skin analysis and personal color consultations. Hyundai Duty Free said it is considering joint marketing with its parent company, Hyundai Department Store. Plans include a pop-up at The Hyundai Seoul to guide customers on duty-free shopping, and a review of ways to bring Hyundai Department Store fashion, food and intellectual property content into the airport duty-free shops. The company said it posted its first full-year profit last year, seven years after launch, helped by tighter management and a recovery in passenger demand. It said the airport expansion is expected to support continued quarterly profitability and could lift annual sales at Incheon alone to more than 1 trillion won. Chief Executive Park Jang-seo said, “With the operation of the DF2 zone, we have become the largest operator at Incheon International Airport, and we expect to generate more than 1 trillion won in annual sales from the airport alone.” Park added that the company will keep a profitability-first approach at both its airport and downtown stores, while sharpening merchandising and marketing to build a stable growth structure and “lead duty-free shopping trends” as a top player in the domestic market.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 17:01:12
  • Lotte Department Store’s Incheon Branch Completes 3-Year Renovation, Targets 1 Trillion Won in Annual Sales
    Lotte Department Store’s Incheon Branch Completes 3-Year Renovation, Targets 1 Trillion Won in Annual Sales Lotte Department Store’s Incheon branch has completed a sweeping renovation that took about three years, and the retailer said it is aiming to become the first department store in western Seoul metro area to reach 1 trillion won in annual sales. The Incheon store will hold a “grand open” event on May 1, Lotte said Monday, marking the final stage of the renovation that has been carried out in phases since 2023. The overhaul centered on an upscale strategy to match fast-changing local demand. After opening the premium food hall “Food Avenue” in late 2023, the store added a large beauty zone, kids section, and women’s and luxury fashion areas the following year. Despite lengthy construction-related disruptions, the store’s annual sales topped 8.3 trillion won last year, its first time surpassing 8 trillion won. That was up more than 10% from 2022, before the renovation. Sales in the first quarter of this year rose by more than 20%. Lotte also reported a shift in its customer mix. The Incheon branch’s share of its top-tier “Avenuel Black” VIP customers increased, and sales from preferred customers rose about 20% from a year earlier. Food Avenue, built around well-known restaurants to attract younger diners, helped drive new and repeat visits among customers in their 20s and 30s, the company said. Compared with before the renovation, both the number of new customers in that age group and their sales rose about 30%. Total visits to the renovated food hall surpassed 15 million cumulatively through last year. A key addition is the first-floor “Luxury Hall,” completed this month. Starting with Piaget and Bulgari, high-end jewelry brands including Tiffany, Boucheron and Graff have opened in sequence this year. Moncler also reopened in what Lotte said is its largest store in South Korea. With the luxury lineup expanding to more than 50 brands, luxury goods accounted for more than 30% of sales as of the first quarter. Lotte said it is also launching the “Lotte Town Incheon” project to turn the surrounding area into a mixed-use destination combining shopping and culture. With the department store renovation as phase one, the company plans to begin phase two in the second half of this year by modernizing the Incheon Intercity Bus Terminal. The aging terminal, which draws an average of 7,000 visitors a day, will be relocated to a nearby site and rebuilt to improve convenience, Lotte said. The existing site will be redeveloped, with the goal of building a third major “Lotte Town” after Myeongdong and Jamsil. Beginning on the official reopening day, the store will also run a customer appreciation event featuring hands-on programs for families, including a kids art station, a picnic garden and a pop-up liquor shop offering craft beer and traditional Korean alcohol. “Incheon has wrapped up a premium renovation spanning three years and has completed preparations to enter the ‘next 1 trillion-won department store’ tier,” said Jeong Dong-pil, head of Lotte Department Store’s Incheon branch. “Through major innovation in customer experience, we will continue to grow it into a next-generation premium department store with competitiveness that goes beyond the region.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 16:57:26
  • SSM Stores Say They’re Unfairly Excluded From South Korea’s High Fuel Price Relief Vouchers
    SSM Stores Say They’re Unfairly Excluded From South Korea’s High Fuel Price Relief Vouchers “In terms of being neighborhood shops where self-employed owners stake their livelihoods, we’re no different from regular supermarkets. It feels unfair that the vouchers can’t be used here.” A franchise owner in his 50s who runs a corporate supermarket, known as an SSM, in Seoul said he was disappointed by news of the government’s high fuel price relief vouchers. Unlike convenience stores and other franchise outlets, SSMs were excluded from eligible places to spend the support, prompting calls to revisit the criteria because many SSM locations are individually operated franchises. According to the retail industry on the 27th, the government began accepting first-round applications that day for high fuel price relief vouchers worth up to 600,000 won per person. The vouchers are designed for use at small businesses with annual sales of 3 billion won or less. Traditional markets and neighborhood marts, along with convenience stores, are anticipating a bump in sales. The four major convenience store chains — GS25, CU, Seven Eleven and Emart24 — launched broad discounts timed to the payout period, targeting everyday items such as ramen, instant rice, toilet paper and detergent. SSMs, big-box retailers and small merchants selling through e-commerce platforms said they were left out again, as they were during last year’s distribution of consumer coupons for livelihood recovery. Of the 1,457 nationwide stores operated by the four SSM chains — GS The Fresh, Lotte Super, Homeplus Express and Emart Everyday — nearly half, or 721, are run as franchise outlets. GS The Fresh has 471 franchise stores, or 81% of its 581 locations. One SSM owner said, “The franchise bakery or convenience store across the street can take the vouchers, so why can’t we, when we pay franchise fees and run the same kind of business?” Big-box retailers also expressed concern, saying spending is likely to shift toward convenience stores and neighborhood marts where the vouchers can be used. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said that in last year’s third quarter, when consumer coupons were issued, SSM sales fell 1.6% from a year earlier and big-box store sales dropped 10.2%. Seo Yong-gu, a professor of business administration at Sookmyung Women’s University, said limiting vouchers to selected retail channels inevitably creates blind spots and raises fairness concerns. He said the government should restrict only places that clearly should be excluded, such as department stores and large online shopping malls, and allow the vouchers to be used across other everyday retail channels.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 18:22:00
  • Olive Young to Hold Beauty Festa in Japan; Gmarket Taps Director Jang Hang-jun; Lotte Duty Free Signs Deal With Paradise City
    Olive Young to Hold Beauty Festa in Japan; Gmarket Taps Director Jang Hang-jun; Lotte Duty Free Signs Deal With Paradise City Olive Young to hold ‘Olive Young Festa JAPAN 2026’ in Chiba CJ Olive Young said Sunday it will hold “Olive Young Festa JAPAN 2026” from May 8-10 in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. The event is tied to “KCON JAPAN 2026” and will be staged at Makuhari Messe, a convention center in Chiba City, on a 164-pyeong site. A total of 55 brands will operate booths. The walkways will be designed to resemble the streets of Myeongdong and Hongdae to highlight K-beauty’s identity, the company said. Special areas will include a “K-Cosme Ranking Zone” and a “K-Beauty Select Zone,” showcasing Olive Young’s curation strengths. The company will also offer in-store-style experiences for local visitors, including a “quick touch-up” makeup service by Olive Young beauty consultants. Olive Young said the festival, launched in 2019 as the country’s first beauty festival, is expanding overseas this year. It plans to hold an Olive Young Festa in Los Angeles in September. Gmarket names film director Jang Hang-jun as new advertising model Gmarket said Sunday it has selected film director Jang Hang-jun as its new advertising model and will roll out campaign videos in stages. Gmarket said Jang, who recently joined the ranks of directors with 10 million moviegoers with “Wang and the Man,” will be featured in a campaign built around the concept of him taking on a new challenge as a “10 million-view” commercial director. The company said the videos combine Jang’s trademark humor and cinematic style to introduce popular items it recommends buying during its Big Smile Day promotion. Gmarket said “legendary” film actors will also appear, with the cast lineup to be revealed in the main video to be released May 1. The company noted that since last year it has drawn positive responses with its “G-Rock Festival” campaign, in which well-known artists sing signature songs with lyrics rewritten around shopping items. Lotte Duty Free, Paradise City sign MOU to attract foreign VIP visitors Lotte Duty Free said Sunday it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Paradise City to expand efforts to attract foreign tourists. Under the agreement, the two companies aim to build a one-stop consumer experience linking shopping and entertainment. Lotte Duty Free said it will provide Paradise hotel guests with a coupon book offering discounts of up to $121 and benefits such as an upgrade to Gold-tier membership. Paradise City said it plans to offer premium rates to Lotte Duty Free customers. Lotte Duty Free has been stepping up efforts to expand its foreign customer base after resuming operations at its Incheon Airport store on April 17, about three years after it stopped operating there. “Through this agreement with Paradise City, we will be able to provide foreign VIP customers with a premium experience that combines shopping and entertainment,” said Namgung Pyo, head of Lotte Duty Free’s marketing division. “With differentiated marketing that brings together the strengths of both companies, we will contribute to attracting visitors to Korea.” * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 18:19:10
  • Industry Minister Kim Jeong-gwan Visits Kolmar Korea, Pledges Support for Reshoring and Regional Investment
    Industry Minister Kim Jeong-gwan Visits Kolmar Korea, Pledges Support for Reshoring and Regional Investment Industry Minister Kim Jeong-gwan visited Kolmar Korea, which has been named the first “reshoring” company of the year, and pledged expanded support as the government encourages firms operating overseas to bring production back to South Korea. Kolmar Korea said Kim visited its Sejong plant in Jeonui-myeon, Sejong City, on the 27th, delivered the official designation certificate in person and held a meeting with company officials. KOTRA President Kang Kyung-sung and Korea Industrial Complex Corp. Chairman Lee Sang-hoon joined the tour and reviewed the company’s cosmetics manufacturing capabilities. The Sejong plant is a key facility that serves as headquarters for Kolmar’s global production network. Built in 2014, it was the largest single plant in Asia at the time. It produces 890 million units of basic skincare products a year for about 4,500 customers in South Korea and abroad. Kolmar’s sunscreen products, which have helped drive the global K-beauty boom, are also made entirely at the site. At a reshoring roundtable held after the tour, Kolmar Group Vice Chairman Yoon Sang-hyeon and representatives from eight reshoring-designated companies, including Simtech, Nepes, Daehan Electric Wire and Sungwoo Hitech, discussed ways to boost domestic investment and improve government support programs. “Now, the competitiveness of companies and countries is determined by how stably they can secure supply chains,” Kim said. “The government will actively support companies so that returning home and investing in regional areas becomes the most reasonable and attractive choice.” Yoon said Kolmar plans to strengthen production capacity with Sejong City as its base to meet rising global demand as K-beauty’s profile grows. He said the company will work in step with government support for reshoring firms to enhance K-beauty manufacturing competitiveness and serve as a bridge for broader industry growth. Earlier, Kolmar said it consolidated its China production at its Wuxi plant and notified the industry ministry of its intention to expand its domestic production base. It was selected in January as the first reshoring company of the year.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 14:40:02
  • Lotte Home Shopping Opens AIGLE Flagship Store at Seoul’s Lotte World Mall
    Lotte Home Shopping Opens AIGLE Flagship Store at Seoul’s Lotte World Mall Lotte Home Shopping is stepping up its push into offline retail by opening a series of permanent stores for French outdoor brand AIGLE in key shopping districts in Seoul. The company said Monday it opened an AIGLE permanent store on April 24 at Lotte World Mall in Jamsil. The store is the first in South Korea to apply AIGLE’s “Rubber Forest” concept, inspired by the brand’s signature rubber material and designed to reflect its nature-friendly philosophy. It is also debuting AIGLE’s 2026 spring-summer “Solar Pack” line, aimed at summer demand with enhanced UV-protection features. The lineup includes functional windbreakers, T-shirts and pants, as well as more than 20 types of the brand’s signature rain boots. To mark the opening, customers who spend 500,000 won or more will receive a limited-edition bag made in collaboration with global accessories brand Topologie, the company said. Lotte Home Shopping has been developing a new business focused on securing distribution rights for promising overseas fashion brands and selling them in South Korea as part of its effort to build future growth engines. After signing a distribution-rights agreement with AIGLE in 2024, it ran pop-up stores in major fashion hubs including Apgujeong and Hannam-dong to build brand awareness. It opened an official online mall in March last year to expand its digital presence. Starting this year, it plans to open large permanent stores in prime districts to complete an omnichannel network spanning online and offline sales. The company said it plans to open another store next month near Dosan Park in Seoul’s Gangnam district. “We plan to continue expanding AIGLE permanent stores in key commercial districts such as Jamsil Lotte World Mall and Dosan Park,” said Lee Sang-yong, head of Lotte Home Shopping’s Growth Business Division. “We will further strengthen our position as a distribution platform that successfully establishes global fashion brands.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 10:50:15
  • CU to Raise International Parcel Shipping Rates 7% as Fuel Surcharges Jump
    CU to Raise International Parcel Shipping Rates 7% as Fuel Surcharges Jump CU convenience stores will raise prices for their international parcel delivery service, citing a sharp rise in air fuel surcharges as global oil markets remain unsettled in the wake of the war between the United States and Iran. According to industry officials on the 27th, CU Post, which operates CU’s parcel service, will increase international shipping rates by about 7% starting May 1. A CU official said, “International parcel rates will rise from the first of next month due to higher fuel surcharges imposed by our partner express carrier as international oil prices climb.” CU’s partner carrier DHL has sharply increased its air fuel surcharge in recent months. The surcharge was 28.75% in early February but surged in April. It rose to 39% for April 1-12, then to 46% for April 13-19 and 47.75% for April 20-26. For April 27-May 3, it reached 48%. DHL plans to keep the surcharge high at 47% for May 4-10. That is an increase of nearly 20 percentage points in about three months. International parcel services at convenience stores have been popular with office workers who cannot visit post offices or courier branches during business hours, allowing customers to send items overseas at nearby stores 24 hours a day. The service has drawn strong demand from families of international students and overseas direct-to-consumer sellers. The rate hike is expected to increase the perceived logistics burden for consumers who need to ship goods abroad. Rival GS25 is also said to be carefully reviewing a possible increase. A GS25 official said, “It is true that discussions about a rate increase are taking place with our partner, but we have not received an official notice confirming anything yet.” An industry official said air express delivery is among the sectors most sensitive to oil-price swings, adding that freight-rate pressure across the logistics industry could persist for some time as oil-producing countries maintain production cuts and military tensions in the Middle East intensify, driving volatility in global crude prices.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 09:51:17
  • Lotte Mart Targets Golden Week Travelers; Gmarket Extends Midnight Cutoff for Fast Delivery
    Lotte Mart Targets Golden Week Travelers; Gmarket Extends Midnight Cutoff for Fast Delivery Lotte Mart steps up promotions for foreign shoppers ahead of Golden Week holidays Lotte Mart said April 26 it will strengthen promotions for foreign customers to coincide with major holiday periods, including Japan’s Golden Week (April 29 to May 6) and China’s Labor Day break (May 1-5). The retailer will work with Japan-based online travel platform Konest to offer Lotte Mart discount coupons. It will also provide hotel-guest-only discount vouchers through Lotte City Hotel Gimpo Airport, where Japanese guests account for a large share of stays, the company said. Lotte Mart will also issue special coupons through Taiwan’s Line Pay through May 15. On WeChat Pay, it will run a random discount event offering immediate discounts of up to 88 yuan. At its foreign-visitor hub stores — Zettaplex Seoul Station and the Gwangbok branch — customers who spend above a set amount will receive gifts such as luggage tags and travel shopping bags. “As a shopping landmark representing Korea, we will build stores global customers want to return to, based on differentiated products, tailored benefits and outstanding shopping convenience,” said Yoon Yeo-ryeong, who oversees promotional marketing for Lotte Mart and Super. Gmarket extends ‘Star Delivery’ order cutoff to midnight Gmarket said April 26 it will extend the order cutoff time for its fast-shipping service to midnight as it seeks to strengthen delivery competitiveness. Starting April 28, the cutoff for “Star Delivery” will move from 11 p.m. to 12 a.m., the company said. Star Delivery is a guaranteed-arrival service that delivers items on the promised date. It includes “Fulfillment Star Delivery,” operated from the Dongtan Mega Center, and “Seller Star Delivery,” run directly by merchants. The midnight cutoff will apply first to fulfillment items. During this year’s Lunar New Year holiday period, Gmarket extended the cutoff from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. After sales between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. rose 56% from the prior year’s holiday period, it kept the 11 p.m. deadline in place, the company said. Gmarket said the change will allow consumers to place late-night orders while still receiving next-day delivery benefits, and it expects sellers to gain additional sales opportunities. The company said it plans to improve logistics infrastructure and operating efficiency and gradually expand Star Delivery coverage. Hyundai Department Store begins Seoul Forest eco-garden project with customers Hyundai Department Store has launched an environmental donation project to create green space in the city with customers. The company said April 26 that it held the first planting for its “Grow My Garden” project on April 25 at Seoul Forest in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul. Under the program, customers donate by selecting one of eight garden areas, and Hyundai Department Store covers half the cost. Participants included donating customers, about 50 company employees and family members, and officials from the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the nonprofit Forest for Life. They planted about 2,000 trees and flowering plants. Hyundai Department Store said it plans to plant an additional 2,000 perennials and seasonal flowers through April 28. The roughly 800-square-meter “Green Friends Garden” created through the project will be unveiled at the 2026 Seoul International Garden Show, which opens May 1, the company said. Hyundai Department Store said it will install amenities such as benches and lighting so the public can use the space freely, and it plans to run customer-participation gardening programs. CJ OnStyle says KBO scarves and key rings are driving demand for team goods South Korea’s professional baseball league, the KBO, is drawing strong interest, and related goods are expanding beyond food and beverages into fashion and lifestyle items. CJ OnStyle said April 26 that an analysis of sales data from April 9 to 25 — after it launched KBO goods — found fashion accessories such as bandana scarves, lightweight folding umbrellas and stadium-bag key rings ranked among top sellers. In the first 10 days after launch, cumulative sales reached 35,000 items, the company said. Fashion accounted for 52.8% of total sales volume. CJ OnStyle said it expanded sales channels to external platforms including Naver and 29CM starting April 20, citing early momentum. “KBO league fans increasingly see goods not as simple souvenirs but as a way to express personal taste and style,” a CJ OnStyle official said. “We will identify fandom trends early and connect them to product planning to broaden the base for fandom commerce.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 16:49:05
  • Korean Fish Market Vendors Grow Into 10 Billion-Won Businesses Through Coupang
    Korean Fish Market Vendors Grow Into 10 Billion-Won Businesses Through Coupang More vendors from traditional seafood markets in South Korea are using Coupang as a springboard to grow into small and midsize companies with annual sales in the 10 billion-won range, the e-commerce company said. The shift is credited to moving beyond complex distribution chains and face-to-face sales by using Coupang’s direct-from-source shipping and dawn-delivery system. Coupang said the number of small businesses based in major seafood markets and ports — including Busan’s Jagalchi Market, Yeosu, and areas such as Jeju, Noryangjin and Jindo — selling through Rocket Fresh has recently risen to 10. Their transactions now account for about 17% of Coupang’s overall seafood dawn-delivery sales, the company said. Coupang attributed the growth to direct deals that bypass the typical multi-step route from fishing grounds to wholesalers, sub-wholesalers and retailers, improving margins while expanding sales nationwide. The gains are reflected in company results. Dried-seafood seller Haemalgeun Food, which started from a street stall at Garak Market in 2012, reported sales of 40 million won when it joined Coupang in 2015. Ten years later, last year, sales topped 16 billion won — more than 400 times higher. The company has since built a modern production plant spanning 1,600 pyeong and increased its workforce by more than 10 times. Juil Co., which began as a seafood street stall at Seoul’s Jungbu Market in 1976, said it shifted after joining Coupang in 2018 from bulk raw-product sales to small packages and brand-focused offerings aimed at one-person households. Sales rose from 20 million won in its first month on Coupang to about 1 billion won a month, turning it into a midsize business. Good Morning Seafood, a newer seller from Noryangjin, said customized consulting from Coupang helped boost its sashimi sales volume by more than fivefold from early levels, and it is preparing additional hiring. Coupang said it expanded its direct-from-source seafood purchases from about 1,500 tons in 2024 to about 1,870 tons last year, and is continuing to add new sourcing areas nationwide, including Namhae in South Gyeongsang Province and Sinan and Wando in South Jeolla Province. A Coupang official said the company will prioritize finding more small merchants in traditional markets and, through Rocket Delivery and Rocket Fresh, focus on expanding sales channels, shared growth and digital transformation.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 13:55:53