Journalist
Hong Seungwan
veryhong@ajunews.com
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eBay Japan Launches K-Beauty Corner at Seven-Eleven Japan eBay Japan's online marketplace Qoo10 Japan is partnering with Seven-Eleven Japan to expand the offline sales of K-Beauty products. On May 21, eBay Japan announced that it will introduce a K-Beauty curation corner called 'Qoo10 Pick' in Seven-Eleven stores across Japan starting in September, with some locations excluded. Since September of last year, Qoo10 Japan has been testing the sale of K-Beauty products in select Seven-Eleven stores. During this trial, eight brands and 24 products were showcased, and based on the results over the past year, Qoo10 Pick will officially launch in late September. Qoo10 Pick will feature a selection of popular K-Beauty brands that have gained traction on the Qoo10 platform, allowing Japanese consumers to purchase trending K-Beauty products conveniently at their local convenience stores. An eBay Japan representative stated, "As demand for K-Beauty in Japan has surged, consumers are increasingly looking for easy and convenient ways to experience these products." The Qoo10 Pick section will offer limited mini-sized products and exclusive color items. Initially, brands such as Skin&Lab, Growers, and 23 Years Old will be featured, with plans to gradually expand the brand and product lineup based on consumer feedback and sales data. Dedicated display stands will also be installed in the stores. Kim Soo-ah, head of eBay Japan's Korean Sales Division, expressed optimism about the collaboration, stating, "We expect that this partnership will allow Japanese consumers to experience K-Beauty in their daily lives. We will support the growth of K-Beauty brands through various online and offline initiatives." Currently, Qoo10 Japan is a platform utilized by approximately 25 to 28 million Japanese consumers. It holds over 30% market share in the Japanese online beauty market and has maintained double-digit growth for eight consecutive years, particularly among women aged 10 to 30.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-21 19:37:56 -
Wellmade Strengthens Summer Collection Amid Strong May Sales Sejong Group's fashion retail brand Wellmade is set to continue its strong sales momentum in the first half of the year by promoting the summer collection of its women's brand Daily List. According to Sejong Group on May 21, Wellmade has recorded a 34% increase in sales compared to the same period last year. The company's promotional events and online and offline campaigns during May, which is Family Month in Korea, have garnered positive consumer responses. Daily List also contributed to this sales growth, with its sales rising 27% year-over-year this month. Cumulatively, sales for the year have increased by 17%, driving strong performance in the first half. In response, Daily List is launching its '2026 Summer Collection.' This collection, themed 'Light Moves,' focuses on lightweight and comfortable wear for the summer season. It features premium materials to enhance practicality and seasonal appeal. Key items include a tape-point jumper and a hooded string jumper, both made from sheer materials and reflecting the mint core style. These products offer UV protection, making them suitable for everyday wear and outdoor activities. Additionally, the collection includes printed long-sleeve shirts, patterned collar dresses, string vests, and elastic half pants. Some items can be styled as coordinated sets. A Wellmade representative stated, "We aim to maintain the strong performance of the first half into the second half with this summer collection." Meanwhile, Wellmade's online sales surged by 65% last year. During the winter season, sales increased by 10% due to strong outerwear sales. Sejong attributes the improved performance to product planning tailored to the customer bases of its key brands, including Indian, Bruno Baffi, and Daily List.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-21 17:43:45 -
Lotte Hi-Mart's PLUX Brand Achieves Success in First Year, Aiming for 200 Billion Won in Sales Lotte Hi-Mart's private brand (PB) PLUX is experiencing growth, particularly among one- to two-person households and younger consumers. The company reported on May 21 that its overall PB sales increased by 15% year-on-year from April of last year to March of this year. In the first quarter of this year, sales rose by 26% compared to the same period last year. PLUX was designed to cater to the needs of one- to two-person households, which tend to prefer smaller appliances due to limited living space and prioritize price and energy efficiency. The company stated, "PLUX differentiates its key products based on these characteristics." The flagship product, the PLUX 245L refrigerator, sold over 40,000 units in one year, making it the best-selling refrigerator in Lotte Hi-Mart's lineup. The company attributed its success to the refrigerator's 200L capacity, top energy efficiency rating, and a five-year extended warranty, which align with customer demands. Additionally, the proportion of customers in their 20s has increased since the launch of PLUX. Lotte Hi-Mart is also expanding the PLUX product line into subscription services. In March, it introduced the "PLUX Subscription Service" for popular categories such as washing machines, air conditioners, and rice cookers, with plans to include water purifiers in June. In July, Lotte Hi-Mart will launch a dedicated PLUX store where customers can explore all PLUX appliances in one location. The company aims to boost PLUX sales from 130 billion won last year to over 200 billion won this year. Park Byeong-yong, head of Lotte Hi-Mart's PB overseas sourcing division, stated, "PLUX has achieved sales growth and changes in the purchasing demographic within just one year of its launch. We will continue to develop it as a daily appliance brand." Lotte Hi-Mart introduced PLUX after approximately a year of consulting, consumer research, and product planning that began in April of last year. The concept of PLUX is based on the idea of "changing daily life with small differences."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-21 16:39:00 -
Homeplus Requests Bridge Loan from Meritz Amid Financial Struggles Homeplus has once again requested a bridge loan from Meritz Financial Group to secure emergency operating funds. This request comes as the company prepares for the inflow of funds from the sale of Homeplus Express at the end of next month, which is expected to cover about a month’s worth of operational expenses. On May 21, Homeplus stated, "The proceeds from the sale of Homeplus Express, which is part of our supermarket division, are expected to arrive by the end of next month. We have requested Meritz Financial Group to provide a bridge loan to cover our operational needs for the next month, using these proceeds as collateral." Included in this request is a performance guarantee from Kim Kwang-il, vice chairman of MBK Partners, who is overseeing Homeplus. The company noted, "Vice Chairman Kim has agreed to provide a performance guarantee and has also proposed additional collateral options." Homeplus emphasized that it is currently facing a severe financial crisis. The company remarked, "Today is the payroll date for May, but we have only been able to pay part of April's wages, and we are experiencing significant difficulties in product supply. The bridge loan is essential for the company to navigate its current challenges." Furthermore, the company added, "This funding will also help improve the recovery rate for creditors through the normalization of the company. We have proposed all possible options available to us, and we hope for a positive review and immediate action from Meritz." Meanwhile, Homeplus has suspended operations at 37 of its 104 stores nationwide until July 3.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-21 15:07:03 -
Uniqlo's flagship outlet to return to Seoul's shopping district of Myeong-dong SEOUL, May 19 (AJP) - Japanese fast-fashion brand Uniqlo is returning to Seoul's major shopping district of Myeong-dong later this week. The reopening of its Myeong-dong outlet, slated for Friday, comes after most of its stores gradually exited the market about five years ago except for a few key locations, due to South Koreans' boycott of Japanese products over historical spats between the neighboring countries, compounded by declining sales during the coronavirus pandemic. As tourism has picked up and relations between the two countries have shown signs of improvement, the Japanese retailer appears to be betting on the South Korean market to regain lost ground. With the closure of its previous largest store at Lotte Department Store in Sogong-dong late last month, the new Myeong-dong outlet will serve as its flagship store, spanning three floors and covering 3,254.8 square meters, with women's, men's, and children's sections all in a single space. The store also has pickup booths where customers can collect online orders within an hour of purchase, bridging online and in-store shopping. Some 54 fitting rooms are spread across the three floors, including one dedicated to women on the second floor. On the third floor, a drop-off box for used clothing and garments is also available, along with customization options featuring about 100 embroidery patterns and clothing repair services. Uniqlo's return to Myeong-dong comes as it recovers in South Korea, posting 1.35 trillion won in sales last year, up 27.5 percent from 1.06 trillion won a year earlier, after its revenue fell sharply, with sales dropping from 1.38 trillion won in 2019 to 629.8 billion won in 2020 and 582.4 billion won in 2021, prompting it to close its Myeong-dong store in 2021. It is also attributed to the district's recent recovery, driven by an increase in foreign tourists and fading consumer resistance to Japanese brands. "We hope the store will become a new landmark in Myeong-dong by offering the full lineup for South Korean shoppers and visitors from around the world," said Takao Kuwahara, co-CEO of FRL Korea, the joint venture that operates Uniqlo, during a press tour on Tuesday ahead of the store's grand opening. 2026-05-19 17:40:28 -
LF Mall Introduces AI to Enhance Review Process and Customer Engagement LF Mall, operated by lifestyle company LF, is leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance its review capabilities. On May 19, LF Mall announced the launch of a review task force, recognizing that both the quantity and quality of reviews are crucial for platform competitiveness. The initiative aims to reduce the burden on customers when writing reviews, thereby gathering high-quality review data to improve shopping information. A key feature of this update is the 'AI Review Draft' function. Customers can select satisfaction criteria such as star ratings, size, and color, and the AI will analyze this information to automatically generate a review draft. Customers can either use the suggested text as is or modify it before submitting their reviews. The AI-generated review drafts are based on the star ratings and satisfaction information entered by the customers. Final edits and submissions are also handled by the customers themselves. LF Mall aims to maintain the credibility of reviews while enhancing the ease of writing them. Personalization features have also been improved. Customers with previous review histories will receive drafts that reflect their past writing styles and expressions. New customers will be offered suggestions based on age and gender preferences to create more natural sentences. Additionally, the product information provided through reviews will be more detailed. The number of satisfaction criteria displayed will increase from two to a maximum of four, allowing customers to easily view aspects such as size, color, weight, and finish quality. The user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) of the review submission page have also been revamped to streamline the writing process. An LF Mall representative stated, "We plan to create a review environment that is easy and convenient for customers to participate in, and based on this, we aim to enhance the overall shopping experience." Previously, LF had also implemented an AI automation system in the product description area of LF Mall. This system assists product planners (MDs) in writing descriptions, increasing the speed of product description creation by approximately tenfold.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-19 16:45:23 -
Uniqlo Returns to Myeongdong, Recovering Sales After Boycott Uniqlo, which left Myeongdong due to the No Japan movement and the impact of COVID-19, is returning to the area after five years. With an increase in foreign tourists and improving Japan-South Korea relations, the company is set to target Myeongdong with its largest store in the country.The "Uniqlo Myeongdong" store will officially open on May 22 in the Myeongdong area of Seoul. The store spans three floors and covers a total area of 3,254.8 square meters, making it the largest in South Korea. It will feature a wide range of products for women, men, kids, and babies. Previously, the Uniqlo store at the Lotte Department Store in the same area closed at the end of last month, making the Myeongdong store the flagship location in Seoul's central business district.On the first floor, a dedicated area for graphic T-shirts, known as the UT (Uniqlo T-shirt) zone, will showcase limited-edition shirts created in collaboration with local businesses like BAF (HBAF) and Eulji Dabang. The store will also feature a pickup locker zone for customers to collect online purchases. A Uniqlo representative explained, "The pickup locker zone allows customers to collect their online orders at the designated store one hour after purchase, enhancing the integration of online and offline shopping." There will be a total of 54 fitting rooms across the first to third floors, with a separate women's fitting room located near the women's innerwear section on the second floor.On the third floor, the store will house the third "ReUniqlo Studio" in the country. This area will include a recycling bin for customers to drop off used clothing, as well as a customization service featuring about 100 embroidery patterns and clothing alteration services. Currently, ReUniqlo Studios are also operating at the Lotte World Mall in Songpa-gu, Seoul, and in Daegu's Dongseongro. Uniqlo's renewed focus on Myeongdong aligns with the area's recovery. The brand experienced a significant drop in sales following the No Japan movement, which emerged during the Japan-South Korea trade dispute in 2019, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sales plummeted from 1.37 trillion won in 2019 to 629.8 billion won in 2020 and 582.4 billion won in 2021. Consequently, Uniqlo closed its store located near Exit 6 of Myeongdong Station in 2021.However, recent trends indicate a shift. The number of foreign visitors to South Korea is increasing, revitalizing the Myeongdong area, and consumer resistance to Japanese brands has reportedly eased. Uniqlo's sales are also on the rise. FRL Korea, which operates Uniqlo in South Korea, reported sales of 1.35 trillion won last year, a 27.5% increase from the previous year's 1.06 trillion won.In response, Uniqlo plans to leverage the Myeongdong store, which attracts foreign tourists, to continue its growth in the domestic market. Takao Kuwahara, co-CEO of FRL Korea, stated, "We expect to provide all product lines of Uniqlo LifeWear and a differentiated brand experience and customer service to both Korean customers and global visitors, making Myeongdong a new landmark."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-19 15:51:47
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Coupang CLS to Allow 18,000 Delivery Workers Time Off for Local Elections Coupang's delivery subsidiary, Coupang Logistics Service (CLS), will implement time off for over 18,000 delivery workers nationwide to participate in the upcoming local elections.On May 19, CLS announced that it will adjust time off for delivery workers to allow them to vote during the early voting days on May 29-30 and the main election day on June 3.Since April 15, 50 days before the local elections, CLS has been encouraging delivery companies across the country to adjust their schedules to ensure workers can exercise their voting rights. The company has sent out official requests to delivery partners to facilitate time off for workers, and many locations are adjusting their delivery schedules to allow workers to take at least one day off during the three-day voting period.According to CLS, more than 6,000 workers have already requested time off for each of the three voting days. In total, over 18,000 delivery workers are expected to take time off during the election period, with some opting for more than two days off depending on their schedules. CLS plans to send additional requests to delivery partners to encourage even more workers to participate in the voting process before the elections.A CLS official stated, "We have implemented a backup driver system to provide customers with seven-day delivery service while allowing delivery workers to work less than five days a week. During the local elections, we are also encouraging time off to ensure that delivery workers can participate in voting."Last year, on June 3, the day of the presidential election, CLS suspended its weekly rocket delivery service to ensure that delivery workers could exercise their voting rights. This marked the first time since the service's launch in 2014 that rocket deliveries were halted.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-19 14:15:31 -
CU and GS25 Expand 24-Hour Convenience Store Delivery with Coupang Eats Convenience store chains CU and GS25 are partnering with Coupang Eats to expand their 24-hour delivery services. This move comes as demand for late-night deliveries increases, prompting the convenience store sector to enhance its quick commerce capabilities.According to industry sources, CU will begin offering 24-hour delivery through Coupang Eats starting May 19. Previously, CU provided delivery services from 6 AM to 3 AM the following day via platforms like Pocket CU and Coupang Eats.With the extended hours, customers will now be able to order products from nearby CU stores during the previously unavailable hours of 3 AM to 6 AM.The 24-hour delivery service will be available at stores already operating with Coupang Eats. The service will cover areas including Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi, Gwangju, Busan, and Daejeon, where Coupang Eats has partnered with stores for around-the-clock delivery. Customers in these regions can order from approximately 8,000 items, including lunch boxes, ramen, desserts, beverages, and daily necessities, without time restrictions through the CU tab in the Coupang Eats shopping menu.GS25 will also launch its 24-hour delivery service through Coupang Eats on the same day, targeting around 1,000 stores in parts of Seoul, Gyeonggi, and six major metropolitan cities. GS25 plans to expand its service range to allow consumers to purchase necessary items during late-night and early morning hours.The convenience store industry's shift to 24-hour delivery is driven by the rising demand for late-night services. CU's overall delivery sales growth rates were 142.8% in 2024, 65.4% in 2025, and 91.6% in the first four months of 2026. During the same period, late-night delivery sales from 10 PM to 3 AM outpaced overall delivery growth, with increases of 167.5%, 86.6%, and 120.0%, respectively. GS25 has also been operating late-night delivery services until 3 AM at about 2,500 stores since November of last year, with late-night delivery sales at these locations increasing by 42.7% over the past six months. Shin Hak-dong, head of GS Retail's O4O (Online for Offline) business strategy team, stated, "We expect that expanding the 24-hour delivery service will provide greater convenience for customers and additional revenue opportunities for franchisees."Meanwhile, demand for quick commerce is expected to continue growing. Global market research firm Statista predicts that South Korea's quick commerce market will reach 5.9 trillion won by 2030.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-18 20:32:16 -
Homeplus Stores Temporarily Close, Affecting Tenants' Sales On May 18, at the Homeplus store in Jamsil, Songpa District, Seoul, the cart storage area was empty, and a sign reading "Hygienic Homeplus Carts" was torn and fluttering in the wind. The usually bustling store was quiet following the closure announcement. Tenants operating within the store expressed their frustration, with one restaurant owner, identified as A, stating, "Since the supermarket closed, the few customers we had have noticeably decreased."As of July 3, Homeplus has temporarily closed 37 stores nationwide, significantly impacting the tenants. While some restaurants and photo studios remain open, customers perceive the entire store as closed, leading to a sharp decline in foot traffic.A, the restaurant owner, reported, "Since the store's closure, our sales have dropped by about half." Other tenants echoed similar sentiments. Another tenant, B, sighed, saying, "We are still operating, but if foot traffic disappears, closing is just a matter of time."Kim Byeong-guk, president of the Homeplus Tenant Association, stated, "Although the leased stores are said to be operating normally, in reality, it is almost like being closed. Customers already perceive that the entire Homeplus store is shut down."Many customers were unaware that some leased stores were still open. A 30-something visitor, Park, remarked, "I assumed Homeplus was closed when I heard about the shutdown. I only realized some stores were still operating after seeing a few people coming in and out."The uncertainty surrounding the reopening of the stores adds to the tenants' concerns. Homeplus has announced the temporary closure of 37 stores until July 3, but if funding issues persist, the closure could be extended. A Homeplus representative stated, "Currently, if we cannot secure liquidity due to internal and external conditions, it will be difficult to proceed."Leased store owners are bearing the financial losses from the temporary closure. However, Homeplus has reportedly not established a separate compensation plan, citing that leased stores can continue operating. An industry insider noted, "Shopping involves not just products but also the store atmosphere, layout, and customer experience. If the main store is closed, it will be challenging to attract customers to the leased stores, leading to greater losses for them."Meanwhile, Homeplus is seeking bridge loans and emergency operational funding from its largest creditor, Meritz Financial Group, as part of its restructuring efforts. However, negotiations have stalled due to significant differences over loan conditions.Meritz has recently indicated it may consider a short-term operational loan of 100 billion won for 2-3 months, but has set conditions including immediate repayment upon the sale of Homeplus Express, an annual interest rate of 6%, and personal guarantees from major shareholders and management. However, Homeplus has expressed difficulty in accepting these terms, as the sale of Homeplus Express is already contracted to conclude by the end of June, meaning the actual loan period would only be about a month.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-18 19:37:38