BLACKPINK's Rosé's 'APT.' tops TikTok music chart, named Apple Music's song of the year SEOUL, December 25 (AJP) - Rosé of BLACKPINK has once again demonstrated the global staying power of her hit single "APT.", following a string of major achievements across international charts. According to The Black Label, Rosé and Bruno Mars's duet "APT." was named Song of the Year by Apple Music, while also ranking No. 1 on Billboard's Global 200 and No. 9 on the Hot 100 year-end charts for 2025. The song also performed strongly on TikTok, topping its 2025 Year in Music chart for Korea and placing sixth globally, further underscoring its worldwide popularity. Released in October last year as the pre-release single from Rosé's first full-length album "rosie," "APT." quickly gained global recognition. The song remained on Billboard's Hot 100 for 45 consecutive weeks, setting a new record for the longest-charting K-pop song. Its music video has also surpassed 2.2 billion views on YouTube. She became the first K-pop artist to win Song of the Year at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards with "APT." in September. The song has also received nominations at the Grammy Awards next February for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, marking the first time a K-pop act has been nominated in two major categories. Meanwhile, Rosé is currently on the road on BLACKPINK's "Deadline" world tour, with Tokyo and Hong Kong as the next stops. 2025-12-25 16:55:58

Presidential office to raise its phoenix flag at Cheong Wa Dae on Monday SEOUL, December 25 (AJP) - The presidential office said it will raise its phoenix flag at Cheong Wa Dae on Monday, returning to the site after three years and seven months. It said the flag, featuring South Korea's national flower mugunghwa at the center and two phoenixes facing each other, will be lowered at the Yongsan presidential office at midnight on Dec. 29 and simultaneously raised at Cheong Wa Dae. "The official name of the presidential office will be changed to Cheong Wa Dae starting on Dec. 29," the office said. The flag is flown at the location where the president is working or residing to indicate the seat of executive authority. President Lee Jae Myung is expected to begin duties at Cheong Wa Dae, marking the reopening of the "Cheong Wa Dae era" about 44 months after former president Yoon Suk Yeol relocated the presidential office in May 2022. The site ceased to function as the presidential office after Yoon moved operations to Yongsan, citing a desire to break away from what it described as the image of a secluded power center. However, following Yoon's impeachment after his declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024, the Lee administration moved forward with restoring Cheong Wa Dae, fulfilling one of Lee's campaign pledges. The decision was also based on concerns that the Yongsan office was structurally vulnerable to surveillance and security risks. While the presidential office will return to Cheong Wa Dae, the official residence there is scheduled to undergo repairs through the first half of next year, as it is still severely damaged. Lee is expected to commute from the existing Hannam-dong residence to Cheong Wa Dae for the time being. The history of Cheong Wa Dae dates back to the Japanese colonial period. Built in 1927 as the residence of the Japanese Governor-General of Korea, it later served as the residence of Lt. Gen. John R. Hodge, head of the U.S. Army Military Government in Korea, following the country's liberation in 1945. With the founding of the First Republic in 1948, the site became President Rhee Syngman's office and residence under the name "Gyeongmudae." In 1960, then-president Yun Posun renamed it Cheong Wa Dae, inspired by the blue tiles of the main building, as "cheong" means blue in Korean. Cheong Wa Dae served as the office and residence of South Korean presidents from Park Chung-hee through Moon Jae-in until 2022. 2025-12-25 15:17:18

Korea's Hanwha is readying to join Golden Fleet project in Philadelphia yard SEOUL, December 25 (AJP) -South Korea's defense and shipyard-strong Hanwha Group has begun preparations at its Philadelphia shipyard to support the production of nuclear-powered submarines and other naval vessels for the United States, as Washington moves forward with an ambitious shipbuilding expansion plan under President Donald Trump’s “Golden Fleet” initiative. Tom Anderson, president of Hanwha Defense USA’s shipbuilding business and a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral, said the Philadelphia yard has a “significant advantage” in supporting joint production of nuclear-powered submarines in cooperation with South Korea, which he described as America’s “strongest ally.” “Work is underway to expand the workforce, invest in facilities and transfer technology,” Anderson told Korean reporters, adding that Hanwha is recruiting experts with experience in the design, construction and operation of Virginia-class submarines. These include specialists in modular production and block assembly, key processes in nuclear submarine manufacturing. Anderson said the timing of any actual submarine production would depend largely on coordination and decisions by the governments of the two countries. Another Hanwha official said the current understanding is that nuclear-powered submarines for the U.S. Navy would be built at the Philadelphia shipyard, while Hanwha Ocean’s Geoje shipyard in South Korea would handle production for Korea’s own nuclear-powered submarine program. Seoul and Washington agreed in October that their leaders shared an understanding on U.S. approval and support for South Korea’s pursuit of nuclear-powered submarines. Alex Wong, Hanwha Group’s global chief strategy officer, said there is growing consensus within the U.S. administration and Congress on the need to expand domestic shipbuilding capacity in cooperation with allies such as South Korea. Wong said President Trump has made strengthening U.S. shipbuilding a policy priority through executive action, and that Hanwha is well positioned to support the effort given its experience building diesel-electric submarines and other naval vessels at its Okpo shipyard. “This is a government-level decision,” Wong said, adding that the United States has a strong interest in reinforcing its industrial base for nuclear-powered submarines, particularly those based on the Virginia-class design. Trump earlier this week, when unveiling the “Golden Fleet” initiative, said that new U.S. Navy frigates would be built in cooperation with Hanwha. Last week, the U.S. Navy also announced plans for a new class of smaller combatants, known as the FF(X) frigates, which are intended to complement larger multi-mission warships and enhance operational flexibility. Navy Secretary John Phelan said the new frigate program would form part of the Golden Fleet initiative. Trump has also said the U.S. Navy plans to build two new “Trump-class” battleships, with the possibility of expanding the fleet to as many as 25 vessels. The president described the planned ships as among the most powerful surface combatants ever built, equipped with advanced weapons systems including hypersonic missiles, lasers, cruise missiles and nuclear capabilities. Hanwha said in August it would invest an additional $5 billion in the Philadelphia shipyard under a bilateral cooperation project dubbed MASGA — short for “Make American Shipbuilding Great Again.” The group had previously invested $100 million to acquire the shipyard at the former Philadelphia Navy Yard in December last year. The investment is part of a broader $150 billion shipbuilding package that South Korea has pledged to the United States as part of bilateral trade arrangements. Discussions are ongoing over how the funds will be structured and deployed, Wong said, adding that both governments are seeking to move quickly while ensuring proper implementation. Shares of Hanwha Ocean surged 10 percent on Tuesday after Trump said the company would help build new U.S. Navy frigates. South Korean defense stocks have rallied sharply this year, with Hanwha Aerospace and Hyundai Rotem gaining more than 170 percent and 270 percent, respectively. Hanwha Ocean has risen more than 220 percent year to date. Hanwha Ocean is one of South Korea’s major shipbuilders, producing commercial vessels such as LNG carriers as well as naval platforms including submarines and surface combatants. * This article, published by Economic Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-25 15:00:52

Bank of Korea signals cautious policy stance for 2026 on FX volatility SEOUL, December 25 (AJP) -The Bank of Korea plans to take a cautious and data-dependent approach to monetary policy in 2026, as financial markets showed heightened volatility in December and capital flows continued to shift overseas, according to its latest policy statement and financial stability report. In its Monetary Policy for 2026 report released Thursday, the central bank said it will decide “whether and when” to implement further base-rate cuts after comprehensively assessing inflation and growth conditions, as well as risks to financial stability. While inflation is expected to remain near the target level, the Bank warned that upward pressures could intensify due to elevated exchange rates and a recovery in domestic demand. Growth is projected to move toward its potential level of around 1.8 percent, but uncertainty remains high, reflecting risks related to the global trade environment, the semiconductor cycle and the pace of domestic demand recovery. From a financial stability perspective, the central bank said it will continue to monitor housing prices in the Seoul metropolitan area, household debt and exchange-rate volatility. Financial markets experienced notable fluctuations toward the end of 2025. According to the Bank of Korea’s Financial Stability Report for December released earlier this week, equity prices rose sharply before showing increased volatility, while foreign-exchange markets remained sensitive to global conditions. The central bank said it would strengthen monitoring of financial and FX markets and stand ready to implement market-stabilization measures if excessive volatility or herd behavior emerges. It also pledged to enhance cooperation with the government to address structural imbalances in foreign-exchange supply and demand and to improve market accessibility, including through reforms such as extended FX trading hours. According to the report, both U.S. and Korean stock markets posted gains in September and October 2025. During that period, the KOSPI surged 28.9 percent, while the S&P 500 rose 5.9 percent. Despite the rally, individual investors moved in the opposite direction. Domestic stocks recorded net selling of 9.9 trillion won in September and 6.8 trillion won in October, while overseas equity investment surged. In October alone, residents posted net purchases of $6.8 billion in foreign stocks, the largest monthly amount on record. The BOK in the financial stability report said this reflected a strengthening substitution relationship between domestic and overseas equity investment. While domestic and foreign stocks had previously tended to move in tandem as complementary assets, recent patterns show investors increasingly reducing exposure to one market while expanding positions in the other. The central bank attributed the shift largely to differences in long-term returns and exchange-rate expectations. According to the report, the 10-year moving geometric average return on the KOSPI has ranged from –0.7 percent to 5.6 percent since 2020, compared with 7.7 percent to 13.1 percent for the S&P 500. As a result, expectations for long-term returns have remained relatively low for domestic equities but higher for U.S. stocks. When Korean share prices rise sharply above their long-term return trend, investors tend to view the gains as temporary and take profits. In contrast, rising U.S. equity prices are more likely to trigger follow-on buying, reflecting stronger long-term return expectations. The baml also noted that expectations of a weaker won have reinforced the preference for overseas assets. A higher exchange rate increases the potential for exchange-rate gains on foreign investments, further strengthening the relative appeal of overseas equities. Reflecting these dynamics, residents’ net overseas securities investment reached $117.1 billion in the January–October period of 2025, sharply up from $71.0 billion a year earlier. Of the total, equity investment accounted for $89.9 billion, while bond investment reached $27.2 billion, according to the central bank. October marked a record high, with net overseas investment totaling $17.3 billion, driven by expectations of continued strength in U.S. equity markets, particularly in AI-related sectors, as well as expectations of future Federal Reserve rate cuts. The bank said the increase involved a broad range of investors, including the government sector such as the National Pension Service, financial institutions and individual investors. Looking ahead, the Bank of Korea said it will continue to strengthen early-warning systems, stress testing and contingency planning to safeguard financial stability. It will also enhance liquidity support mechanisms for banks and non-bank financial institutions and improve the effectiveness of monetary policy transmission. The central bank emphasized that policy decisions in 2026 will balance inflation control with financial stability, as volatile capital flows and exchange-rate movements play an increasingly important role in shaping domestic financial conditions. 2025-12-25 14:38:05

Android malware 'Wonderland' steals OTPs, enables real-time financial fraud SEOUL, December 25 (AJP) - A new Android malware dubbed "Wonderland" is being actively distributed, enabling attackers to steal one-time passwords (OTPs) and remotely control infected devices to carry out real-time financial fraud, according to cybersecurity researchers. An analysis released on Thursday by Group-IB said Wonderland initially infiltrates devices through a "dropper" disguised as a legitimate application, which then installs malicious components. Unlike typical trojanized APK files that begin malicious activity immediately upon installation, Wonderland masquerades as a normal app before executing its malicious payload within the user's environment. This technique allows the malware to be installed without a network connection and helps it evade initial security checks and static analysis. It also enables two-way communication, allowing attackers to issue commands in real time. Once activated, Wonderland can intercept text messages (SMS) and OTPs, trigger USSD codes, steal contacts and phone numbers, hide notifications, and send additional SMS messages, the research said. As a result, attackers are able to bypass financial authentication procedures to steal funds and use infected devices as secondary launch points for further attacks. Researchers also found that Wonderland operators rely heavily on Telegram as a core part of their infrastructure. When users grant permissions, attackers can hijack Telegram accounts using the victim's phone number and then use the compromised accounts to spread malicious apps to chat histories and contact lists. Stolen Telegram accounts are currently being traded on the dark web and reused in subsequent attacks, the research added. Wonderland is not the only threat targeting Android users. Other malware strains, including Nexus Root and Frogblight, have also been detected recently, often disguising themselves as legitimate apps, prompting heightened caution among users. 2025-12-25 13:43:57

INTERVIEW: Prevention starts with language: forensic scientist warns of growing drug risks in Korea SEOUL, December 25 (AJP) - When a high school senior in Daejeon fatally stabbed his mother and aunt while under the influence of LSD, the crime in 2016 stunned the nation. For Chung Heesun, a veteran forensic scientist and former head of the National Forensic Service (NFS), it was another signal that South Korea’s long-held belief in being a drug-free society is rapidly eroding. “He didn’t even know he had stabbed his mother,” Chung said, recalling the forensic findings. “That’s why drugs are terrifying — they destroy judgment.” Now a chaired professor of forensic science at Sungkyunkwan University, Chung is regarded as one of South Korea’s leading authorities on toxicology and drug detection. She warns that drugs have quietly permeated everyday life, reshaping social attitudes and lowering psychological barriers — particularly among young people. Language, she argues, is part of the problem. Food and beverage products increasingly adopt the word mayak — meaning “drug” in Korean — to emphasize addictiveness, from “mayak gimbap” to “mayak coffee.” What may seem like playful marketing, Chung says, has deeper consequences. “That’s how people become desensitized,” she said. “We, as adults, must stop using those words.” She believes early, age-appropriate education is the most effective line of defense. Preventive spending, Chung argues, could save as much as 18 times the cost of treatment, law enforcement and incarceration later. Chung’s own career in forensic science began unexpectedly. As a university student, she attended a lecture introducing the work of the NFS — an institution she had not even known existed. Despite friends discouraging her from entering what they viewed as a grim profession focused on autopsies, she joined immediately after graduation. The work proved intellectually absorbing. Over the years, Chung helped crack some of South Korea’s most complex criminal cases, including the 1995 death of pop singer Kim Sung-jae. In that case, she identified a rare animal anesthetic after analyzing more than 130,000 substances. “The intellectual thrill of discovering an unknown substance,” she said, “that’s the greatest satisfaction a scientist can feel.” But the landscape of drugs has grown far more complex. South Korea, once widely described as a drug-free nation, no longer meets that definition. To qualify, drug offenders must number fewer than 20 per 100,000 people. Today, that figure has more than doubled to above 40. According to the Korea Customs Service, drug smuggling cases involving air travelers reached 557 from January to November this year — nearly triple the figure from the same period a year earlier. President Lee Jae Myung acknowledged the severity of the issue in November, instructing the National Intelligence Service to “fully commit all capabilities” to dismantling domestic drug networks. He even raised the possibility of launching an independent narcotics investigation agency. The “2024 White Paper on Narcotics Crimes,” released by the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in June, shows that 103,231 drug offenders were recorded over the past five years — an average of more than 20,000 annually. Last year alone, about 23,000 offenders were detected, marking the second consecutive year the figure exceeded 20,000. Chung attributes the rapid spread to increasingly sophisticated production and distribution methods. “There are about 1,400 types of designer drugs now,” she said. “They tweak the chemical structure slightly, making them nearly impossible to detect.” Even advanced forensic techniques have limitations. Hair testing, widely used to trace drug use, can fail to detect one-time consumption — especially if hair has been repeatedly bleached or dyed. Analysts typically test hair at the crown, which grows about one centimeter per month, allowing investigators to reconstruct a timeline of use. Teenage girls, Chung noted, are becoming particularly vulnerable. Diet pills marketed as performance-boosting or slimming aids often serve as a gateway. “It starts with curiosity,” she said. “But it becomes dependency.” She is firmly opposed to cannabis legalization, describing marijuana as a stepping-stone drug rather than a harmless endpoint. “People rarely stop at marijuana,” she said. “They move on to something stronger. It never ends there.” Chung’s commitment to public education remains central to her work. She recently returned to her alma mater, Sookmyung Women’s University, to deliver a special lecture — and was struck by the packed hall. “The students were so earnest,” she said. “It was touching.” She recalled her own student days, when she served as vice president of the student council, an era when campus leadership structures borrowed heavily from military terminology. “I was like a brigadier general,” she said with a smile. “The student council president was the division commander.” Occasionally, she sees the long arc of her influence. After one lecture, a former student told her she had pursued pharmacy and later joined the NFS after reading Chung’s book. “Just one student like that,” Chung said, “makes every talk worthwhile.” Some of her most enduring professional ties were forged abroad. In 1989, as a junior analyst, Chung applied for the British government’s Chevening Scholarship. Her request initially faced resistance within the NFS — no woman, let alone an unmarried one, had studied abroad before. She persisted. A British Embassy official, Warwick Morris, kept her scholarship slot open. Chung later studied forensic science at King’s College London. Years later, Morris returned to Seoul as British ambassador. By then, Chung was deputy director of the NFS. He later presented her with a British royal honor on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II. The two still exchange Christmas letters, and Chung visits his home whenever she is in London. Her ambitions now extend beyond her formal career. Chung hopes to build a science museum that helps young students approach science without fear. “Science shouldn’t intimidate anyone,” she said. “If a museum can make it approachable, that’s my next mission.” 2025-12-25 10:47:53

​​Pyongyang ups naval and air saber-rattling over Seoul's nuclear-submarine plan SEOUL, December 25 (AJP) -North Korea on Thursday warned that U.S. and South Korean moves involving nuclear-powered submarines would destabilize the Korean Peninsula, as Pyongyang combined sharp rhetoric with fresh disclosures of naval and air-defense weapons development. North's leader Kim Jong-un condemned South Korea’s plan to develop nuclear-powered submarines during what appeared to be a deliberately choreographed visit to a submarine construction site, according to the Korean Central News Agency. Kim made the remarks while inspecting the construction of an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered strategic guided-missile submarine, calling Seoul’s submarine plan—agreed with Washington at South Korea’s request—an “aggressive act” that would worsen instability on the Korean Peninsula and violate North Korea’s security and maritime sovereignty. He said the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) - North Korea - would not alter its national security policy or principles for countering what it calls hostile forces, warning that any attempt to infringe on the country’s “strategic sovereign security” would be met with “merciless retaliatory attacks.” Kim also reaffirmed Pyongyang’s commitment to strengthening its nuclear deterrent, describing the submarine project as an “epoch-making” upgrade that would significantly raise the level of war deterrence. He said North Korea would continue pushing the “nuclear armament of the navy,” signaling a drive to build a sea-based nuclear strike capability. KCNA’s repeated references to a “nuclear-powered strategic guided-missile submarine” underscore Pyongyang’s claim that it is developing a nuclear-fueled submarine equipped with strategic missiles, a project first disclosed in March following a decision at the 8th Congress of the ruling Workers’ Party. Kim said newly built attack destroyers and nuclear-powered submarines would sharply boost the combat capabilities of North Korea’s fleet. During the inspection, he also reviewed research on new underwater weapons and outlined plans to reorganize naval forces and establish new units, KCNA said. The escalation in rhetoric coincided with a separate statement from North Korea’s defense ministry condemning the recent entry of the USS Greeneville, a U.S. nuclear-powered attack submarine, into a naval base in Busan earlier this week. The visit was aimed at replenishing supplies and providing rest for crew members, according to the Republic of Korea Navy. In a statement dated Wednesday, the North’s defense ministry accused Washington of embedding a “grave nuclear instability element” into the region’s security environment. It said the repeated deployment of U.S. strategic assets was escalating military tensions and pushing the U.S.–South Korea alliance toward what it described as a “nuclear confrontation bloc.” The ministry also criticized Washington’s reaffirmation of extended deterrence for Seoul and its support for South Korea’s nuclear-submarine ambitions, saying the moves confirmed U.S. intentions to pursue a “nuclear-to-nuclear collision structure” with the DPRK. It warned of unspecified countermeasures in response to what it called U.S. “nuclear muscle-flexing.” Adding to the display of military capability, North Korea disclosed on Thursday that it had conducted a test launch of a new high-altitude, long-range surface-to-air missile over the East Sea on Christmas Eve, with Kim observing. KCNA said the test, carried out by the Missile General Bureau, was the first launch intended to assess the tactical and technical performance of the air-defense system under development. The missiles struck and destroyed a simulated high-altitude target at a range of 200 kilometers, the report said, describing the test as part of routine efforts to upgrade national air-defense capabilities. Kim was quoted as congratulating those involved. South Korea’s military said it had detected the launch. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it had been monitoring signs of a missile launch in advance and tracked what appeared to be multiple surface-to-air missiles fired from the Seondeok area in South Hamgyong Province toward the East Sea at around 5 p.m. Wednesday. The JCS said detailed specifications were under joint analysis by South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities, adding that the allies remain on high alert and maintain the capability to respond decisively to any provocation under a robust combined defense posture. 2025-12-25 10:24:18

President Lee pledges warmth and hope for all in first Christmas message SEOUL, December 25 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday expressed hope that the coming year would bring warmth and hope to the daily lives of all people in his first Christmas message since taking office. In a Christmas Day post on Facebook, Lee said, "This is a day that comes around every year, but I hope it brings you a little more happiness, and that you can spend joyful moments smiling with your loved ones." Reflecting on the meaning of Christmas, the president said he was reminded of Jesus Christ, "who was born in the lowest and darkest place and spent his life alongside those who were suffering and in pain." "His life, I believe, represents the true meaning of Christmas that we should remember," Lee wrote. He ended by expressing hope that the holiday would offer comfort to some, rest to others, and the courage to face tomorrow to those in need, adding that he was praying earnestly for such a Christmas. 2025-12-25 10:14:48

PHOTOS: Merry Christmas, 1,004 Santas spread cheer across Seoul SEOUL, December 25 (AJP) - “Merry Christmas!” Bright and spirited voices rang out as volunteers dressed as Santa Claus gathered in the heart of Seoul. On Tuesday afternoon, volunteers in Santa costumes held a send-off ceremony along Yonsei-ro in Seodaemun District. Marking Christmas Eve, 1,004 Santas set out across the capital to visit underprivileged children, practicing year-end giving and social solidarity. Hosted by Korea Youth Foundation, the “2025 Season 20 Secret Santa Campaign” is a large-scale social contribution event in which 1,004 volunteers personally visit an equal number of underprivileged children’s households to deliver gifts and share the warmth of Christmas. Launched in 2006, the campaign marks its 20th anniversary this year. After the ceremony, participants sat along the street to write handwritten letters to the children they were assigned, before heading out to neighborhoods across Seoul. To take part as a Secret Santa, volunteers donate 20,000 won ($14) toward the children’s gifts and complete pre-event training, becoming “real Santas” for a day. The campaign’s defining feature is that participants combine personal donations with hands-on volunteer service. An official from the foundation said the campaign goes beyond gift-giving. “The Secret Santa Campaign symbolizes social solidarity, as members of the community come together to create Christmas for children,” the official said. “We hope this promise, carried on for 20 years, becomes a day the children will remember for a long time.” The Secret Santa Campaign is held nationwide every year and has established itself as a representative year-end volunteer initiative that promotes a culture of sharing and participation through the spirit of Christmas. 2025-12-25 09:47:05

K-fashion looks flat. The power shift is anything but. Editor's Note: This is the fifth installment in AJP's 2026 outlook series on South Korea's key industries. SEOUL, December 24 (AJP) - By the numbers, K-fashion is barely moving. Beneath the surface, however, control of the industry is shifting rapidly from department-store legacy brands to platform-born labels that now define how younger Koreans dress. Korea’s overall fashion market grew only about 2–3 percent in 2024 and is estimated to have expanded at a similar pace in 2025, according to the Samsung Fashion Institute. Yet that headline stagnation masks a sharp redistribution of growth toward online platforms and the brands they incubate. The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry projects industry output will rebound to 52.2 trillion won in 2026, reversing an estimated 2.5 percent decline to 51.8 trillion won this year. Exports are expected to rise 2 percent to $9.96 billion next year after a 6.7 percent fall in 2025 — a recovery driven largely by platform-led expansion. At the center of that shift is Musinsa, which recorded gross merchandise volume of about 4.5 trillion won in 2024. Revenue surpassed 1.24 trillion won for the first time, and operating profit topped 100 billion won. Rival platforms are scaling quickly: Ably reached roughly 2.5 trillion won in GMV last year, while Zigzag nearly doubled transaction volume year on year and exceeded its full-year 2023 GMV in the first half of 2025 alone. Much of that growth is coming from brands born on — or propelled by — these platforms. Musinsa’s private label Musinsa Standard has become one of Korea’s best-selling basics brands, while labels such as thisisneverthat, LMC and Matin Kim now anchor online rankings and offline pop-ups alike. Matin Kim’s trajectory captures the shift. Launched online, the brand has expanded into department stores, select shops and overseas markets, targeting annual sales of around 200 billion won in 2025 as it pushes into Japan, China and the United States. Department stores, by contrast, are increasingly split. Imported luxury houses and global sportswear brands continue to post double-digit growth, but long-established Korean suit and casual labels remain stuck in stagnation or decline. “Department-store brands no longer feel distinctive,” said Lee Eun-hee, emeritus professor of consumer studies at Inha University. “The quality gap that once justified them has largely disappeared. Younger consumers now seek brands that express individuality rather than standardized offerings.” Social media has accelerated that shift. Korea’s 20s and 30s, raised in an SNS-saturated environment, increasingly avoid looking ordinary — pushing them toward platform-based labels that signal visible differentiation. Survey data show younger shoppers now treat platforms such as Musinsa, Ably and Zigzag as their default destination for everyday clothing, using department stores mainly for luxury or special occasions. Domestic department-store brands are often associated with parents’ or office seniors’ wardrobes, while global SPA chains like Zara and H&M are viewed as complements rather than trendsetters. Zigzag’s internal data also reflect the platform-driven shift. Searches for key fashion categories such as puff cardigans (+202 percent), one-piece dresses (+524 percent) and flare pants (+105 percent) surged this year. “While Zigzag serves a wide age range, the surge in activity among users in their 20s and 30s has been especially noticeable this year,” a Zigzag representative said. For the new generation of K-fashion brands, department stores are no longer the end goal. Labels that built their audiences online now negotiate from a position of strength, using pop-ups, limited collaborations and direct-to-consumer channels to retain control over pricing and brand identity. Some bypass domestic wholesale altogether, moving directly into overseas select shops and online marketplaces. Legacy brands face mounting pressure. Analysts say rigid seasonal cycles, heavy wholesale structures and conservative design languages make it difficult to compete with platforms that can test dozens of micro-trends weekly and scale winners almost instantly. With the overall market growing only in the low single digits — and fashion imports estimated at $19.17 billion this year and $19.44 billion next year — the implication is clear. Every point of growth captured by platform-born brands is coming at someone else’s expense. For now, that cost is being borne by the legacy domestic labels that once defined the department-store floor. 2025-12-24 17:47:02