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  Seongsu – how pop-up fever turned shop space into show space Editor’s Note: This is the second installment in AJP’s Seongsu series, which examines how Seoul’s former factory district transformed into a global hub for pop-ups, brand experiences and new forms of urban consumption. SEOUL, February 12 (AJP) - In Seongsu, a former industrial district in eastern Seoul, retail space is no longer leased mainly to sell goods. It is rented — by the day or the week — to buy attention. Over the past decade, short-ter February 12, 2026
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  LocknLock highlights new products, meets partners at Ambiente 2026 SEOUL, February 12 (AJP) - South Korean household goods maker LocknLock said on Wednesday it has completed its participation in Ambiente 2026, the world’s largest consumer goods trade fair, held in Frankfurt from Feb. 6 to 10, where it showcased new and flagship products to global buyers. The company said the event, which drew brands and buyers from 176 countries, served as a platform to present its portfolio across food storage containers, beverageware, cookware and child-fri February 12, 2026
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  Bamin founder Kim Bong-jin delivers commencement address at Kookmin University graduation SEOUL, February 11 (AJP) - Kookmin University held its Spring 2026 commencement ceremony on February 11, where Kim Bong-jin, the founder of the food delivery platform Bamin and current CEO of Grande Clip, delivered the congratulatory address to graduating students. Kim Bong-jin, an alumnus of the Kookmin University Graduate School of Design, is recognized as a pioneering entrepreneur who combined design sensibilities with business strategy. He founded Woowa Brothers in 2010 and February 11, 2026
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  Korea's Gentle Monster marks 15 years, grows into global eyewear brand SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - South Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster marked its 15th anniversary this month, underscoring its rise from a local label into a global fashion name as Korean brands gain traction overseas. The company currently operates 84 stores worldwide, including in New York, London, Paris and Milan, and has staged 33 collaborations with fashion houses and artists ranging from Fendi and Moncler to Maison Margiela and Tilda Swinton, according to the company. Gent February 10, 2026
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  Naver/Kurly steps up delivery race to win over Coupang customers SEOUL, February 09 (AJP) - South Korea’s dominant internet platform, has rolled out same-day grocery delivery in partnership with fresh-food unicorn Market Kurly, stepping up efforts to capitalize on mounting reputational troubles at e-commerce leader Coupang. Under the expanded service, Naver and Kurly’s joint grocery platform, Kurly N Mart, began offering same-day delivery on Monday. Orders placed between 11 p.m. the previous day and 3 p.m. on the same day are now de February 9, 2026
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  Meet Korea's bread driver in the capital of bread – Daejeon  SEOUL, February 06 (AJP) - Sixty-four-year-old An Sung-woo is not your typical South Korean taxi driver. His mornings resemble those of a corporate executive more than a cabbie. Immaculately dressed, he reviews a customized PDF itinerary on his tablet, fine-tunes it, and sends it to his clients with a courteous text. Then he goes to work — delivering bread. An’s passengers are not commuters or late-night revelers. They are bread connoisseurs. Devotees February 6, 2026
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  K-Heritage Foundation, Aju Media join hands for K-heritage 5.0 era SEOUL, February 05 (AJP) -The K-Heritage Foundation and Aju Media Group have joined hands to promote the digital preservation and global dissemination of Korea’s national heritage. The K-Heritage Foundation led by President Park Dong-seok, and Aju Media Group headed by President Lee Kwu-jin, signed a comprehensive memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Thursday to cooperate on the digital conservation, video production and international promotion of traditional Korean heritage. February 5, 2026
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  Price war at home as K-beauty expands overseas SEOUL, February 04 (AJP) - The quality of K-beauty is no longer in question. With low entry barriers and easy access to standardized ingredients and manufacturing, producing cosmetics has become relatively simple. What now separates winners from losers is speed, packaging, branding and, increasingly, price. As Korean beauty brands continue to expand their global footprint — especially in the United States — competition at home is intensifying around affordability. Whil February 4, 2026
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  EXCLUSIVE: Korea–India summit under discussion - India's envoy to Seoul SEOUL, January 22 (AJP) - India may be the next state-visit destination for South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, as Seoul looks to build on its back-to-back trips to China and Japan in 2026 by turning a "Special Strategic Partnership" — long cited but not fully realized for more than a decade — into a concrete industrial alliance with the world's most populous country, growing at a pace of more than 7 percent, across shipbuilding, semiconductors, artificial January 22, 2026
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  'I-CON City an experiment in creativity and growth — not urban development': Kessler SEOUL, January 21 (AJP) - The ambitious experiment of blending high technology, research, entertainment and community life — while mixing American and Korean cultural elements — is made possible by one decisive factor: location. Cheongna, a 10-minute drive from South Korea’s main gateway at Incheon International Airport, provides the foundation for the $1.4 billion I-CON City project, according to the American developer behind the plan. “This is not just a January 21, 2026