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Tag: Korean

  • Singapore, Taiwan, Korea to get Apple Watch

    Singapore, Taiwan, Korea to get Apple Watch

    Singaporeans, Taiwanese and South Koreans will be capable of purchase the Apple Watch from later this month.

    “The response to Apple Watch has surpassed our expectations in each approach, and we’re thrilled to convey it to extra clients around the globe,” stated Jeff Williams, Apple’s senior vice chairman of Operations. “We’re additionally making nice progress with the backlog of Apple Watch orders, and we thank our clients for his or her endurance. All orders positioned via Might, with the only exception of Apple Watch 42 mm Area Black Stainless Metal with Area Black Hyperlink Bracelet, will ship to clients inside two weeks. At the moment, we’ll additionally start promoting some fashions in our Apple Retail Shops.”

    Apple says the Apple Watch might be obtainable in Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Italy, Mexico Spain and Switzerland from Friday, June 26 from the Apple On-line Retailer, Apple’s retail shops and chosen authorised resellers.

    The world’s developer group has already created hundreds of apps for Apple Watch with new apps for patrons to discover and uncover. Apple Watch wearers can already hold monitor of a Singapore Airways flight, keep in contact with associates in South Korea with KakaoTalk, discover the close by YouBike station in Taiwan and entry film tickets with Cinepolis in Mexico.

  • Korean cosmetics a hit in China

    Korean cosmetics a hit in China

    Korean cosmetics products are expanding their presence in China on the back of the ‘Korean Wave’.

    Korea is the second biggest source of cosmetics sold in Asia’s second-largest, but fastest growing beauty market, according to data out this week.

    Out of $686.2 million worth of cosmetics China imported in the January-March period, South Korean products accounted for 19.1 per cent, or $131.2 million, coming next to France’s 33.6 per cent market share, according to the data compiled by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA).

    Japanese cosmetics took third with 15.3 per cent, followed by American brands with 11 per cent, KITA said.

    Korea moved up two notches from last year’s spot as China’s imports of Korean cosmetics more than tripled in the first quarter from a year ago, while French and Japanese products surged 10.2 per cent and 37.2 per cent, respectively, in the same period.

    Thanks to strong sales in China, total exports of Korean cosmetics nearly doubled to $582 million in the first three months of this year, which in turn improved their earnings.

    Amore Pacific, the nation’s leading cosmetics firm, posted 320.7 billion won in operating profit in the first quarter, a 50 per cent hike from a year earlier, its regulatory filing showed.

    Operating profits of Kormar, a smaller local rival, jumped 62.9 per cent over the period, far exceeding market expectations.

    LS Cosmetics, which is well-known for face mask sheets, logged 17.5 billion won in operating profit, recording an over 100 times on-year surge. Its shares, which are traded on the secondary KOSDAQ market, jumped 338 per cent this year to become one of the top earners in the local stock market.

    “Korean companies are showing stellar performance in the Chinese market based on the Korean Wave and competitive price ranges and brand lineups,” Na Eun-chae, a researcher at Korea Investment & Securities, said.

    “The outlook for Korean cosmetic makers is positive in the mid- and long- term.”

  • Liquor samplers take maintain in Korea

    Liquor samplers take maintain in Korea

    Like selecting cosmetics after utilizing a pattern, a brand new development is rising of liquor samplers in Korea’s eating places and bars.

    Based on the business, Baesangmyun Brewery, a standard Korean rice wine maker, presents 4 sorts of Sluggish Metropolis Brewery Makgeolli within the sampler course at its Sluggish Metropolis Brewery & Pub eating places. Sluggish Metropolis Makgeolli, a hand-made Korean conventional rice wine, can have 4 totally different tastes by various the extent of getting old or maturation.

    For many who can’t select what to drink for his or her makgeolli, the restaurant presents free samples of the 4 tastes and lets the client select their very own.

    A buyer on the restaurant stated: “This place is superb as we will watch the brewery course of with our personal eyes and choose the makgeolli we would like after sampling numerous sorts.”

    Soju samplers are additionally gaining in reputation, as it may be a burden to order high-quality soju by the bottle.

    Aoi Sora, a standard soju pub in Itaewon, Seoul, is promoting a sampler for soju-lovers. It presents two soju samplers with 4 soju manufacturers every at 15,000 gained (US$13.70) and 16,000 gained (US$14.60).

    As well as, craft beers at the moment are promoting in samplers. As they’re brewed in several methods, a beer sampler could be one of the best match for beer-lovers who need to attempt numerous tastes in beer.

    An government at Baesangmyun Brewery stated: “Liquor and beverage samplers are a pure improvement to satisfy the varied tastes of consumers. The samplers have acquired good response from first time guests and youthful clients who are usually not acquainted with makgeolli, notably ladies.”

  • Personal label saving Korean retailers

    Personal label saving Korean retailers

    As South Korea’s giant retailers are affected by damaging progress, personal manufacturers (PB), or personal labels (PL) are providing a ray of sunshine to Korean retailers.

    Gross sales of personal branded items have elevated 20 to 30 per cent within the first quarter in comparison with the identical interval final yr.

    PB items are often 20 to 30 per cent cheaper than different model items, and as they’re turning into more and more widespread, extra clients are constructing belief in sure manufacturers.

    Gross sales of Residence Plus PB items within the first quarter elevated 21 per cent, whereas gross sales of all items mixed solely elevated zero.9 per cent. PB merchandise now account for 28.four per cent of Residence Plus merchandise.

    Gross sales of PL items additionally elevated 15.four perc ent at E-Mart, whose administration report their  1.1 per cent gross sales improve within the first quarter – the primary year-on-year constructive progress price in 13 quarters – was because of the reputation of PB items.

    Gross sales of PB items on the CU comfort chain additionally elevated 7.6 per cent for the primary quarter in 2013, 9.1 per cent in 2014 and 22.eight per cent for a similar interval this yr. Gross sales of such items at 7-Eleven elevated a record-high 34.eight per cent.

    A person with information of Lotte Mart’s operations stated that though there was some distrust in personal manufacturers up to now, nowadays they’re among the many best items, as they’re produced by well-known producers.

    CU stated that it will give attention to creating private hygiene PB items sooner or later, because it has been solely creating snack PB items up to now.

    House Plus additionally stated that it will improve PB manufacturing, saying that as greater than 90 per cent of PB producers are SMEs, the present growth might additionally end in a constructive synergy impact on them.

  • Korea retail gross sales decline continues

    Korea retail gross sales decline continues

    Retail gross sales at South Korea’s division and low cost shops fell once more in March – nevertheless it wasn’t all dangerous information.

    Regardless of a wholesome improve in luxurious spending, as reported final month, and thesurprise revelation that on-line gross sales now exceed bricks and mortar retailer gross sales, revised knowledge from Korea’s Commerce Ministry exhibits shoppers are holding again from shopping for spring clothes as a result of lingering chilly climate.

    Mixed Korea retail gross sales final month at malls run by Hyundai Division Retailer, Lotte Buying and Shinsegae Co declined 5.7 per cent in March year-on-year.

    This was barely revised down from a 5.four per cent fall estimated by the finance ministry early in April and in comparison with a 6.6 per cent rise in February.

    Every month the ministry collects gross sales knowledge from all three teams to function an ongoing development indicator.

    The ministry stated division retailer gross sales are beneath strain from growing competitors from on-line distributors and outlet malls.

    The identical knowledge confirmed annual gross sales at low cost shops fell 6.5 per cent in March from a yr in the past – higher than the 7.four per cent decline estimated earlier.

    Clothes gross sales at division and low cost shops dropped 7.1 per cent and 10.6 per cent respectively, in annual phrases, a mirrored image of the local weather.

    Different authorities figures recommend complete retail spending in Korea was down simply zero.6 per cent month-on-month in March. However these figures embrace motorcar and gasoline gross sales. Personal consumption rose zero.6 per cent over the primary quarter of 2015.

  • Bulgogi Brothers Bangkok debuts

    Bulgogi Brothers Bangkok debuts

    South Korean QSR chain Bulgogi Brothers has added Thailand to its growing Southeast Asian footprint, with its first store opened in the EmQuartier mall in central Bangkok.

    The barbecue restaurant chain has 42 restaurants worldwide – including seven in the Philippines, five in China, three in Malaysia and others in Indonesia and Myanmar. The company will open its first outlet in Tokyo in October and in Taiwan’s capital, Taipei, in December. It also plans an Indian debut this year and is targeting 100 worldwide within five years.

    The Thai franchise rights are held by Ausanee Mahagitsiri Leonio, the daughter of Prayuth Mahagitsiri, described by Thai media as “the Nescafe coffee tycoon”. She also owns the Thai Krispy Kreme franchise.

    The chairman and CEO of Bulgogi Brothers’ parent company Et & Zeus is Intae Jung, who says his brand is making the most of the popularity of K-pop music, Korean TV series and fashion reputation.

    “Korean food has become a fad in Asia due to the popularity of South Korean pop music and TV series. Korean is the fourth most recognised cuisine by nationality among Thai consumers, following Japanese, Italian and Chinese,” he said in an interview with the Bangkok Post newspaper.

    “The Philippines, Thailand and Myanmar are the top three priority markets we want to focus on for our five-year business plan. In Thailand we want to see 10 more Bulgogi Brothers restaurants by 2020,” Jung said.

    Ausanee, president of King of Bulgogi Thailand, said she plans to spend 100 million baht (US$3 million) to open two Bulgogi Brothers Bangkok restaurants, including the EmQuartier one.

    “We expanded into the Korean restaurant business because the food tastes similar to Thai food. Many Thais travel to South Korea and enjoy watching Korean dramas, which inspires them to try some dishes,” she said.