Korea-Japan match boom lifts Wippy dating app earnings

Enlize, operator of dating app Wippy, reported a sharp earnings increase last year, driven by strong growth in its Japan business and rising cross-border matches between Korean and Japanese users. The company posted 1.82 billion won ($1.3 million) in operating profit for 2024, up 231 percent from a year earlier, marking its second consecutive year in the black. Enlize attributed the improvement to expanding overseas demand and stronger monetization tied to cross-border user activity. Wippy’s exp

2026-04-10 15:50:42:00

Jay-Z, Hanwha-backed K-culture fund eyes launch as early as this year

A joint K-culture investment firm backed by Jay-Z’s investment arm and Hanwha Asset Management is set to complete core staffing by June, with a launch possible as early as this year, according to an exclusive Herald Business report Friday. Citing investment banking sources, the report said, MarcyPen Asia — a joint venture between MarcyPen Capital Partners and Hanwha Asset Management — has begun recruiting key personnel, including a vice president and senior associates. The firm plans to finalize

2026-04-10 15:50:29:00

Foreign funds pour W3.3tr into Samsung, SK hynix following ceasefire

Foreign investors have sharply increased purchases of South Korea’s major chipmakers, led by Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, following a ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran. According to the Korea Exchange on Friday, foreign investors bought a combined 3.33 trillion won ($2.5 billion) worth of the two stocks over two trading days from Wednesday to Thursday. Samsung Electronics topped net purchases at 2.65 trillion won, followed by SK hynix at 441.9 billion won and Samsung Electronics p

2026-04-10 10:58:35:00

SK hynix's target jumps to W1.9m on memory rally

KB Securities on Friday raised its target price for SK hynix to 1.9 million won ($1,400) per share from 1.7 million won, citing accelerating earnings growth driven by AI-led memory demand and rising chip prices. The brokerage maintained a “buy” rating, noting that operating profit is likely to enter a faster growth phase after the first quarter, as supply shortages support structural price increases in DRAM and NAND. KB Securities estimates SK hynix’s operating profit will surge fivefold on-year

2026-04-10 10:44:51:00

Zara joins Korea's ultrafast delivery race, faces profitability test

Inditex’s global fashion brand Zara is expanding into same-day and overnight delivery in Korea, stepping up efforts to strengthen its logistics competitiveness. According to Fashion Biz on Friday, the company recently introduced two new options via its online platform: same-day delivery for orders placed before 11:30 a.m., arriving by midnight, and overnight delivery for orders placed before 7 p.m., delivered by 7 a.m. the next day. The move adds to its existing standard shipping, which typicall

2026-04-10 10:33:13:00

SpaceX IPO faces volatility risk on potential lock-up easing

SpaceX’s long-anticipated initial public offering is gaining momentum for a potential June debut, with investor attention increasingly focused on a possible easing of lock-up restrictions that could affect early share price stability. According to industry sources on Sunday, the US aerospace company recently submitted IPO-related documents confidentially to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, allowing it to proceed with the listing process while limiting early disclosure of financial deta

2026-04-07 14:36:12:00

Korea’s rich look beyond Seoul — and up the hill

For years, Busan’s luxury real estate story was easy to tell: look to Marine City. With its cluster of high-rise apartments facing Haeundae Beach, the district became the city’s defining symbol of wealth. But that map is starting to shift. Just uphill, Dalmaji Hill — Busan’s onetime enclave for the affluent — is staging a comeback, drawing a new wave of ultrawealthy buyers and reshaping the city’s luxury housing landscape. What makes this shift notable is geography. In South Korea, ultraluxury h

2026-03-25 13:24:51:00

Why fax still survives in South Korea despite digital shift

In most advanced economies, fax machines have long faded into obsolescence. In South Korea, fax remains embedded in the digital economy. The country’s online fax market — led by domestic providers such as HanaFax — continues to generate stable demand, sustained by regulatory requirements and mobile-first innovation, even as global usage declines. The sector illustrates a broader pattern in Korea’s tech landscape: locally robust but largely invisible in global markets. Despite Korea’s high level

2026-03-19 10:33:47:00

Canada plant powers LG Energy Solution growth amid EV slowdown

LG Energy Solution’s Canadian battery plant is emerging as a bright spot for the company as the global electric vehicle market slows, offsetting weaker performance at some of its European and US facilities. According to the company’s audit report released Thursday, NextStar Energy, LG Energy Solution’s battery plant in Windsor, Ontario, posted revenue of 362.4 billion won ($268 million) last year, up 22.4 percent from a year earlier. Operating profit reached 53 billion won, surging nearly fivefo

2026-03-13 12:37:22:00

Why Korea’s wealthy investors are buying the dip

Recent weeks have shown once again how quickly geopolitical shocks can ripple through global markets. Tensions in the Middle East pushed oil prices sharply higher and rattled global equities. South Korea’s benchmark Kospi was no exception, suffering a steep pullback that dampened investor sentiment. Although the market has since staged a partial rebound, it has yet to fully regain previous levels. But periods of market turbulence often reveal a clearer picture of investor behavior — especially a

2026-03-13 12:33:00:00