K-pop brings the crowd, K-beauty keeps them exploring

Korea Herald correspondent LOS ANGELES — When CJ Group launched KCON in 2012 in Irvine, California, it drew roughly 10,000 fans to a modest bill of K-pop acts. Fourteen years on, and spanning 11 regions and 14 cities worldwide, the festival has pulled in a cumulative 2.35 million attendees, with last year's Los Angeles edition alone drawing 125,000. "KCON isn't only a concert, it's a broader showcase of Korean lifestyle that has pulled the festival well past its original fan base," said Park Cha

2026-08-17 11:01:52:00

CJ chair visits KCON LA with same founding spirit

Korea Herald correspondent LOS ANGELES — CJ Group Chairman Lee Jay-hyun toured KCON LA 2026, held Friday to Sunday, visiting Olive Young's first beauty festival and the K-pop concert itself, as the group presses further into its most important overseas market, the company said Monday. The trip marks Lee's second visit to the US in three months, following a tour of CJ's major American business sites in May, when he called for closer coordination across the group's food, beauty and entertainment u

2026-08-17 10:13:31:00

Incheon overtakes Heathrow as world’s busiest international airport

Incheon Airport overtook London Heathrow and Singapore Changi to become the world’s busiest international passenger hub in the first half of the year, reaching No. 1 just 25 years after opening, latest data showed Thursday. Incheon handled 38.39 million international passengers over the six months, according to preliminary data covering 1,234 airports compiled by Airports Council International. The airport has risen steadily from 10th place in 2002 to fifth in 2018 and third in 2024. Heathrow ra

2026-08-13 09:00:00:00

Coupang tops app usage in every age bracket

E-commerce giant Coupang has maintained its grip on Korean consumers across every age group, data showed Wednesday, widening its lead even as Chinese platforms close in as its nearest challengers. According to data from WiseApp Retail, Coupang led all major shopping apps in monthly active users among Korean smartphone users across all age brackets in July. Users in their 40s made up its largest base, at 8.54 million, followed by their 20s and 30s in the 6 million range. Users in their 50s totale

2026-08-12 15:12:40:00

Kolmar Korea sets fresh record on indie brand growth

Kolmar Korea posted record revenue and profit for the second straight quarter, crossing 100 billion won ($70.7 million) in operating profit for the first time as demand for skincare and suncare products surged. The company reported Wednesday that consolidated revenue for the April-June period rose 17.9 percent from a year earlier to 861.3 billion won, while operating profit climbed 50.2 percent to 110.3 billion won. Both are record highs. First-half revenue reached nearly 1.6 trillion won, with

2026-08-12 13:39:20:00

Cosmax's US bet pays off in record quarter

South Korean cosmetics manufacturer Cosmax posted record revenue and profit this quarter, with its American business notching its first profit after achieving the steepest growth of any region. The company reported Tuesday that consolidated revenue for the April-June period rose 27 percent from a year earlier to 794.9 billion won ($560.8 million), while operating profit climbed 21 percent to 73.7 billion won. Both are record highs. For the first half, revenue totaled 1.48 trillion won and operat

2026-08-11 17:26:06:00

Coupang's dawn delivery reign faces new dawn

South Korea's dawn delivery market has long belonged to a handful of e-commerce players, led by Coupang. Now some of the country's biggest players are muscling into the category. Most recently, Lotte Mart booted up its first automated fulfillment center in Busan. The 40,000-square-meter facility, built with British retail tech firm Ocado for roughly 200 billion won ($141 million), runs around the clock with robots and artificial intelligence managing inventory, selection, packing and delivery ac

2026-08-11 14:51:40:00

Musinsa hosts first global buyer event for Standard line

South Korean fashion platform Musinsa said Tuesday it held its first global buying event for private label brand Musinsa Standard, courting overseas retailers ahead of its 2027 spring-summer collection. The three-day event, which ran Tuesday through Thursday, marked the brand's first time inviting international buyers to Seoul. It showcased merchandise while also previewing Musinsa Standard's marketing and design direction for next year. Attendees included representatives from Japanese fashion p

2026-08-11 14:39:35:00

Coupang expands global shelf with over 600 overseas brands

E-commerce giant Coupang said Monday that hundreds of global brands have joined its cross-border shopping service, Rocket Jikgu, broadening Korean shoppers' access to brands with a following abroad. Launched for US products in 2017, the service has since expanded to include goods from Japan and Hong Kong. More than 600 new brands have signed on this year alone, extending Coupang's lineup beyond food and supplements to beauty and fashion, the company said. Exemplifying the push is J.Q. Dickinson

2026-08-10 17:25:57:00

Budget coffee takes Korean identity overseas

Korea's budget coffee chains, built on affordability and accessibility, may be pushing the market to saturation, and rising bean prices and currency pressure are squeezing margins further. Instead, the chains are betting on markets abroad, leaning on Korean identity as their edge, especially as interest in K-food and other content keeps rising. This month has already brought a string of openings abroad, each a day apart. Ediya Coffee opened its first store in Laos on Saturday through a master fr

2026-08-10 15:09:04:00