K-pop industry

Mergers & Acquisitions Korea’s top cinema chains seek merger to counter box office slump

South Korea’s two leading multiplex operators Lotte Culture Works Co. and Contentree JoongAng Corp. have tentatively agreed to merge in a bid ...

Beauty & Cosmetics Seoul-backed K-beauty brands set to make global mark

As Korean beauty products continue to captivate global consumers, five Seoul-based cosmetics and wellness companies are gearing up to penetrate deep...

Bio & Pharma Korea’s pharmaceutical exports set to top $10 bn, led by ‘K-M7’ champions

South Korea’s pharmaceutical exports are on course to surpass $10 billion this year, underscoring the country’s growing clout in the glo...

Retail When in S. Korea, it’s a ritual: Foreigners make stops at CU, GS25, 7-Eleven

“If you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair,” as Scott McKenzie sang in the late 1960s and 70s.If...

K-pop K-pop stocks surge as China set to loosen cultural ban after 9 years

Shares in South Korea’s leading entertainment companies are rallying amid growing signs that China will likely lift its longstanding ban on Ko...

Mergers & Acquisitions LG Chem to sell water filter business to Glenwood PE for $692 million

South Korea’s LG Chem Ltd. has agreed to sell its water filter business – the world’s second-largest producer of reverse osmosis m...

Beauty & Cosmetics Packaging rides K-beauty wave: Shares of cosmetics container makers soar

As South Korea’s independent beauty brands continue to take the global stage by storm, investors are now looking beyond the creams and serums ...

Food & Beverage India: Tantalizing frontier for K-food’s global ambitions beyond China

South Korea’s processed food exports to India have surged to a record 6 trillion won ($4.1 billion), marking a significant milestone in the gr...

Corporate strategy Dongwon Industries to delist wholly owned Dongwon F&B

Dongwon Industries Co., the holding company of South Korea’s seafood-to-logistics Dongwon Group, will delist its canned tuna-manufacturing sub...

Aerospace & Defense South Korean defense industry thriving on strong overseas demand

The South Korean defense industry's current heyday is expected to continue for a while as global demand for Korean-made weapons and combat systems h...

Beauty & Cosmetics Korea launches $27 mn fund to invest in K-beauty startups

South Korea’s Ministry of SMEs and Startups on Thursday announced the launch of a 40 billion won ($27 million) fund to invest in Korean beauty...

Entertainment Kakao Entertainment scraps IPO, seeks new buyer

Kakao Corp., South Korea’s largest mobile platform, is looking to sell a majority stake in Kakao Entertainment Corp., dropping a plan to take ...

Beauty & Cosmetics K-beauty defies trade headwinds as exports to China, US lead sales growth

South Korea’s beauty industry is mounting a powerful global push, defying trade pressures and economic uncertainties with a surge in exports t...

Beauty & Cosmetics K-beauty exports to China rebound after 4-month slump

South Korea’s beauty industry is showing signs of recovery in China, with exports rebounding after four months of decline.The turnaround follo...

Leadership & Management Samsung mobile chief fills leadership void in device division

Samsung Electronics Co. has appointed TM Roh, president and head of its mobile eXperience (MX) business, as the new chief of its device eXperience (...

Mergers & Acquisitions Aekyung Industrial up for sale as group struggles to ease liquidity crunch

South Korea’s Aekyung Group has put its flagship subsidiary, Aekyung Industrial Co., up for sale as part of broader restructuring efforts to s...

K-pop K-pop exports boom as end of Chinese K-wave ban looms large

Exports of Korean popular music, or K-pop, have seen a significant surge in recent months, driven by increasing demand from China and Japan, accordi...

Entertainment SM Entertainment acquires additional 11.4% stake in DearU for $9.2 mn

SM Entertainment Co., South Korea’s music powerhouse behind internationally popular boy and girl bands like EXO and aespa, has acquired an add...

Shipping & Shipbuilding Samsung Heavy makes breakthrough in FLNG liquefaction technology

Samsung Heavy Industries Co., a major Korean shipbuilder, has made a breakthrough in its liquefaction technology for floating liquefied natural gas ...

Batteries LG Energy, Doosan Bobcat tie up for construction equipment battery packs

LG Energy Solution Ltd., the world’s third-largest battery maker, and Doosan Bobcat Inc., a global construction machinery producer, said on We...

Beauty & Cosmetics K-beauty shake-up: APR, Shinsegae rise as Aekyung declines

South Korea’s beauty industry is undergoing a major reshuffle, with new players rising to prominence while established giants face growing com...

Food & Beverage Korean snacks mesmerize global consumers amid K-pop popularity

South Korea’s snack exports soared to a record high in February, surpassing $40 million for the first time, as global demand surged amid the s...

Economy S.Korea’s factory output dips in January; Retail sales, investment slow

South Korea’s factory production decreased in the first month of this year due to a manufacturing slowdown, while private consumption and busi...

Shipping & Shipbuilding US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth eyes March visit to Seoul

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is arranging a visit to South Korea next month to inspect shipyards and discuss cooperation on naval vessel constr...

Travel & Leisure J-R AMC, BlueCove bid on $70 million sale of Mirae Asset, NPS’ Shilla Stay

The sale of Shilla Stay Dongtan, a premium business hotel operated by South Korea’s Hotel Shilla Co., has attracted four bidders, underscoring...

Business & Politics China likely to lift ban on South Korea’s K-wave as early as May

BEIJING – China will likely lift its ban on Hallyu, or Korean popular culture in the country, as early as May, moving away from its “wol...

Machinery Korean tractor maker Daedong ends two-decade partnership with Deere

Daedong Corp., South Korea’s leading tractor and farm machinery maker, has ended its two-decade-long partnership with Deere & Co., the wor...

Korean games Nexon becomes 1st Korean game publisher with over 4 trillion won in sales

Nexon Co., the parent of Nexon Games Co., became the first Korean game developer to achieve the 4 trillion won ($2.8 billion) sales milestone in 202...

Beauty & Cosmetics Korean beauty giants Amorepacific, LG H&H come back from China woes

South Korea’s two largest cosmetics makers, Amorepacific Corp. and LG H&H Co., are recovering from years of lackluster overseas business p...

Shipping & Shipbuilding HD Hyundai Marine sets sights on LNG vessel retrofitting in Trump era

While the global shipbuilding industry was reeling from the economic slowdown in recent years, South Korea’s HD Hyundai Marine Solution Co., a...