premium brands

Mergers & Acquisitions Harman acquires Masimo’s audio arm in Samsung’s car audio push

Harman International Industries Inc., wholly owned by Samsung Electronics Co., has acquired Masimo Corp.’s audio business for $350 million, a ...

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...

Business & Politics US tariffs add risk premium to dollar assets: Maurice Obstfeld

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The US tariff increases are adding risk premiums to dollar-denominated assets, undermining the dollar’s role as a glo...

Electronics LG Display eyes turnaround on China's shift to OLED

LG Display Co., the world’s top large-sized organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel maker, will likely swing to profit this year for the fir...

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 ...

Automobiles Genesis premieres premium electric off-road SUV X Gran Equator Concept

NEW YORK – Genesis, the luxury brand of South Korea’s top automaker Hyundai Motor Co., has premiered its first electric off-roader conce...

Fashion Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Chanel: Winners in S.Korea’s luxury market

South Korea’s luxury goods market is becoming increasingly polarized, with ultra-high-end brands such as Hermès, Louis Vuitton and Chan...

Mergers & Acquisitions KFC’s Korean operations up for sale

Orchestra Private Equity has begun the process of divesting the South Korean operations of fast-food chain KFC, which has seen earnings growth since...

Retail Koreans’ craving for luxury goods fades

Until recently, it was not unusual to see people waiting in a long line in front of foreign haute couture brands’ stores early in the morning ...

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...

Electronics LG renames premium built-in appliance brand; Moody’s outlook up

LG Electronics Inc., South Korea’s top appliance maker, has rebranded its 10-year-old premium built-in kitchen appliance business to double do...

Commodities FOMO-driven gold rush lifts kimchi premium on gold to highest level

With South Korean retail investors joining the global gold rush in ‘fear of missing out’, or FOMO, the country’s gold price has ...

Retail Korean sportswear brand Fila thrives in China, boding well for 2025 profit

South Korean sportswear brand Fila Holdings Corp. posted a loss in the fourth quarter of last year, hit by the downturn in the apparel industry and ...

Mergers & Acquisitions Korea’s Cactus PE to buy stake in Kosdaq-listed EV parts firm

South Korea’s Cactus Private Equity is set to acquire a stake in YM Tech Co., a Kosdaq-listed electric vehicle (EV) parts maker, for nearly 20...

Beauty & Cosmetics Amorepacific's Aestura to enter US market with Sephora

South Korean beauty and cosmetics giant Amorepacific Corp. said on Wednesday that its derma cosmetic brand Aestura will enter the American market wi...

Private equity Korea’s Hwasung Cosmetics shines with Affirma Capital’s Midas touch

Singapore-based private equity firm Affirma Capital has turned Hwasung Cosmetics into an emerging original design manufacturer (ODM) for global beau...

Retail KT&G establishes Uzbekistan corporation

South Korean tobacco maker KT&G Corp. said on Monday it established the Uzbekistan corporation, aiming to boost its tobacco brand awareness in...

Automobiles Hyundai Motor: First auto brand available for purchase on Amazon Autos

You can now buy a Hyundai on Amazon.You read that right. You can buy a vehicle on the same site where you purchase dinosaur balloons and roller skat...

Automobiles BMW retains throne in South Korea’s imported car market

German luxury carmaker BMW claimed the mantle of top imported car brand in South Korea for a second consecutive year in 2024, beating out rival Merc...

Mergers & Acquisitions KL & Partners buys cosmetics brand Manyo Factory for $130 mn

KL & Partners, a South Korean private equity firm, has agreed to buy Kosdaq-listed cosmetics company Manyo Factory Co., which has been building ...

Retail E-Land manages New Balance’s record $689 mn in Korean sales

South Korea’s retail giant E-Land Group has achieved 1 trillion won ($689 million) in Korean sales of the global sports footwear and apparel b...

Korean food Daesang launches kimchi brand with three-Michelin-star chef

South Korean leading food maker Daesang Corp., the operator of kimchi brand Jongga, said on Thursday it launched San Ho Won with three-Michelin-star...

Electronics Samsung Display, Dolby to collaborate on automotive OLEDs

South Korea's Samsung Display said on Thursday it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Dolby Laboratories to jointly promote Dolby's high...

Fashion Musinsa, Zozo to support S.Korean fashion brands

South Korea's online fashion platform Musinsa said on Monday it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Japan's Zozo, the operator of online...

Food & Beverage Samyang Foods releases export-only ramyun brand in Thailand

South Korea's Samyang Foods Co. said on Wednesday it launched the new export-only ramyun brand Mep in Thailand. Mep is the second brand for the...

Beauty & Cosmetics LG H&H’s sales surge 156% on Amazon Black Friday

South Korea’s LG H&H Co. said on Thursday its sales on Amazon Black Friday this year surged 156% year over year.The Face Shop's Rice Water...

Electronics Korean displays regain top spot with premium information tech OLEDs

South Korean display makers regained ground in the global organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel market in the second quarter, elbowing out the p...

Food & Beverage Nongshim captures young consumers in Indonesia

South Korea's instant noodle giant Nongshim Co. said on Tuesday it held Shinsational Day event in Jakarta, Indonesia. On November 15, Nongshim ...

Retail E-Land sets sights on Vietnam as its next China, to open 10 outlets by 2025

South Korea’s retail giant E-Land Group has set its sights on Vietnam as its next target market after China, planning to open 10 outlets there...

Automobiles Hyundai launches EV charging subscription in Indonesia

Hyundai Motor Co. said on Wednesday its launch of an electric vehicle (EV) charging subscription service for vehicle owners in IndonesiaSubscribers ...