Korea’s No. 1 ramyeon maker, Nongshim, said Monday that it has launched its new Shin Ramyun type, Shin Ramyun Toomba, in Malaysia by launching a brand shop on TikTok Shop, the leading online platform there. To boost brand awareness, Nongshim appointed top Malaysian singers, including Khai Bahar and Wany Hasrita, as ambassadors. They are promoting the product through the TikTok series “Snow Falling in Busan.” Additionally, the company is strengthening offline marketing by securing placements in m

The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea and Homeplus signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday to expand the import of US food products and strengthen trade cooperation between Korea and the US. The signing ceremony, held at Homeplus' headquarters in Seoul, was attended by AmCham Chairman and CEO James Kim, Homeplus CEO Jo Ju-yeon, and officials from the US Embassy’s Department of Agriculture. This marks the first official partnership under AmCham’s "Buy America" campaign. As part of th

South Korea's consumer prices rose at a 2 percent level for the second consecutive month in February, driven by a weaker local currency that pushed up import costs, data showed Thursday. Consumer prices, a key gauge of inflation, increased 2 percent from a year earlier last month, according to the data from Statistics Korea. This follows a 2.2 percent on-year rise in January, which marked the steepest on-year increase since July. South Korea's consumer inflation has remained below 3 percent sinc

After more than a year of steadily rising prices, gim, crispy dried seaweed, has finally seen a slight decline in cost. According to data released Tuesday by the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation, the average retail price for 10 sheets of dried gim stood at 1,400 won ($0.96) as of Feb. 28. That marks a decrease of 27 won from the previous week and 76 won from the prior month. Despite the drop, prices remain high — 25 percent above last year’s 1,119 won. For 12 consecutive months, gim

The average South Korean consumed an estimated 30 kilograms of pork last year, according to data released Monday. South Korea’s livestock cooperative designated March 3 as Samgyeopsal Day — the date referring to the three layers of fat that give the cut its name — to promote sales of pork belly, with local retailers often running special discounts. According to data from the Korea Rural Economic Institute, last year’s per capita pork consumption marked a 6.8 percent increase from the five-year a

Orion's iconic snack Choco Pie surpassed 4 billion units sold last year, marking the highest annual figure since its launch in 1974. Orion on Thursday unveiled key sales figures to celebrate the snack's 50th anniversary. According to the company, total sales since the product's launch have exceeded 50 billion units, with cumulative revenue surpassing 8 trillion won ($6 billion). In particular, 67 percent of sales, or 5.5 trillion won, came from overseas markets. Orion attributed its success to i

Powered by upbeat overseas sales, Pulmuone, Orion see continued sales growth Korean food giants Pulmuone and Orion will join the list of food companies with over 3 trillion won ($2.09 billion) in sales for 2024, driven by the rising global popularity of Korean food. According to the market consensus issued by Korean securities companies in the December-January period, health-focused food company Pulmuone is expected to log 3.18 trillion won in sales last year, a 6.5 percent increase from a year

Per capita rice consumption in South Korea reached an all-time low in 2024, continuing a decades-long decline, according to new government data. A report released by Statistics Korea shows that the average South Korean consumed 55.8 kilograms of rice last year, down 0.6 kilogram, or 1.1 percent, from the previous year. This marks a dramatic drop in the consumption of the country’s most essential staple food from 1994 when the per capita figure was 120.5 kilograms — more than double last year's.

Fast-fashion brand Brandy Melville's Korea debut draws backlash — not for its sizing, but for speaking English Brandy Melville, the fast-fashion giant known for its “one-size-fits-most” clothes and laid-back California aesthetic, finally opened its doors in South Korea on Jan. 3. But despite the excitement expressed by some, the brand is facing backlash from others — and not for reasons you might think. It’s not the sizing that’s causing a stir. It’s the staff's use of English. The controversy k

Aiming to redefine the global K-beauty experience, cosmetics platform Yless has launched its flagship store near Seoul’s Bukchon Hanok Village, blending traditional Korean charm with modern beauty innovation. Earlier on Tuesday, Yless' online platform was launched simultaneously in Korea and the US, anchoring its global ambitions. Yless was created by KoreaTech, the company behind the beauty brand Kahi, which spearheaded the multi-balm craze in 2020. Building on its success, with export revenues

Samsung Electronics announced Wednesday that it will unveil a new lineup of home appliances powered by artificial intelligence at CES, the world’s largest tech trade show taking place in Las Vegas from Jan. 7-10, 2025. The lineup includes AI-driven refrigerators, washing machines and dryers designed to streamline household tasks and enhance connectivity. Central to these devices is Samsung’s “AI Home” solution, which allows users to remotely monitor and control all compat

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, who also heads the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, on Tuesday urged policymakers to ensure consistent economic policies to support businesses amid growing uncertainty following the National Assembly’s impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched martial law decree. During a meeting with National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, Chey relayed the business community’s concerns regarding stalled economic bills and the challenge of navigati

A former top trade adviser to US President-elect Donald Trump during his first administration warned that Trump's second term would likely adopt a more “aggressive” stance on trade, urging South Korean businesses to engage proactively with US officials to navigate potential challenges. Stephen Vaughn, a lawyer and former acting US Trade Representative, spoke at a seminar, titled "Trade Regulations Under Trump's Second Term: Risk Management and Strategies for Korean Com

Business leaders are calling on lawmakers to expedite the approval of bipartisan, noncontentious bills on semiconductors and artificial intelligence, amid rising concerns that political uncertainty following President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment could delay enactment of critical legislation, jeopardizing industry competitiveness. Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok on Sunday stressed the importance of passing legislation such as the Semiconductor Special Act, the AI Basic Act and the Expansion

Luxury cakes have emerged as seasonal highlights in South Korea's hotel industry, appealing to consumers seeking something special for Christmas, but they have drawn criticism as well as praise, thanks to their high prices. On Nov. 25, Hotel Shilla showcased "The Taste of Luxury," a Christmas cake priced at 400,000 won ($285), up 30 percent from the hotel's most expensive Christmas cake last year. According to the hotel, this year’s version has 25 percent more premium w