Busan has linked 71 global mobile payment platforms from 21 countries to its local Zero Pay merchant network, aiming to make it easier for foreign tourists to spend money in the city's neighborhoods, traditional markets, and small businesses.
South Korea's KOSPI stock index broke the historic 7,000-point barrier for the first time, fueled by a semiconductor and AI-driven rally — but experts warn the country's over-reliance on chips makes the milestone fragile without investment in next-generation industries.
As K-Food exports surpass $13 billion and Korean temple cuisine earns Michelin recognition worldwide, experts are asking whether the world's appetite for hansik is a genuine cultural shift — or just the latest foodie trend consuming something it doesn't fully understand.
From Emart's first-ever Tesla accessories partnership to Lotte's budget sake push and a flurry of stock market moves driven by AI and robotics, here is everything happening in Korean retail and business this week.
From the mineral sunscreen ingredients powering a global clean beauty shift to CJ Olive Young's first US store in Pasadena and Cosmax's European manufacturing push, Korea's beauty industry is building serious global infrastructure — not just viral moments.
A Korean luxury hotel CEO is asking whether Hallyu is simply being consumed or genuinely revered — and his answer points to a bold path forward for Korean culture on the world stage.
CJ Olive Young, Korea's dominant beauty retail chain, opens its first U.S. store in Pasadena, California on May 29 — bringing its "beauty playground" concept and over 5,000 K-beauty products stateside, with four more U.S. locations planned by year's end.
CJ OliveYoung, South Korea's dominant health and beauty retailer, opens its first U.S. physical store in Pasadena, California on May 29, 2026, alongside a new American online shop — positioning itself as a launchpad for K-beauty brands in the American market.
Hana Financial Group has taken home the Grand Prize at the 2026 Korea ESG Economy Awards, earning the country's top corporate ESG rating while also securing its fourth consecutive inclusion in the globally recognized Dow Jones Sustainability World Index.
CJ Group is staging a major K-food and K-beauty push across the U.S. — from a PGA Tour food pavilion in Texas to the opening of Olive Young's first American store — while Korean bakery brands hit Costco at scale and ube's purple wave sweeps through Korean cafes.
From a train ride to the North Korean border to a 300-year-old aristocratic estate and a steel sculpture closing in on 4 million visitors, Korea's regional tourism destinations are offering experiences that go well beyond the usual itinerary.
From deaf K-pop trailblazers Big Ocean stepping up as national tourism ambassadors, to a sold-out fan card drop from ZEROBASEONE and fresh Seoul Music Awards lineup reveals — here's your mid-week K-pop briefing.