South Korea – Korean Air has appointed Jongheon Sim (Jong) as its new chief communications officer. Jong, a communicator and aviation industry veteran, will be handling the airline’s communication strategies and public relations. 

After working for the airline for 27 years in a variety of roles, including operations, communications, and external relations, Jong developed his communication skills. He became the airline’s managing director in December 2022 and became the deputy chief communications officer as well. He oversaw the airline’s social media and digital communications team before this assignment. 

He began his career in 1997 as a passenger business representative for Korean Air and went on to advance in airport operations in Incheon, Los Angeles, Seattle, and New York. In 2008, he took over as team head of airport operations in Seattle. In 2017, he moved to New York’s JFK airport, which is a major international hub for Korean Air, as general manager and head of the airport service team. 

Because of his background in international relations, Jong was assigned to work at the airline’s HRDC, where he was in charge of staff training before sending them abroad.

South Korea EGGDROP, the Korean egg sandwich brand from Golden Hind Co., Ltd, managed by CEO Young-woo Noh, has announced the opening of its second foreign location in the Philippines, following its debut in Bangkok, Thailand.

As a result of an agreement to open 10 stores in Thailand, EGGDROP made its debut in the Philippines and became the brand’s first international export. With the result, a multi-franchise agreement to open five locations in the Philippines has been fulfilled. In the Philippines, EGGDROP plans to open two stores in the first half of 2024. In the second half of the year, it plans to open three more stores in strategic areas.

Golden Hind’s plan for worldwide expansion includes the important component of introducing EGGDROP to the Philippine market. Their goal is to provide Filipino customers with a novel culinary experience that combines delicious and health-conscious options.

EGGDROP, which is expanding in Korea, has received franchise queries from over 30 nations worldwide. Nations such as the United States, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, and India are included.

Speaking about the expansion, Youngwoo Noh, CEO of Golden Hind, said, “We are very excited to announce EGGDROP’s second international expansion. We look forward to providing a fun experience for consumers in the Philippines.”

He added, “In addition to Thailand and the Philippines, EGGDROP is actively seeking master franchise partners in other countries such as the U.S. and Japan to strengthen the brand’s presence globally.”

Seoul, South Korea – Popular streaming platform Twitch has announced that it will be shutting down its operations in the South Korean market by February 27, 2024; citing rising operational costs in the country brought by the country’s prevailing network fee implementation to content providers (CPs) in the country, both domestic and foreign.

In a blog post by Twitch CEO Dan Clancy, he stated that they have put a lot of effort into finding ways to continue operating in the country by reducing costs. It is worth noting that the platform tried experimenting with peer-to-peer (P2P) livestreaming, as well as reducing the maximum video quality output to 720p.

However, the platform noted that despite these measures, the network fees in the country were 10 times higher than in most other countries, making operations no longer feasible. Moreover, Twitch has continued to operate with difficulty in South Korea with significant losses.

Speaking about those that will be affected by the closure, Twitch has stated that it will be working with rival platforms such as AfreecaTV and YouTube to aid creators in the transition process to their platforms.

“I would like to reiterate that this was a very difficult and difficult decision, and one that all of us at Twitch are deeply saddened by. Korea has always been a stellar player in the global esports community and will continue to do so. We’d like to thank you all for your hard work building a great Twitch community,” Clancy said.

It is worth noting that South Korea has an implementation for content provider tech companies to pay a network fee depending on the traffic they generate towards internet service providers (ISPs). This regulation came to international attention when South Korean ISP SK Broadband had sued Netflix over the huge traffic it generated thanks to the popular series “Squid Game”.

Seoul, South Korea – Shinsegae Duty Free Shop has transformed its exterior walls into a Christmas wonderland in the newest ‘Check into Shinsegae Duty Free: Magical Holiday’ campaign in South Korea.

As part of its campaign, Shinsegae Duty Free turned its exterior media facade into a colossal 63x18m screen that plays a special video of a Christmas wonderland, bringing people to the imaginative realm that features cheerful carols, toy soldiers, Rudolph, teddy bears, a gift-laden train journeying through the night sky, and an ice rink encircled by Christmas trees.

The grand display, boasting a whopping 3.75 million LED chips, also includes an orchestration of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 22 and Christmas carols made in collaboration between Shinsegae and domestic composers as its soundtrack. Additionally, the latter part of the video features a grand piano stage that enriches the ambiance of the Myeongdong streets with classical piano melodies.

The enhanced and vibrant visuals and sounds are all tailor-made for the giant spectacle that places Shinsegae Duty Free as one of the must-visit destinations this December. 

People worldwide will also have the chance to virtually experience the Christmas Media Facade through Shinsegae’s esteemed platforms. 

As part of the brand campaign, the store will further offer diverse discounts and content in celebration of the peak holiday travel period.

Seoul, South Korea – Global designer brand Chanel and Shinsegae Duty Free has recently collaborated to launch ’CHANEL WONDERLAND’, a cooperative endeavour  in the form of a holiday themed megapodium, which took place at Terminal 2 of the Incheon International Airport on November 16, 2023. 

With the intention of captivating tourists throughout the holiday season, CHANEL WONDERLAND was designed as a giant platform. At seven metres high and over one hundred and thirty square metres in size, this platform is massive and ready to improve the duty-free experience. The creation’s central theme, “the magic of a special holiday with Chanel,” gives the immersive experience it provides life. 

When visitors enter CHANEL WONDERLAND, they are met by a holiday ambiance as they discover a sequence of Chanel gift boxes hidden within another, all framed by a Christmas tree made of Chanel perfume sculptures and gift boxes.

Seemingly inspired by fairy tales, the megapodium features a design with white and black tones that reflect Chanel’s elegance. The addition of vivid gold elements to the setting further enhances its overall aesthetic appeal.

Visitors to “CHANEL WONDERLAND” have the opportunity to look into Chanel’s newest holiday season offerings, which include exclusive limited-edition items only available within the confines of CHANEL WONDERLAND, as well as sample and purchase various Chanel perfume products. Visitors can also take pictures in the zone backdrop. 

Speaking about the launch, Chung Hee Eun, general manager of cosmetics & perfume of Shinsegae Duty Free, said, “Shinsegae Duty Free is proud to present Chanel House and this extraordinary mega beauty destination at Incheon Airport, just in time for the Christmas and year-end holiday season. We aim to provide both domestic and international travellers with a special and memorable moment when they visit CHANEL WONDERLAND.”

Seoul, South Korea – Luxury travel brand TUMI has recently opened a pop-up experience in South Korea at the Lotte World Atrium in the capital city of Seoul. Said experience is open from July 3 to 15, and features an exhibition of current installations and artwork that creates an environment that highlights the qualities of each new item.

Professional football player, Son Heung-min and TUMI have also worked together, and personally autographed a range of memorabilia and goods for the pop-up event.

The pop-up has a sculptured front that was designed to mimic the lines of the TUMI 19 Degree Aluminum and also features a selection of TUMI’s avant-garde Hypercraft design concepts. 

At the centre of the pop-up, an artwork titled ‘TUMI Hypercraft Sculpture’ by American artist and perceptual art pioneer Michael Murphy pays homage to TUMI’s revered 19 Degree design. This sculpture, composed of suspended elements arranged in a complex pattern, takes centre stage and plays with the viewer’s perception. As one moves around it, the sculpture creates an illusion, seemingly transforming a 19 Degree Aluminum piece into the distinctive letter ‘T’ of the TUMI logo.

Victor Sanz, creative director at TUMI, said, “We’re thrilled to be presenting a manifestation of our brand and the Fall 2023 collection through the Fall 2023 Essentially Beautiful Pop-Up. TUMI’s relentless pursuit of excellence and passion for what we do is displayed beautifully through the installations. Collaborating with Michael Murphy and Son Heung-min underlines our obsession with finding beauty in the details and constantly elevating performance.” 

Meanwhile, Heung-min expressed, “I’m thrilled to be a part of TUMI’s pop-up – and even more so that we’re in my home country. Excited that everyone gets to experience the Essentially Beautiful campaign in this special place.” 

Seoul, South Korea – Popular streaming platform Netflix has announced that it has pledged US$2.5b in investment to South Korea’s entertainment scene, including the creation of films, series, and other unscripted shows for the next four years.

The announcement was made following a meeting with Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos with South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol following the latter’s ongoing state trip in the United States.

According to Sarandos, said investment is twice the company had previously pledged in the Korean market since they started service in Korea in 2016.

“We were able to make this decision because we have great confidence that the Korean creative industry will continue to tell great stories. We were also inspired by the President’s love and strong support for the Korean entertainment industry and fueling the Korean wave,” he said.

Sarandos also added that with the partnership, they will continue to grow with the local industry while sharing the joy of entertainment with Korean storytellers to their fans around the world.

“I have no doubt our investment will strengthen our long-term partnership with Korea and Korea’s creative ecosystem. We are deepening our partnership with the Korean creative industry, which has produced global hits such as ‘Squid Game’, ‘The Glory’, and ‘Physical:100’,” he concluded.

Singapore – Popular beauty retail brand Sephora has appointed Jenny Cheah to be its managing director for Southeast Asia, Oceania, and South Korea. In her new role, she will be reporting directly to Alia Gogi, president of Sephora Asia.

Cheah recently came from popular luxury fashion brand Bulgari, where she spent seven years building the brand and leading the growth and expansion of South Asia as its regional managing director and subsequently, as president of Greater China.

Previously, she was also with LVMH, where she spent 25 years with. It started off when she joined as a management trainee at DFS, where she honed her leadership skills and business acumen to oversee different aspects of the business, from merchandising and retail operations to business development and management.

Speaking on her appointment, Cheah said, “I’m beyond excited to join Sephora at a time when we continue to reimagine, redefine and challenge the perception of beauty. Our corporate purpose that is deeply anchored in empowering the extraordinary in each and all of us, is something that I profoundly believe in, and I can’t wait to work with my amazing teams across Southeast Asia, Oceania and South Korea to bring this to life.”

South Korea Wunderman Thompson has announced the appointment of KJ Lee as its managing director for South Korea to lead the agency’s operations in the country and build a business with creativity and technology at its core. 

Lee will also support the growth ambitions of existing clients by collaborating with the APAC network whilst securing new businesses by delivering innovative solutions to the challenges being faced by Korean brands.

Lee brings with him a 20-year working experience in advertising companies. In his last stint, he was with creative agency Serviceplan Group as executive director. Working with at advertising agency Leo Burnett, tobacco company Philp Morris International, and WPP’s Geometry Global were also some of his previous experiences.

Furthermore, Lee formerly served as Havas’ vice president, where he led the team’s growth in a highly competitive market. Aside from winning the lead creative agency for premium brand BMW Korea during his stint, he was able to expand client categories to healthcare, and mobile game and platform industries.

Ewen Sturgeon, international CEO at Wunderman Thompson said that they are thrilled to have Lee in their leadership team due to his deep understanding of the challenges in the modern marketing industry.

Meanwhile, Lee said that he aims to strengthen the agency’s presence in Korea by making it a positively recognized, highly recommended, and deeply respected agency in the country.

“The Wunderman Thompson network, including Korea, has the data and innovative strategic and execution tools to build inspiring consumer-centric, omnichannel communications – adding value and meaning to our clients and partners,” he added.

Earlier this month, the Indian leg of Wunderman Thompson has also appointed Richa Dholi as vice president of strategy planning in India.

Kowloon, Hong Kong With the aim of increasing its store portfolio across the Asia-Pacific, Starbucks has announced its plans to open 400 new stores in the region in 2023 to serve additional communities in its major cities.

Starbucks also plans to build on its existing portfolio of over 300 stores across 40 cities in India by extending its footprint into at least five new cities. The company also targets expanding its stores beyond the metropolitan areas of Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines, as well as opening a new store in Laos. 

“Asia Pacific is a dynamic and diverse engine of growth for Starbucks globally. As recovery continues, the region achieved over 20% sales growth year on year, demonstrating the strength and relevance of the brand,” said Michael Conway, group president of International and Channel Development for Starbucks.

He also added that the company is well-positioned for further growth with its licensed business partners.

Moreover, the company has also unveiled its new store in Gwangyang-si, South Korea today, February 16, which marks its 5,000th store milestone in APAC. According to Starbucks, the new store has the latest digital features and technology and a new drive-thru store that offers customers on-the-go more convenience.

To this, Conway commented, “The opening of our 5,000th store in Asia Pacific reaffirms our commitment to bring the unparalleled Starbucks Experience to more customers in one of our fastest growing regions.”

Emmy Kan, president of Starbucks Asia Pacific also said, “That our 5,000th store in Asia Pacific is a drive-thru store speaks both to the changing habits of our customers, and of our determination to meet them where it is most convenient, while still offering the Starbucks connection.” 

She also added that the company will continue to enhance its store formats and innovate to cater to changing customer behaviours and fuel growth in the region.

Building on the welcoming ‘third place’ experience, Starbucks also plans to open more Starbucks Reserve stores across APAC to bring customers an ‘intimate, multi-sensory coffee experience’.