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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

Pop Mart opens Korea's 1st regular Hirono store in Seoul's Gwangjang Market

Chinese trend-toy maker Pop Mart has opened Korea's first regular standalone store dedicated to Hirono, one of its most popular intellectual properties (IP), at Seoul's historic Gwangjang Market, as the company seeks to expand the character beyond collectibles and develop it into a lifestyle brand. The store, which opened Friday in central Seoul, marks Hirono's first permanent retail presence in Korea following a temporary pop-up store in the Seongsu area from April to May. It is also the fourth Hirono-themed store globally, after locations in Shanghai, Bangkok and London, each designed around local cultural references and urban identities. For Xuan Yilang, better known as Lang, the creator of Hirono, the decision to open in Gwangjang Market was closely tied to both the character's personality and the atmosphere of the neighborhood. "Korea has a very strong brand culture, and there are many brands loved by young people," Lang said in an interview with The Korea Times. "But I didn't want to choose a place that felt overly commercial." Lang said he visited Gwangjang Market several times be

Jun 5, 2026By Yulu Ao
Pop Mart opens Korea's 1st regular Hirono store in Seoul's Gwangjang Market

Citi Korea marks 'Global Community Day' with corporate clients

Citi Korea held a volunteer activity with employees from key corporate clients at its headquarters in Seoul, Thursday, in celebration of "Global Community Day," the company said Friday. Through the creation of an upcycled collaborative artwork and art supply kits, the activity demonstrated a sustainable community engagement model that contributes to environmental protection and local community development. The event was made even more meaningful with the participation of employees from 14 major global companies that have grown alongside Citi over many years. These companies, which operate across diverse markets around the world, joined Citi Korea not only as financial partners but also as collaborators committed to fulfilling their social responsibilities and creating positive impact in the communities where they operate. Participants created a collaborative artwork on paper canvases made from discarded cardboard collected by older adults and assembled art supply kits. In particular, the activity carried special significance as it established a “resource circulation” model that suppo

Jun 5, 2026By Lee Hyo-sik
Citi Korea marks 'Global Community Day' with corporate clients

Paradise Hotel Busan launches BTS-themed 'fan-cation' program

Paradise Hotel Busan has been selected as the official hotel partner for BTS the City ARIRANG Busan, unveiling a series of immersive experiences and accommodation packages tied to BTS's upcoming Busan concert, scheduled for June 12 and 13. The BTS-themed urban entertainment project transforms an entire city into a cultural destination by incorporating the group's music and storytelling into its urban spaces. As part of the initiative, Paradise Hotel Busan will convert key areas of the property into BTS-themed experience zones. From June 8 to 21, the hotel's Ocean Pool Rooftop will feature installations inspired by "Swim," the title track from BTS's fifth studio album, ARIRANG. The rooftop will include a dedicated photo zone overlooking Haeundae Beach, an arch-shaped installation featuring ARIRANG-themed elements and branded decorations throughout the poolside bar area. The hotel's outdoor ARIRANG Garden will host themed installations from June 8 to 14, including a symbolic gateway inspired by visuals from the new album and a photo wall. Large-scale graphic wraps on the hotel's glass ext

Jun 5, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan
Paradise Hotel Busan launches BTS-themed 'fan-cation' program

Payments at Starbucks down over $6.5 mil. in May, after 'Tank Day' event

Payments at Starbucks Korea plunged over 10 billion won ($6.5 million) in the month of May, following a controversial promotion event criticized for evoking painful memories of the 1980 pro-democracy uprising, industry data showed Thursday. Operated by E-Mart, a subsidiary of Shinsegae, Starbucks Korea launched an online "Tank Day" promotion on the anniversary of the May 18 uprising in the southwestern city of Gwangju. The event was suspended within hours after drawing widespread public criticism. Starbucks Korea's estimated payment volume for May totaled 121.2 billion won, down by some 10 percent, or 13.1 billion won, from 134.3 billion won a month earlier, according to MobileIndex, a data platform operated by industry tracker IGAWorks. Weekly payment volume had also fallen for two consecutive weeks since the controversial campaign's launch, the data also showed. The figure only includes purchases made through local debit and credit cards, and does not include payments made through other channels, including cash, simple payment methods and the coffee chain's mobile application. The coffe

Jun 4, 2026By Yonhap
Payments at Starbucks down over $6.5 mil. in May, after 'Tank Day' event

NC founder’s past relationship with Jensen Huang back in spotlight

The long-standing relationship between NC CEO Kim Taek-jin and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is back in the spotlight, as the chief of the global artificial intelligence (AI) chip giant held on Sunday a rare one-on-one meeting with the Korean game mogul during his visit to Seoul. Huang arrived Friday for a packed itinerary with a group of conglomerate leaders here. Notably, he met with Kim at a gaming cafe to explore comprehensive technological cooperation in gaming and physical AI, referring to AI embedded in robots and autonomous systems. NC and Nvidia has formed a strong partnership for more than a decade. The bond between Kim and Huang dates back to 2008, when NC launched Aion, its blockbuster massively multiplayer online role-playing game. At the time, the two companies formed a strategic marketing alliance, releasing limited edition Aion GeForce 9800GT graphics cards to commemorate the game's open beta test. GeForce is Nvidia’s flagship graphic card brand. That collaboration has seamlessly extended into the cutting-edge hardware era. At the G-Star 2025 game exhibition last November, NC

Jun 4, 2026By Lee Min-hyung
NC founder’s past relationship with Jensen Huang back in spotlight

Korea Times to host forum on Korean enterprises’ global expansion

As Korean companies grapple with geopolitical uncertainty, supply chain shifts and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI), questions are growing over how they can transform themselves from export-driven manufacturers into globally competitive innovators. To explore those challenges and opportunities, The Korea Times and GR Korea will jointly host a forum titled “Made in Korea: Global and AI Enablement” on June 9. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. at the Grand Hall of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in central Seoul. Bringing together leading voices from business, government and academia, the forum will examine how Korea can leverage AI, technological innovation and industrial strengths to create globally competitive companies and redefine what “Made in Korea” means in the 21st century. Featuring key experts and industry leaders, the event will serve as a platform to explore practical pathways for Korean companies to leverage AI not merely as a technology trend, but as a core driver of global expansion and competitiveness. The opening speech wi

Jun 4, 2026By Nam Hyun-woo
Korea Times to host forum on Korean enterprises’ global expansion

Distressed discount retailer Homeplus to shutter 37 stores

Financially troubled discount chain Homeplus is shuttering more than 30 percent of its stores across the country, a decision likely to leave some 3,500 employees jobless, industry sources said Thursday. The company delivered the decision in a notice to its labor union earlier in the day, saying it will permanently close operations of 37 stores among 104 operated by the company. Operations at the 37 stores had been suspended since last month, after the retailer sold its supermarket business, Homeplus Express, to NS Shopping, a local home shopping channel operator. Around 3,500 employees are said to be hired at the stores, while around 1,500 hold managerial positions will likely be subject to voluntary retirement, insiders added. Private equity firm MBK Partners acquired a 100 percent stake in Homeplus in 2015 from British retailer Tesco Plc for 7.2 trillion won ($4.9 billion). The retailer, however, became financially strapped due to a slump in the discount store industry and eventually entered court-led rehabilitation proceedings in March last year.

Jun 4, 2026By Yonhap
Distressed discount retailer Homeplus to shutter 37 stores

Tesla tops imported car sales for 4th month in May

Tesla remained at the top of Korea's imported car market for the fourth consecutive month in May, driven by strong sales of its Model Y, industry data showed Thursday. According to the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA), 29,860 imported passenger cars were newly registered last month, up 5.9 percent from 28,189 units the previous year. Tesla topped the list with 10,866 units sold in May, retaining the No. 1 position since February. BMW followed with 6,555 units sold last month, while Mercedes-Benz ranked third with 3,553 units. China's BYD ranked seventh with 1,032 units sold. Tesla's Model Y was the best-selling model with 8,762 units sold, followed by the BMW 5 series with 2,060 units and Tesla's Model 3 at 1,301. By fuel type, electric vehicles accounted for 48.6 percent, with 14,520 units sold, followed by hybrids at 40.4 percent and gasoline models at 10.4 percent.

Jun 4, 2026By Yonhap
Tesla tops imported car sales for 4th month in May

HD Construction Equipment signs major bulldozer supply deal with Polish military

HD Construction Equipment has secured a major contract to supply bulldozers to the Polish military, marking its first large-scale win in a European defense procurement project. The company announced on Thursday that it has been selected as the final supplier for a tracked bulldozer project led by a regional logistics base within the Polish Army. The deal covers 50 units of 15-ton DEVELON bulldozers worth about 27 billion won ($17.7 million), with potential for additional orders. The latest agreement marks a key milestone for the company, coming just two years after it entered the European bulldozer market and signaling its successful debut in the region’s highly demanding military procurement sector. The company said it prevailed against leading U.S. and European manufacturers to win the contract, citing its ability to meet tight delivery schedules and provide rapid and organizationwide technical support as key advantages. “This contract demonstrates that our products have been recognized locally in Europe not only for performance and quality but also for supply capability by meeting

Jun 4, 2026By Lee Gyu-lee
HD Construction Equipment signs major bulldozer supply deal with Polish military

Oriental Brewery wins 5 international awards

Oriental Brewery (OB), Korea’s leading brewer, became the only Korean beer manufacturer recognized at the 2026 International Taste Awards, with five of its beer brands receiving the Superior Taste Award from the Belgium-based International Taste Institute (ITI), the company said Thursday. Founded in Brussels in 2005, the ITI is one of the world's most recognized food and beverage quality assessment organizations. Each year, an international jury composed of Michelin-starred chefs and professional sommeliers evaluates products through blind tastings based on five criteria — first impression, appearance, aroma, taste and texture, and aftertaste. More than 250 judges participated in this year's competition. Products receiving an average score of at least 70 points out of 100 are awarded the Superior Taste Award. Scores between 70 and 80 earn one star, 80 to 90 receive two stars, and products scoring above 90 are granted the highest distinction of three stars. OB said it was the only Korean beer manufacturer to receive awards at this year’s competition, following a similar achievement

Jun 4, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan
Oriental Brewery wins 5 international awards
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