Emart, the country s largest discount store chain, has been lagging behind Coupang, the largest e-commerce firm, in sales and operating profits as more and more consumers shop online, according to industry officials, Tuesday. In addition, Emart is spending a huge amount of money to operate its stores, while Coupang does not have to. That means Emart cannot surpass Coupang in terms of profitability.
While many retailers have followed global trends by going online during COVID-19, Emart has focused on expanding its offline business. This has begun to bear results, according to company officials, Wednesday.
Large chain coffee houses used to open stores nearby subway stations or in popular downtown areas in Seoul with heavy foot traffic. Nowadays, they are focusing on introducing unique and lifestyle-oriented stores to attract customers. Starbucks Korea is the most prominent in this trend.
Shinsegae Vice Chairman Chung Yong-jin celebrated the SSG Landers victory in the 2022 Korean Series on social media, Wednesday. Chung is the owner of the professional baseball team. Chung posted a photo of SSG Landers players throwing him into the air after winning the championship at Incheon SSG Landers Field in the western port city on Tuesday. He also wrote a message saying, “I want this again next year, I am addicted to it.”
Shinsegae Vice Chairman Chung Yong-jin is under criticism for uploading a picture of himself blowing out smoke at a golf course on social media on Oct. 24. Followers of his Instagram account suspected he was smoking even though Chung left the words, “smoking (x),” “wind checking (o).” There is no law against posting a picture of someone smoking on social media here, but local golf courses ban smoking on their premises.