South Korea

In 2023, yoghurt and sour milk products is set to see growth in current value terms, mainly due to price increases across the entire dairy industry. The continued popularity of plain yoghurt, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, is expected to…

The official end of the pandemic in 2023, and the full resumption of offline classrooms in schools and extracurricular academic institutions has been continuing to support students’ demand for stationery, and is also expected to sustain the retail…

The smaller value category of sticking plasters/adhesive bandages continues to see further product differentiation and development through material diversification to attract consumers with innovative formats. For instance, JW Pharmaceutical has been…

COVID-19 led to global automotive sales plummeting by 16% in 2020, as lockdowns curtailed business and consumer activity. Passenger vehicle sales will, however, recover and grow by 28% over 2020-2025. Shared mobility was also squeezed, with gross…

Overall womenswear continues to post solid growth in 2023. However, both retail volume and current value growth rates are notably slower compared to the dynamic performance by womenswear in 2022. This is likely due to the fact that consumers’ pent-up…

In the dynamic landscape of wipes in South Korea, eco-friendly and biodegradable wipes are experiencing consistent growth. As environmental consciousness continues to gain prominence amongst consumers, there has been a notable and sustained uptick in…

Total volume growth of wine in South Korea notably slowed in 2022, with wine sales reaching a period of stabilisation following the category’s dynamic performance through off-trade during the first year of the pandemic, and through on-trade in 2021.…

Smart homes and smart cities are becoming more widespread thanks to growing smartphone and internet use. Data-driven decision making is helping to improve the efficiency of homes and cities, enabling a more sustainable mode of living that discourages…

Weight management and wellbeing is recording another positive performance in 2023 as local consumers continue on their weight loss journeys following the home seclusion trend of the pandemic, which resulted in sedentary lifestyles and weight gain for…

Consumer demand for wearable electronics continued to rise in 2022, and volume growth is set to be maintained in 2023, driven by increasing awareness of health, and the desire to track fitness goals. This trend was boosted by the pandemic, and has…

Despite some stabilising of retail volume growth in 2023, overall demand for vitamins in South Korea remains higher than pre-pandemic levels. Single vitamins, particularly vitamin C, have been popular since the emergence of COVID-19 as local…

In 2023, video games in South Korea experienced a notable current value decline. This turnaround, after years of growth, was propelled by various factors, foremost among them being the waning impact of COVID-19, which led to a resurgence in outdoor…