ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ

The South Korean retail market halted its growth in 2025, after reaching a new peak value each prior year, despite the ongoing inflation. In line with the growth to over 650 trillion South Korean won, theÌýaverage household expenditure continued to rise during the last few years. South Korea is known for being technologically advanced, and these technological changes affect the retail landscape.

Offline retailÌý

Shopping in brick-and-mortar stores is still a fixed component in most South Korean consumers’ life. Convenience stores especially, are the target of daily on-the-go visits for many in their busy schedules due to easy access. On the other hand, department stores, which were a key retailer during the economic boom in the 1980s, offer a slower, more luxurious shopping experience. Nonetheless, the vacancy rates in some of Seoul’s most well-known shopping districts, remain high.Ìý

Online retailÌý

The ongoing growth of the retail market can largely be attributed to the high online sales growth. For years, e-retail has dominated the market and continues to grow. Among South Korean consumers, who value convenience and are very well-connected to the internet, the large majority shops online. More and more retailers embrace the shift and utilize technology to combine on- and offline retail, in the form of shopping apps, crewless stores and more.Ìý

Ìý