South Korea

The packaging unit volumes of thin wall plastic containers used in shelf stable ready meals saw notable growth in 2020, with slower but still positive growth being seen in 2021. This can be attributed to the onset of the pandemic and related…

In line with the continuing home-cooking trend, the packaging unit volumes of aluminium/plastic pouches and glass jars used in cooking sauces rose notably in 2020, with further growth in 2021. However, growth slowed in the latter year as some…

Sales of Asian speciality drinks in South Korea continue to grow in 2022 as consumers look for perceived healthier drink options. In addition to the longer-term pursuit of healthier lifestyles, the pandemic encouraged local consumers to seek clear…

In spite of the slight growth spikes seen in home care packaging in 2020 and 2021 as a result of home seclusion and heightened health awareness due to the COVID-19 virus, this industry’s unit volumes continued to grow in 2022. Growth was slightly…

South Korea relaxed the bulk of its COVID-19 restrictions in April-May 2022, triggering a return to pre-pandemic out-of-home lifestyles. This, in turn, helped drive volume sales in beauty and personal care categories that consumers use when going…

Retail and business volume sales of computers and peripherals declined significantly in 2022, and this trend is expected to continue in 2023. One of the key factors contributing to decline is that the replacement cycle was advanced during the peak of…

With the full lifting of COVID-19-related social distancing measures through 2022 and 2023, and consumers therefore drastically reducing the amount of time spent at home, the retail volume growth rate of overall consumer electronics in South Korea…

Headphones recorded another year of strong retail volume growth in 2022, driven by the dominant TWS earbuds category, and although demand for wireless earphones continued to fall rapidly, wireless headbands also saw a solid positive performance. The…

Volume sales in home audio and cinema are led by home cinema and speaker systems. In 2023, retail volume sales in this category are set to grow, continuing a trend which was seen throughout the review period. With limited mobility outside of the…

After two years of strong retail volume growth in 2020 and 2021 in a pandemic-fuelled surge, sales of televisions declined in 2022, and this is set to continue in 2023, as consumer demand was brought forward and demand is now waning as replacements…

Raw materials shortages and supply chain disruptions caused by geopolitical issues (e.g., global semiconductor chip shortage, war in Ukraine) resulted in delays in the production of digital cameras and subsequently a decline in retail volume sales in…

Aftermarket sales of in-car navigation systems are set to continue to see significant declines in retail volume and current value terms in 2023, as these products are being replaced by high-tech built-in navigation systems, as well as smartphones. As…

Retail volume sales of smartphones declined in 2022, and this is set to continue in 2023. In 2021, sales of smartphones saw a dynamic volume increase, partly due to a rebound from the 2020 fall in sales, when COVID-19 disrupted the production and…

Overall demand for portable players is expected to increase in 2023, but most categories are set to maintain retail volume declines, and growth will be driven solely by the dominant wireless speakers category. In addition to use within the home, in…

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…

Air Premier is an airline which initially launched in 2017. Unlike full service and low cost carriers, Air Premier is positioned as a "hybrid airline". Full service carriers are known to offer various airfares, but tend to be perceived as premium,…

Two key players in South Korea's online travel agencies are Yeogi Eottae and Yanolja, which both began as OTAs focused on lodging in the country. However, they are continuously expanding their businesses beyond this sector to include different travel…

As in previous years, an increasing number of hotels new to South Korea are emerging. Among them, some are international brands, some are the expansion of established brands, while others are domestic names.

In 2022, travel restrictions that the Korean government had introduced as part of pandemic measures were eased for both inbound and outbound travellers in stages, while most countries had removed their stringent travel restrictions due to the waning…

In 2022, the gradual removal of pandemic-related restrictions in South Korea led to a significant surge in outbound travel demand. This trend continues in 2023. Outbound travellers in both 2022 and 2023 have also been spending considerable sums of…