Business

Automation Comes to Busan: What 6,000 Jobs Really Mean

Busan is investing in high-tech fulfillment centers with promises of jobs and growth. But behind the numbers, labor is becoming more fragile, fragmented—and increasingly invisible.

4 min read

Korean Instant Noodles' Global Domination and Future Challenges

Korean ramen has become a global favorite with its bold, spicy flavors. However, as health-conscious trends grow, the industry faces challenges in balancing convenience, taste, and nutrition to meet evolving consumer demands.

12 min read

South Korea Faces Retail Real Estate Crunch as Vacancies Surge in Urban Districts

Retail vacancy rates in South Korea hit multi-year highs, with both trendy districts and new apartment complexes struggling to attract tenants.

5 min read

South Korea's Food Inflation: Economic Pressures Challenge Consumers and Small Restaurants

In South Korea, the sharp rise in food prices is putting a strain on both consumers and small businesses. As inflation persists, many workers are opting for in-house dining, while small eateries struggle with rising ingredient costs, energy prices, and labor shortages.

4 min read

The Republic of Franchises: Where Every Meal Tastes the Same

What happens when every taste is a brand, every menu is a manual, and every chef follows someone else’s recipe?

9 min read

The Rise of Franchises and the Fall of Korea’s Independent Bakeries

Franchise bakeries have flourished in Korea. But at what cost? Local flavors, food identity, and cultural diversity are disappearing.

7 min read

When Healthcare Becomes a Hashtag: The Ethics of K-Medical Exports

Aesthetic care is thriving — but at what price to the country’s healthcare system? Inside the contradiction between cosmetic excellence and essential care collapse.

10 min read

Why Korea’s Public Delivery Platforms Keep Failing

Once seen as a lifeline for small businesses, publicly funded food delivery apps are shutting down across South Korea. Poor design, weak infrastructure, and lack of sustained strategy reveal a deeper problem: local governments are still treating digital services as short-term campaigns.

8 min read

The Reality of South Korea’s Empty Knowledge Industry Centers

South Korea’s knowledge industry centers were meant to support startups and SMEs, but oversupply and speculative investment have left thousands of office spaces vacant, driving investors into financial distress.

4 min read

South Korea’s Self-Employed Sector Shrinks by 200,000 in Two Months

Self-employment in South Korea has reached a historic low, with the number of small business owners falling below 5.5 million. As debt surges and revenue drops, the future of independent businesses looks uncertain.

4 min read

The Fall of Homeplus: What Went Wrong and What Comes Next?

The decline of Homeplus marks a turning point for South Korea’s retail industry. E-commerce, debt, and shifting consumer habits have reshaped the market—can Homeplus adapt?

4 min read

The Empty Streets of South Korea’s New Towns

South Korea’s new towns, once envisioned as thriving urban hubs, are now facing a crisis of rising commercial vacancies. Empty storefronts and struggling businesses reflect a deeper flaw in urban planning—overestimated commercial demand, rigid zoning laws, and shifting consumer habits.

7 min read