[THE INVESTOR] Rio might be facing problems in preparation for the upcoming Olympics but television shopping channels here are buoyant hoping to profit from the international sports event. Major sports events usually lead to a spike in number of viewers and for the Rio Olympics the time difference will serve as another plus. As the games will be held and broadcast live near dawn in Korea, viewers will stay awake rising the chances of channels hopping into shopping, and the cable televisions do n

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Pharm has signed an agreement to supply sheet masks to Hong Kong-based drugstore chain Watsons, it announced on July 20. Starting from the end of this month, the company’s mask packs will be available at 2,600 Watsons outlets in China, with expected annual sales of 10 billion won (US$8.74 million). By joining hands with the leading health and beauty store chain Watsons, which operates 11,400 stores across the world with an annual growth rate of 30 percent, Samsung Pharm “w

[THE INVESTOR] Nature Republic, the Korean cosmetics brand that focuses on promoting a healthy lifestyle, is set to open two more stores in the US and expand its overseas presence. The company was recently mired in a scandal involving its founder and CEO Jung Woon-ho. He has been in prison for eight months on charges of embezzlement and breach of trust for gambling overseas, and caused a political upheaval allegedly spending billions of won in lobbying for a lenient sentence.Nature Republic stor

[THE INVESTOR] South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said on July 19 it is considering sales ban of Ikea dressers that are blamed for the deaths of at least six toddlers in falling accidents.The Korean unit of Ikea said it was reviewing the request. Amid the extending recalls around the world, some 100,000 units of the dressers are believed to have been sold in Korea over the past months. The ministry added that Ikea is not making enough efforts to inform consumers about its recal

[THE INVESTOR] Duty-free stores in Korea performed well in the first half of this year, as a total of 50 outlets recorded sales of 5.77 trillion won (US$5.08 billion), a 26.1 percent increase from the same period last year, according to customs data released on July 18. This is the first time that duty-free sales in H1 have passed the 5 trillion won mark, and if the upward turn continues into the second half, it might reach 12 trillion won, doubling from that of 2011. (123rf)A total of 22 urban

[THE INVESTOR] The total value of furniture imports in the first half of this year recorded an all-time high breaking last year’s record, according to customs data on July 18. Furniture imported in the first half of 2016 was worth US$1.54 billion, according to Korea Customs Service, a 13.1 percent increase from the same period last year, which saw the highest figure in the 2000s, with US$2.85 billion for the whole year.  (123rf)Growth in furniture imports had slowed down in the late 2000s due to

[THE INVESTOR] Korean cosmetics giant AmorePacific has successfully introduced its premium brand Hera in China, it announced on July 18. The official launching event on July 15 was attended by more than 250 media representatives and VIPs at Pheonix Media Center in Beijing. It showcased videos that reinterpreted its best-selling items such as Cell Essence and UV Mist Cushion, and a performance that demonstrated the ideal beauty of Hera, “Seoulista.” The highlight of the event, however, was the ap