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Small-time entrepreneurs turn to live streaming to boost sales

Published: 06 Apr. 2025, 18:09

An influencer hosts a live commerce show at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in central Seoul in December 2024. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Kim Jin-a, founder of the clothing brand Inno, nearly shut down her business five years in. Advertising costs kept rising, but some days saw fewer than 10 orders.

She pivoted after discovering live commerce platforms. Hoping just to break even, she began livestreaming her designs. As viewers returned, she built a loyal customer base.

“Responding to real-time feedback helped build trust beyond what photos could offer,” Kim said.

During the September–October peak season last year, her monthly sales topped 600 million won ($410,000).

As video content grows popular on platforms like TikTok and YouTube, live commerce has expanded quickly. Naver, Gmarket and Kurly, along with CJ OnStyle and Lotte Home Shopping, now offer mobile live shopping services.

Rabangbar Data Lab reported the market reached 3.5 trillion won in 2023, up 15 percent from the previous year. Sellers need only a smartphone, making it easy to stream from home or work. Real-time interaction helps build customer loyalty.

Small businesses, especially those affected by delayed payments from retailers like TMON, Wemakeprice and Homeplus, are turning to live commerce for stability.

Last August, Haetsal Nongsan, an agricultural company struggling with unpaid earnings from TMON, tried a 90-minute livestream on the platform Grip. It sold rice, barley and black rice, generating 50 million won — equivalent to five days of normal sales.

In Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang, fishing couple Gwak Dong-ju and Kim Chang-su livestream their work catching octopus and preparing eel. About 200 viewers typically tune in, many becoming repeat buyers.

Grip says it hosts over 1,000 broadcasts daily, with small sellers making up the majority. “More businesses are turning to live commerce as a way to reach customers directly,” a company official said.

Platforms are adding tools to support them. Naver recently launched Naver Plus Store, an AI-powered app that includes an AI Cue Sheet Helper to generate livestream scripts. Around 80 percent of Naver Shopping Live sellers are small or individual businesses without staff.

CJ OnStyle is promoting small brands through a pop-up event in Seongsu-dong, eastern Seoul, through April 8. About 70 percent of featured brands are small fashion and beauty labels. The company received over 7,000 reservations.

Public Home Shopping also runs Gongyeong Rabang, a mobile live commerce series that features regional festivals and long-established small businesses.

“We held more than 2,000 broadcasts last year,” a spokesperson from Public Home Shopping said. “We’ll continue supporting local sellers and SMEs.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY KIM KYUNG-MI [[email protected]]