From Labubu to Gentle Monster, cross-market headway for Korea and China relies on national nonidentity

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From Labubu to Gentle Monster, cross-market headway for Korea and China relies on national nonidentity

Published: 30 Jun. 2025, 13:31 Updated: 02 Jul. 2025, 14:22

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Shoppers browse products at Miniso’s Gangnam branch in Seoul on June 21, 2025. Often dubbed the Daiso of China, Miniso offers a wide range of low-cost household and lifestyle goods. [KIM KYUNG-MI]

In an era of rising nationalism, some of the most popular brands in China and Korea are succeeding not by flaunting their identities — but by erasing them.

Weirdly adorable figurines like Labubu and Molly. Sunglasses worn by Beyoncé. Miniso stores that look like Disney boutiques. On both sides of the East China Sea, companies are ditching national branding in favor of global aesthetics, capturing the attention of young consumers who are increasingly wary of foreign influence — and of each other.

On a recent Saturday morning, Miniso’s Gangnam store in southern Seoul’s Seocho District buzzed with young shoppers browsing character-themed goods.

“There are so many things I like, I can’t decide what to buy,” said a smiling university student named Kim Eun-ji. Her friend Han Seung-min added, “I thought this was a Disney shop at first. I had no idea it was a Chinese brand.”

Meanwhile, on Chinese social media platforms popular among the youth like Xiaohongshu and Douyin, China’s TikTok, users shared snapshots of their visits to the Gentle Monster flagship in Shanghai.

Posts showed the store’s visually striking interior filled with sculptural installations and limited-edition collaborations with luxury brands such as Fendi and Maison Margiela. Captions often included phrases like “amazing space” or “so much to see,” alongside selfies featuring sunglasses.

Images of Gentle Monster’s Shanghai pop-up store are shared on Chinese social media platforms Xiaohongshu and Douyin, or TikTok. The eyewear brand enjoys strong popularity among China’s Gen Z and millennials. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Amid rising anti-China sentiment among young Koreans and corresponding hostility from Chinese youth, companies on both sides are using nationality-blind branding to secure footholds in each other’s markets. In China, where guochao — "national wave" — has driven consumers away from Korean goods, Korean companies are turning to product quality and global brand appeal to regain popularity.

In Korea, Chinese companies are no longer relying on low prices, instead promoting design and technological innovation.

Miniso, founded in 2013 in Guangzhou, entered Korea in 2016 and opened about 70 stores before pulling out five years later after being labeled a copycat of domestic dollar shop Daiso.

The brand made a comeback in December of last year with a rebrand focused on character merchandise tied to global intellectual property such as Disney, Marvel, Harry Potter and Sanrio.

Now operating three stores in Seoul — in Daehangno, Hongdae and Gangnam — Miniso plans to add seven more locations nationwide, including in Cheongju, Daejeon and Busan.

“We’re aiming for 20 billion won [$15 million] in revenue from 10 stores this year,” a Miniso Korea spokesperson said.

Blackpink member Rose holds up Pop Mart's Labubu plushie in this photo uploaded to Instagram [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Pop Mart, another Chinese brand known for blind box collectible figures, is also expanding in Korea.

The company runs stores in Hongdae and Myeong-dong, catering to a youth demographic that embraces surprise unboxings and character culture.

According to Pop Mart Korea, its revenue and operating profit in Korea quadrupled last year. Its core lineup includes original characters like Labubu and Molly, alongside limited-edition collaborations with global brands like Coca-Cola — some of which fetch premium resale prices.

“In leveraging popular characters, Miniso and Pop Mart have successfully downplayed their Chinese roots, earning popularity even among young Korean consumers who are wary of China,” said Lee Eun-hee, professor emeritus of consumer studies at Inha University.

Zhang Hao, Chinese member of K-pop group ZeroBaseOne, appears in an advertisement for Fila Fusion. [FILA]

Korean firms that once suffered under China's ban on Korean content and lost market share to nationalist trends are now pushing a global image.

“In China, people know Gentle Monster for being worn by Beyoncé, G-Dragon and Blackpink’s Jennie. Many don’t even realize it’s a Korean brand,” said a Chinese businessperson living in Seoul.

Fashion labels like MLB and Fila also benefit from unclear national identities in China — often seen as U.S. or Italian brands. In Fila’s case, this image has been reinforced by a joint venture with Chinese sportswear giant Anta Group, which handles distribution.

“Back when Korean-made beauty brands like Amorepacific and LG Household & Health Care topped the charts simply for being Korean, things were different,” said Jeon Byung-seo, head of the China Economic and Financial Research Institute. “Now it’s about brand strength, not national origin.”

China’s steady incursion into Korea’s consumer market suggests Korean brands must adapt similarly. Robot vacuum maker Roborock, for instance, has dominated the Korean market with over 40 percent share, despite prices that match or exceed those of Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics.

“Korean companies can only defend their home turf by competing head-on with superior design and technology,” said Kim Dae-jong, a business professor at Sejong University.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY KIM KYUNG-MI [[email protected]]