Apple confirms plans for first South Korean retail store in Seoul

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2017
Following rumors that Apple was scouting locations for its first flagship store in South Korea, the company on Thursday posted retail hiring notices and confirmed that it indeed plans to open a brick-and-mortar outlet in the country.


Apple store in Hangzhou, China.


Apple published a total of 15 retail job listings to its corporate website today seeking candidates for the Apple Store Leader Program, business managers, Genius Bar staff and marketing, among other positions.

As expected, the job postings seek employees for an outlet in South Korea's capital of Seoul. The city also happens to be the hometown of Apple ally and competitor, Samsung.

"We're excited about opening our first Apple Store in Korea, one of the world's economic centers and a leader in telecommunication and technology, with a vibrant K-culture," Apple said in a statement on Friday, local time. "We're now hiring the team that will offer our customers in Seoul the service, education and entertainment that is loved by Apple customers around the world."

Apple has not officially stated where it plans to build its first Korean flagship, but Reuters points to Yonhap News Agency coverage claiming construction is already underway in a southern district of Seoul. That report, also filed on Friday, suggests work at the site will be completed in November. Previous rumors suggested Apple was looking at sites in Gangnam and the busy Garosu-gil shopping street.

For Apple, a brick-and-mortar outlet in Seoul represents more than an opportunity to grow international sales. A retail presence in Samsung's backyard could go a long way in winning mindshare in the South Korean market, which is currently served by third-party resellers and Apple's online store.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 13
    gmgravytraingmgravytrain Posts: 882member
    That's quite a surprise. They way people talk it's as though S. Koreans want nothing to do with Apple iPhones because supposedly Samsung flagship smartphones are considered much superior with all their fancy features. I really hope Apple knows what it is doing. Is this considered a good move on Apple's part? It sure will be amusing to see if the Apple store stays packed with customers.
  • Reply 2 of 13
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,808member
    And Samsung will build a store just like Apple's across the street...
    TempletonSpamSandwichwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 13
    revenantrevenant Posts: 621member
    That's quite a surprise. They way people talk it's as though S. Koreans want nothing to do with Apple iPhones because supposedly Samsung flagship smartphones are considered much superior with all their fancy features. I really hope Apple knows what it is doing. Is this considered a good move on Apple's part? It sure will be amusing to see if the Apple store stays packed with customers.
    Apple is all over here. it is seen as a premium brand- over Samsung. I teach at a university in Seoul and most students have iPhones and about half have iPads or Macs to take notes (or pretend to take notes). Not too long ago there was a piece in the Korean Herald (I think it was there) where the author wrote why Koreans think that apple should be here. Many Koreans want it, as noted by all of the Willy's and Frisbee (which looks remarkably like an Apple Store) stores in Korea (authorised retailers).
    edited January 2017 anantksundaramSpamSandwichpatchythepiratewatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 13
    TempletonTempleton Posts: 84member
    Good show.
  • Reply 5 of 13
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member
    gmgravytrain said:
    That's quite a surprise. They way people talk it's as though S. Koreans want nothing to do with Apple iPhones because supposedly Samsung flagship smartphones are considered much superior with all their fancy features. I really hope Apple knows what it is doing. Is this considered a good move on Apple's part? It sure will be amusing to see if the Apple store stays packed with customers.
    Having spent a lot of time in Korea, Apple is extremely popular there. It's seen as a premium western brand and people in Korea love western things. I'm sure the new Apple store will be a huge hit with Koreans. 
    SpamSandwichwatto_cobrarevenant
  • Reply 6 of 13
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Begun this Apple invasion has.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 13
    Nameo_Nameo_ Posts: 34member
    boltsfan17 said:
    gmgravytrain said:
    That's quite a surprise. They way people talk it's as though S. Koreans want nothing to do with Apple iPhones because supposedly Samsung flagship smartphones are considered much superior with all their fancy features. I really hope Apple knows what it is doing. Is this considered a good move on Apple's part? It sure will be amusing to see if the Apple store stays packed with customers.
    Having spent a lot of time in Korea, Apple is extremely popular there. It's seen as a premium western brand and people in Korea love western things. I'm sure the new Apple store will be a huge hit with Koreans. 
    When did you spend time in S. Korea? I'm asking because things have changed quite a lot there. As someone who was once a Korean citizen and still talks with a lot of local Koreans, I can tell you that Apple is no longer a premium brand in there. In fact, Apple's market share there is around 20-30% while Samsung's is usually >40%, with even LG having ~10% of the market share. iPhones are definitely popular among younger generations like those in their 20's to 30's, but then at the same time, there are lots of haters in those generations, too. A lot of Sammy fans try to insult Apple and their users, and vice versa. They even have their own version of the word "iSheep," and it's called App-deung-ee. Not sure what it exactly means but I know for sure it's supposed to be insulting. What's funny about them is, when Samsung announces record earnings, people would praise them and say they're so proud, but when Apple does the same (and earn more than Samsung did), then they would go say "That means Apple products are overpriced their poor users are getting ripped off." Also, those in their 40's and older, tend to show strong loyalty to Samsung and LG simply because they're Korean companies.
    patchythepirate
  • Reply 8 of 13
    Nameo_Nameo_ Posts: 34member

    revenant said:
    That's quite a surprise. They way people talk it's as though S. Koreans want nothing to do with Apple iPhones because supposedly Samsung flagship smartphones are considered much superior with all their fancy features. I really hope Apple knows what it is doing. Is this considered a good move on Apple's part? It sure will be amusing to see if the Apple store stays packed with customers.
    Apple is all over here. it is seen as a premium brand- over Samsung. I teach at a university in Seoul and most students have iPhones and about half have iPads or Macs to take notes (or pretend to take notes). Not too long ago there was a piece in the Korean Herald (I think it was there) where the author wrote why Koreans think that apple should be here. Many Koreans want it, as noted by all of the Willy's and Frisbee (which looks remarkably like an Apple Store) stores in Korea (authorised retailers).
    Umm. I'd say you're giving fault information. Sure, iPhones are popular in colleges in Korea. But what about people not in their 20's? Do you know how popular iPhones are among older people or teenagers? If Apple were popular in Korea and, like you say, "all over here [in Korea]," then it would at least have higher % of market share there than now, right? When the iPhone 7 launched in Korea, it was #1 selling smartphone for three weeks only, then Samsung S7, a nearly a-year-old phone, took over that place. I think that alone says enough.
    edited January 2017
  • Reply 9 of 13
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member
    Nameo_ said:
    boltsfan17 said:
    gmgravytrain said:
    That's quite a surprise. They way people talk it's as though S. Koreans want nothing to do with Apple iPhones because supposedly Samsung flagship smartphones are considered much superior with all their fancy features. I really hope Apple knows what it is doing. Is this considered a good move on Apple's part? It sure will be amusing to see if the Apple store stays packed with customers.
    Having spent a lot of time in Korea, Apple is extremely popular there. It's seen as a premium western brand and people in Korea love western things. I'm sure the new Apple store will be a huge hit with Koreans. 
    When did you spend time in S. Korea? I'm asking because things have changed quite a lot there. As someone who was once a Korean citizen and still talks with a lot of local Koreans, I can tell you that Apple is no longer a premium brand in there. In fact, Apple's market share there is around 20-30% while Samsung's is usually >40%, with even LG having ~10% of the market share. iPhones are definitely popular among younger generations like those in their 20's to 30's, but then at the same time, there are lots of haters in those generations, too. A lot of Sammy fans try to insult Apple and their users, and vice versa. They even have their own version of the word "iSheep," and it's called App-deung-ee. Not sure what it exactly means but I know for sure it's supposed to be insulting. What's funny about them is, when Samsung announces record earnings, people would praise them and say they're so proud, but when Apple does the same (and earn more than Samsung did), then they would go say "That means Apple products are overpriced their poor users are getting ripped off." Also, those in their 40's and older, tend to show strong loyalty to Samsung and LG simply because they're Korean companies.
    I've spent a lot of time the last 7 years or so. My ex lives there so I would spend months at a time in South Korea. I still go there a few times each year to visit friends stationed at the American military bases. Apple's market share is around 34%. in Korea. The iPhone 7 has been a huge success. I guess it really doesn't matter which age group likes the iPhone. The bottom line, having over 30% market share in Samsung's home turf is pretty impressive. 
    revenant
  • Reply 10 of 13
    revenantrevenant Posts: 621member
    Nameo_ said:
    Umm. I'd say you're giving fault information. Sure, iPhones are popular in colleges in Korea. But what about people not in their 20's? Do you know how popular iPhones are among older people or teenagers? If Apple were popular in Korea and, like you say, "all over here [in Korea]," then it would at least have higher % of market share there than now, right? When the iPhone 7 launched in Korea, it was #1 selling smartphone for three weeks only, then Samsung S7, a nearly a-year-old phone, took over that place. I think that alone says enough.
    At my university there are many iPhones. Some old, some new. Any cafe I go to has no small number of macs, though there are more PCs. On the subway there are often times just as many or more iPhones. 
    I said I live in Seoul- I do not have the wherewithal to tour all of Korea. But visiting with relatives in Busan and Daegu leads me to believe, as well as many conversations, that apple is a premium brand. They still buy many Samsungs- but that is because Koreans are very patriotic. 
  • Reply 11 of 13
    Nameo_Nameo_ Posts: 34member
    boltsfan17 said:
    Nameo_ said:
    boltsfan17 said:
    gmgravytrain said:
    That's quite a surprise. They way people talk it's as though S. Koreans want nothing to do with Apple iPhones because supposedly Samsung flagship smartphones are considered much superior with all their fancy features. I really hope Apple knows what it is doing. Is this considered a good move on Apple's part? It sure will be amusing to see if the Apple store stays packed with customers.
    Having spent a lot of time in Korea, Apple is extremely popular there. It's seen as a premium western brand and people in Korea love western things. I'm sure the new Apple store will be a huge hit with Koreans. 
    When did you spend time in S. Korea? I'm asking because things have changed quite a lot there. As someone who was once a Korean citizen and still talks with a lot of local Koreans, I can tell you that Apple is no longer a premium brand in there. In fact, Apple's market share there is around 20-30% while Samsung's is usually >40%, with even LG having ~10% of the market share. iPhones are definitely popular among younger generations like those in their 20's to 30's, but then at the same time, there are lots of haters in those generations, too. A lot of Sammy fans try to insult Apple and their users, and vice versa. They even have their own version of the word "iSheep," and it's called App-deung-ee. Not sure what it exactly means but I know for sure it's supposed to be insulting. What's funny about them is, when Samsung announces record earnings, people would praise them and say they're so proud, but when Apple does the same (and earn more than Samsung did), then they would go say "That means Apple products are overpriced their poor users are getting ripped off." Also, those in their 40's and older, tend to show strong loyalty to Samsung and LG simply because they're Korean companies.
    I've spent a lot of time the last 7 years or so. My ex lives there so I would spend months at a time in South Korea. I still go there a few times each year to visit friends stationed at the American military bases. Apple's market share is around 34%. in Korea. The iPhone 7 has been a huge success. I guess it really doesn't matter which age group likes the iPhone. The bottom line, having over 30% market share in Samsung's home turf is pretty impressive. 
    Any source that Apple's market share is 34% there? I hope you're not talking about their market share for that specific month when Apple launched the iPhone 7 there. I can offer some sources to support my claim that their market share is usually 20-30% and sometimes even lower than 20% there, although they're written in Korean so I don't know if you would be able to read them.
  • Reply 12 of 13
    AkamineAkamine Posts: 8member
    Apple in Korea will be like when Apple entered Japan, a much more closed market with an unbreakable loyalty (then) to the so called Garakei phones - smartphones made by the likes of Sony, Sharp, Toshiba. IPhones presence then were close to zero, NTT derided the first iPhone as western junk. The first store in Tokyo broke everything in the insulated Japanese cellphone market. Now Japan makes up to 30% of Apple's global profit. It has dominated the market, Japanese companies were kicked out of the market and with the launch of ubiquitous Suica card to Apple Pay system last October, it's gonna rule even more. Korea will soon be an Apple territory as well. 
  • Reply 13 of 13
    revenantrevenant Posts: 621member
    Nameo_ said:
    boltsfan17 said:
    Nameo_ said:
    boltsfan17 said:
    gmgravytrain said:
    That's quite a surprise. They way people talk it's as though S. Koreans want nothing to do with Apple iPhones because supposedly Samsung flagship smartphones are considered much superior with all their fancy features. I really hope Apple knows what it is doing. Is this considered a good move on Apple's part? It sure will be amusing to see if the Apple store stays packed with customers.
    Having spent a lot of time in Korea, Apple is extremely popular there. It's seen as a premium western brand and people in Korea love western things. I'm sure the new Apple store will be a huge hit with Koreans. 
    When did you spend time in S. Korea? I'm asking because things have changed quite a lot there. As someone who was once a Korean citizen and still talks with a lot of local Koreans, I can tell you that Apple is no longer a premium brand in there. In fact, Apple's market share there is around 20-30% while Samsung's is usually >40%, with even LG having ~10% of the market share. iPhones are definitely popular among younger generations like those in their 20's to 30's, but then at the same time, there are lots of haters in those generations, too. A lot of Sammy fans try to insult Apple and their users, and vice versa. They even have their own version of the word "iSheep," and it's called App-deung-ee. Not sure what it exactly means but I know for sure it's supposed to be insulting. What's funny about them is, when Samsung announces record earnings, people would praise them and say they're so proud, but when Apple does the same (and earn more than Samsung did), then they would go say "That means Apple products are overpriced their poor users are getting ripped off." Also, those in their 40's and older, tend to show strong loyalty to Samsung and LG simply because they're Korean companies.
    I've spent a lot of time the last 7 years or so. My ex lives there so I would spend months at a time in South Korea. I still go there a few times each year to visit friends stationed at the American military bases. Apple's market share is around 34%. in Korea. The iPhone 7 has been a huge success. I guess it really doesn't matter which age group likes the iPhone. The bottom line, having over 30% market share in Samsung's home turf is pretty impressive. 
    Any source that Apple's market share is 34% there? I hope you're not talking about their market share for that specific month when Apple launched the iPhone 7 there. I can offer some sources to support my claim that their market share is usually 20-30% and sometimes even lower than 20% there, although they're written in Korean so I don't know if you would be able to read them.
    the Korean sources you would site should be taken with a grain of salt as many of them are owned by Samsung and Samsung has time and again been proven to alter facts in its own news.
    in the cities is where apple does better. this is true in most countries, especially if there is not an Apple Store nearby. most people here who live outside of a major city just do not have the money to buy an apple phone. so 20-30% for the country when most of your buyers are living in the city is not too bad. that percentage will probably not get much higher because, as I said before, Koreans are very jingoistic- more than any western country I have lived in. 
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