'Welcome!' A year in China, Yoajeong eyes 100 stores by year's end

"Welcome. Nihao. This is Yoajeong."

That booming greeting rang out before even reaching the entrance of Yoajeong's first China location — the IAPM mall store in Shanghai, visited June 29 (local time). The familiar Korean salutation "eoseo-oseyo" accompanied the brand's recognizable signage, and G-Dragon's hit song "Crooked" played through the speakers.

Despite it being a Monday afternoon, foot traffic was constant. The store operates as a takeout-focused outlet in keeping with local culture, which made it feel even busier. A steady line of customers waited to sample tasting portions.

Young faces adorned with "Bbulbatu" keyrings — characters from Tomorrow X Together (TXT), Yoajeong's global brand ambassadors — were easy to spot. Some customers ordered yogurt ice cream topped with the same combinations their favorite TXT members favor.

Olivia, 15, who arrived with a TXT keyring on her bag, said she came after seeing TXT members eating Yoajeong. "I ordered the toppings Soobin recommended," she said. Caroline and April, both 16, said they visited to try the "Yeonjun Set" they had seen on Douyin, China's version of TikTok. The receipt listed the item as the "Genius Baby Cat (Cheonjaesomyo) Pick Yogurt Ice Cream Bowl" — a nod to TXT member Yeonjun's nickname, featuring a grapefruit, honeycomb and chocolate shell topping combination he personally selected.

Nearly every customer stopped to take a photo. Some posed in front of a mirror the store set up specifically for selfies, holding their orders aloft, while others framed shots with the signage and their cup side by side. "A lot of young women in their 20s come in after seeing us on social media," a store representative said. "When they post their photos on Xiaohongshu and other platforms, the response is great."

The Suzhou Center store, about an hour and a half's drive from Shanghai, was equally packed. Staff greeted customers with the same Korean "eoseo-oseyo." With the evening hour, many families arrived — children perched on parents' shoulders.

Outside the store, an employee offered samples of the "Yangmei Smoothie," a summer limited-edition item developed using yangmei, a fruit native to China. "We are rolling out localization centered on shakes and beverages, taking into account China's strong tea and drink culture," a Yoajeong representative said.

July marks one year since Yoajeong entered China. The brand launched in Shanghai under a master franchise arrangement and has since expanded to Beijing, Chongqing and Shenzhen, growing its network to 18 stores. Six more are set to open soon, with a second Shanghai location officially opening July 4.

Localization is at the heart of the brand's appeal. Targeting Chinese consumers' preference for shakes, smoothies and juices, Yoajeong has built out a shake lineup that includes a Jeju Island hallabong dried-cheese iced yogurt shake and a strawberry sweetheart dried-cheese iced yogurt shake — both of which rank first and second in sales. The yogurt ice cream portion size has also been reduced to make it easier for solo diners.

Social media has amplified the momentum. The menu's "Instagrammable" presentation spread by word of mouth among younger consumers, with local influencers and TXT adding further synergy. Core menu items are priced at 12 to 25 yuan (about 2,700 to 5,700 won, or roughly $2 to $4), which is not particularly cheap — yet customers keep coming.

Yoajeong plans to expand its store count to 100 by year's end. The brand says it can scale quickly thanks to a distinctive Chinese "affiliated operation" model in which franchisees with sufficient capital sign contracts for multiple locations at once and open them simultaneously.

Choi Jeong-min, co-chief executive of Yoajeong's Chinese master franchise company, said the brand spent the past year entering only the top shopping malls in tier-one cities to build its name. "We are now expanding into tier-two and tier-three cities, and we already have many locations under contract, so reaching 100 stores by year's end is entirely achievable," he said.