No trip to Japan needed: GU, Randorin, Yolu now available in Korea

Japanese fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands are making a push into the South Korean market. Uniqlo's sister brand GU held its first domestic pop-up store in six years, while beauty and lifestyle brands popular among Korean travelers to Japan are also arriving one after another.

According to industry sources Monday, GU opened a pop-up store in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul on Saturday and Sunday to mark the launch of its 2026 fall/winter collection, developed with creative director Francesco Rico. The event focused on product displays and fittings rather than on-site purchases, but drew large crowds and generated considerable buzz, with many visitors waiting in line before being admitted.

GU is a fashion brand operated by Fast Retailing, the parent company of Uniqlo. It is not new to South Korea: the brand withdrew its physical stores in 2020 amid anti-Japanese sentiment and the fallout from COVID-19. It currently sells a limited selection of products only through Uniqlo's online and mobile channels in the country.

The pop-up drew extra attention precisely because it marked the brand's first offline presence in six years, and has sparked speculation about a possible return of permanent stores. Expectations are high given that GU has recently been expanding its product lineup for the Korean market, including items popular among travelers to Japan such as gathered ballet shoes and barrel-fit jeans.

Beyond GU, beauty and lifestyle brands well known as shopping staples for Korean visitors to Japan are also entering the domestic market. A prime example is Randorin, a fabric fragrance brand familiar to Korean consumers in part because BTS member Jungkook uses it. Randorin officially launched in South Korea this year, with its fabric deodorizer and fabric softener products now available at CJ Olive Young and major e-commerce platforms.

Yolu, a hair care brand that claims the top spot in Japan's personal care market, also launched in South Korea earlier this year, selling through CJ Olive Young and Naver Plus Store. Yolu shampoo, along with Randorin fabric deodorizer, is widely known as a must-buy item at Don Quijote, the Japanese discount chain, for Korean tourists.

Japanese fragrance brand Shiro entered the South Korean market last year and has been expanding its store footprint to include a flagship in Seongsu-dong, outlets at Lotte Department Store's main branch and its Pyeongchon location, and a store at Lotte World Mall in Jamsil. Don Quijote, Japan's leading variety discount chain, has been deepening its partnership with convenience store chain GS25 — following a pop-up at Hyundai Seoul last year, the two have this year co-developed and released products including a "Muku Jumbo Melon Gumi" candy.

"As more consumers have accumulated shopping experience and brand familiarity through repeated trips to Japan, the environment has become favorable for Japanese brands to enter the Korean market," an industry official said.