A Peek into the World’s Leading Online Shopping Culture!

How do Koreans shop for groceries?

The answer lies in online grocery shopping.

Like many, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, I didn’t visit large supermarkets or department stores instead, I relied entirely on online shopping to have essential goods and groceries delivered, making it through the pandemic with contactless consumption. This habit has continued to this day.

The success of Korea’s online shopping platforms can be attributed to two key factors

1. The efficient, fast logistics systems available nationwide.

2. Korean consumers’ preference for mobile-based shopping, as they’re highly accustomed to mobile usage.

Now, let’s take a look at the popular online shopping platforms Koreans use.

1. Coupang: The Leader in Rocket Delivery and Overnight Delivery

“Practically everyone uses it.”

As of 2024, Coupang has 22.5 million “active customers,” meaning nearly half of South Korea’s population purchases daily necessities through Coupang. Coupang operates a network of advanced logistics centers nationwide through its in-house logistics system, a major advantage for consumers who want fast delivery.

Its flagship services include “Rocket Delivery” and “Rocket Fresh”

• Rocket Delivery: If you order daily necessities today, they’re guaranteed to arrive “tomorrow.”

• Rocket Fresh: For fresh produce, if ordered before midnight, the delivery will be made “by early morning” the next day.

Once the item arrives at the doorstep, a delivery notification, along with a photo of the package, is sent to the customer. How convenient is that? Coupang plays a big role in the everyday life of many Koreans.

2. Emart (SSG)

South Korea has three major retail corporations: Shinsegae, Lotte, and Hyundai. Emart is part of the Shinsegae Group and utilizes the group’s extensive distribution network for its logistics. Emart also offers same-day and early-morning delivery services, though it operates in close connection with the Shinsegae Group’s offline assets.

3. Homeplus

With over 400 locations across Seoul and the metropolitan area, Homeplus offers a fast delivery service for fresh produce. Unlike other platforms, Homeplus’s app distinguishes between “direct-to-home delivery” and “express delivery.” With express delivery, products are generally delivered within 2–3 hours. Homeplus is also known for offering various discount benefits.

4. Baemin (Baedal Minjok)

Baedal Minjok, or “Baemin,” is the most popular food delivery app in Korea.

The in-app B Mart offers fast delivery, catering specifically to small mart and convenience store items.

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Learn These Abbreviations to Keep Up with Korean Internet Slang Top 10!

1. Restaurant Call Button

When you visit a restaurant in Korea, you’ll likely notice a call button on the table’s edge. This button is used to call over the staff when you want to place an order or make a request. Before call buttons were introduced, people would often call out “Yogiyo!” (Hey, here!) or “Auntie!” to get a staff member’s attention. Now, it’s hard to imagine a restaurant without one! Many foreign visitors are amazed by this feature and wish they could bring it back to their own countries.

2. Banchan (Side Dishes)

If you travel just to nearby Japan, side dishes are typically extra and cost more, even when you order a main dish. But in Korea, no matter what you order—even a simple kimbap roll—you’ll often be served an array of free side dishes, like kimchi, pickled radish, and even soup. In many places, you can even go for seconds by either helping yourself or pressing the call button! And yes, all of these are complimentary.

3. Postnatal Care Centers

In Korea, the concept of “postnatal care” has deep roots. Today, it’s common for new mothers to stay at specialized postnatal care centers after giving birth, where they focus on recovery and rest. These centers resemble hotel suites, providing nutritious meals and snacks specially prepared for recovery. Newborns are also cared for by the staff, and mothers can enjoy massages from trained professionals to relieve swelling and promote healing. The centers also offer classes, allowing mothers to create keepsakes like baby handprints or connect with other mothers who become “mom friends” for life. Most mothers stay for one or two weeks before returning home.

4. Hangover Relief Drinks

Korea has an impressive variety of hangover relief drinks, essential for those who enjoy the country’s vibrant drinking culture (ever heard of “Soju” as a favorite drink?). Along with Korea’s famous drinking games, hangover relief drinks, known as “huk-chae-haeso,” have become an integral part of Korean drinking culture. Easily found in any convenience store, the most popular brands include Condition and Morning Care 808. These drinks are often taken before or during drinking sessions to ease next-day symptoms.

Young people in Korea are catching onto the ‘modisugar’ trend—mixing their own custom hangover drinks with ingredients straight from convenience store shelves! A classic combo? Mixing Powerade, Bacchus, and pear juice to create their own post-party recovery potion!

But remember, they’re just a helpful supplement—don’t overdo it!

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[2024] ILLIT Returns with “Cherish”

In the early 2000s, the focus on Hallyu was mainly in Japan and Southeast Asia.

In the current 2020s, interest in Hallyu is growing in the United States and Europe as well. You, looking at this page, are undoubtedly one of the global enthusiasts, right?

Although it’s personal information for me, amidst the flood of scattered internet data, I’ve decided to stack up diverse aspects of Korean music, food, and daily life like pancakes to show you.

Introducing, Fan+Cake+Korea.

I hope you join this experimental blog journey together!

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Top 3 Internet Search Sites in South Korea