[Homebody Furniture Choices] ① Bestselling 'Sofa' Combining Elegance and Practicality

Hyundai Livart's 'Ballen' sofa.
[Photo by Hyundai Livart]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] Despite the ongoing recession caused by the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the furniture industry's online malls are experiencing a golden age. The number one contributor to today's furniture industry is the 'Jipkokjok' (homebodies).

While most companies are struggling, the 'Jipkokjok' who quietly made the furniture industry smile?what kind of furniture did they choose? The biggest interest of the Jipkokjok is, of course, home decoration. Especially as remote work has become routine, home decoration became an absolute task for one- to two-person households who need to use their homes as both offices and personal spaces for extended periods. The shopping rush of the Jipkokjok for 'efficient space utilization' has led the furniture industry to its heyday.

The furniture they chose through online shopping consists of products that are affordable yet excellent in design and quality. You might wonder if it is possible to have products that are cheap but also have superior design and quality, but the conclusion is yes. Excellent but lesser-known products from small and medium-sized enterprises are entering the online malls of large corporations in large numbers. Large corporations are also actively promoting the entry of these products into their online malls as part of a win-win strategy.

Hyundai Livart's 'Solve' sofa.
[Photo by Hyundai Livart]

Recently, bestsellers in online malls have been sofas, as well as lifestyle items like tables and bookshelves. According to the furniture industry's analysis of consumer purchasing patterns, lifestyle items are bought for convenience and interior decoration, while sofas are purchased mainly for relaxation.

The companies that have found success with sofas are 'Hyundai Livart' and 'Casamia.' Since last year, as sofa products have shown strength in online malls, Hyundai Livart has been continuously strengthening its online-exclusive sofa product line. The bestsellers are the fabric sofa 'Valen' and the recliner sofa 'Solve.'

The selling price is 1,050,000 KRW for the Valen 3-seater sofa and 1,390,000 KRW for the Solve 3-seater sofa. As the prices suggest, these are affordable sofas. The secret lies in 'fabric' and 'recliner.' Fabric is a textile material like cotton that replaces leather. Instead of expensive leather, it offers a pleasant texture at a much lower price.

In particular, functional fabric materials provide basic water resistance and are easy to maintain. Unlike high-end leather sofas that customers hesitate to clean for fear of damage, these fabric sofas can be cleaned freely. By using fabric materials, high-quality yet affordable sofas have captured customers' hearts.

Casamia's 'Campo' sofa.
Photo by Casamia

Moreover, breaking away from the fixed notion of sofas, a recliner function that allows adjustment of the backrest and footrest angles was added. Consumers responded immediately. Sales of Hyundai Livart’s online sofa product line increased by 35% from January to April compared to the same period last year.

Not only low-priced sofas but also high-end sofas have taken off. The representative bestselling products of Shinsegae’s living and lifestyle brand Casamia are modular sofas such as 'Campo' and 'Campo Slim,' launched in the second half of last year. Since the official sales launch in August last year, the Campo sofa has recorded a steady monthly sales growth of 20% on average until March this year, gaining high popularity.

The Campo series accounts for 30% of Casamia’s total sofa sales. Despite being high-priced products exceeding 3 to 4 million KRW, the reason consumers consistently seek them is 'customizing.'

Casamia's 'Campo Slim' modular sofa.
Photo by Casamia

Customizing is a method where customers select their desired size and color, and the product is manufactured accordingly. Sizes can be adjusted by about 10 cm, and customers can choose from approximately eight sizes, making it a kind of 'pre-order.' Depending on family structure or space size, customers can order sofas in their preferred size, shape, and color by combining modules differently.

The sofa’s filling material uses premium duck down, providing comfortable seating, excellent resilience, and comfort. Riding on the popularity of the Campo modular sofa, the 'Campo Slim' sofa was launched, which reduces the sofa’s width and depth. It is smaller than the Campo sofa, making it advantageous for compact space utilization.

A Casamia official stated, "Due to the 52-hour workweek system implemented since last year, and the increase in time spent at home caused by COVID-19-related remote work and online schooling this year, demand for living room and relaxation furniture, which greatly influence the home environment and atmosphere, has increased," adding, "We expect this trend to continue."