Even After 9 PM, Women in Their 20s and 30s Pack the Store... K-Brands Now a Part of Everyday Life in Hong Kong [K-Wave 3.0] ⑪

K-Fashion and K-Food in Hong Kong: A Current Snapshot
Reviving Chinese Demand After the Hallyu Ban: Recovery Begins in Hong Kong
K-Brands Shift from Trend to Everyday Consumption

Causeway Bay, the largest commercial and shopping district in Wanchai District, Hong Kong, is known as a testbed where young consumer trends emerge most rapidly. Located at the heart of this area, the 'Matin Kim Causeway Bay' store was packed with visitors even after 9 p.m. on a weekday. Most of the customers filling the store appeared to be local Hong Kong women in their 20s and 30s. Even in the bustling store, these young women were trying on a variety of products, from clothing to accessories, in front of mirrors, becoming immersed in the brand.

'Matengkim Causeway Bay Branch Exterior' located in Causeway Bay, Wanchai District, Hong Kong.
[Photo by Eunmo Koo]

Hong Kong, the 'Showcase Reflecting China'

Causeway Bay serves as both a tourist hotspot and the frontline of local mass consumption. Due to high rent and rapid turnover, products that sell well here quickly expand to other areas, while those that do not are swiftly eliminated. This location signifies not only a strategy to capture the Hong Kong market but also the beginning of brand validation across Greater China. Mainland Chinese consumers still check out brands in Hong Kong first. If repeat purchases occur here, the brand earns the right to enter major mainland cities.

The same is true for Matin Kim's Causeway Bay store. Matin Kim opened its first overseas store here in 2024, drawn by less regulation than mainland China and the concentration of global brands, to test local consumer response. The brand has since expanded to five stores in Hong Kong, with crowds lining up every day.

The product category drawing the most attention at the local store was bags. The lineup of bags, including half-moon-shaped shoulder bags, mini crossbody bags, and logo square bags, was displayed at the very front, catching customers' eyes. Michelle Leung, a woman in her 20s who visited the store specifically to look at bags, said, "I like the designs because I can carry them easily and comfortably in daily life. Above all, the price is not too burdensome compared to the quality, which is a very attractive point."

It is no coincidence that accessories sell before clothing. For Greater China consumers, bags are an entry product with relatively low risk. There is no risk regarding size, and the price is accessible. Consumers test the brand with bags and, if satisfied, expand to clothing. This consumption path, unique to Greater China, differs from those in Japan or Europe. Matin Kim's lineup is designed precisely to fit this path.

Visitors are shopping at the 'Matangkim Causeway Bay' store in Hong Kong.
[Photo by Eunmo Koo]

After the 'Hallyu Ban', K-Fashion Returns to China

K-fashion once experienced a downturn in the Chinese market. Before 2015, Korean drama popularity drove demand for brands worn or modeled by certain celebrities. However, after the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) dispute and the subsequent Hallyu ban, the spread of Korean content was restricted, and fashion product sales slowed.

Recently, however, the trend has changed. Since COVID-19, Korean content has naturally spread in China through online video services (OTT) and social networking services (SNS), leading to renewed demand for street fashion and emerging designer brands. Analysts note that Korean fashion brands have started to be consumed as a distinct category on platforms such as Xiaohongshu and Douyin.

In this process, emerging K-fashion brands such as Matin Kim, Mardi Mercredi, Emis, and OIOI, rather than legacy brands, have taken center stage. The bag-focused consumption pattern observed in Hong Kong stores also aligns with the trend among Millennials & Gen Z in Greater China, who prefer 'designer brands at reasonable prices.'

Visitors are shopping at the 'Matangkim Causeway Bay' store in Hong Kong.
[Photo by Eunmo Koo]

The recovery of K-fashion is also backed by numbers. Misto Holdings, which distributes four K-fashion brands-including Matin Kim, Marithe Francois Girbaud, Rave, and Rest & Recreation-across Greater China, currently operates more than 60 offline stores and online channels in the region. Samsung Securities projected that sales from this distribution business will reach 244.6 billion won this year, a 50% increase from last year, and soar to 381.6 billion won next year.

Lee Hyein, a researcher at Samsung Securities, said, "In China as well, demand for K-fashion, which had shrunk after the Hallyu ban, is reviving. Unlike the one-off consumption driven by dramas and idols in the past, there is now growing interest in the overall Korean lifestyle, which is extending to fashion. This is the key change." She added, "This indicates not just the performance of individual brands, but that the collective 'K-fashion' concept is once again gaining traction in Greater China."

K-Food: Everyday Consumption in Greater China Confirmed in Hong Kong

The 'City Super' supermarket in the basement of Times Square, the largest shopping mall in Causeway Bay, is also considered a space that accurately reflects the local consumer market. Rather than a souvenir shop targeting tourists, it is a premium supermarket where Hong Kong's middle and upper-income consumers do their daily grocery shopping.

Among the overseas food sections at City Super, the Korean food section stood out. It was about twice the size of the adjacent Japanese food section and occupied the largest area among all overseas food sections. The most prominent product was instant noodles featuring BTS member Jin's face, with seaweed, instant soups, fermented sauces, and soup bases displayed alongside.

City Super Korean Food Section at Times Square Hong Kong.
Photo by Eunmo Koo

The most striking scene was watching some consumers toss products into their carts without examining them closely, flowing past the section as if it were part of their daily routine. This showed that Korean food has moved beyond being a novelty to try once, and is now being purchased as ingredients for regular home cooking. Emily Cheung, whom we met at the store, said, "I've been to Korea several times and I enjoy Korean food, so I eat it often. I especially love the umami flavor of seaweed soup, so I came today to buy it."

In fact, K-food already seems to be firmly established in everyday life in Hong Kong. Everyday Korean products such as instant noodles, snacks, coffee, and soju are easily found not only in large supermarkets but also in most convenience stores. Notably, K-food is mostly sold in permanent sections rather than special corners or promotion zones, indicating that the stage of building trust for expansion into mainland China is already well underway.

City Super Korean Food Section at Times Square Hong Kong.
Photo by Eunmo Koo