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BANSEOG LIFE · FASHION · FOOD · LIVING · RETAIL

The companies behind Korea's everyday, and the people they hire

Clothes, a meal, a sofa and a lamp, the box at the door. Banseog follows how 104 Korean consumer companies grow and who they look for, with their team size in Korea from the national pension register and a reading of each one.

Scroll down and the room draws itself

Four rooms

Each room shows its companies' team size in Korea and the roles they look for. Team size is the number of members on Korea's National Pension Service register, updated every month.

Fashion & Luxury

Fashion houses, licensed and sports brands, apparel OEMs, fashion platforms

Companies
24 companies · 24,643 on the register
10-month change
−144 (−0.6%)
Roles in demand
Fashion merchandiser (MD) · Brand manager

Food & Health

Major food companies, ramen, confectionery and dairy, health functional foods

Companies
33 companies · 94,672 on the register
10-month change
−1,692 (−1.8%)
Roles in demand
Food R&D · Food quality and production

Living

Furniture and interiors, beds, home appliances and rentals

Companies
25 companies · 21,126 on the register
10-month change
−313 (−1.5%)
Roles in demand
Home and living product planner · Rental and B2B sales

Retail & Commerce

E-commerce, hypermarkets and department stores, convenience stores, duty free

Companies
22 companies · 111,507 on the register
10-month change
−12,108 (−9.8%)
Roles in demand
E-commerce growth manager · Category merchandiser (MD)

As of Aug 2026. Source: National Pension Service workplace register (Korea's public data portal). A room total is the sum of its companies; rooms are not added together.

Global brands in Korea

The Korean companies that run global brands here, as subsidiaries or licensees, with their team size in Korea. Each opens the company page.

Starbucks (SCK Company)Food & Health22,455 people+78 (+0.4%)Costco KoreaRetail & Commerce7,178 people−413 (−5.4%)Uniqlo (FRL Korea)Fashion & Luxury4,134 people−472 (−13.3%)McDonald's KoreaFood & Health2,104 people+55 (+2.7%)Nike KoreaFashion & Luxury1,731 people−41 (−2.3%)Adidas KoreaFashion & Luxury1,723 people+75 (+4.5%)IKEA KoreaLiving1,593 people−8 (−0.5%)Zara Retail KoreaFashion & Luxury1,537 people+227 (+17.3%)Richemont KoreaFashion & Luxury1,368 people+56 (+4.3%)Louis Vuitton KoreaFashion & Luxury1,338 people+118 (+9.7%)BKR (Burger King)Food & Health1,042 people+51 (+5.1%)Hermès KoreaFashion & Luxury503 people+12 (+2.4%)Descente KoreaFashion & Luxury482 people+8 (+1.7%)Philips KoreaLiving319 people−21 (−6.2%)Dyson KoreaLiving252 people−4 (−1.6%)

Korean brands in the US

35 of the companies here have a confirmed presence in the United States: a local subsidiary, a plant, own stores or a major retailer. Each fact is on the company page with its source.

Misto HoldingsIts golf subsidiary Acushnet (Titleist, FootJoy) is headquartered in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, with Misto Holdings as controlling shareholder.Subsidiary · PlantZinusIts Zinus brand is run as a US-based business within Hyundai Department Store Group, selling mattresses and furniture.Subsidiary · PlantE-MartEmart acquired Good Food Holdings, parent of Bristol Farms, in 2018, and added New Seasons Market through it in 2020.Subsidiary · Own storesKyochon F&BSet up its US subsidiary Kyochon USA in 2006.Subsidiary · Own storesParis CroissantParis Baguette, the brand it runs, has a US subsidiary headquartered in Bergen County, New Jersey.Subsidiary · Own storesBGF RetailIts US subsidiary BGF RETAIL HAWAII CORP., set up in January 2025 in Honolulu, runs the CU convenience store franchise business in the US.Subsidiary · Own storesBodyfriendBodyfriend set up its US headquarters in Cerritos, California, in 2017.Subsidiary · Own storesCoupangCoupang, Inc. is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and has its headquarters in Seattle, Washington.OfficeCowayCoway sells its Airmega air purifiers, Bidetmega bidet seats and Aquamega water purifiers in the US through its Cowaymega business.SubsidiaryDaesangDaesang America is headquartered in Hackensack, New Jersey, with Daesang Foods USA and Chung Jung One sites in City of Industry, California, and Lucky Foods in Tualatin, Oregon.Subsidiary · PlantHarimHarim acquired US chicken company Allen Family Foods in 2011; the business continues as Allen Harim.Subsidiary · PlantKD NavienIts US unit Navien Inc. is based in Irvine, California, and sells tankless water heaters, boilers and HVAC products.SubsidiarySamyang CorporationOwns US specialty chemicals maker Verdant Specialty Solutions, which calls itself a Samyang company.Subsidiary · PlantShinwonIts US sales subsidiary SHINWON EBENEZER USA INC was set up in August 2020.Subsidiary · OfficeNongshimNongshim America is headquartered in Rancho Cucamonga, California, where it built a manufacturing facility in 2005.Plant · RetailBinggraeBinggrae lists USA BC F&B as its overseas subsidiary in the United States.SubsidiaryCJ CheilJedangSchwan's Company, headquartered in Marshall, Minnesota, is a subsidiary of CJ CheilJedang and is building a new facility in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.SubsidiaryCJ FreshwayIts US subsidiary CJ FRESHWAY AMERICA CORPORATION, set up in July 2013, runs wholesale and trade brokerage from Los Angeles, California.SubsidiaryCuckoo ElectronicsCuckoo Electronics America was established in 2016 as Cuckoo's US division.SubsidiaryDaangnRuns the Karrot app in the US, centered on Manhattan and the wider New York area.OfficeGS RetailIts consolidated subsidiary GSLL, Inc., set up in November 2016, is an education services company based in San Mateo, California.SubsidiaryHiteJinroIts US subsidiary Jinro America Inc., set up in September 1986, sells its alcoholic drinks from Cerritos, California.SubsidiaryHyundai Home ShoppingIts subsidiary Hyundai L&C USA LLC, set up in 2007, sells building materials from Atlanta, Georgia.SubsidiaryKorea Ginseng CorporationKGC's US corporation in California, incorporated in 2009, runs a franchise business and sells through channels including Amazon and Costco.SubsidiaryKituramiKiturami holds 100% of its US subsidiary KITURAMI USA, carried as an equity-method investment in its 2025 audit report.SubsidiaryLocknLockSet up a US subsidiary in early 2017 to sell through US online channels.SubsidiaryLotte Chilsung BeverageIts US subsidiary LOTTE Beverage America Corp., set up in 1979, sells its products from Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles.SubsidiaryOttogiOtoki America Holdings, established in May 2005 and based in Norwalk, California, sells Ottogi ramen, instant rice, frozen dumplings and sauces in North America.SubsidiaryPulmuone FoodsPulmuone's US subsidiaries include Pulmuone Foods USA, Nasoya Foods USA, Monterey Gourmet Foods and Wildwood.SubsidiarySamyang FoodsSamyang America operates as Samyang Foods' local presence in the United States.SubsidiarySSG.COMAfter acquiring all shares of W Concept Korea, it holds W Concept's US subsidiary WCONCEPT USA INC as a consolidated subsidiary.SubsidiaryWinixWinix America is based in Bannockburn, Illinois, as one of Winix's sales, marketing and support centers.OfficeYoungone CorporationYoungone lists Seattle and Boulder in the United States among its global presence locations.OfficeHansaeHansae supplies private-label apparel for large US retailers including Walmart and Target, and its main buyers include Gap, American Eagle and Under Armour.RetailHuromSells its slow juicers to US customers through its official US online store.Retail
MONTHLY · KOREA CUSTOMSWhere Korean food sells, the US firstThe US bought $805M of Korean food in the last 12 months (+10.2%), market no. 2 of 24 →

Consumer industry moves in three layers

Making is the root, the brand is the core, selling is the wing. Companies need people in this order too, moving up the layers.

Root · Where it is made

Materials and production

OEM and ODM, food plants, furniture and appliance manufacturing. Quality and cost are the floor that growth stands on.

  • Production and plant manager
  • Quality (QA/QC)
  • Purchasing and SCM

Core · The brand

Brands and products

Fashion houses, food brands, living brands. The people who decide what to make are the core.

  • Merchandising (MD) and product planning
  • Brand manager
  • R&D and design

Wing · Where it is sold

Distribution and overseas

E-commerce, department stores and duty free, exports. These are the people who send the same product further.

  • E-commerce and growth
  • Retail sales
  • International business and country head

BANSEOG NOTE · COMPANY READING

One company on one page

Where it stands now
Three decisions within a year
Three people it will look for
A line for HR and for job seekers

Written from filings and public reports; the team size is the pension register.

Banseog notes

Company readings from public sources. 104 so far, in English.

98 more notes
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