'Daiso Knockoff' Chinese MUMUSO Boldly Displays 'KOREA' on Its Signboards

[Financial News] A Chinese retailer is sparking controversy for rapidly expanding overseas by posing as a Korean company and capitalizing on the Korean Wave. MUMUSO, a Chinese lifestyle goods retailer, has been found using 'KR' in major Middle Eastern cities.
Seo Kyoung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women's University, stated on the 6th, "Recently, Koreans living in Dubai and Abu Dhabi have reported that the Chinese store MUMUSO is openly using the abbreviation 'KR' for Korea on its signboards."
He added, "As the value of the 'Korea' brand has risen globally, the store is even boldly displaying the word 'Korea' around its signboards to attract customers."
MUMUSO has previously faced criticism for marketing itself in a way that could mislead consumers into thinking it is a Korean company. After this issue gained attention in 2019 and drew criticism from netizens both domestically and abroad, the company appeared to stop using the 'KR' label.

However, with the recent global surge in Korean-related content, it appears that MUMUSO has resumed using the label.
Professor Seo pointed out, "Last year, as Korean content such as 'KPop Demon Hunters' and Rosé’s 'APT.' gained worldwide popularity, MUMUSO seems to have returned to using 'KR' once again."
He further emphasized, "In a world-renowned tourist city like Dubai, foreigners who are unaware of this situation may visit MUMUSO stores and mistakenly believe the company is Korean. It is unacceptable for a Chinese company to exploit Korea's positive image and operate as if it were a Korean business. Our government should closely monitor this issue and take appropriate measures against the misuse of the Korean Wave."
y27k@fnnews.com Seo Yoon-kyung Reporter