Naver and Coupang Race to Attract Hot K-fashion Brands

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Coupang and Naver are rapidly bringing in K-fashion brands, reshaping the retail landscape. The online fashion distribution structure, once centered on specialized platforms such as Musinsa, is now quickly expanding to comprehensive platforms.
According to Gitnux on the 3rd, South Korea's fashion market is worth about 50 trillion won, and e-commerce accounts for more than 35% of it. As online-first consumption has firmly taken hold, even comprehensive platforms are now joining the race to attract fashion brands.
Naver has been the most aggressive player. By bringing in a large number of contemporary brands with strong fan bases, it is rapidly expanding its influence in fashion. Matin Kim and MARITHÉ FRANÇOIS GIRBAUD began joining Naver one after another last year, while expanding both their online direct-sales channels and offline stores. Pottery also entered Naver Plus Store's Knockit this month. Built on a fashion community, Pottery first entered Musinsa in 2023 and has since widened its distribution channels quickly, including by securing a 5 billion won investment from Shinsegae International Inc. last year.
Coupang is also accelerating its category expansion. It started with MARITHÉ FRANÇOIS GIRBAUD in January this year, followed by Mardi Mercredi in April and children's brand Bebe de Pino in November last year. At first, brands were cautious about joining because of concerns over image, but more recently some have been expanding their presence based on sales results. Coupang's large user base can turn incidental exposure into purchases, and its fast delivery and easy returns further raise expectations for sales growth. In particular, because clothing often needs to be tried on before a purchase decision is made, convenient returns are important. Coupang is lowering that barrier with a simple return system.
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Brand strategies are also changing depending on the platform. Naver is being used as a "marketing channel" that helps brands manage fan communities and expand customer touchpoints, supported by powerful search, content and membership services. Coupang, by contrast, is emerging as a "sales channel" that boosts sales volume through its massive user base and fast delivery. As a result, brands that built recognition on fashion-focused platforms are now moving to comprehensive platforms to expand sales and secure more customers as they grow.
Competition among platforms and distributors to nurture brands is also intensifying. Zigzag is running an indie brand incubating program to discover new labels, while Naver is expanding support not only through content and advertising but also through financial assistance to attract brands. New labels such as Atelier Onir, Rotoco and Rosie Layer have opened exclusively on Naver's Knockit. Samsung C&T Fashion Group is also testing market response by introducing emerging brands such as Sand Sound and Shift G through a pop-up store in Seongsu-dong.
An industry official said, "Recently, fashion brands have been moving away from relying on a single platform and are increasingly using each channel for different target audiences and operating goals." The official added, "As multi-channel strategies spread, the relationship between platforms and brands is evolving beyond simple listings into a model where brand image and marketing direction are designed together to fit each channel's characteristics."
clean@fnnews.com Lee Jeong-hwa Reporter