Emart expands WOW SHOP budget store chain, opening two 100-pyeong outlets on 22 October
In short
Emart (이마트) said on 21 October that it will open its WOW SHOP (와우샵) budget household goods stores at Starfield Market Wolgye and Emart Eunpyeong on 22 October, after a pilot that began last December. The range grows to about 12,000 newly developed products at uniform prices from 1,000 to 10,000 won, with about 60% priced at 2,000 won or less.
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Emart said on 21 October that it will open its WOW SHOP (와우샵) ultra-low-price household goods stores at Starfield Market Wolgye and Emart Eunpyeong on 22 October. Emart said each store is about 100 pyeong. Dong-A Ilbo gave the size as about 331 square metres and Chosun Ilbo as about 330 square metres. Emart plans a further opening at Starfield Market Gunsan on 30 October and five mid-to-large specialty stores this year. WOW SHOP zones will also be set up in Emart and Emart Everyday stores, with newly developed products added in stages. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 12 , 14 ]
Emart has run WOW SHOP as a pilot since last December, centred on about 1,300 directly imported household goods. For the full launch it developed about 12,000 new products, with 7,000 to 8,000 sold in each store depending on season and location. Outlets report that this is about 6 to 7 times the pilot range. Categories widen from kitchenware and home furnishings to beauty, health supplements, stationery and toys, sports and pet goods, and digital and small appliances. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 8 ]
Prices are uniform from 1,000 to 10,000 won, and about 60% of developed products cost 2,000 won or less. Dong-A Ilbo reported that the pilot sold items only up to 5,000 won, and that the ceiling was raised to carry appliances, which are relatively expensive. About 100 items at 10,000 won, including air fryers, coffee makers, single-person electric blankets and cabin carry-on suitcases, are sold in limited quantities. Examples include nine Happycall frying pans at 5,000 won each, Lock&Lock fresh containers from 2,000 won and wired earphones at 1,000 won. Emart also lists about 790 health and beauty products and about 300 appliances priced at 5,000 won or less. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 8 , 12 , 16 ]
Hwang Un-gi (황운기), Emart's head of merchandising, said Emart will strengthen the ultra-low-price household goods range by combining its product planning and global sourcing capabilities so customers are satisfied on both price and quality. Emart said it widened sourcing to the United States, Europe, Japan and China and secured products from about 100 brands. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
Many outlets framed the launch as a challenge to Daiso (다이소). Chosun Ilbo reported that Daiso is present in 40 of Emart's 131 stores, and quoted an Emart official saying WOW SHOP is mainly run in stores without Daiso. Bloter noted that Daiso keeps products at 5,000 won or less, while WOW SHOP raises its ceiling to 10,000 won. Maeil Business reported that Daiso's operating profit of 442.4 billion won last year was ahead of all three big hypermarket chains. It also recalled that Emart decided in December 2019 to close its Pierrot Shopping (삐에로쇼핑) stores, citing high rents, and reported that WOW SHOP is assessed as structurally different because it uses existing store space. [ 9 , 11 , 13 ]
Why it matters
Korean outlets frame the move as Emart's challenge to Daiso (다이소) in the low-price household goods market, adding non-food goods to the supermarket's food business. Maeil Business also notes open questions about whether it can stand out from Daiso and protect profitability.
Key facts
- Emart said on 21 October that WOW SHOP stores, each about 100 pyeong, will open on 22 October at Starfield Market Wolgye and Emart Eunpyeong. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 10 ]
- A third store is to open at Starfield Market Gunsan on 30 October, and Emart plans five mid-to-large specialty stores this year plus WOW SHOP zones inside Emart and Emart Everyday stores. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 10 ]
- Emart developed about 12,000 new products, with 7,000 to 8,000 sold per store, roughly 6 to 7 times the pilot's range of about 1,300 imported items. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 8 ]
- Prices are uniform from 1,000 to 10,000 won, and about 60% of developed products cost 2,000 won or less. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 8 , 10 ]
- About 100 items priced at 10,000 won, including air fryers, coffee makers, single-person electric blankets and cabin carry-on suitcases, are sold in limited quantities. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 8 ]
- Happycall frying pans (9 types) cost 5,000 won each and Lock&Lock fresh food containers start at 2,000 won. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 8 ]
- The range now covers beauty, health supplements, stationery and toys, and digital and small appliances, beyond kitchenware and home furnishings; about 300 appliances cost 5,000 won or less. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 8 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Emart opens WOW SHOP stores of about 100 pyeong each at Starfield Market Wolgye and Emart Eunpyeong on 22 October. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 10 ]
- Emart plans to open a WOW SHOP at Starfield Market Gunsan on 30 October and five mid-to-large specialty stores this year. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 10 ]
- WOW SHOP has been in pilot operation since December last year, centred on about 1,300 directly imported household goods. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 10 ]
- About 12,000 newly developed products are being introduced, with 7,000 to 8,000 sold per store. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 10 ]
- Prices are uniform from 1,000 won up to 10,000 won, with about 60% of products at 2,000 won or less. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 10 ]
- Hwang Un-gi (황운기), Emart's head of merchandising, said Emart will strengthen its ultra-low-price household goods range by combining its product planning and global sourcing capabilities. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 , 8 ]
Still unclear
- When Emart made the announcement. Electronic Times says Emart announced it on 20 October, while most other outlets say 21 October.
- How many pilot outlets existed. Hankook Ilbo says 14 small 66-square-metre sales zones, while Chosun Ilbo says the pilot expanded to 13 stores after opening at Wangsimni last December.
- The pilot's sales results. Maeil Business reports, citing Emart, that daily sales at pilot stores reached up to 4 times target; no other outlet gives this figure.
- The Eunpyeong store's September closure. Only Maeil Business reports that Eunpyeong, described as WOW SHOP's first standalone large store, suspended operations in September for a revamp two months after expanding to 100 pyeong, and calls the reopening a test.
- Whether WOW SHOP can stand apart from Daiso. Maeil Business says some pilot-store shoppers found the range similar to Daiso's and that profitability concerns have been raised; an industry official there said success depends on offering items Daiso lacks.
- Daiso's 2025 sales figure. Maeil Business gives 4.5364 trillion won, while Chosun Ilbo gives 4.5363 trillion won; both give operating profit of 442.4 billion won.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- On 21 October, Hankook Ilbo, Yonhap, Newsis, Dong-A Ilbo and other outlets published Emart's announcement of the WOW SHOP launch. [ 1 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
- On 21 October, Maeil Business published a report on the launch with background on Daiso and Emart's earlier Pierrot Shopping stores. [ 9 ]
- On 21 October, Bloter published a report on the 10,000 won price ceiling versus Daiso's 5,000 won. [ 13 ]
- On 22 October, Dong-A Ilbo published a report that the stores open on 22 October. [ 16 ]