Musinsa has put a team of local experts at the forefront to expand its business in China. Centered on Corporate Head Kim Dae-hyeon, who previously worked at E-Land Group and Coupang, it has placed talent from domestic and overseas fashion and beauty corporations with experience in the Chinese market, and is laying the groundwork for the business in step with the government, commercial districts, and partner companies.
According to related industries on the 13th, Musinsa China Corporate Head (CEO) Kim Dae-hyeon said at a Musinsa and Shanghai Xuhui District government event held recently in Shanghai, "At first, I came to China with just one bag," and added, "Now we have opened Musinsa's first global store in Anfu Road, and I want to play a role in connecting more Korean brands so they can see opportunities in the Chinese market."
Kim emphasized that Musinsa received strong support from the local government and partner companies in the process of entering China. Kim said, "From choosing the office location to employee visas and tax issues, the Xuhui District local government actively intervened and helped resolve issues," and added, "During store construction, there were unexpected problems such as disease prevention measures and civil complaints, but we were able to resolve them with government support."
After working at E-Land Group and Coupang, Kim joined Musinsa in 2023 and worked in the new business division of the fashion platform 29CM. Kim was appointed head of Musinsa's China unit at the end of 2024. Experience overseeing China operations during Kim's time at E-Land Group served as the background. When E-Land Group operated a joint venture (JV) with China's Baixing Group in 2016, Kim was on the ground overseeing planning and marketing for the Newcore Mall Shanghai store.
As overseas expansion, including China, is cited as a key variable in Musinsa's push for an initial public offering (IPO) going forward, Kim's role overseeing the China business is growing. Centered on Kim, Musinsa's China unit is putting particular effort into building so-called "guanxi (關係·relationships)" with local governments, markets, and partner companies.
In local interviews conducted after entering China, Kim was also said to have mentioned an intention to nurture not only Korean but also Chinese small fashion brands. Local media showed strong interest, with questions continuing about how Musinsa's business expansion would affect and contribute to China's fashion industry.
Working with Kim at Musinsa's China unit are veterans from Anta Sports, Kolon Sports, Amorepacific, F&F, and E-Land Group. Most handled China operations at their respective companies and are local experts with more than 15 years of experience in China.
Musinsa entered China by establishing the joint venture Musinsa China with Anta Sports, the country's largest sportswear corporation. The strategy was to speed market entry by leveraging local infrastructure such as Anta Sports' logistics and sales networks.
Musinsa plans to open the second Musinsa Standard store in China on Nanjing East Road in Shanghai at the end of this month. In the first half of this year, additional openings are also planned in major commercial districts in Shanghai and nearby areas such as Hangzhou. By 2030, the goal is to expand to more than 100 stores in China and achieve 1 trillion won in combined online and offline sales.