"These are authentic Korean products. The feel on your skin is different when you wear them."
On the 6th in the morning in Myeong-dong, Jung District, Seoul. A Chinese woman opened her suitcase, turned on her smartphone camera, pulled out a jacket from a sports brand to try on, and delivered a stream of product descriptions in Chinese. She emphasized that she had bought the product directly in Korea.
A man sitting next to her watched a laptop screen, checking the chat window and orders in real time. Not even 10 minutes after the broadcast started, the man shouted "yibailiuba (168)" and announced it was "sold out."
Soon the woman echoed him, repeatedly expressing thanks. In China, 168 is considered a lucky number because its pronunciation is similar to yilu fa (一路发), meaning "to keep getting richer." It was a "street live broadcast" selling clothing to Chinese viewers in the heart of a Korean commercial district.
◇ Evolution of bundle traders, from live streams to short-form
Recently, Chinese street live sales have become noticeable in major commercial areas including Myeong-dong, Hongdae in Mapo District, and Seongsu in Seongdong District. There is a view that daigong (代工; bundle traders) who used to buy duty-free goods in bulk in Korea to sell in China have evolved.
A Chinese national, A, 27, who works at the Chinese online shopping platform Dewu (得物), does live broadcasts on the streets of Myeong-dong from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekdays. A sells clothing, shoes, and hats to viewers through Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok).
On the 6th, over the course of a day, A introduced dozens of Korean products. They were products from outdoor brands popular in China. Each time a new item was taken out, hundreds of viewers asked in the comments about stock in their desired sizes.
A edits the live broadcast video into short-form clips under one minute and uploads them to the channel. Each video draws thousands of views, and some videos had more views than the live broadcast's audience.
Price competitiveness is also a strength. In a live broadcast, A sold a brand's sneakers for 699 yuan (about 150,000 won). That's about 20% cheaper than the 919 yuan (about 197,000 won) price on Chinese online malls.
An Jing, 30, a Chinese national who runs a personal shopping mall, does live broadcasts on the streets of Hongdae from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every day. On the 9th as well, A was selling products through a broadcast. A said the strategy is to differentiate with cost-effective items personally sourced, instead of famous Korean brand products.
An Jing said, "My company is in Hongdae, so I broadcast from here," and added, "I personally wear the items first, then show how they feel to wear and their designs."
◇ Broadcasting in Korea brings an "authentic product effect"… some say it's inconvenient
Myeong-dong merchants say Chinese street live broadcasts have increased three- to fourfold over the past half year. Chinese tourist Bie Xueyu, 28, also said, "I often see live videos selling accessories on the Chinese social media (SNS) 'Xiaohongshu,'" and added, "Lately, I frequently see videos selling and buying products from the Korean sunglasses brand 'Gentle Monster.'"
The biggest reason they take to street live broadcasts is the "authenticity certification" effect. Broadcasting against the backdrop of major Korean commercial districts can convey trust that the products were purchased directly in Korea.
Analysts also say there is a marketing effect. Lee Eun-hee, a professor of consumer studies at Inha University, said, "Just as there is demand to vicariously experience the local atmosphere by watching overseas street CCTV footage, the method of introducing products on busy streets can be seen as a strategy aimed at such an effect."
However, not all merchants are positive. There are complaints that pedestrian paths are blocked and noise occurs on crowded streets.
An apparel store merchant in Myeong-dong said, "When Chinese people doing live broadcasts shout right in front of the store, it is inevitably uncomfortable," and added, "I've never seen any crackdowns or restrictions, even as their numbers keep increasing."