{
  "id": 12489477,
  "title": "Hong Kong’s first-store appeal grows as more Japanese, South Korean and Thai brands arrive",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/hong-kongs-first-store-appeal-grows-as-more-japanese-south-korean-and",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-06T23:00:08.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3369937/hong-kongs-first-store-appeal-grows-more-japanese-south-korean-and-thai-brands-arrive"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the first nine months of 2026, more Japanese, South Korean and Thai brands have entered Hong Kong's retail property market, with their share increasing by 7 percentage points to more than one-third. This surge in new entrants contrasts with a decline in mainland Chinese brands, which now account for just 36 percent of newcomers, down from 38 percent in 2025. John Siu, managing director for Hong Kong at Cushman & Wakefield, believes the market is now entering a period where overseas brands are testing and refining their business models to better suit local demand. The recovery in regional tourism has played a significant role in this growth, as Hong Kong offers brands a strategic platform to enhance their visibility among local consumers and tourists. Supported by lower occupancy costs, high-street retail rents in Hong Kong's core shopping districts have dropped by around 50 percent compared to their 2019 peak levels. This favorable environment has attracted entrepreneurs such as Jennifer Kim, a South Korean national who opened a new location for Seoul Recipe in Central Hong Kong. Despite the challenges faced by Hong Kong's food and beverage sector, Kim believes that her catering business is performing well and that the city's residents and tourists need at least one decent meal.",
  "summary": "Japanese, South Korean and Thai brands have increased their share of new entrants in Hong Kong’s retail property market by 7 percentage points to more than one-third in the first nine months of 2026, while the demand for shops from mainland Chinese brands has slipped, according to Cushman & Wakefield. A slew of new brands helped lift the combined share of Japanese, South Korean and Thai brands to…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "SCMP Business",
        "title": "Hong Kong’s first-store appeal grows as more Japanese, South Korean and Thai brands arrive",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/hong-kongs-first-store-appeal-grows-as-more-japanese-south-korean-and-12490735",
        "published": "2026-10-06T23:00:08.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}