{
  "id": 12494100,
  "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-12494100",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-06T23:00:08.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post - Hong Kong",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post-hong-kong",
    "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, Japanese, South Korean, and Thai brands have seen a 7 percentage point increase in their share of new entrants in Hong Kong's retail property market, now making up more than one-third of the newcomers. Mainland Chinese brands, however, have experienced a decline in market share, dropping from 38% in 2025 to 36% in the same period this year. Cushman & Wakefield predicts that this trend will continue, with overseas brands testing and refining their business models to better fit local demand.\n\nThe increase in Japanese, South Korean, and Thai brands entering the market is fueled by the recovery in regional tourism. Visitor arrivals to Hong Kong rose 11% year on year during the first eight months of 2026, driven by an influx of mainland Chinese and long-haul international tourists. This trend has been supported by lower occupancy costs, with high-street retail rents in the city's core shopping districts down nearly 50% from their 2019 peaks.\n\nEntrepreneur Jennifer Kim, a South Korean national, is one of many expanding their presence in Hong Kong. She has opened a new location for her Korean deli, Seoul Recipe, in Central. Despite the challenges of Hong Kong's competitive food and beverage sector, Kim believes there is room for growth in the market. She aims to provide affordable, quality food to both locals and tourists, catering to those who often travel to Shenzhen for dining and shopping due to lower prices.",
  "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": "South China Morning Post",
        "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",
        "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."
}