- Opening on the third floor of Tokyo hotspot Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Omokado, targeting global fandom
- Proving the competitiveness of K-pop vertical integration, from licensing to manufacturing, distribution, performances and platforms
Global culture content company Kofan Global will open the first directly operated store of its K-pop fandom retail brand WITHMUU in Omotesando, Tokyo, on July 10.
The store will be located on the third floor of Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Omokado, a mixed-use shopping mall in a prime commercial district of Shibuya Ward, Tokyo. Omotesando is a trend-setting area packed with luxury brands and lifestyle shops, and it is a global landmark visited by local fans with a strong interest in K-culture as well as tourists from around the world.
In particular, the store is designed as a key content space within Hyundai Department Store's The Hyundai Global flagship store, which is being introduced to support K-content exports. It is expected to create synergy with a wide range of K-lifestyle brands, including fashion, beauty and food and beverage.
Kofan Global has already strengthened its presence in Japan's fandom market by successfully operating WITHMUU stores in Ikebukuro and Osaka through a partnership with Animate, Japan's largest chain for anime and manga merchandise. The Omotesando store is the third location in that lineup, but it is especially significant as the company's first directly operated store, moving beyond a partnership model. Backed by operational know-how accumulated locally and strong brand trust, the company plans to offer a more differentiated fandom experience.
At the directly operated store, Kofan Global will apply the same vertically integrated infrastructure spanning planning, manufacturing and distribution, along with its store operation know-how from major domestic hubs such as Hongdae, Jamsil, Yongsan District and Myeong-dong, as well as the mixed cultural space WITHMUU Square. The store will feature the latest albums and official light sticks from leading K-pop artists, along with artist merchandise planned and produced in-house by Kofan Global, all without delay from Korea. It is set to become a K-pop cultural space where artists and fans can connect both online and offline.
A Kofan Global official said, "Kofan Global has proven its unmatched competitiveness in the global market by completing a K-pop value chain that spans licensing, manufacturing, distribution, performances and platforms." The official added, "Building on our already solid foundation in Japan, we will use this first directly operated Omotesando store to provide global fans with a uniquely differentiated fandom experience directly managed by headquarters, and we will continue expanding key hubs of global K-culture around the world."
