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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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 Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 4:39 pm Post subject: |
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Ikea in Hong Kong is amazing.
Ikea is good because it's quality but cheap. I don't think Koreans can handle that concept. If Ikea Korea ever opened a store in Korea it would have to be expensive to do well. Middle-class Koreans don't buy cheap. They worry about status too much.
Plus, in Korea, imported must be expensive. It's the law. |
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crossmr
Joined: 22 Nov 2008
Location: Hwayangdong, Seoul
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| Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 4:43 pm Post subject: |
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| eamo wrote: |
Ikea in Hong Kong is amazing.
Ikea is good because it's quality but cheap. I don't think Koreans can handle that concept. If Ikea Korea ever opened a store in Korea it would have to be expensive to do well. Middle-class Koreans don't buy cheap. They worry about status too much.
Plus, in Korea, imported must be expensive. It's the law. |
Ikea still has many expensive things, like couches for 2000-3000, an ikea kitchen is a serious expense.
If korea wasn't intereste in ikea, there wouldn't be so many fake ikea websites and tiny stores. they're not doing it for the foreigners.
The fact that there is an underground ikea movement is a pretty clear indication that korea is desperate for one. |
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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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| Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 4:58 pm Post subject: |
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| crossmr wrote: |
| eamo wrote: |
Ikea in Hong Kong is amazing.
Ikea is good because it's quality but cheap. I don't think Koreans can handle that concept. If Ikea Korea ever opened a store in Korea it would have to be expensive to do well. Middle-class Koreans don't buy cheap. They worry about status too much.
Plus, in Korea, imported must be expensive. It's the law. |
Ikea still has many expensive things, like couches for 2000-3000, an ikea kitchen is a serious expense.
If korea wasn't intereste in ikea, there wouldn't be so many fake ikea websites and tiny stores. they're not doing it for the foreigners.
The fact that there is an underground ikea movement is a pretty clear indication that korea is desperate for one. |
I suppose you're right in that there is an interest in Ikea among some middle-class Koreans who know it's a big brand in the west and that it has a lot of cache............but I suspect they would be turned off by the many low prices. After all, Korea is the land where, if a product is not selling, you raise the price. Then they come flocking.
This is a country of nouveau riche. They don't want to buy cheap imported stuff!! They wouldn't feel satisfied doing that. They want to buy expensive imported stuff! |
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ekul
Joined: 04 Mar 2009
Location: [Mod Edit]
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| Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 9:29 pm Post subject: |
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| eamo wrote: |
This is a country of nouveau riche. They don't want to buy cheap imported stuff!! They wouldn't feel satisfied doing that. They want to buy expensive imported stuff! |
I think Korea really needs a Laura Ashley. That would suit the whole expensive equals good argument. The settees are pretty banging too. |
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Snowflake
Joined: 12 Dec 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 4:15 pm Post subject: |
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Gmarket has a lot of Ikea stores but they tend to be quite expensive. The cheapest Ikea copy store I've found is here: www.ikeab.com
I've just bought a sofa which was 100k less than the other places selling it. You don't need to register either to buy anything which is handy (so no problems with the foreign ID number).
They have a store near Paju (Wollung) - has anyone been? |
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Snowflake
Joined: 12 Dec 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 4:16 pm Post subject: |
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| Oh also - the Swedish ambassador said early this year in the Herald that Ikea will be arriving "soon"...rather vague but gave me hope! |
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t-hype
Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 4:38 pm Post subject: 2010 UPDATE |
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just wanted to update this in case anyone googles it.
the bootleg IKEA store in paju is indeed open. (http://iikea.co.kr) i went there a couple of weeks ago and am planning to order a mattress from them. from what i can tell, they order the stuff from one of the chinese stores so you're limited to what's sold in china.
anyhoo, the store is in a shopping area in Heyri Art Valley.
http://www.heyri.net/
it's kinda big over there. just ask somebody where the "ee key ah" is. they'll probably know. |
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crossmr
Joined: 22 Nov 2008
Location: Hwayangdong, Seoul
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| Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 4:42 pm Post subject: |
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| isn't there like a 6 story ikea in Beijing? I can't imagine selection being that limited if they're ordering from China. |
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t-hype
Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 4:55 pm Post subject: |
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well, for whatever reason, they don't have the same mattress sizes we have in the States. (but japan does.)
i need a full-size and only a few of the mattress are available in that size. china has mostly singles and queens. |
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darkjedidave
Joined: 19 Aug 2009
Location: Shanghai/Seoul
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| Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 4:57 pm Post subject: |
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| I miss the $.80 hot dogs and swedish meetballs |
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jomiro
Joined: 10 Jan 2010
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| Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 11:40 pm Post subject: |
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they have ikea everywhere in asia.. china (shanghai, beijing), japan, hong kong, probably one in taipeh as well.
i wonder why there isnt one in korea..
maybe its got to do with the government and its regulations. thats why it took h&m so long to open a store here. its not that they didnt want to, it was just that the government was very narrow minded and put all sorts of restrictions on them, so the negotiations took forever..
maybe the same is going on in regards to ikea. hopefully they will open a store soon. it surely would be profitable. i mean, just look at how crazy the chinese go over ikea furniture. if an apartment there comes furnished with ikea stuff (which is not the highest of quality, lets just be honest here.. ) then the rent is much higher than the rent of an apartment with furniture of another brand... |
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rayne
Joined: 05 Aug 2009
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 6:31 am Post subject: |
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| jomiro wrote: |
| they have ikea everywhere in asia.. china (shanghai, beijing), japan, hong kong, probably one in taipeh as well. |
Indeed, and Singapore and Malaysia. And the freaking Dominican. Wtf Korea? |
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HapKi
Joined: 10 Dec 2004
Location: TALL BUILDING-SEOUL
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| Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 5:25 am Post subject: |
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Have recently heard that IKEA has bought land in Youngdungpo, south west Seoul, and will soon start building. Estimated start date is still a couple years away, though.
About time someone gave Korean rip-off furniture makers some competition. |
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Wiltern
Joined: 23 Sep 2009
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| Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 5:37 am Post subject: |
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| HapKi wrote: |
Have recently heard that IKEA has bought land in Youngdungpo, south west Seoul, and will soon start building. Estimated start date is still a couple years away, though.
About time someone gave Korean rip-off furniture makers some competition. |
Don't know what you mean by Korean rip-off furniture makers. I've bought some quality furniture since I came here at prices comparable or cheaper to the US.
Anyways, it's going to be in Gwangmyeong. Estimated opening date: 2014.
http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Asia/Story/A1Story20111228-318542.html |
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