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Shinsegae chairman's New Year's message highlights in-person connection

Published: 29 Dec. 2025, 18:17 Updated: 29 Dec. 2025, 18:51

CHO YONG-JUN
[email protected]

Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin speaks in a New Year's message uploaded to the company's YouTube channel on Monday. [SHINSEGAE GROUP]

Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin cited Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s viral chimaek (chicken and beer) meetup during his New Year’s message to the employees, emphasizing the importance of brick-and-mortar stores in the retail business that the company offers.

“Jensen Huang may have come to Korea to talk about his AI business visions, but people cheered instead at him acting like the guy next door, casually swapping jokes over chimaek,” the Shinsegae Group Chairman said a video, uploaded to the company’s YouTube channel on Monday.

Chung said he was excited and hopeful to know that customers still value the experience of meeting each other in real life — and that the Shinsegae Group offers such places, like Starfield malls and Starbucks cafes.

“But to see people cheering for unexpected moments made me realize that it’s always difficult to know what customers will enjoy the most,” he said.

“We have to continuously provide new experiences to the ever-changing customers in order for us to proudly say that we are the retail firm that represents Korea.”

Chung emphasized the need for a “paradigm shift” that can “rewrite the rules of the market” in order for the company to survive.

The chairman gave the example of Starfield, Shinsegae Group’s large shopping center brand that is similar to Westfield, No Brand, the budget private label brand similar to Canada’s No Name and House of Shinsegae, a curated area for luxury restaurants and drinks.

“Sometimes, we have to create new customer demand from scratch,” he said. “Even if we fail, we can use that experience to build an even bigger success.”

Chung called the year 2026 the year where Shinsegae Group “flies high, again.”

“The decisions made in 2025 and before were done as prerequisites for a new start, and we are done with our preparations,” he said.

“Now that our preparations are over, let’s fly high again.”

Chung recently attended a Christmas reception hosted by U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Dec. 12.

BY CHO YONG-JUN [[email protected]]