Coupang Inc., South Korea’s dominant online retailer, is facing intense political and public scrutiny after disclosing a data breach affecting 33.7 million users.
Yet consumer behavior data shows its grip on the market remains strong, even in the wake of the incident.
According to figures from analytics firm Mobile Index, Coupang’s daily active users actually increased to 17.8 million on December 2, up from around 16 million in the days before the breach was made public.
The stability suggests that even a significant security incident has not prompted mass customer departure from a platform many rely on for same-day delivery and everyday shopping.
The resilience highlights Coupang’s entrenched role in South Korea’s digital economy. Often described as the country’s answer to Amazon.com, the company operates an integrated ecosystem built around its Rocket Delivery network, extensive product catalog and membership program.
For many households, it has become the default service for daily purchases—a dynamic that appears to soften the impact of public backlash.
That market position is shaping Coupang’s crisis response as political pressure mounts. CEO Park Dae-joon has become the public face addressing lawmakers and consumer groups, while founder and Chairman Bom Kim, who leads from the U.S., has stayed out of the spotlight.
Some critics argue the company’s confidence stems from the high switching costs for both consumers and third-party sellers locked into its platform.
Lawmakers plan to examine that confidence in a National Assembly hearing scheduled for Dec. 17, where attention will focus on whether Kim will appear after twice declining previous requests.
“If Coupang continues to apply a U.S.-centric management approach while serving almost entirely Korean consumers, it risks longer-term repercussions,” said Lee Jung-hee, an economics professor at Chung-Ang University.
Without clearer accountability and respect for its home market, she added, the company could eventually face a crisis that even its vast ecosystem may not be able to contain.
