South Korea’s department-store industry is increasingly looking to global entertainment stars to turn retail brands into international consumer businesses, as competition shifts from store expansion to lifestyle, digital reach and cultural influence.
For U.S. retailers, brands and investors watching the growth of Korean consumer companies overseas, Lotte Department Store’s decision to name K-pop star Jennie as its new global ambassador offers a look at how Korean retailers are using the country’s cultural exports to build recognition beyond their home market.
Lotte Department Store said September 29 that it had selected Jennie as its new brand ambassador, marking its first appointment of an advertising model in about a decade. The company said the move is intended to strengthen its global brand competitiveness and accelerate its efforts to establish itself as a world-class department-store brand.
The marketing campaign with Jennie will begin in October under the message “As I am,” emphasizing individuality, personal taste and self-expression. The concept draws on Jennie’s image as an artist known for expressing her own style and identity, while positioning Lotte Department Store as a retailer that embraces different lifestyles and consumer preferences.
The campaign video is scheduled to be released through Lotte Department Store’s official YouTube and Instagram channels on October 21. Television and digital advertising, along with customer-participation campaigns, will follow.
The retailer is also taking the campaign beyond South Korea. Advertising featuring Jennie and related projects will be introduced at four Lotte overseas locations in Vietnam and Indonesia, including Lotte Mall West Lake Hanoi.
In South Korea, Lotte plans to extend the campaign across its department-store network and major locations frequented by international travelers, including Incheon International Airport and Seoul Station.
The strategy highlights a broader shift in Asian retail, where international growth increasingly depends on brand recognition and cultural relevance as much as physical stores. For global retailers and investors, the campaign also illustrates how Korean companies are seeking to convert the international reach of K-pop into consumer-brand value.
Lotte Department Store Chief Executive Jung Hyun-seok said the company aims to expand its connections with customers worldwide by combining Jennie’s global influence with the retailer’s brand value. He said Lotte intends to strengthen its presence in the global retail market through differentiated brand experiences tailored to consumers’ diverse tastes and lifestyles.
