Kakao Opens 1st Overseas Character Store in Japan
24 December, 2018
Korea's leading messaging app operator Kakao has opened its first overseas character store in Japan, in Tokyo's shopping district of Omotesando.
Kakao said Sunday the Kakao Friends store welcomed some 2,000 Japanese people when it opened at 11 a.m. on Saturday who had waited in line for hours.
People wait in line to enter the new Kakao Friends store in Omotesando, Tokyo on Saturday.
Though Japan has few Kakao users, photos of K-pop stars like TWICE and Wanna One holding Kakao Friends characters have gone viral there. The mischievous peach Apeach is the most popular there, especially among 20-something women, while in Korea it is the lion Ryan.
Last year, Kakao Friends raked in sales of W97.6 billion and also plans to take on the U.S. and Chinese markets with its branded accessories and knickknacks.
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