[Edaily Reporter Han Jeon-jin ] “Musinsa Kicks,” the shoe boutique launched by Musinsa earlier this year, has surpassed ABC Mart in store sales even within large shopping malls. Following its success in key Seoul high-street shopping districts such as Hongdae and Seongsu, the brand has now demonstrated its competitiveness in shopping malls as well. While it is still difficult to compare its overall business scale with that of ABC Mart, which operates approximately 300 stores nationwide, competition in the offline shoe market on a store-by-store basis is heating up, particularly in key commercial districts.

According to sales figures for individual fashion stores at Starfield Goyang obtained by Edaily on the 28th, Musinsa Kicks Starfield Goyang generated sales in the range of 360 million won over the 25 days from its opening on August 7 through the end of that month. Sales for the ABC Mart store, also located in Starfield Goyang, totaled around 260 million won for the month of August. This means that Kicks, despite operating for a shorter period, generated approximately 100 million won more in sales—a 39% increase. On a daily average basis, this is 1.7 times the amount. The ABC Mart Goyang branch has been in operation since 2020.

Kicks’ performance at Starfield Goyang is particularly noteworthy because it marks the brand’s first success outside of traditional high-street retail districts. Hongdae and Seongsu are commercial districts that attract young people with a keen interest in fashion as well as foreign tourists. In contrast, Starfield Goyang is a suburban shopping mall primarily frequented by local residents and families. This demonstrates that Kicks has proven its ability to draw customers even in an environment where multiple fashion and general merchandise brands compete under one roof.

Kicks is also outperforming ABC Mart in street-level retail districts. According to industry estimates, sales at the Kicks Hongdae branch in August reached approximately 950 million won, surpassing those of the nearby ABC Mart Grand Stage Hongdae branch (approximately 780 million won). That same month, the Seongsu branch also recorded sales in the 680 million won range, outperforming the ABC Mart Seongsu branch (around 440 million won). Tourist demand propelled the performance of both stores, with foreign customers accounting for 62% and 70%, respectively, of their cumulative sales from January through August of this year.

Musinsa Kicks is a specialty curated store launched by Musinsa in January of this year as the company began full-scale expansion into the offline shoe business. Musinsa, which began in 2001 as the online community “A Place with an Endless Number of Shoe Photos,” is now making its mark in the offline market with shoes—the very foundation of its business. It currently operates three stores in Hongdae, Seongsu, and Starfield Goyang, and cumulative visitor numbers have exceeded 1.3 million since the first store opened.

Kicks’ competitive edge lies in the curation—the selective recommendations—that Musinsa has built up online. While ABC Mart emphasizes its nationwide store network and a broad product lineup of global brands, Kicks has divided its space into themed sections—such as running, outdoor, and leather shoes—and also features emerging brands that have recently garnered attention. The product lineup varies by commercial district, and QR codes attached to products allow customers to instantly check Musinsa member prices, inventory, and reviews. The Starfield Goyang location was the first Kicks brick-and-mortar store to carry the Nike ACG line.

However, ABC Mart’s position in the overall market remains solid. ABC Mart entered the Korean market in 2002 and built a nationwide network by opening its 100th store in 2012, its 200th in 2017, and its 300th in 2022. Last year’s revenue totaled 660.7 billion won, nearly six times that of S-Market (113.7 billion won), the industry’s second-largest player. The industry estimates that ABC Mart holds more than half of the domestic multi-brand shoe market, which is valued at around 1 trillion won. This year, the company further solidified its top position by acquiring “Folder,” operated by E-Land World, the industry’s third-largest player.

Musinsa is accelerating its expansion into the offline market. It will open a Kicks store at Parnas Mall in Samseong-dong, Seoul, in early December, and is preparing a multi-brand store in Jeju that combines Kicks, Musinsa Standard, and Musinsa Beauty. As Kicks—which began in Seoul’s key commercial districts—expands its footprint to large shopping malls and major regional commercial areas, it is expected to face increasing competition from existing shoe multi-brand stores.

A retail industry insider stated, “Since shopping malls have long been a battleground where ABC Mart has held its ground with a dense store network, the fact that Kicks has outperformed them in terms of individual store sales is no small feat,” adding "Of course, since the Goyang store’s results reflect the ‘new store effect’ in its first month, whether Kicks can replicate this trend in other shopping malls and regional commercial districts will be a key factor in determining the competitive landscape of the offline shoe market," the source added.