Apple will open its first retail store in South Korea this year, according to a report on Friday (via Reuters).

The country's Yonhap News Agency said that construction was underway for a store in the southern district of Seoul and that work on the site would likely be completed by the end of November.

seoul

Image: Flickr

"We're excited about opening our first Apple Store in Korea, one of the world's economic centers and a leader in telecommunication and technology, with a vibrant K-culture," Apple told Reuters in a statement Friday.

"We're now hiring the team that will offer our customers in Seoul the service, education and entertainment that is loved by Apple customers around the world."

Yesterday, Apple listed hiring notices for 15 positions on its website, including a store leader and business manager. The exact location and start time for the jobs was omitted from the listings.

Apple's first Korean brick-and-mortar store will be in Samsung's back yard – the rival smartphone maker has its main headquarters in Suwon, about 13 miles south of the capital city.

Top Rated Comments

Jashanno Avatar
116 months ago
A few Korean customers might be more open to trying something new than they would be otherwise. But the new generation of processors for Samsung S8's sound really sweet, so we shall see.
I went there recently for work. I was shocked at the number of iPhones that I saw people using.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kabeyun Avatar
116 months ago
let's not confuse tech consumption with being tech-forward.
having everything under the sun is VERY costly for Samsung. If the Note 7 debacle costs them 6 billion in losses (according to Bloomberg) then thinning out their A series and Galaxy Series to just 3 models vs 10+ you'd see a HUGE gain in profits and revenues.

Let's see Micron or other RAM/Storage manufacturing compete in volume with Samsung over long periods of time so that Apple and ween themselves off of Samsung.
This is semantics on "tech-forward." I simply meant that use of personal tech has penetrated the South Korean population a lot.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Vjosullivan Avatar
116 months ago
and the supposed Apple Store for Singapore has been under construction for more than a year.
Much like the supposed HQ in CA.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
timborama Avatar
116 months ago
About 40-50% of Koreans use iPhones. You'd be surprised.
It is no where near that, I'd estimate 10-15% at best. Samsung is king there, 80%+, then the rest (LG, Huawei, Pantech, Apple, etc). But it is interesting to see EVERYONE with a phone, grannies talking on 6" phablets on the subway. Phones with retractable antennas with TV tuners for PnP viewing while playing WoW.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

streaming black friday 2025

Black Friday Streaming Deals Include Big Savings on Disney+, Hulu, Apple TV, and More

Monday November 24, 2025 8:03 am PST by
We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 27 Will Reportedly Have Two Key Upgrades

Sunday November 23, 2025 8:48 am PST by
iOS 27 will reportedly have two major elements: quality improvements and new AI features. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense that Apple is focused on improving "quality and underlying performance" over adding new features. Gurman said there is one exception to this rule, though, as he expects...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: iPhone 18 Pro Looks Like a Huge Upgrade

Friday November 21, 2025 9:10 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the new features and improvements expected to come to next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Apple's next-generation iPhones are less than ten months away and we already have a good idea about what to expect based on corroborated leaks, rumors,...
General Black Friday Deals 25 Red

Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now on AirPods, iPads, Accessories, and More

Friday November 21, 2025 8:48 am PST by
We're only a few days away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
Apple Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
hikawa phone grip stand apple%402x

Apple Launches Second Limited-Edition iPhone Accessory in a Month

Friday November 21, 2025 3:53 am PST by
Apple has begun selling the Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand, a new limited-edition iPhone accessory designed with accessibility in mind. Designed by LA-based Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple, the grip uses magnets to securely snap onto any iPhone with MagSafe. Apple says it can be removed with ease, and doubles as a stand with two different viewing...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Two Breakthrough Features

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:26 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include two standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
apple news banner

Apple News Loses CNN

Monday November 24, 2025 7:56 am PST by
American multinational news company CNN has abruptly pulled its content from Apple News, Semafor reports. CNN quietly removed its stories from Apple News over the weekend and there is no longer a feed from the network to subscribe to in the app. This effectively ends its distribution agreement with Apple while the two sides negotiate new terms. Discussions are apparently ongoing and CNN's...