Travel Map Unfolded at the Dead End, Shopping Map Spread Out

Interview with Lim Hyemin, CEO of Creatrip
Diversifying Business through Shopping Amid COVID-19 Impact
Direct Purchase Agency Service 'Hanguk Jikgu' Receives Hot Response

Hye-min Lim, CEO of Creatrip

"Although we have not yet reached the goals of our existing business, in the long term, COVID-19 has provided an opportunity to prepare for other ventures." The spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was a crisis for Creatrip, a domestic travel information platform targeting foreigners. Reservations came to a halt, and only foreigners remaining in Korea occasionally used the service. CEO Lim Hyemin decided not to just endure the situation until it improved but to fully push forward with another business where potential was found. This is why Creatrip launched the direct purchase agency service 'Korea Direct Purchase' last month, helping foreigners buy Korean products more conveniently. Lim's intuition proved correct. As soon as it opened, inquiries for direct purchases surged from foreigners unable to visit Korea due to COVID-19.

On the 28th, CEO Lim told Asia Economy in an interview, "In just over a month since Korea Direct Purchase opened, we have handled more than 720 purchase agency orders," adding, "The response has been especially strong in the Chinese-speaking markets such as Taiwan and Hong Kong." Creatrip’s Korea Direct Purchase service focuses on enabling foreigners to conveniently buy Korean products from overseas as if they were locals. Customers upload URLs and photos of Korean products available for international shipping and apply for purchase agency; Creatrip then buys the ordered products, inspects them, and handles delivery. The service also selects and sells popular Korean products in each country. Lim said, "Despite foreigners being unable to visit Korea directly due to COVID-19, their shopping demand remains strong, making the fact that we are based in Korea itself an advantage," adding, "Even with minimal promotion, product inquiries are flooding in."

The products selling well are diverse. Recently, 300 kg of dried strawberries were sold to Taiwan. Many in Taiwan seek Korean dried fruits, so the stock was sent to the Taiwan branch to handle demand. Bedding is also a popular product. Korea, having four distinct seasons, offers a variety of bedding, and many look for thick blankets used in autumn and winter, Lim explained. He added, "Leather jackets featured in the drama Itaewon Class are also popular, and one customer purchased clothing worth 4 million won," noting, "We have expanded our regularly sold products to about 60 types." Recently, they also launched a video-based 'Korea Direct Purchase Broadcast,' expanding into media commerce. Collaborating with famous domestic and international influencers, they produce video content and sell related products. Lim introduced, "During live broadcasts, at least 10,000 viewers tune in."

CreateTrip has launched a "Korean Direct Purchase Broadcast" hosted by influencers, introducing Korean products such as blankets from traditional markets.

The sudden launch of Korea Direct Purchase due to COVID-19 has been well received thanks to Creatrip’s steady preparation. Creatrip had secured over 300 partner companies offering benefits to foreigners traveling domestically, and through this process, discovered demand for purchasing partner products directly from each country. Accordingly, they had been testing the direct purchase service since last year and planned a full launch by the end of this year. The release was expedited due to COVID-19. Lim explained, "Many tourists visiting Korea recognized it as a shopping destination," adding, "With foreign tourists unable to enter for the next six months, we saw greater market potential than expected and made a quick decision." The existing direct purchase market targeting foreigners was mainly composed of individual entrepreneurs, but having a travel service company directly handle purchases increased trust. He said, "We contracted with logistics companies to enable export declarations and product location tracking," adding, "Usually, 100% of orders arrive within two weeks, 70% within one week, and our multilingual customer center operates 24/7."

Although the main focus has shifted from travel services to direct purchase, Creatrip’s service consistently aims to convey Korean lifestyle to foreign tourists. Lim said, "Travel information introduces hip cafes, cosmetics, K-pop, fashion, and other everyday content frequently visited by Koreans, allowing foreigners to enjoy that lifestyle," adding, "Direct purchase also aims to deliver products embodying Korean lifestyle to each country within one to two weeks."

Although the direct purchase service was launched earlier than planned due to COVID-19, CEO Lim plans to devote efforts this year to optimizing the service. He emphasized, "This year, we will focus on the direct purchase service," adding, "We need systematic improvements such as separating commerce functions from the current system to build a dedicated shopping mall system, and we plan to establish logistics systems to expand into markets like Japan and Thailand."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.