'Yongjin the Influencer' Leads the PR Front... Now Introducing 'YONGENIUS'

Photo by Jung Yongjin, Vice Chairman of Shinsegae Group, Instagram.

[Asia Economy, Reporter Kim Yuri] Jung Yongjin, Vice Chairman of Shinsegae Group, has unveiled the 'YONGENIUS' character and trademark on his personal Instagram account.

The character, depicted inside a red circle that resembles a plate, shows Vice Chairman Jung dressed as a chef, holding a wok and a dish in each hand. Next to the character, the phrase 'Cheonjaejusa' is written in Chinese characters, along with 'YONGENIUS' in English. YONGENIUS is presumed to be a combination of 'Yong', from Vice Chairman Jung's name, and 'Genius'. A standee featuring the character holding a ladle and performing a high kick was also revealed.

On March 23, Emart filed a trademark application for YONGENIUS with the Korean Intellectual Property Office. Emart clarified, "The company did not file the application for any specific product; it was submitted simply to secure trademark rights." Industry insiders note that Vice Chairman Jung has consistently shared cooking content on Instagram and, given the trademark application, there is speculation that he may enter the Chinese cuisine business or other related ventures.

Vice Chairman Jung, unlike most major conglomerate owners, is highly active on social networking services (SNS), boasting approximately 575,000 Instagram followers and establishing himself as an 'influencer'. He also uses SNS as a direct and indirect promotional channel for Shinsegae Group products, introducing items such as 'Anjeonppang'-for which Shinsegae Food has filed a patent-and No Brand's 'Sirloin Steak Jerky', among others.

Industry sources believe that his communicative approach is having a positive effect on the company's image. Not only does it help build brand image, but it also has a tangible impact on sales. For example, following the release of a behind-the-scenes story about cabbage sourcing, Emart's cabbage sales increased by over 20% year-on-year in just two weeks. Similarly, sales of 'Nitro Cold Brew', which Vice Chairman Jung mentioned on Starbucks' YouTube channel, tripled within two weeks of the video's release.

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