Have South Korean Convenience Stores Eclipsed Japan’s Combini?

Korean convenience stores now outnumber Japanese ones per capita.

Pictures: Shutterstock

By Francesca Annio

Japan has long led the way in convenience stores, with combini becoming famous globally for their wide range of products and services. They’ve even become a symbol of Japan’s unique appeal.

But of course, convenience stores aren’t exclusive to Japan — other countries have successfully adopted the model. Recently, South Korea has been rising in the scene, with some saying its convenience stores (Korea: 편의점; pyeoneuijeom) have even surpassed the iconic Japanese combini.

Neck-and-neck

A GS25 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The South Korean convenience store chain has 55,580 stores in its home country alone. (Picture: Shutterstock)

On June 11, 2024, South Korea’s Chosun Ilbo reported, “Korean convenience stores, once modeled after Japanese ones, are now said to have surpassed them.”

That’s a major claim in the combini world. Although convenience stores are often linked with Japan, they actually originated in the US. However, Japan’s reimagining of the combini in the 70s turned it into more than just a service — it became a concept that perfectly captures the essence of Japanese society.