In Korea, the convenience store is no longer just somewhere to buy ramyeon and coffee. You might find your next T-shirt there, too.
Imagine walking into a convenience store for a drink and leaving with a new pair of trousers. In South Korea, that isn’t such an unusual possibility anymore. GS25 has been selling clothing through its collaboration with Korean fashion retailer Musinsa, bringing affordable wardrobe essentials into everyday convenience stores.
Meet Musinsa Standard Express
Musinsa is one of South Korea’s influential fashion platforms, while Musinsa Standard is its modern basics brand. In March 2025, GS25 introduced Musinsa Standard Express, a collection developed specifically for convenience-store shoppers.
The initial range covered 12 everyday essentials, including T-shirts, trousers, windbreakers, socks, belts and underwear. Unlike a conventional fashion boutique, the collection focuses on practical items people might need without planning a shopping trip. When the collaboration launched, the companies planned distribution through approximately 3,000 GS25 locations.
The numbers suggest people were interested
By September 2025, the collaboration had expanded. According to GS25 figures reported by Korean media, participating stores increased from approximately 3,000 to 5,200, while the range grew to 17 product types.
Prices generally ranged from the ₩3,000s to the ₩30,000s. GS25 reported that sales of Musinsa Standard Express products during September 10–16 were 423.6% higher than during the March 5–11 launch week. That is a comparison between two specific weeks, not annual sales growth, and it doesn’t establish how every store performed. Still, it suggests momentum in the first six months.
The companies even experimented with a limited-edition Musinsa Standard down jacket at a selected GS25 store.
Why convenience stores want more than food
Korean convenience stores are competing for increasingly varied shopping occasions. Food remains central, but retailers also experiment with beauty, lifestyle products and collectibles.
CU provides another example of the wider shift. In May 2026, the chain reported demand for character merchandise, including Pokémon cards and limited-edition collaborations. Its toy-category sales during May 1–11 increased 75.1% year on year.
CU’s example concerns collectibles rather than clothing, so it isn’t a direct equivalent to the Musinsa partnership. Both, however, show how retailers are giving customers more reasons to enter a convenience store.
What international visitors should know
Musinsa Standard Express offers an unusual way to explore everyday Korean fashion. However, not every GS25 stocks the collection. The participating-store numbers above date to September 2025, and individual product availability may have changed.
Look for the Korean name 무신사 스탠다드 익스프레스. For a wider selection of sizes and clothing, a dedicated Musinsa Standard store remains a better option. But if you encounter an Express display, it’s worth exploring.
The ThisKovery Take
Korean convenience stores have always been responsive to consumer trends. What’s changing is the definition of convenience itself. It’s no longer only about buying something quickly. It’s about finding useful, desirable products in places where people already spend time. Sometimes that means buying a wardrobe basic beside the refrigerated drinks.
Sources: Musinsa corporate announcement, February 2025; Donga Ilbo, September 18, 2025; NewDaily, May 13, 2026.