(C) Musinsa
SEOUL — Fashion e-commerce giant Musinsa has announced a large-scale promotional event, providing a ₩50,000 coupon pack to its entire user base. Industry observers view the move as a strategic jab at Coupang, which recently faced public backlash over a similarly structured compensation package following a massive data breach.
A New Year Gift for All
On January 1, Musinsa posted a notice on its official website titled "New Year’s Benefit: ₩50,000 + ₩5,000 Just for You." The promotion, which runs until January 14, offers both existing and new members an immediate discount coupon pack totaling ₩50,000, along with a ₩5,000 "Musinsa Money" payback.
The ₩50,000 coupon pack is segmented across Musinsa's various business units:
Musinsa Store: ₩20,000
Musinsa Shoes & Player: ₩20,000
Musinsa Beauty: ₩5,000
Musinsa Used (Resale): ₩5,000
New members are eligible for an additional 20% discount coupon upon registration.
Striking Resemblance to Coupang’s Compensation
The structure of Musinsa’s offer has drawn immediate comparisons to the compensation plan recently unveiled by Coupang. Critics suggest that Musinsa’s marketing materials—which utilize a color palette strikingly similar to Coupang’s corporate logo and include the phrase "Just giving it to you"—are a calculated response to its competitor's current woes.
Last month, Coupang announced a ₩50,000 compensation package for 33.7 million users affected by a data leak. However, that plan was met with derision when it was revealed the ₩50,000 was split into specific vouchers: ₩5,000 for general goods, ₩5,000 for Coupang Eats, ₩20,000 for Coupang Travel, and ₩20,000 for Alux (luxury goods).
Consumers and lawmakers alike criticized Coupang for disguised marketing, arguing that the travel and luxury vouchers force users into high-expenditure categories to redeem their "compensation."
Contrasting Narratives
Despite the criticism, Coupang leadership has defended the scale of their response. During a National Assembly hearing on December 30, Harold Rogers, Chief Administrative Officer of Coupang, emphasized that the total value of the package reaches approximately ₩1.7 trillion, describing it as an "unprecedented" compensation effort.
By launching a similarly structured ₩50,000 pack under the guise of a "New Year gift" rather than a legal remedy, Musinsa appears to be highlighting the perceived inadequacy of Coupang's gesture while aggressively courting the competitor's dissatisfied customer base.
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