[The Dguru = Reporter Jin Yujin] Musinsa is turning up the heat on its Japan push by opening K-fashion label Matín Kim’s second physical store in Nagoya. After debuting in Tokyo, the company is widening its footprint into key regional hubs to boost the brand’s presence across Japan.
On the 16th, Musinsa Japan announced that Matín Kim will open a new location on the first floor of the West Wing at Nagoya Parco in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, on the 28th. The roughly 20-pyeong (about 712 square feet) shop will spotlight the brand’s signature pieces and becomes the label’s second permanent outpost in Japan, following its Shibuya store in Tokyo.
Matín Kim has sped up its local expansion since signing an exclusive distribution agreement with Musinsa in November 2024. The Shibuya boutique, which opened last April in Tokyo’s Miyashita Park, attracted some 180,000 visitors over about eight months, quickly winning recognition among Japan’s MZ generation (millennials and Gen Z).
Musinsa plans to open one more store in Japan in the first half of this year. The strategy appears to be to start in Tokyo’s prime shopping districts and then expand into major regional cities.
Local marketing will play a big role. The Nagoya shop will carry store-exclusive items such as the Half Shearing Ribbon Square Bag in beige and the Nagoya Matín Palette Eco Bag in pink. Promotions will include keyring gifts tied to purchase amounts, free coffee on opening day, and a gacha event for Instagram followers.
This latest opening is likely to accelerate K-fashion’s offline growth in Japan. With Korean designer and streetwear labels gaining traction in the Japanese market, more brands are using direct-distribution partnerships with local platforms to break through.
Backed by Korean brand incubator Hago House, Matín Kim now operates more than 70 stores worldwide as it pursues global growth. The label offers relaxed, casual pieces that make it easy to mix everyday looks with a fashion-forward edge.
Musinsa has identified Japan as a core global market and plans to deepen brand experiences by expanding distribution on its online platform while continuing to roll out offline stores.
