Deals
Entertainment
HYBE raises $400 mn in a move to diversify BTS-dependent portfolio
HYBE Co., the global entertainment powerhouse behind BTS, has successfully closed its previously announced rights offering to raise 445.5 billion won ($400 million). According to the investment banking industry on Jun. 3, the company sold an
Jun 03, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Media
Naver to gain toehold in OTT market via CJ ENM
South Korea's Naver Corp. is expanding its footprint into the over-the-top (OTT) media service market by acquiring a stake in CJ ENM Co.'s OTT platf...
Jun 02, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Rights offerings
Samsung Heavy launches $900 mn rights issue process
Samsung Heavy Industries Co. has begun the process to raise 1 trillion won ($900 million) in a rights offering, in what is set to be its first share...
Jun 01, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mergers & Acquisitions
SM Entertainment emerges as next flashpoint for Kakao, Naver rivalry
As SM Entertainment Co., the label behind the global K-pop phenomenon, is up for grabs in the M&A market, the battle heats up between the countr...
Jun 01, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Korean startups
AI chip startup FuriosaAI wraps up $70 mn Series B round
South Korea-based artificial intelligence startup FuriosaAI has recently wrapped up an 80 billion won ($72.1 million) Series B round, attracting inv...
May 31, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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IPOs
Lotte Rental kicks off $360 mn IPO process, seeks $1.8 bn valuation
South Korea’s leading rental car company Lotte Rental Co. has kicked off an initial public offering process to raise some 400 billion won ($36...
May 31, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Deals
Naver, CJ ENM join forces to acquire Korea's No.3 web novel platform
South Korea’s platform giant Naver Corp. has joined forces with CJ Group to acquire the country's leading web novel platform Munpia Inc. in a ...
May 28, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Artificial intelligence
Samsung, Bayer join $90 mn investment in AI healthcare app Ada Health
Samsung Electronics Co. and Germany’s pharmaceutical giant Bayer AG have made a joint investment in the Berlin-based artificial intelligence (...
May 28, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Korean food
Hahn & Co. acquires controlling stake in Namyang Dairy Products
South Korea’s private equity (PE) firm Hahn & Co. has acquired a controlling 53% stake in Namyang Dairy Products, acquiring all shares own...
May 27, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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OTT streaming
Kakao joins OTT race with INISOFT acquisition
Kakao Corp. is entering the over-the-top (OTT) streaming market. According to investment banking sources on May 27, Kakao’s entertainment and ...
May 27, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Stake investments
Samsung Life buys 25% stake in Savills IM for $90 mn
Samsung Life Insurance Co. has agreed to buy a 25% stake in Savills Investment Management (Savills IM) for £63.75 million ($90 million) from U...
May 27, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Entertainment
HYBE’s $400 mn rights offering for Ithaca merger to open June 1-2
HYBE Co., the music and entertainment agency behind BTS, on Jun 1-2 will open the subscription for its rights issue shares worth 445.5 billion won (...
May 26, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Pre-IPOs
Masayoshi Son-led SoftBank to invest $2 bn in Yanolja
Vision Fund, led by billionaire SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son, has decided to invest around $2 billion in South Korea's largest travel platform Yan...
May 26, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Pre-IPOs
Travel app Yanolja seeks $900 mn from SoftBank pre-IPO
South Korea’s largest travel platform Yanolja is in negotiations with SoftBank Vision Fund for an investment up to 1 trillion won ($900 millio...
May 25, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Capital raising
Hanwha Systems to launch $1.1 bn rights issue in June
Hanwha Systems Co., which leads the satellite communication and urban air mobility (UAM) businesses of South Korea's Hanwha Group, is set to launch ...
May 25, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Hotel sale
Hilton Seoul likely to be transformed into office
Millennium Hilton Seoul, the venue of South Korea's 1997 negotiations to secure a $58 billion rescue package from the International Monetary Fund, w...
May 24, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mergers & Acquisitions
Singapore sovereign fund GIC to buy 30% of Starbucks Korea for $710 mn
Singapore’s sovereign growth fund GIC Private Ltd. plans to acquire a 30% stake in Starbucks Korea for about 800 billion won ($710 million) fr...
May 24, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Webtoons
Concurrent deal closings by Kakao, Naver: Mere coincidence?
Early this month, when Anchor Equity Partners was in intense negotiations with Kakao Corp. over the terms of its 600 billion won ($530 million) inve...
May 24, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Stake sales
Halla to join bid for Hanon Systems stake; seen biggest deal in Korea
South Korea’s Halla Group is joining the race for the purchase of auto parts supplier Hanon Systems Corp. -- a deal, if reached at the top end...
May 21, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Mergers & Acquisitions
World's 1st e-sports channel OGN up for sale; valued at $8.9 million
OGN, a South Korean cable TV channel specialized in broadcasting video game-related content and e-sports matches, is up for sale.According to invest...
May 21, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Korean startups
Fintech platform Toss seeks $180 mn in fresh funding
South Korean fintech startup Toss is seeking to raise 200 billion won ($177 million) in fresh funding, which would almost treble its valuation to 8 ...
May 21, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Banking & Finance
Internet-only K Bank to raise $1.05 bn in rights offering
South Korea’s first internet-only bank, K Bank, will be raising 1.2 trillion won ($1.05 billion) from existing and new investors for business ...
May 21, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Webtoons
Kakao Japan secures over $500 mn from Anchor Equity; valuation tops $7 bn
Kakao Corp.’s Japanese unit is set to secure 600 billion won ($530 million) from South Korea-based private equity firm Anchor Equity Partners....
May 20, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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E-commerce
Naver, Shinsegae in talks to team up for eBay Korea
Naver Corp., South Korea's top online portal, is in talks with the country's retail giant Shinsegae Group about a joint bid for eBay Korea -- a deal...
May 19, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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IPOs
Korea's COVID-19 test kit maker applies for $1.2 bn IPO
SD Biosensor Inc., South Korea's largest manufacturer of COVID-19 test kits, has applied for an initial public offering to raise up to 1.3 trillion ...
May 19, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Deals
SK Hynix push for takeover of Key Foundry to boost foundry production
SK Hynix Inc. is taking the first steps to take over South Korea-based Key Foundry, a move in line with recent remarks from Park Jung-ho, the SK Hyn...
May 17, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Private equity
Baring PEA revives IPO plan for delivery firm Logen
Baring Private Equity Asia is joining a group of private equity firms that have just resumed the stalled process for initial public offerings of the...
May 17, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Deals
Biggest deal in Korea: Hanon Systems stake sale draws KKR, Carlyle, TPG
The sale process of a near-70% stake in South Korean auto parts supplier Hanon Systems Corp. has kicked off, attracting a pool of strategic investor...
May 16, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Asset management
Woori Financial takes over Franklin Templeton’s retail fund business
Woori Financial Group has been selected to acquire Franklin Templeton Investments’ retail fund business in South Korea, less than a month sinc...
May 14, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
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Corporate bonds
Goldman Sachs to issue its first Arirang bond in three years
Goldman Sachs will issue its first Arirang bond since 2018, an action interpreted by financial circles as a sign of the investment bank’s rega...
May 12, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
3 Min readlanguage
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