"One Sip Has Koreans Lining Up for Four Hours... The Remarkable Turnaround of the 1993-Born Chairman [Interview]"

100 Days Since Charge, the Chinese Milk Tea Brand, Opened Its First Store in Korea
Interview with Kim Joahyun, CEO of Charge Korea
Soon to Reach 8 Stores in Seoul: "Korea’s Global Influence Is Strong"
"Sensing Potential in the Korean Tea Marke

Group IVE member Jang Wonyoung looks surprised after drinking the Chinese milk tea "ChaZi." Jang Wonyoung Instagram

"I hope that Charge will become a brand that naturally blends into customers' daily lives, rather than being a temporary fad or noise."

Kim Joahyun, CEO of Charge Korea, made this statement during an interview with The Asia Business Daily on the 26th, just ahead of the 100th day since Charge's entry into Korea.

Kim Joahyun, CEO of Charge Korea, is posing for the photo. Photo by Dongju Yoon

Known in Korea as the so-called "Jang Wonyoung milk tea," Charge is a global modern tea brand that quickly expanded after opening its first store in Yunnan, China in 2017. At a time when low-priced milk tea brands were flooding the Chinese market, Charge targeted health-conscious younger generations and rapidly grew through a premium strategy—brewing original tea in-store and pairing it with fresh milk. Its modernized store interiors and upscale branding also played critical roles. Founder and Chairman Zhang Junjie envisioned expanding a global modern tea brand inspired by world-famous coffee brands such as Starbucks.

Currently, Charge operates more than 7,500 stores (as of May) across China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other Greater China markets, as well as Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and the United States. In April last year, Charge was listed on the NASDAQ in the United States, achieving a corporate valuation of USD 6.2 billion (approximately KRW 9.1 trillion).

In Korea, Charge opened three flagship stores in key commercial districts—Gangnam, Yongsan, and Sinchon—on April 30, offering its products to local consumers for the first time. Within just three months, the number of stores expanded to seven in Seoul alone, with the eighth store slated to open soon in Jongno. On opening day at the first location, customers waited in line for up to four hours, drawing tremendous attention. According to posts on social media, people still wait up to an hour at some stores to enjoy their drinks. CEO Kim commented, "The response has been even better than we expected," adding, "We are working on strategies to encourage repeated visits through the in-store experience."

Kim Joahyun, CEO of Charge Korea, is posing. Photo by Dongju Yoon

This strong performance by Charge Korea has drawn significant attention from Charge's global headquarters as well. Chairman Zhang visited Korea quietly during the domestic store's first opening in April and toured the location. Last year, Charge rapidly entered stores in five countries, making it difficult for him to visit every country, but he showed special interest in the Korean market this year and closely observed the opening day rush. Born in 1993, Chairman Zhang lost both parents at the age of ten and lived homeless for seven years. He spotted an opportunity while working at a Taiwanese milk tea chain at seventeen and went on to found Charge, becoming a self-made entrepreneur.

CEO Kim said, "The founder and global headquarters are very interested in Korea. The Korean tea market itself is important, and at the same time, Korean culture greatly influences other countries." He added, "When we opened one of our flagship stores in Gangnam, it caused quite a stir in both China and the United States." He continued, "Not only the founder but also global executives frequently visit Korea. They consider Korea a key market for expanding the brand, and we have many conversations about enhancing the brand experience for consumers throughout this process." Chairman Zhang, rather than prescribing specific business methods, focuses on reminding the team of the values and vision Charge should pursue.

Kim Jawhyun, CEO of Charge Korea, is giving an interview with The Asia Business Daily. Photo by Dongju Yoon

Celebrating its ninth anniversary this year, Charge has been accelerating its overseas expansion since last year. Maintaining consistency in flavor for a premium tea experience is a top priority. All 7,000-plus stores worldwide use the same standardized manufacturing process and materials, such as tea leaves produced in China. For the same reason, all Korean locations will be directly operated for the time being. CEO Kim stated, "It is crucial to establish consistent service and high quality," and emphasized, "Especially at this early stage of business, maintaining quality is an area where we must be even more attentive." As part of their localization strategy, Charge is developing menu items tailored for the Korean market.

CEO Kim sees great potential for tea in Korea's largely coffee-dominated beverage market, popularly called the 'coffee republic.' He explained, "When we analyze product sales data, there are certain periods—such as after lunchtime, especially in the late afternoon—when customers visit continuously." He added, "This suggests promising potential, and our long-term goal is to further integrate Charge into customers' daily routines." Rather than directly competing with other domestic tea brands, he believes it is necessary to expand the overall Korean tea market together.

Meanwhile, Charge Holdings, the global headquarters, recorded sales of 12.91 billion yuan (about KRW 2.8 trillion) last year, up 4.1 percent from the previous year. In the first quarter of this year, sales reached 3.546 billion yuan, a 4.5 percent year-on-year increase. In a recent earnings announcement, Chairman Zhang stated, "Charge has now entered a mature, stable, and sustainable high-quality growth phase," and emphasized, "Our goal for this year is to perfect every touchpoint with consumers."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.