Korea Venture Investment Tops 3.3 Trillion Won, AI and Bio Lead

*Editor's Note: 'AI PRISM' (Personalized Report & Insight Summarizing Media) is an AI-based personalized news recommendation and summary service developed with support from the Korea Press Foundation. It curates and provides six tailored news items by reader type.

1. Q1 Venture Investment Reaches 3.3 Trillion Won, Concentrated in ICT and Bio

- Key Summary: Venture investment in the first quarter this year reached 3.3 trillion won, while new venture fund commitments hit a record 4.4 trillion won. According to the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, venture investment and new venture fund commitments rose 24.1% and 30.7% year-on-year, respectively. By sector, ICT services accounted for the largest share at 21.4%, followed by bio/medical (20.5%) and electrical/machinery/equipment (15.3%). Twenty-six companies attracted large-scale investments of 10 billion won or more, including 10 firms based outside the Seoul metropolitan area.

2. K-Beauty Legend 'Dr. Jart+' Returns to Korea

- Key Summary: Domestic private equity firm PTA Partners has begun reviewing the acquisition of Have & Be, the Estée Lauder-owned operating entity behind Dr. Jart+. Have & Be's enterprise value is reported to be at least in the 200 billion won range, with Evercore and JP Morgan serving as sale advisors. Dr. Jart+ enjoyed peak performance in 2019 with revenue of 634.7 billion won and operating profit of 121.4 billion won, but last year posted revenue of 178.8 billion won and an operating loss of 23.2 billion won, swinging into the red. Meanwhile, Korea's cosmetics exports hit a record high of $11.4 billion last year, up 11.8% from the previous year.

3. 980-Won Protein Shake Combines Ultra-Low Price With Customer Satisfaction

- Key Summary: Three varieties of '5K Price Protein Shake' launched by E-mart (139480.KS) in March surpassed cumulative sales of 390,000 units in just over two months. Priced at 980 won per unit and containing 18 grams of protein, the product has established itself as the flagship offering of the ultra-low-price private brand 5K Price. In addition, seven high-protein snack items co-developed by E-mart's No Brand and Kkobakkobap recorded cumulative sales of 370,000 units, while Kurly's ready-to-eat private brand Charyeonaen reached cumulative sales of 2.5 million units. The retail industry is shifting toward private brand strategies that combine price competitiveness with nutrition and convenience.

4. Pearl Abyss on Verge of First Profit in Four Years; Crimson Desert DLC and DokeV to Extend Hit Cycle

- Key Summary: Pearl Abyss recorded first-quarter consolidated operating profit of 212.1 billion won, up 2,597% year-on-year, driven by the success of its new title Crimson Desert. Revenue rose 420% to 328.5 billion won, with 5 million copies sold in less than a month after launch. The company's full-year guidance calls for operating profit of 487.6 billion to 572.6 billion won and revenue of 879 billion to 975.4 billion won. Pearl Abyss is also developing its next title DokeV with a 2028 launch target, and plans to release Crimson Desert DLC around next year ahead of that.

5. Toss Emerges as Key Variable in Won Stablecoin; "Woori and IBK Are the Casting Vote"

- Key Summary: As preparations accelerate for the issuance of won-denominated stablecoins and the introduction of on-chain finance, Toss has emerged as a key variable. With Hana Financial Group taking the lead by acquiring a stake in Dunamu, KB Financial (105560.KS) views Toss as a core pillar of the won coin market and is continuing business cooperation discussions. Toss is a super-app whose subscriber base surpassed 30 million last year, with its appeal enhanced by a user base in their 20s and 30s. Meanwhile, Woori Bank and IBK Industrial Bank of Korea are also seen as casting votes, with IBK holding a market-leading SME loan balance of 264.2 trillion won as of the end of March, or about 24.4% market share.

6. ASML Chooses India Over China, to Build Front-End Semiconductor Plant

- Key Summary: Dutch semiconductor equipment company ASML is partnering with Tata Electronics to establish India's first front-end semiconductor plant. Tata Electronics plans to invest $11 billion (about 16.5 trillion won) to build a 300mm wafer-based semiconductor manufacturing plant in Dholera, Gujarat, India. The two companies also agreed to cooperate on developing semiconductor industry talent in India, building supply chains, and creating R&D infrastructure. The Indian government has pledged billions of dollars in subsidies, aiming to stand alongside major semiconductor-producing nations by 2032.